JDM led abmient light

It is not easier, to just wire up a LED with a resistor in series to a 12V source which is on, when the car is on?
I used to have it, in my ex VW and my wife has it, in her CRV as well.
 
It is not easier, to just wire up a LED with a resistor in series to a 12V source which is on, when the car is on?
I used to have it, in my ex VW and my wife has it, in her CRV as well.

That's essentially what this over head console is doing, no? But it is maintaining a OEM finished look rather then having a random LED slapped in place somewhere. I thought about doing a small SMD LED or maybe a few of them to add ambient lighting but decided it's not worth the headache of trying to get it to look OEM and what not. I thought a small one in the cubby just in front of the shifter would be cool as well as an over head one in the console, Maybe one in each door pocket or something. I also toyed with the idea of trying some EL wire in the cup holders but again, not worth the time and risk if it doesn't look OEM when done. I'm pretty picky about the finished product.
 
That's essentially what this over head console is doing, no? But it is maintaining a OEM finished look rather then having a random LED slapped in place somewhere. I thought about doing a small SMD LED or maybe a few of them to add ambient lighting but decided it's not worth the headache of trying to get it to look OEM and what not. I thought a small one in the cubby just in front of the shifter would be cool as well as an over head one in the console, Maybe one in each door pocket or something. I also toyed with the idea of trying some EL wire in the cup holders but again, not worth the time and risk if it doesn't look OEM when done. I'm pretty picky about the finished product.
+10000000000

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I thought a small one in the cubby just in front of the shifter would be cool

Mazda Japan have you covered there too!

Untitled_zpsmfk1z63y.jpg

(top left item)

Part Number is;

K015 V7 150A (Blue)
K075 V7 150 (White)

https://www.monotaro.com/g/01206847/
 
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Ok, I finally got around to finishing this up. I spent a ton of time this week trying to find a good spot to hardwire in, b/c I wanted the ambient light to turn on with the exterior lights... I didn't want to just have it powered on whenever the car was running.

I have to give credit to thedaddyb on this forum. He has posted about hardwiring a light to his glovebox and tied into power feeding the stereo. Just what I needed! He found the line that tells the HU to dim, when the lights come on! Woot!

28601175964_42855129b0_b.jpg
[/url]Credit to... by seajus s, on Flickr[/IMG]


Anyhow, I routed the ambient light harness towards the HU opening under the dash (I took out the trim and HU to do all of this, plenty of documentation on it elsewhere). It was super awkward laying on my back! D'oh!

The red power feed was plenty long to hit the wiring for the HU. The ground eyelet... not so much. But, I did find a ground spot under the dash, and attached there! So exciting!

Thanks to thedaddyb , I started to look for the magical line (yellow/green). And I found it. Boom!

28601163024_819a4417d1_k.jpg
[/url]Illumination feed, '14 cx-5 by seajus s, on Flickr[/IMG]

Then I tapped into it, and taped it up so hopefully I never have to look at it again!

28603047503_299d08c0ee_k.jpg
[/url]Illumination feed, '14 cx-5 by seajus s, on Flickr[/IMG]

Headlghts off... no ambient
parking lights on... ambient
headlights on... ambient

Mission accomplished!

Hopes this helps if anyone wants to add this console to their CX-5.
I'm sure much more electrically inclined people may have better methods to do this, but it works like I want!

PS. Perform at your own risk (nana)
 
Awesome!!! Now it looks like I need to order a new over head console and one of those center console light kits that was mentioned above!
 
Also.. does the wires that run down to the footwell area are bare wires or with spades that will fit in a harness?

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are the footwell LED's let dimly as you drive and then lit bright when you stop and open the door ?

or off when you drive and only on when door is ajar ?
 
are the footwell LED's let dimly as you drive and then lit bright when you stop and open the door ?

or off when you drive and only on when door is ajar ?
Cant really tell... i dont have the kit.. i was looking into buying it. Sorry.

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JDM led ambient light

are the footwell LED's let dimly as you drive and then lit bright when you stop and open the door ?
or off when you drive and only on when door is ajar ?
Cant really tell... i dont have the kit.. i was looking into buying it. Sorry.
Found Mazda MX-5 Genuine Interior Lighting Kit Installation Instructions and here is schematic diagram which should be similar to CX-5's footwell courtesy light kit:
attachment.php

Instructions don't say anything about how do these footwell courtesy lights work. But based on the schematic they seem to be on in full brightness whenever the door is open independently from the interior light OFF/DOOR/ON 3-position switch. They also should be on in dim fashion when the instrument cluster lights (parking lights or headlights) are on. There's a switch in the kit which is used for turning the dim footwell curtersy lights off during the night when the instrument cluster lights are on.

I'm not sure if Mazda in the US offers Interior Lighting Kit as an accessory for CX-5 like they offer for Madza3、MX-5、and CX-9, but this OEM Interior Lighting Kit Installation Instructions for MX-5 have 30 pages. They also provide some information of connection point (the one with the switch) to power any LED lightings when instrument cluster lights (parking lights or headlights) are on for this JDM LED ambient light, glove compartment light, and front console cubby light.
 
I have the footwell courtesy lighting in my UK CX-5 and it is operated by the doors only (not on with ignition or lights)


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Quick update for those of you in the UK (and possibly other markets too) - this JDM overhead console is not a straight swap, as UK market cars are fitted with sensors for the alarm that the JDM console does not make provision for! I've fitted the LED from it to my console for a test run but haven't run the cable loom yet. A shame as I was hoping it would be a straight swap like these US cars seem to be!

IMG_2901_zps2j6bflat.jpg


JDM overhead console on the left, UK market on the right
 
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Oh man, that stinks!
Do you think you'll be able to permanently mod it somehow to make it all work?


Quick update for those of you in the UK (and possibly other markets too) - this JDM overhead console is not a straight swap, as UK market cars are fitted with sensors for the alarm that the JDM console does not make provision for! I've fitted the LED from it to my console for a test run but haven't run the cable loom yet. A shame as I was hoping it would be a straight swap like these US cars seem to be!

IMG_2901_zps2j6bflat.jpg


JDM overhead console on the left, UK market on the right
 
Oh man, that stinks!
Do you think you'll be able to permanently mod it somehow to make it all work?

I already have :)

IMG_2906_zpsahscu3mq.jpg


IMG_2910_zps6uicrlre.jpg


My skills with a Dremel could use a lot of practise, but I think of it as more of a test fit! I'm going to run the loom today and see how it looks in the dark.


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First test run and I have to say it's way too bright! Maybe it's to do with the placement of my 'hacked' version but I found it to be a distracting level of light, but it was great to have some ambient light in the cabin rather than the darkness without the light. I'm going to try tinting the light with smoked and coloured films to see what effect that has.

3cab1a6f272d06e6ddf122a5877aa89d.jpg



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On other cars, the LED has a red or blue color and a bit recessed. You could also add a resistor or increase the value of the existing one, to dim it a bit.
 
Yep, my guess is that there may be other area's of resistance somewhere in the electronics of the JDM console that isn't getting used the way you did it. The OP shot looks much dimmer then yours. I could be wrong but that would be my guess.
 
Here's what I find frustrating, almost every other current model of Mazda, CX-3, CX-9, Mazda3, MX-5 have US available footwell illumination kits available. The Kit for the MX-5 has its instructions posted up in this thread. Japanparts.com list an footwell kit for the CX-5 and if you browse ebay uk or do a google search you find the kit for different markets. I just wonder why mazda won't release that kit in the US? and I also wonder if any of those kits (like the MX-5) is basically the same as the JDM one that is available. If anyone has the OEM part number to the JDM kit and or the install instructions in English I would love to take a look them.
 
You could also add a resistor or increase the value of the existing one, to dim it a bit.

+1

This is what I had to do when I installed my own ambient light (smd led purchased off ebay). I placed it in the cubby in front of shifter because I was worry about distractions while driving. Tapped into the radio dimmer wire.

You can use this link to find the appropriate resistor. The lower the voltage, the dimmer....you can go with variable resistor too.
http://www.ohmslawcalculator.com/voltage-divider-calculator
29lh639.jpg
 
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