[Norcal IS300]

I did a search and found nothing on this...so I am posting.

I really like the LED map lights on the new Audi's. It is really nice being able to read something without blinding yourself to the point of crashing. The regular map light is too damn bright. So I was wondering.....

Can we do this as a mod? It shouldn't be too hard. Just have to find LED's with the proper brightness and color. I would want to go with orange to match the rest of the interior lights. The LED's could be mounted right by the map light, so it illuminates the shifter area. A switch would be nice too. Someone already did it with the RX-8. Check out this thread.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12661


So let's discuss how we can do this with the IS.

- Nick

 

[davefisher]

I'm not one to mess with wires without someone pioneering the way first. But I'd be interested in this. Gotta go read up on the RX8 thread. This could be a neat idea.

Bimmers have a version of these stock. The red glow reminds me of an airplane cockpit. I like 'em!

 

[DaGixxerKid]

Ummmm ... you can buy those things at any AutoZone. Cheap. make holes .. pop in the LEDS... wire up a switch. simple.

 

[Norcal IS300]

Ummmm ... you can buy those things at any AutoZone. Cheap. make holes .. pop in the LEDS... wire up a switch. simple.

Ya well, I ain't drilling holes in my lex until I am damn sure I know everything is where I want it.

quick jobs are sloppy and ugly.

 

[DaGixxerKid]

Ummmm ... you can buy those things at any AutoZone. Cheap. make holes .. pop in the LEDS... wire up a switch. simple.

Ya well, I ain't drilling holes in my lex until I am damn sure I know everything is where I want it.

quick jobs are sloppy and ugly.

Oh yeah... totally agree. just take your time and be careful. just mentioning where i saw the parts for this.

 

[chassis]

Those LED lights looked nice.
would love to have it in my car

 

[AltezzaBoy03]

anyone know how to remove the maplight cover?
i tried today by just prying it out with a flathead...but it didnt move at all so i gave up...didnt want to break it...

 

[Norcal IS300]

anyone know how to remove the maplight cover?
i tried today by just prying it out with a flathead...but it didnt move at all so i gave up...didnt want to break it...

I guess you have to pry it off at a certain angle. I think it is on hinges. I think I would install the LED's right by the map light. Maybe 2 of them. I have only seen red LED's do this, do you think orange would be too bright?

 

[AntzLexusIS]

the led's in the bmw models are counter sunk and from the looks of the rx8 the leds are visible when off. I would recommend having tiny holes for the led to shine through just like bimmers. my cousin has this in his 5 and the led is either counter sunk or shining through a hole. I would not recommend installing map leds where you can see it. in addition instead of using a switch maybe tie them into the park lamps or instrument cluster lighting. so goes on when you turn on lights.

 

[Norcal IS300]

the led's in the bmw models are counter sunk and from the looks of the rx8 the leds are visible when off. I would recommend having tiny holes for the led to shine through just like bimmers. my cousin has this in his 5 and the led is either counter sunk or shining through a hole. I would not recommend installing map leds where you can see it. in addition instead of using a switch maybe tie them into the park lamps or instrument cluster lighting. so goes on when you turn on lights.

So where do you think a good position for them would be? I want them to illuminate the shifter/console area. Are the BMW's LED's orange?

 

[AntzLexusIS]

the led's in the bmw models are counter sunk and from the looks of the rx8 the leds are visible when off. I would recommend having tiny holes for the led to shine through just like bimmers. my cousin has this in his 5 and the led is either counter sunk or shining through a hole. I would not recommend installing map leds where you can see it. in addition instead of using a switch maybe tie them into the park lamps or instrument cluster lighting. so goes on when you turn on lights.

So where do you think a good position for them would be? I want them to illuminate the shifter/console area. Are the BMW's LED's orange?

I believe the BMW lights are the same as our lights and the LED lights are red. The positioning of them is correct it is the fact of installing them discretly in where the map lights in our cars are. Discrete but yet very functional. To do this right need to check out a new BMW you'll see what i mean. Soon I will be wiring footwell lights and this may be next. Great option to bad it didn't come stock. We are missing lots of small accents that alot of other cars on the same level have. Agree!

 

[inphinit]

I will be doing this in the near future. My friend who has an FX has already done it. The orange LEDs in his car are similar and i'm waiting for them to come in. Here's what it looks like in his car right now.

He wired it to a circuit board that allows the LEDs to pulse on to off every 4 seconds. Here's a short movie of it.

Movie

I tried wiring a few LED's to to a 9V battery, and I found that 2 LED's around the rearview mirror area is a bit too bright. So i'm considering putting one LED up there at about 9V or less.

I've also toyed with the idea of wiring it up to the dash so it dims with the know behind the steering wheel. I already know which wire to tap from when I was installing my radar. But it might be too much of a hassle to get a wire from the dash to the maplight area.

The other area I'm trying to light up with one or two orange LEDs are the front foot wells. But i'll see how the project above goes first...

 

[Norcal IS300]

good stuff

 

[Fig]

I will be doing this in the near future. My friend who has an FX has already done it. The orange LEDs in his car are similar and i'm waiting for them to come in. Here's what it looks like in his car right now.

He wired it to a circuit board that allows the LEDs to pulse on to off every 4 seconds. Here's a short movie of it.

Movie

I tried wiring a few LED's to to a 9V battery, and I found that 2 LED's around the rearview mirror area is a bit too bright. So i'm considering putting one LED up there at about 9V or less.

I've also toyed with the idea of wiring it up to the dash so it dims with the know behind the steering wheel. I already know which wire to tap from when I was installing my radar. But it might be too much of a hassle to get a wire from the dash to the maplight area.

The other area I'm trying to light up with one or two orange LEDs are the front foot wells. But i'll see how the project above goes first...

That should be pretty easy, I could do this next after the LED tails

 

[LexusinSac]

My wife has a 97 BMW 5 series and the led's glow orange exactly like our dash lights. Im thinking of taking them out before she trades the car in.

 

[inphinit]

yea, its very easy to do. Hardest part will be fitting the led's so they look nice and in such a way that they don't blind or glare at you.

 

[bobbby]

It also sucks when you want to sell your Is300 and the guy buying asks why there is holes in the ceiling???? :shame:

 

[Fig]

yea, its very easy to do. Hardest part will be fitting the led's so they look nice and in such a way that they don't blind or glare at you.

LED's are available with very narrow projection angles (15 degrees) SO you could focus it pretty good. I was thinking a nice SS panel with the LED's aimed towards the appropriate side.

My company specializes in custom lighting so that would be a cool product to make. I am thinking white though, not amber or orange.

 

[AntzLexusIS]

yea, its very easy to do. Hardest part will be fitting the led's so they look nice and in such a way that they don't blind or glare at you.

LED's are available with very narrow projection angles (15 degrees) SO you could focus it pretty good. I was thinking a nice SS panel with the LED's aimed towards the appropriate side.

My company specializes in custom lighting so that would be a cool product to make. I am thinking white though, not amber or orange.

White will be too bright and add glare. Orange or red illuminates the area very well. BMW uses it so it is obviously the optimal color to use.

 

[Fig]

White will be too bright and add glare. Orange or red illuminates the area very well. BMW uses it so it is obviously the optimal color to use.

C'mon now.

LED's are available with very narrow projection angles (15 degrees)

It is a thin pencil beam aimed at the side it sits on. But I will entertain the other colors as well. They will be more subtle.