are the tj's meant to have illumination here? mine doesn't and i was wondering if there's a way to do it, neatly.

cheers.

depends if series 1 or 2.. I just got one off Mal - its awesome by the way Mal - Thanx!! Wiring all there in series 2 TJ VRX..

series1 solara.

Simon,

All 3rd Gen Ign Key surrounds have an clear illumination ring, as well as a "cut-out" in the shroud behind the dash to take a bulb-holder. This makes adding a key-lamp an easy mod - if your car has wiring built-in its like a bonus upgrade to 'Extremely easy mod".

Some models have wiring for this bulb in the loom, but taped-back out of the way - other models lack the wiring for bulb altogether..... have an idea that Solara may have the wiring there (madmagna is likely to know for sure).

The bulb-holder required is a T5 wedge bulb holder. Plastic, with two small projecting tabs on either side, 2 wires, power and ground. You can add your T5 wedge bulb of choice, and cheap coloured LED's seem to work quite well (I put Red LED in my TJ Sports, to match dash illumination).

Self serve wreckers will be a cheap place to get the bulb-holder and wiring - if you need to mod wiring, the bulb-holder from an ashtray lamp will do nicely.

Remove the plastic panel underneath the steering column, and have a look under the dash/cluster, trying to look at the rear of the Ign Key. There is a small metal panel with esky foam secured by a screw or two, removing that should let you look straight in - facing the front of the car is a cut-out in the black plastic surrounding the rear/side of the Ign key, cut-out is on the drivers side/ right side of the key barrel.

Look around the looms nearby, you may notice a 2-wire piece which is doubled-back and taped out of the way, has a two-pin connector on it and that may be taped back into the "fork" of some wiring loom. laying uncomfortably on your back in the drivers footwell is the best way to have a good look.

If you can find this stray wiring - BINGO - your mod is even easier! Go to self-serve wrecker looking for a Verada, attack the same area of the car, twist and remove the bulb-holder from the back of the key, trace the wiring back to the 2-pin connector, detach that from the car loom - and head for home! Plug-n-Play!

If you cannot find the Key-lamp wires taped-back in your loom, adding a bulb-holder is still easy. Opinions vary as to how to wire it in (search will find old threads). For my preference, Ign Key illuminated with interior lamp when doors unlocked etc was the most-practical way to have it. In a TJ Exec, I used the bulb-holder from an ashtray, extended the wires and joined into a red wire and red/white wire up the Drivers A-Pillar. Others join wires at the junction-block above fusebox in Drivers footwell, or find other wires under thedash.

The illuminated key ring is a great little mod, and as stated above the coloured LEDs in there are also very effective.

thank you and +100 karma to you. that was excellent.

i'll have a suss out tomorrow and see what i need to do.

thanks again.

series1 solara.

I have a TJ1 Solara, my keyhole is lit?

hmm, maybe just a globe gone then? could someone have done it before you bought the car Dingers?

I have a TJ1 Solara, my keyhole is lit?
Your car is a bit of a freak though, it also has the verada trip meter (with clock), though I know either Altera or Solara came with this, forget which though.

I have a TJ1 Solara, my keyhole is lit?

I have one as well, mine isn't. Like Life says, your car is just a freak. lol

I installed this light in a TJ 1.5 Advance just yesterday. In my case, I Just had to get the plug with globe on it from a wreck as the plug from the BEM was there.
But this TJ, also has wiring for TCL, Verada dash speakers, and had most of the Verada lights already in it.

I guess the name SolradaX is really justified lol

i did the ignition light today. i didnt have the wire spare, so i got a couple of bulbs and holders from u pull it and tapped into the roof light circuit. as a bonus i found an altera with the footwell lights, so decided to take/do those too. nice having the ignition and footwells light up when the car's unlocked. took about 45mins once home.

thanks for your help.

oooooo Got any pics? Thinking of doing this mod to my TF when I get some free time!
Is a magna T5 bulb holder needed, or will any T5 holder do?

i got the magna ones, so i dont know if a generic t5 holder would fit. probably would. i notice that the little lights in the instrument cluster have been interchangable for me between a honda prelude, tr and ts and now this magna.

i didnt take any pics. but it was really easy.

the footwell lights needed the little white diffusers to be snapped in place into the kick panels (got these from the altera along with the wiring/holder/globes)

ran all wiring up to the drivers side a pillar. could have stopped at the fuse panel, but didnt have enough slack wiring to do it easily, so went higher. probably a little dodgy for some, but the current draw was very low(multimeter), so i have no fear of heat issues. this was easy, there is plenty of space to lower a wire through, from the a pillar, then tie the ignition and 2 footwell wires up to the first wire and pull them up to the a pillar wiring. this wiring is a pretty heavy gauge and i think it'll be fine the way i did it.

i ran the left side wiring under the dash and then up along the exisiting wire and used some electrical tape to stop it from hanging near my feet.

Good Job, Simon! Its exactly the way I have done it in a couple of cars. Key and footwell lights with doors unlock, or door open is a very practical/cool set up - in my opinion.

I have added c-pillar lamps on the same basis (and use blade-type LEDs in there, which works well).

For those interested, the 2nd Gens all have the white plastic "difuser" which Simon speaks of, although a 2nd gen has different difuser/lens on each side of the car..... one of these is same as 3rd gen uses on both footwells. Its very easy to find 2nd gens at self-serve wreckers, and the lenses are quick and easy to unclip.

thanks.

other way around too with teh 2nd vs 3rd gen lights.

the 2nd gen seems to have the same lenses on both sides and the 3rd gen has them different sizes. this was at least the case for me.

i couldnt find any c pillar trims with the lights in them. my next mission! there was only 1 3rd gen verada, and it had been seriously undressed already.

I have a TJ1 Solara, my keyhole is lit?

That comment is just wrong..:)

Mines MY02 VRX does anyone know if wiring is there.? I got wires and bulb holder like 3 years ago but never got around to doing it.

Jase, it is there, is taped back near the doggy bag plug up under the column

Edit, MY02, thought you meant S2 lol, from memory you will need to run the plug, one wire to earth and the other to a pin in the BEM, will look it up and let you know

my02 vrx will have plug for both the key light and floor light there already

Got mine done today!! :D Took around an hour, but was very easy so could have been done alot quicker. I got mine wired up to the main roof light circuit that comes on when the door opens as my TF did not have a BEM that I could hook it up to. I used the red and red/white from under the dash which plugged into the fusebox thing and just tapped into that.... Was very simple..
Cant really see the light very well right now as its bright outside, but will take a look tonight so I can admire my work :P