Interior Light Switch

stadt11 · March 31, 2009

I was thinking of adding a toggle switch to activate the overhead interior lights. I have a specific place that I like to have my dimmer switch set at and since I always like to have everything in their proper place I don't like trying to get it back to that "perfect" location after turning on the interior lights.

Anybody have an idea how this switch could be wired?

tobias · March 31, 2009

I was thinking of adding a toggle switch to activate the overhead interior lights. I have a specific place that I like to have my dimmer switch set at and since I always like to have everything in their proper place I don't like trying to get it back to that "perfect" location after turning on the interior lights.

Anybody have an idea how this switch could be wired?

Have you thought about just marking the location of the "perfect spot" so it's very easy to return to it?

VR021302 · March 31, 2009

Just hit the button on the light itself, that's what i do.

bill190 · March 31, 2009

Being as how wiring in various vehicles switches like night and day, your light may be switched on the positive side, and supplying positive 12 volts to that side of the light will turn it on...

Or the ground may be switched and you would then need to provide a ground via your switch to the light.

Then because all the wires and cables are wrapped up and bundled and hidden, it is almost impossible to trace any wires in a vehicle!

So need to look at a factory wiring diagram, see if positive or negative is switched, then find out what wire (colors of wire, specific cable under dash, and specific location of that cable) you would need to connect into.

Then same thing if you need to provide +12 (positive) to the light (For your power side of the switch). Need to find the specific wire for that circuit (colors of wire, specific cable under dash, and specific location of that cable).

As to positive or negative being switched, I've seen the same manufacturer (non-GM) use a positive switching scheme, then go to negative, then back to positive within a few model years! (Make up your mind!)

Then I have seen wire colors change at connectors. White with a blue stripe on one end of connector, then comes out green with a red stripe on the other end of the connector! So you can't look at the color of wire going to the light, then assume the same colored wire is the same under the dash. Chances are the wire under the dash is for something different.

stadt11 · March 31, 2009

Just hit the button on the light itself, that's what i do.

I got this idea last night when I put the car-seat-base in to my truck (preparing for when we're having our daughter in 3 weeks) and having to use the dimmer switch to turn on the rear dome light. The light is too far back to just hit the button unless the truck is stopped.