DIY: Extra Trunk Hatch Lid LED Lighting

[ImStricken06]

i have been tinkering with the idea of installing extra lighting on the rear hatch trunk. I was digging around an old box of LED & HID lights and found a cool tiny little LED module with two superflux 4-chip 12V LED's. After a little repair, some soldering, and shrink wrapping with electrical tape - it worked great!
(FOR ANYONE THINKING OF DOING THIS, YOU OBVIOSLY WONT HAVE TO PUTZ WITH THE LED MODULE LIKE I DID. JUST HEAD OVER TO ANY LED SUPPLY ONLINE STORE, http://www.oznium.com IS A STORE I HAVE ORDERED FROM. GREAT CONVENIENT MODULES. http://www.superbrightleds.com also comes to mind, as i know a lot of the maxima guys ordered speedometer led's from this site. i Never ordered from here, but they have good reviews and cool 12volt LED modules.)


The install was pretty simple. i removed the plastic cover on the inside of the lift gate:
two plastic push rivet style fasteners by the bottom of the lid near the handle insert
after that, just grab the plastic lid and tug... HARD!


Next i found the back of the lighting lamp already there.
Blue Wire = Ground(negative)
Yellow Wire = Postive

take your LED light module and just solder the connected to the wires, or use quick snap wire splice, etc.
i just soldered for a solid connection and used heat shrink tubing to give everything a clean connection.


i drilled some tiny holes behind the LED module to run the wires, for a clean install.
i attached the module with 2 aluminum pop rivets.
i attached the module to the center hump pointing towards the ground, bumper area to give me plenty light where my feet will be.

HERE IS A PHOTO OF THE LED LIGHT COMPARED TO THE STOCK REGULAR LIGHT:






I A GOING TO ADD MORE NOW THAT THE WIRING IS THERE, I AM THINKING OF THESE:
http://www.oznium.com/prewired-superflux

[ImStricken06]

UPDATE: just went out in the dark to test the LED light, and im really impressed. the 2 highflux LED's really added light to about 10-15feet away to the rear of the car. i certainly going to install ore of these and mount them so more of the 5foot area behind the car is illuminated. im really happy with the install.

[ROGUEPLANET]

can you give us a quick idea on whats involved with getting the panel off, you seem to be really good at getting the car disassembled.

[ImStricken06]

can you give us a quick idea on whats involved with getting the panel off, you seem to be really good at getting the car disassembled.

sure!



Those pins are actually pretty 'smart'. They have 3 stages to them.
Let me explain:

1. This is the way you will find them on your car. Holding the plastic parts together.



2. Now in order to remove them & whatever body panel, you will need to push the center 'pin' inward, and then pull the whole fastener out.



3. Now to re-install everything together, you will need to (obviously put your panel back into place) and pop the inner pin OUT
of the head. You can do this by pushing the pointed edge of the pin up.



4. ONCE YOU HAVE STEP 3 DONE, SIMPLY INSERT THE PIN INTO THE HOLE, AND PUSH THE INNER PIN UNTIL ITS FLUSH WITH THE HEAD(like #1 shows you)



NOW ONCE YOU HAVE REMOVED THE TWO FASTENERS, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS GENTLY, BUT FIRMLY YANK THE GRAY COVER DOWN. I STARTED ON THE DRIVER SIDE - AND WORKED MY WAY AROUND. YOU WILL SEE IT IS ONLY ATTACHED BY WHITE PUSH PINS(that might be stuck into the lift gate, but you can yank them out with a screw driver and reinstall back onto the panel. some will stay on the panel, some will stay in their designated hole on the lift gate. not a big deal.
they look like this

[Qashqai]

ImStricken, I think you should change the stock bulbto an LED, having the same colour temperature with the one you installed. That looks better if they both are 5000 or 6500 K.

I really want to learn how do you find time to do all these stuff to your car, write replies to our interesting questions and start new threads...please teach me!

[ImStricken06]

ImStricken, I think you should change the stock bulbto an LED, having the same colour temperature with the one you installed. That looks better if they both are 5000 or 6500 K.

I really want to learn how do you find time to do all these stuff to your car, write replies to our interesting questions and start new threads...please teach me!

my girl asks me the same question all the time! LOL - well im down to 40hours a week at one job(mon-fri, 9-5). so i have more time to spend having fun. prior to that it was 2 jobs, and around 68hours a week!
Now a days i spend saturday on my girl's car, and sunday on my rogue

i think my Army days taught me to use every waking moment to be productive. i often find myself busting my chops even on my days off lol. The Army teaches you to use every minute wisely; you eat fast, you walk fast, etc.

probably why im just about 28, and showing gray hairs hahahha

[Leo2005]

I was thinking about it about a year ago but never actually did. On murano it is located on the same spots of both sides. Instead...I installed dual color led nissan emblem for running light and brakes:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd2CtQjwsQw[/youtube]
Go for led bulb...it's inexpensive but gives you softer/brighter light.

[ImStricken06]

im gonna leave the stock light the way it is, because i like the natural yellow light of it WITH the new extra LED's. when i used to be a patrolman, i had a Streamlight Stinger flash light on my duty belt, it was a standard bulb. a friend of mine got the new Steamlight Stinger DS LED and when searching for evidence, or things in the grass - the natural blue hue of the LED made it really hard to see. My standard streamlight stinger gave that ambient yellow/white light and it made colors more natural and easer to see at night.
so since i did this to help me unload at the race-track, and the PIT area's are often grass or sand, i kinda like having that natural ambient tone along with the bright new LED lights.

[ImStricken06]

today's DIY update: installed 2 LED modules (i got some led hideaway emergency strobe lights. i simply put them into "steady Burn" mode for a non-flashing mode.)

i used this company: http://stores.ebay.com/ussignalsafetymasterdistributor

i have multiple products from them, and they are always great quality.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DUAL-Alternatin ... 27dd4c2a9a









THESE LIGHTS PRODUCE AN INTENSE AMOUNT OF LIGHT!

[rmorsedmd]

Very cool project that I definitely want to try. Couple of questions though. Do the LEDs require anything thing other than just wiring them into the existing light for the rear hatch? And is it okay to do that inside the panel that you pulled down? Thanks.

[ImStricken06]

its fine. mine lasted for years. i pulled them out when i traded the car in. everything was in good condition.