Color changing ambient lighting using Ford OEM parts

[JHForman812]

It's best to get the harness. It's easy, he is great, and it's not that expensive compared to time, effort, and problems later. Yes one light will work if you order 4. You will just need to switch the connectors.

I completely apologize about the light connection I totally forgot that the passenger one was different and from here on I’ll have that corrected. Looking at the pictures you had to put a female end on the new light is that correct ? I’m sorry I did mean to correct this but I’ve only built a small number of bronco harnesses and forgot this problem existed

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[‘21OBX]

@JHForman812 mines still working well thanks again for helping pioneer this project.

 

[JHForman812]

@JHForman812 mines still working well thanks again for helping pioneer this project.

I’d say you were the pioneer lol I don’t own a bronco or an F150 so I owe a lot of credit to people willing to work with me and try to get it right!

 

[Optimus Bronco]

I completely apologize about the light connection I totally forgot that the passenger one was different and from here on I’ll have that corrected. Looking at the pictures you had to put a female end on the new light is that correct ? I’m sorry I did mean to correct this but I’ve only built a small number of bronco harnesses and forgot this problem existed

No need to apologize. I was lazy and just ordered 4 of the one light the correct one was on back order for 2 months. I was not waiting. It took me 2 mins to switch out. You were amazing!!!

 

[JHForman812]

No need to apologize. I was lazy and just ordered 4 of the one light the correct one was on back order for 2 months. I was not waiting. It took me 2 mins to switch out. You were amazing!!!

i looked up the passenger side one it’s a male connector also on the light side. From what I’m gathering you guys need a female connection on the light? Or I need to put a female on the harness I build so you can just plug in?

 

[MannyG20]

I have a ‘22 Badlands. The passenger side LED light module has a male connector that plugs into a female connector. I can get a pic if needed.
here are pics of the light module and it’s lens for those who have not seen it.

 

[MannyG20]

I have run into a bit of an obstacle with the cupholder portion of this project. I have a 7MT and not the automatic so my cupholder is in a different location. Instead of a 'front to back' orientation it is a 'side to side' orientation and is placed right in front of the armrest. As you can see there is no room on either side for the flanges of the new cupholder.

I would need to cut off all the flanges to make it fit. I could leave the two solid triangle pieces in the middle. These would be the only place I could use to screw the new cupholder into the console. I am worried about stability of the final product.

I was also surprised that the new cupholder has a rake, but I guess that would be expected for one that has a 'front to back orientation'. My 'side to side' cupholder has no rake. I could make this work but it is not ideal.

I thought about taking the light rings out of the new cupholder and modifying my existing one but as you can see the ring rings are waaayyy bigger than my cupholder. There is no way to make that work.

I don't mind cutting up and wasting a $65 part, but I would like some honest opinions on whether any of you think this might work. My two biggest concerns: the stability of the cupholder with only two screws to hold it to the console and the rake of the new cupholder - I will have to mount it at an angle so that the top of the new cupholder is flush with the console opening this will mean the cup 'space' walls will sit at a slight angle.
I am thinking this portion is a lost cause. Thoughts?

 

[Strykerwsu]

I wish you good luck. I couldn't get the regular one to look good, cut on the panel as much as could before getting to point of no return. Really wanted the lights in the cup holders but just couldn't get ot to match up very well. I'm also a perfectionist so seeing the cup holder off in daylight would have bugged the shit out of me.

The OP and JH are awesome. Simply having the lights change in the footwells was well.worth it for me.

 

[‘21OBX]

I have run into a bit of an obstacle with the cupholder portion of this project. I have a 7MT and not the automatic so my cupholder is in a different location. Instead of a 'front to back' orientation it is a 'side to side' orientation and is placed right in front of the armrest. As you can see there is no room on either side for the flanges of the new cupholder.

I would need to cut off all the flanges to make it fit. I could leave the two solid triangle pieces in the middle. These would be the only place I could use to screw the new cupholder into the console. I am worried about stability of the final product.

I was also surprised that the new cupholder has a rake, but I guess that would be expected for one that has a 'front to back orientation'. My 'side to side' cupholder has no rake. I could make this work but it is not ideal.

I thought about taking the light rings out of the new cupholder and modifying my existing one but as you can see the ring rings are waaayyy bigger than my cupholder. There is no way to make that work.

I don't mind cutting up and wasting a $65 part, but I would like some honest opinions on whether any of you think this might work. My two biggest concerns: the stability of the cupholder with only two screws to hold it to the console and the rake of the new cupholder - I will have to mount it at an angle so that the top of the new cupholder is flush with the console opening this will mean the cup 'space' walls will sit at a slight angle.
I am thinking this portion is a lost cause. Thoughts?

I either didn’t realize you have a MT or overlooked It. I would talk with the harness guy and get his opinion. He is the one that got the one I used. I had to cut off a lot of the new cup holder to have it fit properly.

 

[Lèòn]

Anyone in Jersey able to help me out with this if I provide the parts?

 

[MannyG20]

I either didn’t realize you have a MT or overlooked It. I would talk with the harness guy and get his opinion. He is the one that got the one used. I have to cut off a lot of the new cup holder to have it fit properly.

John and I texted a lot last night. We are both of the opinion that this will not work on the 7MT set up. He looked for other cup holders that might work but could not find any that remotely resembled the 7MT cup holder. In the end it’s fine. I will be more than happy with the footwell lights.

 

[Hatman]

Thanks to ‘21OBX and jhforman812. Excellent instructions and John makes a high quality wire harness. I changed my programming with FORScan and wired in new lights. For reference, I ordered 2 each of: FL3Z-14A318-N and -L. They are exactly the same except 1 has a wire that’s about an inch longer so I recommend just getting 4 of whichever is cheapest. Sanded the top ridges off one for the front driver footwell and had all of the lights up and running in less than 30 minutes. I didn’t do the cup holders so I just tucked the wires under the edge of the center console and didn’t have to remove anything. Maybe someday I’ll go back and add those but I’m not too worried about that. Thanks guys for the suggestion!

 

[MannyG20]

Not much new to add here. Just wanted to post some pics of the finished project. I have a 2022 BL 7MT and there are a couple of things that are different. Of course the aforementioned cup holder is very different from the automatic, but also under the rear seats Ford put the exact same metal rectangular mount that holds the lights for the front footwells. The lights snapped right in securely. The pictures make the light seem brighter than it is in person.

my solution to the cup holder problem was to drill two holes in the bottom of the cup holder and then place a clear acrylic disk on the bottom and then place the rubber insert on top of that. It looks much brighter in the picture. In real life it is just a very thin ring of light. I would like to trim about 1/16 of the rubber insert but I think that would be difficult to do evenly.

I thought hard about doing my own wiring but in the end got one from John. It was so easy-just plug and play.
thanks to @‘21OBX for the idea.

 

[Strykerwsu]

I would love to hear more about the acrylic disc you used. Did you buy or make somehow?

 

[EgreenBadSquatch]

Not much new to add here. Just wanted to post some pics of the finished project. I have a 2022 BL 7MT and there are a couple of things that are different. Of course the aforementioned cup holder is very different from the automatic, but also under the rear seats Ford put the exact same metal rectangular mount that holds the lights for the front footwells. The lights snapped right in securely. The pictures make the light seem brighter than it is in person.

my solution to the cup holder problem was to drill two holes in the bottom of the cup holder and then place a clear acrylic disk on the bottom and then place the rubber insert on top of that. It looks much brighter in the picture. In real life it is just a very thin ring of light. I would like to trim about 1/16 of the rubber insert but I think that would be difficult to do evenly.

I thought hard about doing my own wiring but in the end got one from John. It was so easy-just plug and play.
thanks to @‘21OBX for the idea.

In one post someone said the lighting is on when the headlights are on. Is it on when you open the doors also?

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