Use LED Light Strips to Moderate Your Auto Interior

I installed some LED strips for my interior, what you can do to get them for cheap is call a major producer of LED strips and ask for some cut-offs or any extras they have laying around and be creative with the conversation because they don't just give away free crap to anyone who asks.

Make sure that the LEDs you buy are the voltage of your vehicle!! They sell 12V and 24V out there so make sure you choose the right ones.

Here is a helpful link:
12V DC flexible LED ribbons (I call them strips) I used in my installation, remember the Strips can be cut into 3-LED segments

Doing this may damage some of your parts as the old plastic is very brittle, so I recommend getting some spares from your local store and working on those.

Step 1: Under-dash Lights

Ok, so we will start with under the dash lights.

You need:
-paint stick or similar
-LED strips
-wire
-soldering iron
-solder
-cable (zip) ties

Step 1: get a paint stick or something similar that is long and stiff (ha), make any necessary cuts and holes for proper mounting. I just used cable-ties for mounting, it's cheap and simple.

Step 2: With a soldering iron, make some leads on the LED strip so you can later connect it to a power source.

Step 3: Stick the LED strip to the paint stick and mount it underneath the dash.

Step 4: Find a power source (i used the socket from the stock lights) and tap into it somehow (crimp, solder, or whatever works for you)

Step 5: Some LED strips have to option of red, green, and blue, all on the same piece. if you want to be able to change the colors, all you need to do is make some switches wherever you want and have the leads going to the LEDs.

Step 2: Dome Lights

Next we have the overhead dome lights

You will need:
-LED ribbon
-soldering iron
-solder
-wire

Step 1:Stick the LEDs onto the dome light, find your power source (stock light socket), and make necessary connections.(Follow Steps 2-5 from Under-dash lights section) It's pretty simple.

Step 3: Rear Hatch Lights

This one will require removing the interior panels

You need:
-LED ribbon
-screwdriver
-momentary button (make sure it's not plastic)
-SPST on-off over-ride switch (optional) (you need to get one that has a low profile because it might some into contact with the body and short)
-drill and bit
-aluminum c-channel or similar

Step 1: go to local electronic parts store (radio shack will work but it has crappy selection) and find a "normally open automotive momentary button" (this will turn the lights on when the hatch is open) and find an over-ride switch rated for over 10A @ 12V (optional, but makes sense to have one).

Step 2: remove the driver side interior cargo panels and the hatch interior panel.

Step 3: drill a hole here (hole must be big enough for your momentary button to fit)

Step 4: take your momentary switch and ground one contact to the chassis (usually already done when you mount it into the hole), and solder a wire to the other contact.

Step 5: take the lead from the momentary switch and secure it to your over-ride switch.

Step 6: take the lead from your over-ride switch and a positive and feed it to the hatch (I just taped it down beside the window). You can see the holes where i tried to feed a wire through, there was something blocking it right about where the shocks mounted. If you find a way please tell.

Step 7: mount and connect the LEDs

Step 4: Center Console and Gauge Cluster Lights

You need:
-LED ribbon
-soldering iron
-solder
-any tools for getting into the cluster/console
-time

Step 1: Take the part (gauge cluster, shifter display, etc..) out carefully, take it apart so you can see the stock sockets and bulbs. I didn't manage to get a picture of it but you can completely take it apart and see underneath the plastic cover.

Step 2: fit the LEDs in there and follow Steps 2-5 from Under-dash lights section.

NOTE: It is very important that you remember how everything was assembled so you can put it back together properly.