I just did the rear dome light mod on the xB. I made a real nice write up with lots of pictures. Too bad I have no place to host the pic's. Anyone that wants to see the write-up and install pic's, just PM me and I'll E-mail them too you. 56K....you better not ask !!

Maybe someone might like it enough that they might host it, and it could go into the tech section. :?:

**IkhonLord - Edit**

Here is the Write Up:

Carefully remove the 2 plugs from the headliner at the rear with a long screwdriver prying at the center of the plug. This gives you a little play in the headliner. Be careful not to pull down to far on the headliner or you might put a crease in it. It has enough play to get an arm or hand in there.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/rear_domelight_xb/1st.jpg

Remove the factory dome light, unplug it, and remove the dome light fuse in the engine compartment (#15). Oops, there goes your settings on your clock, your radio station presets, your trip odometer mileage, and remember to press the "SSP" button on your radio for a few seconds to reset your sounds to your car type. It goes back to tC, everytime the power is removed. But, the Pic shows a long coat hanger pushed to the rear to fish the 3 new wires you need to install a new dome light. One ground wire and the two power wires (one is hot, and one is switched thru the door switches) that hook up to the plug on the new dome light.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/rear_domelight_xb/2nd.jpg

Here are the 3 wires needed, fished to the rear. The two power wires, I wraped with electrical tape before I fished them. I didn't want any chance of them rubbing over the years and maybe causing a short. You can see that the headliner has alot of play in it. BE CAREFUL not to bend to much or you might crease it. You'll also notice up there is where the juntion box for the radio antenna is. Those two dimples you see in the headliner, is about dead center in the middle. At least it was on mine. The new dome light also cannot be installed all the way to the rear. It has to go forward somewhat, because of the clearance between the headliner and the roof of the car. You'll see the headliner starts to slope at the point you can mount it.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/rear_domelight_xb/3rd.jpg

I wire spliced the two power wires into the factory wires. I got the splices from Radio Shack. The blue/yellow wire is hot all the time. You'll see the red wire is the one I used to fish back to the new dome light mod. The red/yellow wire is hot only thru the door switches. here I used a green wire. It was all I had around at the time. You can also see the electrical tape wrap job I did.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/rear_domelight_xb/4th.jpg

Finally the completed wires at the rear. The 2 power, with the push on spade ends crimped on. (Radio Shack) And the one ground wire with the round eye terminal end. All I had was a lot of green wire, so the power wire and the ground are the same color, but the different terminal ends make it Murphy proof. the ground wire goes to either one of the mounting screws on the back of the new dome light. The power wires go to the plug end on the new dome light. It does not matter which one you connect them to. It's DC, and it'll work perfect hooked up either way.

http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/rear_domelight_xb/5th.jpg

Now I drew a outline of the entire light assy. on a piece of 8 by 11 printer paper. Then I used Petroleum Jelly and smeared it all over the back of the light to make a transfer onto the paper of the section that I need to cut out. Think of the piece of paper as the headliner, and I was trying to cut as much as I needed, to make the light fit flush with the headliner. And you want to cut your headliner only once !!! That's the scary AND expensive part if you mess up. That is why I did not cut all the way to the outline of the dome light you see drawn. Be sure and mark your patt

resize the pics and upload them to Scionlife Gallery and its free

Use this space:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/scionxb
You have to join the club but it's free.

photobucket, its free

moving to ice.

there are plenty of free picture sites....

Someone with a little more knowledge than me, help this guy out.

This could be a valuable tech post. 8)

if i remember right there was someone that did this back in the summer. he used the same factory domelight and put it in the trunk area.....
it will be interesting to see the comapreason between them...

waiting for pics....

it would be nice to see how it looks....you can send me some pics if ud like

here is the previous attempt....

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=33628

The write up and pictures have been added!

BUMP for a great Write up!!!

:D :wink:

Added to the Tech Section. It will be moved to the FAQ forum shortly. *In a Hal 9000 voice* "Thank you, Dave."

Excellent mod! Does the extra weight add any stress to the roof liner? I might do this mod on a neighbors xB, this write up will definitely make the job as smooth as butter :D

Great and a truely useful lighting mod that involved no LEDs or neon, or colored lights of any kind (finally)! The only thing different I might have done is used JB Weld to epoxy the nuts onto whatever surface so you don't have to use 2 wrenches at once to tighten everything down.

I'm definately doing this mod 8)

PROTOCULTURE

Great work. Two thumbs up.

What's the part number of the dome light? And how much is it from the dealer?

snick snick , slick slick. so nice. hmm makes me wanna do the same , well that and some nice lil maps for up front. gotta be in a depressed dimple tho to make it match how the center(stock) light is. anyone know how to get the headliner to dimple like that?

Great job!!!! Thank you

Thanks for the great writeup. Does anybody know if I can have that light assembly shipped to me? I'm almost 2 hours from the closest dealer.

Added to the Tech Section. It will be moved to the FAQ forum shortly. *In a Hal 9000 voice* "Thank you, Dave."

thats too funny...

right on I know its dark back there :lol:

Dang, another "must-do" mod.

Great and a truely useful lighting mod that involved no LEDs or neon, or colored lights of any kind (finally)! The only thing different I might have done is used JB Weld to epoxy the nuts onto whatever surface so you don't have to use 2 wrenches at once to tighten everything down.

I'm definately doing this mod 8)

PROTOCULTURE

Thanks to everyone for the nice comments. Wish I was a little better with the puter, then I could have posted the pic myself. Thanks ikhonlord.....You're the GREATEST.

I used to do a lot of write-ups for a BMW site some years ago, but back then it was a 2400 baud modem. !!! I'm still learning this whole digital camera game.

But as for the nuts being glued to the plastic......Good idea. If I ever have reason to remove the light, I'll do that. The mod doesn't put any stress on the headliner. The only real stress comes from bending it down to put the light in.

Any questions anyone...just PM me. That way I'll be sure and get back.

Great and a truely useful lighting mod that involved no LEDs or neon, or colored lights of any kind (finally)! The only thing different I might have done is used JB Weld to epoxy the nuts onto whatever surface so you don't have to use 2 wrenches at once to tighten everything down.

I'm definately doing this mod 8)

PROTOCULTURE

Thanks to everyone for the nice comments. Wish I was a little better with the puter, then I could have posted the pic myself. Thanks ikhonlord.....You're the GREATEST.

I used to do a lot of write-ups for a BMW site some years ago, but back then it was a 2400 baud modem. !!! I'm still learning this whole digital camera game.

But as for the nuts being glued to the plastic......Good idea. If I ever have reason to remove the light, I'll do that. The mod doesn't put any stress on the headliner. The only real stress comes from bending it down to put the light in.

Any questions anyone...just PM me. That way I'll be sure and get back.

This is a great write-up, toasterman!! Any input on where the factory harness originates? and how it is routed? (Example....: leads up left B-pillar and follows b-pillar/roof support loop, etc...) Am interested, as I'd like to imcorporate not only a rear, but an additional front lamp on the same circuit. Any thoughts? Thanks.

My question is if you add one in the front for a map light and another for the rear light, do you need to increase the fuse rating?

To answer bulldog2g, I say just tap the same wires and fish them to the front.

Also for anyone that is looking for the genuine domelights for a good price, try Toyotapartsdealer.com (http://www.toyotapartsdealer.com/). They've got them for about $25.

Thanks, WGEEE! Toasterdude already got back to me on that, too. I will be removing headliner altogether ( to have it died black, and to prepare for sunroof duo), so was interested in knowing if anyone knew harness placement. The man himself looked up harness routing in his scion-bible, and informed me that this harness actually originates from the right rear taillamp area, so I will be incorporating my wiring into that directly so that it can be wrapped and routed nicely. Now, to find a similar looking dome light/map light combo for the front....... :pray:

do we really need a light back there....

does it get dark where you live??????

ok, how about at night?????

thats so true for those of you who spend time back there...

that is where the flat folding seats shine the brightest

just saw this..that looks good.

Hey, I know this is a somewhat old post but does anyone know what the bulb size is so maybe I can replace it with a blue LED. I know it's just plug and play with the TC to put leds up in there but does it work with the box. I'd really like to know so i can do it as soon as possible. It's the little details in my car that make me happy :P

I was just curious, for those people who have done the mod, is there any movement in the back light, say when going over a bump? It sounds like a great mod but I'm worried about the light adding weight to the headliner that could bounce up and down and eventually deform the headliner, or hitting the roof when bouncing. Thanks, and great mod!

i will use this info to install a light up front rather. great write up. thanks :clap: :clap: :clap:

thats a really nice mod its so dark and the light is so dim in my box

Nice!

thats a really good idea, i never really noticed until i was trying to get the groceries out after dark that their was no light in there i was looking everywhere for one... oh well i'll make my own.

Nice mod there, will be doing one like that for my Xb so that I can see my baby back there :D in his car seat . ( Humm come to think of it , did anyone use a switch for that yet ??? A switch for the back dome light so we can see ) Thanks for the right up . .

Thanks, WGEEE! Toasterdude already got back to me on that, too. I will be removing headliner altogether ( to have it died black, and to prepare for sunroof duo), so was interested in knowing if anyone knew harness placement. The man himself looked up harness routing in his scion-bible, and informed me that this harness actually originates from the right rear taillamp area, so I will be incorporating my wiring into that directly so that it can be wrapped and routed nicely. Now, to find a similar looking dome light/map light combo for the front....... :pray:

Ever find one for this?

Thanks for the help Dave. I just installed a light in the rear of my BSP. Followed most of your ideas. My backing "plate" was only 4"x6" and fit right in the hole cut into the headliner. I also pre-drilled and tapped the light mounting holes. Didn't have to pull the headliner down 'cause the "plate" slid right up into the cutout. I used 'GOOP' to hold it into place. Also, I got my dome from the junk yard. It came from a '98 Toyota Tercel and cost me $5.00.
Thanks for your help.

Nice write up! I just completed my cargo area dome light installation. I used a rear dome light out of an '88 Mercedes Benz 300E. It doesn't have an on-off-dome switch like the stock Scion Center dome light. So now both the center AND rear dome light work in tandum with each other. They both dim at the same time. I made a backing plate out of .032" aluminum as the Benz light "snaps" in to the mounting hole. My installed light is 9" from the rear tail gate and centered. I had to pop-out all four plug-buttons to reach in under the top of the head liner to get the aluminum backing plate up in there. I used 22 gauge stranded wire and soldered those wires to the two convienently locateded holes next to the bulb retaining clips. Once soldered I used a coat hanger starting at the center headliner hole to fish my new wires back to the rear hole that I cut open with an Exacto knife. There is no reason why this modification would not work for an front dome light as well.

dude this mod is awesome. props to you i love this one!!!

great write up. i really want to do this.

great DIY!

I finally got around to taking some pics of my mods. Here's my rear dome light.
Steve
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w50/stevedawelder/reardomelight.jpg

22 gauge stranded wire? sounds good...

Does anyone know where I can get dome light at a good price? I tried toyotapartsdealler.com but I couldnt find it there.

very nice, cant believe i never thought of that, there is definatly a light deficiancy in my box, a map light would be awesome just as much as a this one. :thumbsup:

Ok I'm bringing this thread back from the dead with a newbie question:

Can someone clarify where does the ground wire go?

I know one end is looped to one of the mounting bolts of the new dome light.

What about the other end?

Was it spliced into the OEM ground wire too, like the power wires?

I didn't see it in the pics so just double checking before I proceed with the mod, thx. I'm an electrical newbie, don't want any fireworks happening inside the car! :bow:

great write up. Thinking of doign this myself