Adding Driver and Passenger Footwell Lighting
by southpawboston
I've always liked the idea of having lights in the foot wells that
come on when you open the doors. This DIY adds lights to each foot well and puts the lights under the same control as the
red door panel safety lights (i.e., whenever the driver's or passenger's door is opened, the corresponding foot well light
comes on). To do this DIY, first view and print out the
DIY "Tapping into the ETACS". All of the interior lights are supplied with constant 12V, and the ETACS module provides
ground when needed to activate the light (e.g., when a door is opened, it sends the signal to the ETACS which then provides
ground to the interior room light). For each light you want to add, you simply need to splice one wire into const. 12V and
the other into the appropriate ETACS pin. The lights themselves are not polarity-dependent, so it doesn't matter which wire
goes to 12V and which goes to the ETACS.
Materials and tools needed:
- 5 watt lights (2) - (Hyundai part # 92620-33000, same
as cargo area light)
· insulated female spade crimp terminals (4 needed)
· 18-gauge or similar speaker wire or lamp wire, about 6 feet
total
· electrical tape
· crimp tool
· solder
· solder gun
· phillips head screwdriver
· nylon snap ties
Note: Most of these materials are available at auto parts
stores and at Radio Shack. The lights cost $2.80 each through elantraGTclub.com member Jay Montigny, who is also the parts
manager at Lia Hyundai. Retail price is about $3.50 through any Hyundai dealer.
The Project:
(Total cost: $10 Difficulty: easy/med.)
1) Following the "Tapping into the ETACS" DIY, remove the dash
fascia, CD deck, and HVAC controls. Unplug wiring harness "A" from the ETACS.
2) For the driver's side light, cut about a 3-foot length of
speaker wire. Splice one lead into pin A1 and the other into pin A8.
3) For the passenger's side light, cut another 3-foot length
of speaker wire. Splice one lead into pin A1, and the other into pin A9.
4) Route the driver's and the passenger's wiring behind the
dash and toward the respective foot well areas.
5) Crimp spade terminals onto the exposed ends of the driver's
and passenger's wires, and plug into the lights. You do not have to worry about polarity, the lights will work regardless
of which lead is attached to each spade.
6) Find locations to mount the driver's and passenger's lights.
Mount them high enough so that you don't see them when looking into the car, and so that they won't interfere with your legs
and feet. I secured my lights using nylon snap ties.
7) After all splice junctions at the ETACS are properly soldered
and taped, secure any loose wiring to existing wiring harnesses using nylon snap ties or electrical tape.
8) Re-assemble the CD deck, HVAC controls, and dash fascia.
Project Photos:
After crimping the spade terminals, I also used shrink tubing to make a
tight seal. This is not necessary. This is the part of the light I used to secure the light in place with a nylon snap tie.
Passenger's side light. Notice it is held in place with a nylon snap tie
secured to a large wiring harness.
Driver's side light.
The Completed Project.
