Running board lights mod? Need help

[Slammer1609]

I bought some led strips to put under my running boards so when a door is open or when I unlock the car they turn on until a door is closed or when it's locked. I tried hooking them up to the room lamp fuse but without the same ground as the dome lights they just stay on and I don't know where else to look. Has anyone done a mod like this and if so please help!!

[Towncivilian]

The room lamp fuse is permanently powered except for certain circumstances (battery saver control). I don't know what to suggest to tap into for your desired effect at the moment, though I'll think about it. Take a look at the interior lamp schematic on page EL-110 of the factory service manual, it might be of some use.

[skiski329]

I was thinking about doing something like this too and was going to tap into the dome light and run wires down one of the pillars and when ever the dome light would be on, ie unlock, open door then it would power the step lights.

[Towncivilian]

You could also tap into the driver door switch wire, although I don't know where the wire would exit from to be accessible for the sidestep light wiring as the door switch wiring is contained within the body shell.

[PathyProject]

I can't say I can help you with your problem, but I have a similar idea in mind. I plan on buying and installing running boards, and installing LED strips underneath. I, however want to wire them to my headlight fuse so they turn on whenever my headlights turn on. I hope the extra load on the fuse won't blow it. I think it would look great though driving at night with LEDs that are illuminating a color of your choice.

[Towncivilian]

LEDs draw so very little current, I doubt you'd be able to wire up enough LEDs to ever blow the fuse.

[skiski329]

I can't say I can help you with your problem, but I have a similar idea in mind. I plan on buying and installing running boards, and installing LED strips underneath. I, however want to wire them to my headlight fuse so they turn on whenever my headlights turn on. I hope the extra load on the fuse won't blow it. I think it would look great though driving at night with LEDs that are illuminating a color of your choice.

Check with your local laws, that may be considered an underglow. Here in IL you would get some nice tickets if you had them on and were driving. Here you can only have them on parked

The whole reason is cuz it's a distraction to other motorists and could cause accidents.

[videoguyjh]

Here's an old pic of my QX4 with blue LED strips on the running boards:



I simply ran a wire from the dome light (which I replaced with a blue LED bulb). I ran the wire out of the dome light and tucked the wire where the moonroof cover slides back and then down the side pillar and out to the exterior through the rear doors (covered the wires on the door sills and on the exterior with black tape). The wire is still visible inside on the roof though, but doesn't bother me. You could barely see any wires on the outside of the car. But, I have since removed the LED strips from the running boards because the NJ weather pretty much destroyed them after about a year or two (between the heat in the summer and the road salt in the winter). I replaced them a couple times but then gave up and just ripped them off. I loved the look of them, but was sick of constantly repairing or replacing them. I currently have four (about one foot each) blue LED strips above each door (inside) that are wired to the dome light, so they turn on/off when locked/unlocked or a door is opened/closed. I also have about 12 other blue LED strips in various places on the interior wired to a remote box connected to the 12V plug in the cargo area. (I love the look of blue LEDs )

One more suggestion. I would buy some Scotch/3M Outdoor mounting double-sided tape. The adhesive that comes on most LED strips is crap. I used the 3M tape for the interior and running board LED strips (cut to size). It never once peeled off of the running boards, AND was easily removable when I took the strips off leaving no residue.

[Slammer1609]

Did you hook it up straight to the wires from the dome? Powering them up is the easy part but I need the same negative so they go off when the dome lights do. I was thinking about wiring them to the little black rubber things on the doors but I didn't know if it would work

[videoguyjh]

I ran the wire directly to where the bulb goes into the dome light. I believe there is a hole on each contact for the dome bulb that I just wrapped the wires around. If you want I can take a pic sometime tomorrow. Just let me know!

[bui9595]

Did you hook it up straight to the wires from the dome? Powering them up is the easy part but I need the same negative so they go off when the dome lights do. I was thinking about wiring them to the little black rubber things on the doors but I didn't know if it would work

Actually gonna try this tomorrow and let you know. i tried using the SECU terminal 31 from another post but the LED's stayed on when the doors were closed and alarm armed. I tried the wiring to SECU terminal 50 but LEDs would come and stay on no matter what. Going to try the door switch tomorrow.

[bui9595]

Failed with door switch. There's three wires (black, red/black and green/red). I grounded to the black and powered to the red/black and the LEDs came on and stayed on. Tried connecting to the green/red and nothing happened. What am I missing here?

[greengumby]

I ran wires from my dome light and tapped them into the over head console lights .. how much current is the draw from the Leds? could you not have just simply tap into the dome ckt and run wires down to the new locations as needed ?..... after looking at other posts others have pretty well said the same ..dunno ...good luck

[bui9595]

I tried again this time led power to terminal 31 and led ground to green/red in door plunger and now it works properly. Took my passenger side power led and tapped into left side led. Grounded to passenger side red/yellow plunger. So now left led lights up if driver door is opended. Right led lights up if passenger front or pass pegged rear is opened. Not sure why driver rear won't activate. Guess ill try tomorrow using the red/black ground and post pics too.

I thought about tapping directly into dome but it's a lot of wire running up the door.

[bui9595]

finally got! both sides light up when any door opens.

#1 - Driver LED power to terminal 31 of SECU
#2 - Driver LED ground to red/black located in driver door plunger
#3 - Passenger LED power to driver LED power
#4 - Passenger LED ground to red/yellow (99% sure) located in passenger door plunger
#5 - Whatever you do, do not ground to the black

ran wires up by door entry and just used electrical tape to hold it


ran ground underneath the ledge all the way to door plunger. plunger just has one screw, remove that and be careful of a washer dropping. disconnect the plug so you can pull it out to get access to splice the wires. i popped out the plastic cover from inside and just held it far enough so i can get access to the wires. there's 3 wires to ground with. make sure not to ground with black.


once you're done tapping, put it all back together. at this point, the lights should stay on and will only turn off if all doors are closed.