I got the footwell light installed and read all threads concerning this using the search feature.

I don't like the lights to go on/off with the door. It is useless during daytime anyway. I like to find a way to wire them so they can be turned on/off with the parking lights/headlights. I like the lights to be on at night where it can be better appreciated.

Can somebody point to me which color wire and where I can tap into the parking lights wiring (or any alternate wiring)? Is the wire in the same harness where the lights are normally tapped into? I would like to keep the mod closed to the original one so no engine bay ideas... :D

 

Can anybody help me out?

 

I bought a 7 LED round "light button" from Fry's and installed it in the footwells, and the LEDs are brighter than the Mazda footwells. I connected the lights to a new switch I mounted next to the DSC switch. My footwell lights stay on whenever I want.

I connected the power to the ACC terminal in the fuse box (inside the cockpit, next to the driver's left leg). Then, when you turn off the engine, the lights go out. The entire job took me about 30 minutes. I have pictures at home (if you want to see them, I could post some later).

 

If you want to hook it up to the dimmer lights, without going into the engine bay, pull out your dimmer switch, measure with a DMM and find a wire that goes active when you turn on the parking lights - just probe around till you find it. Then using a solid state relay with a low current draw tap into it.

 

Thanks folks for all the reply... CUE2, can you tell me which color wire is the fused side off the ACC terminal fuse? I can tap into that, perfect thanks!

 

Maybe this will help you. I think the last post has what you're looking for.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-interior-audio-electronics-24/adding-interior-lights-42714/

 

Thanks for the help, man. As I understand though, wiring it to the dome light it would not stay lit, right? Since it will go off after you close the car. Or am I wrong here? I like your first suggestion about wiring it with the blue cluster lights, did you figure out the wiring?

Thanks again.

 

wedge: I put a fuse spade next on the ACC fuse (4th fuse from the top), which is located in the fusebox next to the driver's leg. I put the spade on the left side of the fuse, the side nearest the door.

Here are some pictures:

- The first picture (Footwells-1)shows my lighted switches (on the left) for activating different lights. You can see my "LED button light" just below the steering column.
- The second picture (Footwells-2) shows a better picture of the footwell light. That is a pretty accurate picture of the amount of light I see.

 

looks great CUE!

 

looks good.

 

It's official: this is my next project.

It looks great!