How to change/mod the footwell lights

[Luvmy35]

Hey everyone! Brand new to the m35 over here. I have a 2006

I have been researching a lot and still cannot find the answer.

How can I modify the footwell lights so that then stay on when you are driving with the headlights on, yet still operate the same way the do from the factory?

Can someone PLEASE enlighten me on that? I just wanna make absolutely sure I don't try and do this and find out I made a mess of the situation!

Thank you all so much in advance. I'd dying to hear someone school me. I'm all ears (in this case, all eyes lol)

[Ilya]

Welcome to the forum!

I'd imagine you need something like a relay or switch similar to the one for the overheard light (door, on, off)...may be worth investigating the schematics in the factory service manual (see link in my signature for the FAQ, etc.).

[EdBwoy]

I think the circuits that "operate same as factory" typically are opposite the ones that come on with the headlights.
The one that immediately comes to mind is the cigarette lighter, which is dependent on the "key ON" state. I can't exactly recall what the glovebox light does, but my suggestion is just go into your car and check what lights/devices are operable before you push the button (homelink, dome light, etc), which ones are functional only after the button moves from ACC to ON... then turn on the headlights.

At the end of the day, piggyback off of that circuit properly, probably requiring relays as Ilya mentioned. And some way to make it congruent with both types of circuits

[Luvmy35]

yea that's the thing I was wondering about. Finding a power source is the easy part getting it to work both ways and not messing anything up is another story though.

I'm thinking maybe just buy a new set of leds and wire them independently so they essentially work on their own accord.