Curt

I have a 1990 LS400. It does not have a dome light. Maybe that's because it has a sunroof. Does anyone know if other LS400's have a dome light?

Anyway, the interior is too dark at night. I need more light in there. When I open the driver's door, the light on the door comes on and both front footwell lights come on, but that's just not enough light for me.

If I open the back door, a light comes on there, but it's not much light, either.

If I turn on all four map/reading lights and open both back doors, then the car is lit up pretty well, but I have a habit of leaving those reading lights on when I leave the car.

If I could figure out a way to get all those interior lights to come on when I unlock the door, I'd be pretty happy. But then I'd want them to go off again when any of these things happen:
the car is started
the door is locked
maybe after a minute has passed

Does anyone have any ideas?

Curt

persian451

get some hyperwhite bulbs

Shaffer

My uncle has some very bright white interior lights installed in his 02' Frontier. I would like to get some for my 90 LS400, because I agree that the lighting is low. However, your car should have an overhead dome light, in the area between the front rear view mirror and sunroof. It is in the same area as the map lights. Perhaps it is not working properly? It seems very strange that the rear interior lights are not designed to illuminate when the front doors are open.

Curt

I am officially an idiot.

You're right, there's a clear lens there, but no light comes on. So maybe the bulb's burned out. Okay, after about 15 minutes I figured out how to get the cover off to get at the bulb. I checked it with a meter. It's good. Dang. That means I have wiring trouble.

No, wait. What's that little switch there, the one set in the off position?

I think that switch might have been for my brain, because the light works now.

It's one of those days, I guess. At least I didn't take it to the dealer to get it fixed.

Curt

Curt

In other news, while I had that cover off, I took a look at the contacts in there. It would be really easy (and I mean really easy) to make the map lights turn on with the dome light. I just need to solder one end of a diode to each map light, and the other end to the dome light. I think it will work great. I can't wait to try it. I don't have any spare diodes now, but I will in a couple of weeks when my order gets here.

And I bet I could replace that measly little dome light bulb with something with a little more horsepower -- maybe a mini fluorescent or LED's. That would knock the socks off those hyperwhite bulbs.

Dang! I ought to sell the modification as a service to the ClubLexus members. Just send me your dome assembly, I do the two modifications, and send it back to you.

Curt