DIY DIY: How to make make a ignition switch lamp

DIY: How To Make a Ignition Switch Lamp

A long time ago I noticed that the highly praised LE models have a light by the ignition switch. This looks like it would help in the dark, but personally I always leave my dome light on DOOR. So for me this is not a necessity since our cars have the dome light staying on for 10 seconds after you close the doors. After many years of searching, I finally got my hands on this illusive ignition switch lamp:




I tried to install this lamp on my VE, but somehow the steering column covers would not close. I even switch to the steering column covers that have the tilt steering holes and still no luck.


Well all was not lost as I saw that all 8th generation models came with the harness for the OEM lamp to plug into. So I decided to make my own ignition lamp. Below is where the harness is circled in red in one picture:


Using this harness powers on the lamp like the dome light does on the DOOR setting. This means the lamp powers on when a door is opened and stays on for 10 seconds after the door is closed. And when the ignition is turned, the lamp goes off!

I used a product made by OPTX named EL Neon String to make my lamp. Here are the tools you will need to do this:
- CLEAR super glue
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Car keys
- Wire cutter
- Wire splice or solder
- Electrical tape

Instructions:

1) Unscrew this screw in the lower steering column cover:


2) Put your car keys in the igntion and turn ignition to ON. Turn your steering wheel one way to expose this screw.


3) Turn the steering wheel the other way to expose this screw:


4) Now just remove the LOWER steering column cover only. You can leave the TOP steering column on. Find this blue harness socket.


5) Wire up the OPTX neon string to this harness. The harness is labeled as follows: the blue wire with yellow stripe as the postive and the red wire with white stripe as the ground. You can splice in the harness or solder it. Make sure to use your electrical tape to cover the exposed wires.



6) Now you can test the neon string turning ON/OFF by opening and closing the doors to make sure it is working.

7) After making sure the lamp works. Now just thread the neon string around the ignition switch about 2 times over. Like this:




8) After you are satisfied with the placement, cut the excess neon string with the wire cutter. Put super glue around the ignition switch and over the neon string to make it stay in place.

9) Close up the steering column cover and reinstall the screws you took off.


10) Enjoy!

indeed cool but I know where my ignition key place is by hard now lol...
but it looks SICK!
:beerchug:

Plu, the wood trim looks nice. Is that the 3M stick on sets you can get on ebay? How does it look in person?

one tip from someone who's been there.... its a little late but.... i believe the ignition cylinder of the ve and ce models are a tad bigger than the le... n so with that in mind, u can actually just trim some of the plastic off of the inside of the plastic ring and it'll fit... i have the same one thats in the first two pics... n my corolla is a ce model..... i'll post pics later....

i think it looks horrible, of course i've never liked that look.

On the "S" model. I couldn't find that blue harness socket. Are you sure you seen all 8th gen have that socket not just the LE trim?

that is Bad A$$ man, nice job.

Nice. I would have never thought of that. I am working on an all red theme for my dash. but im waiting on the LED lights to come

My 98 LE has this ??? I wonder why yours doesnt