[CadillacAsAlways]

Hey all, I've known about this for a while but never did anything about it till now. Well, the previous owner did stupid neon lighting throughout the car but left it all inoperable. I might not have minded it if it worked, but it doesn't. Luckily the original lighting does work with the exception of the trunk courtesy light.


In my car, the whole lamp is just taken out. There's no place to put in a bulb or anything...so I'm wondering if anyone can give an explanation as too how to replace it...I'm assuming ill need to purchase some type of lighting assembly or something and reattach the wires. Sorry I'm being kinda vague about this, but I don't have any idea what it's supposed to look like so I'm not sure exactly what I'm missing. There's no white plastic screen over the segment where the light would go though...

Just any help would be appreciated.

 

[Kingoftypos]

I installed two led strips that I bought at Auto Zone in the trunk. They provide much better lighting. I don't recall what I did with the original light bulb housing. Heck it might still be there. Anyways, if you can find the wires for the trunking. Then you should purchase the same led strips, $20ish, and install them. They have double sided tape, so installing is super easy.

KOT

 

[Tlorenzen]

I installed two led strips that I bought at Auto Zone in the trunk. They provide much better lighting. I don't recall what I did with the original light bulb housing. Heck it might still be there. Anyways, if you can find the wires for the trunking. Then you should purchase the same led strips, $20ish, and install them. They have double sided tape, so installing is super easy.

KOT

I don't know why I never thought of this haha. Did you just splice into the original bulb wiring? I've always bitched about not having enough light back there, even after the led swap. Hm maybe I'll wire me some lights under the hood too. So I can see it at night

 

[CadillacAsAlways]

I installed two led strips that I bought at Auto Zone in the trunk. They provide much better lighting. I don't recall what I did with the original light bulb housing. Heck it might still be there. Anyways, if you can find the wires for the trunking. Then you should purchase the same led strips, $20ish, and install them. They have double sided tape, so installing is super easy.

KOT

What exactly do the wires look like? Because there are two wires poking out if the little slot where the bulb housing would be. I presume the neon lights attached to this, but an unsure. They're two wires....(16 gauge maybe?) each with a crimped metal head on it with a rubber fitting surrounding it. Looks like the guy would just connect the two wires with two other wires.

Are these them?

 

[Kingoftypos]

I don't remember what the color wires are. However, I am gonna finally put my snow tires on today since there's supposed to be snow tonight into the morning. Yay, it's about time. First time we're having a White Christmas in many years. Hopefully I just didn't jinx myself.

Anyways, I'll be removing stuff from my trunk anyways. So I'll take pictures and what not.

This is what I actually have installed.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...xLED-light/_/N-25cd?itemIdentifier=60064_0_0_

KOT

 

[Tlorenzen]

Them are the exact lights i have installed in my grille, only they're red.

 

[CadillacAsAlways]

I don't remember what the color wires are. However, I am gonna finally put my snow tires on today since there's supposed to be snow tonight into the morning. Yay, it's about time. First time we're having a White Christmas in many years. Hopefully I just didn't jinx myself.

Anyways, I'll be removing stuff from my trunk anyways. So I'll take pictures and what not.

This is what I actually have installed.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Alpena-24-in-FlexLED-light/_/N-25cd?itemIdentifier=60064_0_0_

KOT

Ahh well thanks, i'll appreciate the pics. If I can't figure out about replacing the courtesy lamp ill do what you did.

Also, on a slightly different topic, the courtesy light in the driver side footwell has since gone out. Today I took the bulb out, drove to Advanced auto parts and tried to buy a replacement. They sold me one that was nearly the same, but while mine was (I think) a 544 bulb they only had a 542 bulb. Looked very similar though and the guy said it probably would work. Well, it doesn't. Any idea if its likely just that I need the exact correct bulb or whether something's broken in the car?

 

[Tlorenzen]

Look at the led thread and order some bulbs online from syperbrightleds is the best option. All the bulb numbers are posted in that thread

 

[CadillacAsAlways]

Look at the led thread and order some bulbs online from syperbrightleds is the best option. All the bulb numbers are posted in that thread

Thanks, only problem is I just swapped out the driver footwell courtesy light with a bulb from the passenger side footwell which definitely works and it didn't light up, meaning for some reason the driver side footwell lamp housing isn't working or giving power.

Any ideas on how to fix this?

 

[Tlorenzen]

Hm. Try getting an electrical tester to see if its got any charge on the bulb mounts or before the housing. Its not a fuse since thebother half work..unless they're on separate lines?

 

[Kingoftypos]

Here's the strip in the trunk, I actually have another on the other side as well just not pictured.

And here are the wires that I plugged into. I left the factory connector on just in case I wanted to plug the factory back in. I know it's not the "best way" but it works.

The Blue/White is the 12+ while the Orange/Black is the ground.

My suggestion is for all interior lights. If you are going to change them during the day, make sure you cover the little dome sensor on the dashboard. Even the trunk light won't turn on if there is enough daylight. In order for me to take the pictures, I had to cover that dome. Go figure, the trunk light should work all the time. Because the sun could be beaming the wrong direction. lol

KOT

 

[Bluehaze07]

I don't remember what the color wires are. However, I am gonna finally put my snow tires on today since there's supposed to be snow tonight into the morning. Yay, it's about time. First time we're having a White Christmas in many years. Hopefully I just didn't jinx myself.

Anyways, I'll be removing stuff from my trunk anyways. So I'll take pictures and what not.

This is what I actually have installed.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Alpena-24-in-FlexLED-light/_/N-25cd?itemIdentifier=60064_0_0_

KOT

Lol. I have the almost the same set up in my car. I only used one strip. I might use two soon though because it isn't as bright.

 

[Tlorenzen]

Did you take the stock trunk light out? I took out mine and have have literally about an inch or so of room to splice into..which may be pretty tight.

Here's the strip in the trunk, I actually have another on the other side as well just not pictured.

And here are the wires that I plugged into. I left the factory connector on just in case I wanted to plug the factory back in. I know it's not the "best way" but it works.

The Blue/White is the 12+ while the Orange/Black is the ground.

My suggestion is for all interior lights. If you are going to change them during the day, make sure you cover the little dome sensor on the dashboard. Even the trunk light won't turn on if there is enough daylight. In order for me to take the pictures, I had to cover that dome. Go figure, the trunk light should work all the time. Because the sun could be beaming the wrong direction. lol

KOT

 

[Kingoftypos]

I removed the stock housing and just jammed the wires into the stock harness. Tapped it up, put the excess wire up in the hole and put the stock housing back so I won't lose it.

So I did not cut or splice into the factory wiring at all.

KOT

 

[Tlorenzen]

Hm I was looking at the harness and wondering if it could be done..did you take it off or just leave the stock wires in and push? Thats a relief because I really didn't want to make a splice with only 2 inches of wire available haha.

 

[Kingoftypos]

In the last picture, you can see on the top part there are the factory wires. On the bottom part, they are the LED wires. In the middle is the actual plug with electrical tape around it. I am actually shocked on how crappy of a job that I did a year or two ago. lol

If I remember correctly, the wires from the LED had been tinned with solder from the maker of the LED strips. So that made it easier to stuff the wires into the factory plug.

KOT

 

[Tlorenzen]

Well I cut the solder off when I opened the package...oops. I'll see what I can do. Easy job really I was just seeing if there was a way around splicing..I'll try it.

 

[Kingoftypos]

Is there some sort of electronic class at your school? If so, then go down there and ask them if they would tin the tips again. Or if you don't, go to your local car audio shop and ask them. It'll take less than a minute. Heck, if they don't have the soldering iron on, it'll take another minute for it to get up to temp. Depending on the price of the soldering iron. lol

KOT

 

[Tlorenzen]

I just put the wires in there between class break. Was really easy and took me like 10minutes total..lights work perfect..ill post up some pics after next class.

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Trunk Part Way Closed

Random..but rear CTS-V shocks - Thanks to mickmosh

 

[Kingoftypos]

Oh, now that I am seeing that bolt sticking out of the center for the spare tire. I just wanna let ya'll know that I hacked that shit down. I believe that I hacked off nearly an inch, but it's no longer scratching anything in the trunk.

KOT