Installing a Glovebox light

[Tech]

PLEASE NOTE: All DIY's posted by me are done on a RHD Toyota 86. Therefore component locations may be different in LHD cars. The Scion FRS and Subaru BRZ also may use different wiring colours to what I state here. Please check voltages with a voltmeter first before cutting or splicing into any OEM loom. As always, proceed at your own risk.

Installing a Glove box Light

This might be a very minor thing to most people, but the 86 is the only car I have owned that did not have a light in the glove box. So I installed one.

This is the one I used from our local auto shop, but anything similar can be used. The procedure would be much the same, so treat this DIY as a guide and make appropriate changes to suit the product used.






On this one, there are a couple of short wires attached to a 2 pin connector.


It also came with a selection of adaptor connectors. None of which we need, but we do need the female part on the connector off one of the adaptors. Cut the 2 pin connector complete with as much wire as there is attached to the connector, because we will need to lengthen them.




Notice there are some clear plastic mounts and some double sided sticky foam in this kit. These will be used to mount the light.


First we need to make a template for the square hole that needs to be cut. this is easy enough by tracing around the LED light onto a piece of card. Then carefully cut out the square you have just drawn.





Attach a couple of pieces of double sided tape to the template as seen in the picture and then put aside for now.


If you are unfamiliar working with car electrics, then I would suggest disconnecting the earth lead of your battery before continuing.


First you need to remove the glovebox door. Open and disconnect the hydraulic damper on one side of the door. Squeeze the sides of the door, pull down and remove.


Next remove the dashboard panel directly above the glovebox. this is just clipped in. Open the passenger door and remove the small side panel on the dashboard as well. (clipped in) The reason for this is so you can see what is going on after the light is fitted and during testing.


Remove the 5 screws from the corners of the interior seen in the following picture.




I was not able to remove the glovebox completely. Something else is holding it in there, but it is able to be moved enough to see where the light needs to be placed. Fortunately there is a lot of empty space above the glovebox.



Place the template you made earlier in the position you want it. I suggest close to the front edge of the glovebox to obtain the best light spread.



Use a sharp razor knife and score around the hole on the template. You will need to work upside down to see the score marks. If you are lucky enough to figure out what else is holding the glovebox interior in and you can release it, then you will be able to cut from the top which will make it much easier. However, the plastic is very soft and it only took me a few minutes to cut out the hole repeatedly going over the score lines. Keep the square piece of plastic as it will be used later.



Attach the plastic mounts and sticky pads to the LED light.



Expose the sticky pads and fit the LED into the hole from the top.





How it looks from the bottom.





Here is the circuit diagram of how it will be connected.






You need to buy a "MOMENTARY" push switch where the switch contacts OPEN when the switch is pushed and CLOSE when it is released.




NOTE: If you don't want to go to the trouble of installing a switch, then you can skip the next few sections. Instead of connecting the LED via a switch to the 12V+ line, you could connect directly to the park light wire in the radio loom. This means the light won't work if your lights are off and the glovebox light will be on permanantly at night regardless of whether the glovebox door is open or not. Personally, I don't like it working that way...



Drill a hole for the switch in the place shown in the next picture. Use the pollen filter as a guide. Note: on a LHD car the position may be mirrored to what you see here. I don't know.





Please read through the next sections a couple of times and make sure you fully understand what needs to be done before any connections are made.



Before fitting the switch, attach two wires to the pins. One needs to be long enough to reach the back of the stereo and the other needs to be attached to the female socket that plugs into the LED lamp. The second wire of the female socket needs to go to a metal earth point using a convenient bolt close by.



Refer to circuit diagram before connecting! I used heatshrink tubing over each connection. At the very least, use insulation tape so no live connections are exposed.



Remove the stereo and unplug the connectors to it to allow room to work. The switch wire needs to be connected to 12V+. In my case, this is the Orange wire with silver tracer.


AGAIN NOTE, the wiring on USA cars may be a different colour so before connecting, temporarily reconnect the battery and test for a live 12V+ wire with everything turned off. TEST AND CONFIRM! Then disconnect battery.





Once all connections have been made AND INSULATED, connect the battery and the light should work. If it doesn't, then swap around the LED plug as LED's are polarity sensitive. Press the switch and the light should go out. (if you haven't used the switch option, then the LED'S should light when you turn on your park lights)


If every thing is working, then you can reinstall the stereo and refit the 4 glovebox screws. Don't fit the dashboard panels yet. (if you haven't used a switch, then you can refit all panels and the glovebox door. For you the job is done)


The switch I used was not quite long enough to active when the door closed. I used the square piece of plastic I cut out for the light and attached it with double sided adhesive foam to the back of the glovebox door. This pushes on the switch actuator when the door closes. If you look through the missing dashboard panel you should be able to see the light go off when the door closes.






If the light turns on and off with the door, then refit the two dashboard panels.





Tech...

[LXXXV1]

#yes.

I love these types of functional DIY mods. Thanks OP! Might give this a try but maybe figure out a less permanent approach.
@sillierabbit

[Mazikowski]

Awesome DIY!
@LXXXV1
You could always just use one of those sticky backed LED strips for a less invasive install if you wanted.

[YamahaR86]

Always wanted to do this but couldn't figure out how to make it turn on/off. Great idea for that switch!

[toast]

I have these all over my interior in red so that you get some glow but don't lose your night vision. One in each footwell, on3 in the glovebox and several in the trunk. Inexpensive, non-permanent and throw out a nice amount of light.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more.../attributes/13

For power I just used a barrier terminal block and daisy chained all the terminals together off of the dimming wire going to the stereo head unit. In the trunk I tapped off the +12V to the tail lights.

[Tech]

Originally Posted by toast

I have these all over my interior in red so that you get some glow but don't lose your night vision. One in each footwell, on3 in the glovebox and several in the trunk. Inexpensive, non-permanent and throw out a nice amount of light.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more.../attributes/13

For power I just used a barrier terminal block and daisy chained all the terminals together off of the dimming wire going to the stereo head unit. In the trunk I tapped off the +12V to the tail lights.

That's a nice LED unit. Haven't seen them here.

Yes I have also done the footwell thing with LED strips. They work independently, so each footwell lights according to which door you open.

Also replaced the OEM trunk light and licence plate lights with plug in LED equivalents.

[Tech]

Originally Posted by Mazikowski

Awesome DIY!
@LXXXV1
You could always just use one of those sticky backed LED strips for a less invasive install if you wanted.

Yes you could. Absolutely.

You can normally cut those strips too so you can have the amount of light that works best for you.