I wanted to add a light so that I could see items in the console bin at night such as coins, phone etc. without turning on the overhead panel lights, and came up with this quick project. First, if you are a smoker who uses the ashtray or someone who likes to keep coins or other things in the ashtray, this idea won't work. Otherwise, here ya go!

As you know, there is a bulb which illuminates the ashtray that is lit whenever your dash lights are on. When you remove the ashtray, that bulb illuminates a good portion of the bin below it. Now when the ashtray is removed from the dash, the recess surround is nicely finished but the recess itself has some exposed screws and raw edges. That fix is really easy...

The Project

1) Take the ashtray that you've removed, turn it over and find the 2 small phillips head screws. Remove them and the faceplate of the tray comes off. Replace the two screws into the tray and set aside for storage when and if you decide to replace the ashtray into the dash.

2) Take the faceplate and spin it 180 degrees from its proper orientation as it was in the dash.

3) Slide the faceplate into the recess pressing the lower edge against the back wall of the recess where the 2 exposed screws are. With slight pressure it will "snap" into place perfectly covering both the screws and the raw edge of the recess.

4) The faceplate is quite secure but IF you want a more permanent installation using the faceplate you may; a) drill 2 holes in the faceplate to align with the 2 screws in the recess, remove those screws, align the faceplate in the recess as described above then reattach with the screws. I didn't do this because I don't want to alter the faceplate and I don't like exposed screwheads b) glue or epoxy the lower back edge of the faceplate to the back of the recess c) use earthquake putty (for you Californian's) or florists putty to more securely hold the plate in position but still allow it to be removed without any permanent scarring of either the dash recess or back of the faceplate. Now, when you're seated in either front seat all you see is a nicely trimmed recess. However, if you are seated in the backseat and look at the recess you can see some exposed wiring just above the attached faceplate. IF this bothers you, then use the faceplate as a template and trace the shape adding approximately 1/2" height on a material of your choice. OR, simply affix an extender panel to the original faceplate to add the extra height needed to conceal the wires. Depending on what you use any of the above securing methods will still work.

5) Now, wait for dark, sit inside and turn on your lights. You will find a pleasantly illuminated front console bin! The light does not reflect in the front windshield but you will notice the reflection in the passenger-side window -but for those of us with automatic transmission, that reflection is only minimally more that the already-occuring reflection from the selector light. Previously, I had used a small accessory light in the cigarette lighter socket for illumination of the console, but this fix frees that socket for cellphone chargers and the like while maintaining illumination. Another caveat...don't know if the '04 ashtray with it's "push-push" to open/close lends itself to the same fix.

As a future project I am also thinking that it would be easy to splice into this same bulb wire, run power to the rear of the console and add a light fixture with a switch to add illumination for my backseat. (Since I have the '03 with sunroof my backseat has no illumination). But that's another DIY in-the-making!