Tapping into dashboard lights for toggle switch lights?

[Dom8706]

I have some toggle switches that have an option to light up and id like to link them to light up when i turn on my dash lights. Does anyone know which wire i can tap into that will allow that to happen?

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

why not tap from other switch light wires instead?

if for any reason, the toggle switch lights become grounded, it could take the dashboard circuitry with it and that's a bigger problem

 

[Dom8706]

Thats pretty much what i meant. Sorry electrical components and terminology arent my strong point. I have some quick splice connectors and i was hoping to find a close wire under the dash to splice into since my toggle switches are to the left of the steering wheel but now that youve said that it would be easier to just splice into the climate control lights or something similar.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

What other Toyota switches do you have that light up when turning on the clearance/park lights? I would prefer tapping the lighted switches before considering the AC Controller

 

[gamefreakgc]

If you are adding into the switch blanks on the side, the ignition key light is the closest source. If I remember it's a switched ground, so you are looking to tap the ground wire. I think it was silver/green but it's been years so I could be wrong. Take off the lower dash kick panel and the pop out the ignition bezel and you should see two wires coming out of the ignition key switch you can tap. If you post up the colors we should be able to point as to which one to tap, but honestly I think both might work. Also not an electrical engineer so someone may correct me.

 

[Skulking]

If you are adding into the switch blanks on the side, the ignition key light is the closest source. If I remember it's a switched ground, so you are looking to tap the ground wire. I think it was silver/green but it's been years so I could be wrong. Take off the lower dash kick panel and the pop out the ignition bezel and you should see two wires coming out of the ignition key switch you can tap. If you post up the colors we should be able to point as to which one to tap, but honestly I think both might work. Also not an electrical engineer so someone may correct me.

The ignition key light wouldn't be a great place to tap for what he wants. The ignition key light turns on when the doors open and turns off after a few second. It isn't controlled with the dash lights at all so it wouldn't give him what he wants.

 

[gamefreakgc]

The ignition key light wouldn't be a great place to tap for what he wants. The ignition key light turns on when the doors open and turns off after a few second. It isn't controlled with the dash lights at all so it wouldn't give him what he wants.

Not the ignition itself, the light bulb that illuminates the ring around the key cylinder. I'm guessing yours is burnt out, it's a common bulb to fail. It'll blow your mind if you replace the bulb, along with the glove box bulb and cigarette lighter bulb. So much interior light!

 

[Skulking]

Not the ignition itself, the light bulb that illuminates the ring around the key cylinder. I'm guessing yours is burnt out, it's a common bulb to fail. It'll blow your mind if you replace the bulb, along with the glove box bulb and cigarette lighter bulb. So much interior light!

I know which light you are talking about. When I read your post I thought your suggestion was wrong because of how I remembered mine behaving, so I went out and confirmed the behavior before I responded to you. It behaves as I described. I suppose it's possible there are differences between years for the behavior, but it seems unlikely as the only reason to illuminate the ring light is so you can see where you need to put your key, and once the key is in and the car is running there is no need to illuminate it any more.

 

[Dom8706]

What other Toyota switches do you have that light up when turning on the clearance/park lights? I would prefer tapping the lighted switches before considering the AC Controller

Just whatever is stock. This would be my first splice into that switch. What do you mean by lighted switches? Which area/part/wire do you recommend splicing into for this purpose?

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

there are stock Toyota switches that are lit up when you switch on the park/clearance lights. For example, the RR DiFF LOCK switch has a bulb inside that lights up when the clearance/park lights are turned on. That bulb has a separate green-white wire to power it, and you can tap on that wire. If you don't have the RR DIFF LOCK switch, perhaps you can check on the center diff lock or the seat heater switches and see if those are equipped with bulbs. I know the HAZARD switch has a bulb but I dunno if the wiring is independent of the blinking circuitry, perhaps you can check and try that also. the next option would be the center panel switches. I think you can tap the light wire on the C23 connector

 

[Dom8706]

there are stock Toyota switches that are lit up when you switch on the park/clearance lights. For example, the RR DiFF LOCK switch has a bulb inside that lights up when the clearance/park lights are turned on. That bulb has a separate green-white wire to power it, and you can tap on that wire. If you don't have the RR DIFF LOCK switch, perhaps you can check on the center diff lock or the seat heater switches and see if those are equipped with bulbs. I know the HAZARD switch has a bulb but I dunno if the wiring is independent of the blinking circuitry, perhaps you can check and try that also. the next option would be the center panel switches. I think you can tap the light wire on the C23 connector

Copy that. I have a center diff lock switch but it doesnt light up. I dont have a rr diff lock switch (i wish) or seat heaters. Ill check to see if there is a bulb for the center diff lock switch tomorrow. Could just be burnt out i suppose. If not i will try splicing into the hazard switch bulb wire and see if that works. Thank you.

 

[SeaBassHWD]

Just use an add-a-fuse and tap into the turn signal fuse.

 

[T4topher]

I tapped into the dimmer knob wires. I had to run the ground and the power from the dimmer knob to get the lights to dim with the dash. There was a solid green, a white with green stripe, and a white with black stripe. Pretty sure I connected the ground to the green and the power to the white with green stripe but I’ll have to check. If you want me to check let me know because I have to take my dash apart a little to see it.

 

[TheDurk]

I tapped into the dimmer knob wires. I had to run the ground and the power from the dimmer knob to get the lights to dim with the dash. There was a solid green, a white with green stripe, and a white with black stripe. Pretty sure I connected the ground to the green and the power to the white with green stripe but I’ll have to check. If you want me to check let me know because I have to take my dash apart a little to see it.

No need. That's it, but backwards. Green is power and white-green is ground if you want it to dim. It might have worked backwards, depends on the switch. Those green and white-green wires are all over the dash area and I'm pretty sure they are all connected to the rheostat so it doesn't matter which ones you use.

If you want it not to dim, just use the green wire for power and a true ground (any white with black stripe or direct to chassis metal).

Most things vary with the year, but this is constant through the third gen. Circuit diagram from 2000 attached.

 

[T4topher]

No need. That's it, but backwards. Green is power and white-green is ground if you want it to dim. It might have worked backwards, depends on the switch. Those green and white-green wires are all over the dash area and I'm pretty sure they are all connected to the rheostat so it doesn't matter which ones you use.

If you want it not to dim, just use the green wire for power and a true ground (any white with black stripe or direct to chassis metal).

Most things vary with the year, but this is constant through the third gen. Circuit diagram from 2000 attached.

Thanks, I was trying to remember how I did it.. Yea I had it backwards at first and it wouldn’t dim because my accessory switches have leds. I made the light in my diff lock switch light up too and that worked when I had it backwards cause it was an incandescent bulb lol.

 

[gamefreakgc]

No need. That's it, but backwards. Green is power and white-green is ground if you want it to dim. It might have worked backwards, depends on the switch. Those green and white-green wires are all over the dash area and I'm pretty sure they are all connected to the rheostat so it doesn't matter which ones you use.

If you want it not to dim, just use the green wire for power and a true ground (any white with black stripe or direct to chassis metal).

Most things vary with the year, but this is constant through the third gen. Circuit diagram from 2000 attached.

That's what I did wrong! I assumed solid green was ground (I do more household electrical that vehicles) so my switch would brighten when everything else was dimmed. Good to know, I'll just switch the wired around then.