LED Under Dash How-To

[DeanMLFlame]

This is a how-to thread on putting LED lights under your dash for 89-92 Rangers. I couldn't find anyother place to post this so i'll do it here.


These are the 2 LED pods i got from autozone. They are made by Pilot Automotive. When i got these they had the "Try Me" button which was kinda cheesy, but it helped to determine which lights to choose. ok here we go
Step 1: Open hood and disconnect the battery
Step 2: In cab remover A-pilar trim and aluminum door sil plate and unscrew kick panel and pull out.
Step 3: You can mount the LED's however you want depending on which one's you get. (My pods are stuck on with double-stick tape)
Step 4: Place them as far back as you can.
Step 5: With a 9/16" deep well socket. Take out courtesy lamp plunger and disconnect it from the connector
Step 6: Above the ECM box you'll see a white wire insulator. Those are the wires for courtesy lamp. Pull them through so you have full access to them.
Step 7: Cut and peal pack insulation to expose the green and black wires. Strip about a 1/2 to 3/4" of the insulation on the BLACK WIRE(This is where you'll attach the LED's hot wire. DO NOT do this to the Green wire otherwise the LED will constantly stay on.
Step 8: Solder and wrap hot wire's to black wires.
(IMPORTANT) Your driver side LED will also run off the passenger side courtesy lamp. So extend the driver side LED wires so they reach passenger side. There is no way to get to driver side plunger without removing a shit load of stuff like emergency brake etc...
Step 9: With both LED hot wires attach to BLACK WIRE. Insulate and set aside. Now take with LED ground wires and twist the together. (You can solder if you like)
Step 10: Look next to the ECM there should be a GREEN bolt with other ground wire. Unscrew bolt a little ways and wrap LED ground wire around it. Tighten back up.
Step 11: Slide the courtesy lamp wire back through to where they originally were. (In the door area) Plug plunger back in, screw it back on and reconnect battery. Both LED's should come on. Push in plunger to check to see if they would shut of when door closed. If not follow steps again like a check list.
Step 12: Put all panels back on. Tuck wires up out of the way. Zip-tie driver side wires to something near steering column. (get them out of the way) and your done. This is what mine look like

[nitrofan1]

Looks good! The bluer the better!!!

[z3ro]

Nice DIY

[sean9721]

I found my next mod. Looks good.

[irishblessing]

those are boss did they come with an extra switch or do they come on all the time with your dome light

[snomaker321]

will this work on a 96? thanks

[DeanMLFlame]

to irishblessing They come on all the time with dome light. You can also manually turn them on by turning headlight switch all the way to the left. To Snomake321, this will more then likely work for your truck. Use a electrician tool the Lights up when you touch something that has current running through it(don't know what it's called). On the courtesy lamp plunger, Find the wire that shows current when door is open and no current when closed. That's were you put your HOT's. and any chassis ground work(of course

[irishblessing]

do those light just have a positive/negitive wire im thinking about maybe riging them up to a small 9 volt battery

[DeanMLFlame]

Yes they do have a positive and negative but if your gonna use the Pods like I did. You would need a 12 volt battery. But i guess they'd work for a 9v since LED's draw less current. I guess it will be trial and error!

[IRKillroy]

I'm just curious why you'd go to that kind of trouble to hook it up to another battery when you have 12 volts as your main supply of power throughout the truck... unless you plan on unhooking the battery everytime, you're looking at hooking it up to a switch and making the 9 volt the power source when you can use any 12 volt under the dash.

[funkingonutz]

ive hooked those pods up to a 18v drill battery (to see what they looked like) and they've worked. I put one of those pods behind my radio so whole dashboard lights up in the inside, the vents light up, the glove-box, everything.

[funkingonutz]

Now ill put pods up underneath (like yours). Ive tried those LED strips and they suck cause theres nowhere to put them in a Ranger without seeing the actual strip. I hate seeing the strips...all i want to see is the light. Ya know what i mean?? Ive seen some real hackjobs by some of my friends...I'm sure everyone can relate