Let there be (more trunk) light!
GT Member
Joined: April 16, 2011
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas
Mach 1 Member
Joined: January 25, 2011
Posts: 1,075
Likes: 1
From: Ville Platte, Louisiana
Completed this mod this week! Bought a string of 24 White LED's off Ebay. Very simple wiring. Simply a positive and a negative wire. Took the trunk light plug and cut it. Used my multimeter to determine which wire was the 12v and attached a male blade type connector to it. Did the same to the ground and then re-routed the wires around to the area under the rear decklid. Had to add a little wire to make it reach. Then crimped the female blade connectors to the wires on the LED string and plugged it in. The LED string came with some 3M adhesive backing and has been holding the past few days with no issues. Its been raining and humid here. We will see the first time it gets very cold. And even if the adhesive doesn't hold some real 3M double sided tape will do just nicely.
Last edited by RobDis; Feb 4, 2012 at 06:07 PM.
Cobra R Member
Joined: June 24, 2011
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 0
From: Long Island
Nice! Everyone's looks sweet! Now it's time for me too do it but I want to swap all my lights to LED. Just gotta find the thread that has all the bulb numbers to get for the whole car, especially the map lights!
Anyone?!?
Anyone?!?
Bullitt Member
Joined: October 11, 2011
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
From: Texas, Nederland
Originally Posted by LEwis26
Got tired of the poor trunk lighting, and how a few bags blocked the light and made the trunk a dark abyss of black. So today, I Added some better lighting to the trunk today.
Changed the trunk bulb to LED, and added a superbrightLEDS 12in strip of LEDs to the bottom of the rear deck lid to light up the part of the trunk closest to the back seats.
Its now sooo much better, and I can actually see my whole trunk at night. Not to mention it matches my interior and license plate LED conversions.
Here's a few pics. They don't really do it justice of how bright it actually is. My iPhone fails to capture that.
Changed the trunk bulb to LED, and added a superbrightLEDS 12in strip of LEDs to the bottom of the rear deck lid to light up the part of the trunk closest to the back seats.
Its now sooo much better, and I can actually see my whole trunk at night. Not to mention it matches my interior and license plate LED conversions.
Here's a few pics. They don't really do it justice of how bright it actually is. My iPhone fails to capture that.
GTR Member
Joined: November 6, 2011
Posts: 6,784
Likes: 20
From: Texas
Originally Posted by LEwis26
Got tired of the poor trunk lighting, and how a few bags blocked the light and made the trunk a dark abyss of black. So today, I Added some better lighting to the trunk today.
Changed the trunk bulb to LED, and added a superbrightLEDS 12in strip of LEDs to the bottom of the rear deck lid to light up the part of the trunk closest to the back seats.
Its now sooo much better, and I can actually see my whole trunk at night. Not to mention it matches my interior and license plate LED conversions.
Here's a few pics. They don't really do it justice of how bright it actually is. My iPhone fails to capture that.
Changed the trunk bulb to LED, and added a superbrightLEDS 12in strip of LEDs to the bottom of the rear deck lid to light up the part of the trunk closest to the back seats.
Its now sooo much better, and I can actually see my whole trunk at night. Not to mention it matches my interior and license plate LED conversions.
Here's a few pics. They don't really do it justice of how bright it actually is. My iPhone fails to capture that.
V6 Member
Joined: April 28, 2012
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Italy
This looks like a great project. I did some Googling - that lightbulb/tap connector is called a "festoon lamp adapter" - found one on Amazon for $3.
Link:
Thanks for the project idea guys!
Link:
Thanks for the project idea guys!
Bullitt Member
Joined: October 11, 2011
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
From: Texas, Nederland
I didn't install an led bulb but I did run a led strip all the way across the top of the trunk behind the lid about 5' long. Got a 25 ' roll off eBay for about 12 bucks and just tapped the wires into the original light socket. Works great with more than enough light
Thread Starter
Cobra Member
Joined: January 8, 2011
Posts: 1,237
Likes: 1
From: Chicago
Originally Posted by White5ohh
I didn't install an led bulb but I did run a led strip all the way across the top of the trunk behind the lid about 5' long. Got a 25 ' roll off eBay for about 12 bucks and just tapped the wires into the original light socket. Works great with more than enough light
Mach 1 Member
Joined: February 24, 2011
Posts: 916
Likes: 1
From: Metro Charlotte, NC
just a word of caution for drawing power from the +12v for the trunk light. I used the power wire going in to the trunk light and 2 weeks later realized that the LED light strips never shut off! had to rewire it to the bulb socket itself.
very strange and can't really explain why/how this is. so put one of your rear seats down so you can see if the LED strip shuts off when you close the trunk (or lock yourself in the trunk LOL).
very strange and can't really explain why/how this is. so put one of your rear seats down so you can see if the LED strip shuts off when you close the trunk (or lock yourself in the trunk LOL).
Mach 1 Member
Joined: July 27, 2010
Posts: 670
Likes: 10
From: Jacksonville, FL
just a word of caution for drawing power from the +12v for the trunk light. I used the power wire going in to the trunk light and 2 weeks later realized that the LED light strips never shut off! had to rewire it to the bulb socket itself.
very strange and can't really explain why/how this is. so put one of your rear seats down so you can see if the LED strip shuts off when you close the trunk (or lock yourself in the trunk LOL).
very strange and can't really explain why/how this is. so put one of your rear seats down so you can see if the LED strip shuts off when you close the trunk (or lock yourself in the trunk LOL).
You can avoid the problem by connecting your LED strip in parallel to the OEM bulb (i.e. connect LED power wire before bulb and ground wire after bulb but before switch).
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: February 5, 2008
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 3
From: Chattanooga
Ford has no clue how to light up the trunk in these cars. First it was in the trunklid panel where it would loose all light with the trunklid up. Then they moved it to the lower inside panel where it gets blocked by anything you put in front of it.
I have been meaning for weeks to buy a strip of LED's to install like you all have done in this thread, but I keep forgetting I want to do it...
I have been meaning for weeks to buy a strip of LED's to install like you all have done in this thread, but I keep forgetting I want to do it...
Member
Joined: June 28, 2012
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Qty | Product / Options | Price/ea |
================================================== ==========
1 | LT-x24SMD: 12 inch 24-LED Light Tube | $ 18.95 |
LT-W24SMD: Cool White
------------------------------------------------------------
1 | 4410-x9: 9 LED Festoon bulb | $ 4.74 |
4410-CW9: Cool White
------------------------------------------------------------
2 | 3610-x4: 4 LED Festoon Bulb | $ 2.84 |
3610-NW4: Natural White
------------------------------------------------------------
2 | WLED-x4-x: 4 LED T10 Wedge Base Bulb | $ 2.59 |
WLED-W4-90: Cool White Wide
------------------------------------------------------------
4410 is the trunk light (original bulb is 211)
3610 are the license plate lights (original bulb is 6418)
WLEDs are the map lights (original bulb is 168)
If there is more you want to look up, get your bulb numbers here:
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par.../N-k3dfpZ9cjcg
and the LED Cross-ref is here:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/bulb_cross.php
Happy hunting!
Cobra R Member
Joined: June 24, 2011
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 0
From: Long Island
Thanks for the post, I had done everything already tho.
I made up a little kit for having the trunk redone with an LED up top. I just haven't put it together yet. In sure a lot of guys would like it.
I made up a little kit for having the trunk redone with an LED up top. I just haven't put it together yet. In sure a lot of guys would like it.
Shelby GT350 Member
Joined: February 5, 2008
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 3
From: Chattanooga
I finally got around to putting in the LED trunk light. A white 36" LED strip fits perfectly along the underside of the rear deck. Now there is plenty of light! And of course it operates tied in to the existing trunk light harness.
Last edited by watchdevil; Jul 7, 2012 at 02:36 AM.
Bullitt Member
Joined: October 11, 2011
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
From: Texas, Nederland
Originally Posted by watchdevil
I finally got around to putting in the LED trunk light. A white 36" LED strip fits perfectly along the underside of the rear deck. Now there is plenty of light! And of course it operates tied in to the existing trunk light harness.
