Ambient interior lighting.

///AIRDAM

///AIRDAM

New member
has anyone ever done some ambient lighting in the interior behind the drivers seats? in between your two map lights there is a little black hole, with a small SMD white LED and a clear diffuser that is supposed to light up your shifter and cup holders. well since its so dim you cant see it i took it out and upgraded from the 80mcd light to a 600mcd light and its perfect. actually shows what is in the cup holders. absolutely perfect in my opinion.

behind the drivers seats all the way to the back glass is mighty dark though. i have thought about putting 2 SMD LEDs behind the roof light to somewhat light the clear cover up to provide some ambient lighting for the rear passengers. i contemplated flush mounting a 2mm LED somewhere in the 50-80mcd range into the headliner above each rear passengers seat. i have the 3rd row seating and its just mighty dark back there for the passengers while on a long dark ride. i have seen one or two interior light upgrades, with the autozone strip lights but gaudy and noticable is not my thing. its gotta look factory
 
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i have done some lights in the floorboards so that you can see the floorboards when you open the doors, and when you cut the overhead lights on. i am in the process of trying to figure out where to mount some lights for the rear passengers to cover the floorboard better when the passengers need more light. the overhead headliner light just sucks for finding things on the floorboard. i have thought about cutting and plastic welding a piece of lexan into the lower B pillar covers and putting a light behind it so that when the doors open up the overhead light and light in the lower B pillar come on to aid in entry lighting. also when you cut the overhead light on as if looking for something the lights in the lower B pillar would also come on.

i pulled the light out of the headliner, the 3 wires are incased in a ribbon, so you cant use the old style T-taps, i'll have to splice it and solder it nicely. not a problem, just an interesting find.

the map lights were also a bit tricky to tap into, i had to solder a pick-up wire directly to the board above the map lights. once i get a few more ambient lights figured out i planned on doing a big write-up on the total interior lighting upgrades and how-to's
 
///AIRDAM said:
i have done some lights in the floorboards so that you can see the floorboards when you open the doors, and when you cut the overhead lights on. i am in the process of trying to figure out where to mount some lights for the rear passengers to cover the floorboard better when the passengers need more light. the overhead headliner light just sucks for finding things on the floorboard. i have thought about cutting and plastic welding a piece of lexan into the lower B pillar covers and putting a light behind it so that when the doors open up the overhead light and light in the lower B pillar come on to aid in entry lighting. also when you cut the overhead light on as if looking for something the lights in the lower B pillar would also come on.

i pulled the light out of the headliner, the 3 wires are incased in a ribbon, so you cant use the old style T-taps, i'll have to splice it and solder it nicely. not a problem, just an interesting find.

the map lights were also a bit tricky to tap into, i had to solder a pick-up wire directly to the board above the map lights. once i get a few more ambient lights figured out i planned on doing a big write-up on the total interior lighting upgrades and how-to's
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Almost any lighting mod has been accomplished by http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/92013-antmans-thread.html and that should give you some ideas. While you want more light I want less light. I drive a LOT at night and sometimes even turn my dash lights off to keep night vision.We have a lot of big animals down here and they don't know how to stay out of the road. Check out Jeff's thread for reference.
 
Hey Adam!

I installed some LED strips in Sp8Balls truck a while back. Here's the link:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...r-s-ideas-since-mid-2010-a-10.html#post761977

I have several orange (matches the dash perfectly) 3 & 5 mm LED's throughout my interior. One in each door handle pocket, one that illuminates the sunroof switches, one in each cupholder, one in the storage area next to the shifter, and one in the cubby under the HVAC controls.

Nothing too bright, just enough to see in the dark. Looks awesome at night!
 
Antman said:
Hey Adam!

I installed some LED strips in Sp8Balls truck a while back. Here's the link:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...r-s-ideas-since-mid-2010-a-10.html#post761977

I have several orange (matches the dash perfectly) 3 & 5 mm LED's throughout my interior. One in each door handle pocket, one that illuminates the sunroof switches, one in each cupholder, one in the storage area next to the shifter, and one in the cubby under the HVAC controls.

Nothing too bright, just enough to see in the dark. Looks awesome at night!
Click to expand...

Beat you...
 
i looked up those threads and the one with the LEDs in the handle pocket and cup holder too. i myself dont like the strips. its just not a "factory" look. the LEDs that you had in the door pockets hang out and would bother me. i am going to replace the orange ones with some low 60-80MCD white ones. this will give me a "better" look to match the whites on the limited dash. i put all white interior LEDs in my tacoma back in 2008, this 4rubber needs to color coordinate. i want all white LEDs not orange. and i am much more of a fan of SMD (surface mount) because nothing looks out of the ordinary and hanging out. the overhead map lights in the 4runner are an incandescent. i kept incandescent lights in the floorboards to make it look factory. whenever i get the rears figured out i plan on doing a full write-up. mine come on with the doors open, alarm disarm, and when you cut the map lights on. seems much closer to how the factory "should" have done it.
 
Antman said:
one of these days....ONE OF THESE DAYS!
Click to expand...

Pow, right in the kisser? Oh sorry, that's another thread.


To the OP: I'm actually pretty happy with the ambient lighting in the limited. However, do post pics as I'm always curious to see what other's are doing in that regard. Good luck and welcome to t4r.
 
///AIRDAM said:
i looked up those threads and the one with the LEDs in the handle pocket and cup holder too. i myself dont like the strips. its just not a "factory" look. the LEDs that you had in the door pockets hang out and would bother me. i am going to replace the orange ones with some low 60-80MCD white ones. this will give me a "better" look to match the whites on the limited dash. i put all white interior LEDs in my tacoma back in 2008, this 4rubber needs to color coordinate. i want all white LEDs not orange. and i am much more of a fan of SMD (surface mount) because nothing looks out of the ordinary and hanging out. the overhead map lights in the 4runner are an incandescent. i kept incandescent lights in the floorboards to make it look factory. whenever i get the rears figured out i plan on doing a full write-up. mine come on with the doors open, alarm disarm, and when you cut the map lights on. seems much closer to how the factory "should" have done it.
Click to expand...

FWIW- you can't see any of my LED's unless you really get down close and look. All you can see is the glow.

Anyway- good luck with yours!
 
///AIRDAM said:
i myself dont like the strips. its just not a "factory" look. the LEDs that you had in the door pockets hang out and would bother me. i am going to replace the orange ones with some low 60-80MCD white ones. this will give me a "better" look to match the whites on the limited dash.
Click to expand...


Feel free to PM if you'd like referrals to any other users that have consistently demonstrated their expertise and willingness to help... you know, if you want to shoot them down too.
 
although some may want less light, i want a seamless ambient glow where you can see things, not like a flashlight bright, just an ambient glow. i traded in a 2012 lexus is-f for the limited 4runner and it had amazing ambient LED lighting especially in the rear. it had (what i assume) a 10mm LED facing downward over each rear seat bucket with a plastic 4spot diffuser that would light up the rear passengers seats so you could tell whats going on back there, but not actually light up the world and annoy you. the front seats too and center console was lit the same way. just a subtle hint of light with a diffuser so that you were not seeing any light, just a glow on the console. you had no light in your eyes, just the ambient glow of objects from the overhead light

i did not mean to step on anyones toes, although ANTMAN did an excellent write-up on how he did everything, which i am sure has helped out countless others in the past, i just prefer to go a little different direction. i dont mean to have any sarcasm towards how he did everything, he definitely did alot of work. i am not knocking him a bit.
 
///AIRDAM said:
although some may want less light, i want a seamless ambient glow where you can see things, not like a flashlight bright, just an ambient glow. i traded in a 2012 lexus is-f for the limited 4runner and it had amazing ambient LED lighting especially in the rear. it had (what i assume) a 10mm LED facing downward over each rear seat bucket with a plastic 4spot diffuser that would light up the rear passengers seats so you could tell whats going on back there, but not actually light up the world and annoy you. the front seats too and center console was lit the same way. just a subtle hint of light with a diffuser so that you were not seeing any light, just a glow on the console. you had no light in your eyes, just the ambient glow of objects from the overhead light

i did not mean to step on anyones toes, although ANTMAN did an excellent write-up on how he did everything, which i am sure has helped out countless others in the past, i just prefer to go a little different direction. i dont mean to have any sarcasm towards how he did everything, he definitely did alot of work. i am not knocking him a bit.
Click to expand...

For your info, factory is what it is now. Anything else is a mod and will look like it, better or worse.

You did trash Antman, a guy that tirelessly has helped many many people over the years. What do you have - 3 posts? Maybe you just came off the wrong way I don't know. Antman has too much class to do this but I don't. We play nice here and there are many who don't need any help but enjoy helping others. Read a little before you determine how much better you are. Oh, unless its a Lexus LFA you had I'm not impressed. Good luck.
 
I know this is an old thread, but I recently installed those cool laser door lights that project "Toyota" onto the ground when you open the doors.

It looks really cool at night, lemme tell ya! Lol!!
 
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