Passenger footwell light installed
 

Hi there

At the same time as I was installing the cruise control into the S40, I also installed a light into the passenger footwell, to match the one on the driver's side.

All I had to do, was remove the felt cover from below the glove box, and select the best place to remove the material from.

I chose the section, near the front of the panel, to the left hand side, which isn't quite as thick as some of the other areas.

I offered the light up to the felt, as a template and cut inside the shape, for a snug fit.

Next I removed the material from the inside of the panel, so the light sits in the recess.

I put a pair of 'piggyback' terminals onto the pins on the driver's footwell light, re-attached the connectors and made a pair of wires with push-on crimps attached to either end of each.

Two were placed along side the driver's connections and the others fed behind the stereo and out into the passenger footwell.

Wires were attached to the passenger side light terminals and the panel was secured into place.

Driver's door was opened and both footwells are illuminated.

Half an hours work, well worth the bother.

By the way, the light that was fitted came from the boot of a V40 (I think - with a black plastic shield that fits aroung the rear of the lamp).

I really like it, what do you guys think?


Gary

Very nice looks great Gary.

Good job :thumbs_up:

and fitted a led festoon to the unit while you were at it by the looks of things

the footwell lights are a nice touch
But,, do they ever show Every last scrap of muck if you havent hooverd for a bit,,,

Nice one Gary. I still need to do mine. But I want to go one step further and make both lights come up when I open both doors. Need to figure out where the cut off switch is and the wiring....

Oh yes, Andy.

They do indeed.

I even noticed a large build up of dust on the instrument cluster binacle joints, while fitting the cruise control. Don't think I have dusted properly, since the end of October (valeting season).

Gary

if you need any dusting practice,, you can pop n do mine


Alex
use the passenger door switch to control the passenger footwell one,
then "piggyback" the drivers/passenger as gary has done . will get you Both when either door is opened.

That is what I was thinking off. Need to experiment a bit

Alex, you could run it off the overhead lighting, but its faff running the wires that far...dosent the drivers side come on when passenger door is opened? I cant remember...

Nice one Gary! I've been wanting to do this for ages. I'd also love the red door lights, like on the larger models, but I fear it would be a lot of bother to fit them.


@ Alex - have you any of these lenses spare?


No, it only operates from the drivers door.

Thought about the red door lights before, ended up with the mad idea of adding "puddle" lights to the undersides of the door mirrors as well
use the pin switch for that door, tap off the +ve run the wire all the way round to the cable entry for the door, waterproof red led smt strip on the trailing edge, -ve to the door white strip on the door mirror cables inside the shell, but picked up from the cabin light to feed not the pin switch (so they opperate with the remote)
would need a hole in the door to get the wires from the led strip to inside, not that hard all told,, Once the PITA "bit" of feeding the wire into the loom + entry point after running it from the pin switch,, so shelved that mad idea.

smt led strips are cheap enough, easy and slim enough to mount without causing problems..but faffing with extra wires into the doors,,

Nice job Gary, ive been meaning to do this too.

Ive got a spare bulb unit, but i had realised the drivers light only comes on with the drivers door and not the passenger door.

So i will get round to fitting it with some way of switching from the passengers door, so it works well for the passenger! :thumbs_up:

i've recently fitted some diy 'am·bi·ence'

orange leds various places to give a subtle glow when driving at night

2 in over head switch panel, front and rear
1 in each of the centre dash cubby holes upper and lower
1 under the armrest and an centre console (under slidy thing)
1 in each of the fron doors just above the pockets, double as a puddle light

iphones take horrible pics in the dark but you get the idea

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...m/f4bcf1fc.jpg

Sam that looks great, great job :thumbs_up:

Very impressed by these interior modifications :thumbs_up:

just tried a quick longer shutter with the camera but i can't capture it properly and it's effin freeeeezing, makes it all look far brighter than it is and you can't see the glow it cast on the seats and in the footwell,

if you've been in a recent beemer etc with the ambient lighting you'll know what this looks like in the flesh.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...m/IMG_0008.jpg

:notworthy:

Intresting idea. Not sure if I'd find it distracting when driving though.

a lot of modern cars come with this ambient glow and i think it gives the x40 a much more modern look!! I like it and may just pinch that idea using green leds just to be a bit different. (the cars green so it would make sense!)

Nice touch, Sam, I think I know where you're coming from. Isn't it BMW have that lovely low glow at night so you can just see were your hand goes? I believe there are some LEDs mounted within the map light control panel...

I sometimes wish the X40 had the air vent controls illuminated as they can be difficult to locate when driving along at night. I remember years ago our Fiat Strada Abarth TC130 had an simple but brilliant answer to illumination of switchgear - it used fiber optic cables and one halogen bulb for everything. It's just a pity Fiat didn't use such ingenuity with the bodywork :rolleyes:

fibreoptics? mmmmmmmmm yummy

yeah i got the idea form the wifes e87 1 series

With regards to the heater controls would it not be cheaper and easier to use some C3 superluminova?

You just need a steady hand :p

Dear all!

All of pictures have been deleted. :(

Could you please guys re-upload to check how you do this second foot light?

Thank you!

Not sure if I still have photos.

I did the simple version and cut a slightly undersized hole in the felt type panel and insert the fitting.
Next, I ran wires from the driver's footwell lamp, to the new one...finished!

It only lights up with the driver's door, but is so much easier than wiring it to the passenger door switch.

Gary

Same here, no pics. i did this but with a bit extra and wired it to the passenger door switch, which meant coming up to the door switch from the sill, so along the car then up. It cant be that hard as i did so if i can anybody can.
If you want a light under the door, unless you go through the connector at door to shell, you will have wires showing.
If you want it off the drivers side, the hardest bit is finding the new lamp, good luck as its a nice mod.

Ok thank you!

I found this on auction market, it costs 5.5$ include shipping.
This is a V40 carrier light.
Will it be good?

Find one without a switch if you can, that looks like the glovebox one, if you already have it ok, make sure it's on not off when you fit.

No, I havent bought this one yet, only check on the website :)

Maybe Opel Vectra carrier?
It's cheaper, 4,3$ include shipping cost.

Sorry for reply again.
I found a Nubira carrier light:
It cost 5.5$

Looks like the one i used.

And where did you put the light? :)

mine has the original carpets under there so i put it in that.
You might tell better from this photo
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/I-...u=w345-h259-no

Oh.. So my carpet have been removed by previously owner?

Yeah mate, it looks that way. Should be where your toes point, both sides. You will see the light above the pedals? this also holds the carpet and is where i fitted mine, copying the position.
Looks like a scrapyard visit is in order.

Oh ok, thanks for help!