Map Lights on with Dome light Mod

Does the oe dome light still come on? Do the maps work normally?

 

Yes, the dome light comes on when you unlock and open the car, and the map lights click on and off manually. I've done nothing to the car and can't figure out why the maps don't come on with the dome.

Seems like your jumper wire from dome to map fixture has come loose. Did you use butt connectors or something? Bad solder joint? How did you get the Dome Ground lead over there? Edited May 9, 2014 by thesavo

Does the oe dome light still come on? Do the maps work normally?

 

Seems like your jumper wire from dome to map fixture has come loose. Did you use butt connectors or something? Bad solder joint? How did you get the Dome Ground lead over there?

 

I check the jumper as well and all the solder joints are intact. I just snaked lead through the headliner.

So you checked it with a meter, and get a path to ground when the dome is on?

I would pull a map bulb and place the meter there to check for ground when dome is in and work back.

 

On an ancillary note, it's odd that you have to reverse the polarity of the OEM map connector.

 

This how I would expect it to work. Solder in the bulb holders on the switch side.

 

From the factory, the map bulbs always have power, and receive ground through switch. The dome is a switched ground. In fact, it gets the same "always-hot" the map-lights get.

 

 

http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p659/thesavo/Legacy_G3-Diagrams/map-mod/map-mod-d_zpswzay5fhu.png

 

This post was made after only a cursury read of the first two pages.

See next post for edits.

Edited June 1, 2014 by thesavo

I just read through all 9 pages of this thread. I have learn a lot more than reading just the first 2 pages. (as one would expect).

Here is my takeaway. I know I should have read the whole thread before posting, but 9 Pages is alot, expecially when many of them are about how to purchase LEDs.

 

 

• This mod was not posted in a Generation specific thread, yet everyone that posted has a Gen 4 or later. I am planing on performing this on my 2004 Wagon.
  
• People tend to fry their Integrated Units. However so. Best I can tell, the Jury is sure that it may or may not being 36 Total watts, as apposed to the 8 that it intended to have.
  
• Many thought that they could wrap the wire around the bulb as appose to soldering to the Bus bar down stream of the switch. That sounds very poor.
  
• Icy in Post 55 was the first to correctly think of de-pining the map lights plug and swapping the contacts instead of cutting the body side wires.
  
• Yamarocket630 in post 144 Was to to first that I could tell that stated the Subaru wiring diagram is wrong about the Map lights.
  

It would stand to reason that I or someone should update and upload the factory diagram for Gen3 and Gen4 map lights. This should help ease the mind and add clarification of those plan on performing this mod.

 

Also, Gen3 people. I think I have a more factory looking solution that I will post in a day or so. It takes advantage of the Gen3 (MY 2004 anyway) Different Fixture layout.

Edited June 1, 2014 by thesavo

I'd love to see what you come up with but the newer LED options increase interior brightness enough, even after I burned out my first BIU I don't feel the need to even attempt it with the newer led option I installed with no fuss no muss. Second, the sunroof on the 4th gen wagon pushed the light so far back that it was the reason I attempted it way back when. The non-sunroof I have now seems to be less of an issue.

 

 

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I'd love to see what you come up with but the newer LED options increase interior brightness enough, even after I burned out my first BIU I don't feel the need to even attempt it with the newer led option I installed with no fuss no muss. Second, the sunroof on the 4th gen wagon pushed the light so far back that it was the reason I attempted it way back when. The non-sunroof I have now seems to be less of an issue.

 

 

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When I did this mod, part of it was switching to LED lights. I didn't even take into account the BIU. I just sourced cheap LED's from Amazon and put those in.

 

I'm always disappointed that things that are standard in American made cars in 2005 are not in my 2005 Subaru. In a Chevrolet in 2005, you'll find the following standard "touches" that really help out:

 

1. The map lights always come on when the door to the car opens

2. When you unlock the car, the reverse and high beams come on (at a low setting) to light the exterior area around the car

3. Automatic headlights

4. Radio stays on after car is turned off for 10 minutes or until a door is opened.

 

Heck, the American manufacturers have been doing these things since the mid 90's...why can't my top of the line Outback do that in 2005?

 

That being said, I'd never drive an American car regardless.

 

But I digress: I love this mod and it's made the front of my car much much nicer to get into.

American cars however just now started to put collapsible wing mirrors on All of their vehicles. The reverse approach lights I am not a fan of. It still looks like the vehicle is backing up

 

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I'm always disappointed that things that are standard in American made cars in 2005 are not in my 2005 Subaru. ..

 

2. When you unlock the car, the reverse and high beams come on (at a low setting) to light the exterior area around the car

 

That being said, I'd never drive an American car regardless.

That's one reason why I'd never drive an American-made car. I don't like the car thinking for me too much. Had a rental and was in a campground at Zion and it was embarrassing as hell when I'd go to get something out of the car and it's shining the damn headlites. Also, eliminated my chime by taking the BIU and unsoldering the damn thing; I don't like the car making noises, I'll be responsible for buckling my own seat-belt, thank you.

That's a lot of work to disable the seat belt. I just did the 20 click method. Works perfecto

 

 

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Hello all, Im new here, just started reading, up to page 15, and the happy new owner of a 2006 limited outback wagon, which is very dark up front

 

Anywho, I want to do this mod, but Im a lil worried about frying the body module I have read about, what is causing it to fry? Is it the extra voltage of the 2 new map lights turning on with the dome light? Or is it some people shorting something out while doing the mod? Should I disconnect the Battery, or just pull the number 8 fuse from under the hood while doing the work?

 

Im have no problem with 12volt electric, or soldering, or pulling my car apart and putting it back together, but I do have a problem with a $600.00 module being fried over adding a light bulb to it.

 

Thanks in advance!!

That's a lot of work to disable the seat belt. I just did the 20 click method.

Yeah, but I eliminated ALL annoying sounds the chime might make.

... Im a lil worried about frying the body module I have read about, what is causing it to fry? Is it the extra voltage of the 2 new map lights turning on with the dome light? Or is it some people shorting something out while doing the mod? Should I disconnect the Battery, or just pull the number 8 fuse from under the hood while doing the work?

The problem isn't from the extra current due to the two new lights, or from any transient thing done while doing the mod; it's from connecting the BIU directly to 12v, which it tries to "pull" low (to GND). This is eliminated by reversing wires to map lights, but note that if the car were really wired as shown in the factory service manual, you would NOT need to reverse the wires.

 

It seems to me like the risk could be eliminated by putting a 1 amp or so inline fuse in. If you get it wrong, it'd just blow the fuse.

Odd how it's not wired as it's designed.

 

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I chickened out, didnt want to blow a module, bought a pack of 2 4 inch LED stick on lights, ran the wire from the rear dome, and stuck the new lights right on the map light lenses. Plenty of light and no worries.

 

Just want to replace the other interior bulbs with LED now. Thanks for the help.

I just bought a kit. Fits right into the bulb socket. Easy peasy

 

 

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I just bought a kit. Fits right into the bulb socket. Easy peasy ...

That's does THIS mod - fascinating. You'd still need to run a wire over to the dome light, and you'd still probably need to reverse the leads to the map lights, no ?

So, after poring over 10 years of posts and 22+ some odd pages I've come to a little bit of a conclusion here.

 

Looks to me where some the ones who fried the body control unit, these were several attempts at modifying the original idea. i.e. no diode, terminating at the bulb, and so on. Truth be told I will be modifying by putting in a LED as opposed to a regular diode and drilling a hole in the plastic cover that's above the lens for the LED. Just b'cuz I can. And I will be using the non solder terminate under the bar method, But other than that I believe it should be good. Just test the brown wire and make sure it's good before continuing. It should slowly return from ground to 0. Right?

 

You see, That's the only part of the info I can't find in all of the posts. What the actual reading the brown wire should be when the door is open and when the door closes and when all lights are off.

 

Another question? Did this mod always work 100% after done correctly? Or were there eventual failures? I think after almost 10 years there might be some feedback about that. I don't anticipate to be real issues when done correctly, but more info is always good.

 

So please sound off LGT peeps and let me know what your thinking.

Thanks

No problems on car #1.

 

Or the other 20+ I've done.

I did mine about 5 years ago (replacing the map lights and dome light with some LEDs as well), and no problems. Furthermore, I can't really imagine why there would be problems, assuming everything was wired correctly and using good practices (which the non-solder method IS, in my not-so-humble opinion). The only thing I could imagine is, if you leave the original incandescent bulbs, then you're considerably increasing the current that the BIU must sink (through the brown wire). That shouldn't be a problem either, according to reports I've read somewhere here that the relevant component in the BIU can sink a good bit of current. But if you care enough to do this mod, certainly you care enough to go to LED bulbs, so the current will in fact be considerably less than before the modification.

You see, That's the only part of the info I can't find in all of the posts. What the actual reading the brown wire should be when the door is open and when the door closes and when all lights are off.

Haven't looked at the circuit in awhile, so going from memory ... but, yes, pre-mod the brown wire should be near 0v when the dome light is on, rising to 12v as the lights dims and turns off. BUT, the critical thing is to make sure you do not apply 12v directly to the brown wire; that is the purpose of reversing the wires going to the map lights. Just because the brown wire is at 12v sometimes (when the dome light is off) does NOT mean it is ok to apply 12v DIRECTLY to the brown wire, which is what you'd be doing if you got the wiring at the map light end of the new wire wrong. It's been suggested here, and I think it'd work, to put an inline fuse in the new wire (the one running from dome light to map lights). Maybe an amp or so. If you get things wrong, that fuse will blow, protecting the BIU. Inline fuse-holder is readily and cheaply available at parts store. You could even remove it if everything seems to be fine.

Just finished the modification on our 2007 Legacy LTD Wagon. All worked as expected when I finished. The only thing I should have done was remove the 20A fuse first as I was not as careful as I should have been reversing the pins in that connector. But it was cool that there were spare fuses in the fuse box cover!

 

I opted for a "no-solder" solution and used inline wire splice connectors, heat shrink on the diodes (IN4001's are rated for 50V and 1 Amp of current if memory serves me properly) and I pushed in my drain wire from the map lights into the center of the dome light connector (from the rear or course) to avoid a bulky splice block. A few wire ties to keep it neat and it works!

 

So, I am hearing many say that the mods work after several years. This is a good sign! But, has anyone done the mod and retained the incandescent lamps rather than changing to LED bulbs? I may pull a bulb and measure their actual current draw (each) to get a solid handle on how much current 3 lamps is placing on the BUI module.

 

I think that was a MOSFET device? If so, they are pretty efficient and do their switching (or dimming with PWM no doubt) with very little power wasted to heat. PWM is pulse width modulation and a very effective way to achieve smooth dimming with lighting.

 

I am not as keen on LED's for some reason, but may look for some in a warm color temperature to replace the filament lamps. I would only do this for certain if I heard anyone say they eventually cooked a BUI module due to the higher current over an extended time period.

 

I read ALL 24 pages of posts! Whew! I appreciate the wiring schematic that thesavo posted near the end! Thanks for that. Finally, thanks to mwiener2 for the post and staying with this thread over all the years.

So, I am hearing many say that the mods work after several years.

 

But, has anyone done the mod and retained the incandescent lamps rather than changing to LED bulbs?

 

I am not as keen on LED's for some reason, but may look for some in a warm color temperature to replace the filament lamps. I would only do this for certain if I heard anyone say they eventually cooked a BUI module due to the higher current over an extended time period.

Yes, 5 years for me, I don't see any reason it shouldn't last as long as the car.

 

I can't understand why you'd keep the incandescent bulb and risk frying your BIU, plus have your battery drain much quicker if you leave interior lights on (either because of car camping or the like, or by accident).

 

Sounds like the reason is the color of LEDs ? Surely you can find warm-white ones for your map lights. That being said, the ones I bought for them (and for puddle lights) are very blue'ish. But the one I used for dome light is nice warm color.

Yes, 5 years for me, I don't see any reason it shouldn't last as long as the car.

 

I can't understand why you'd keep the incandescent bulb and risk frying your BIU, plus have your battery drain much quicker if you leave interior lights on (either because of car camping or the like, or by accident).

 

Sounds like the reason is the color of LEDs ? Surely you can find warm-white ones for your map lights. That being said, the ones I bought for them (and for puddle lights) are very blue'ish. But the one I used for dome light is nice warm color.

 

Yes, the warm color of the lamps is more appealing to me. I do work with LEDs for illumination and back lighting all the time, so there are warmer color temps out there. I may do this, just not right away.

 

But as for the lights draining the battery, I believe that the cars (both my 2007 Legacy LTD and 2008 Outback) state in the manual that the interior lights will turn off after a preset delay to prevent battery drain. It is an automatic function of the lighting system, so I am not worried about that aspect much. I have had my kids play with the dome light switch and found them on after a weekend in my old 1993 Legacy wagon with no ill effect on the battery. Sure it drained it a little, but it is such a low current draw overall.

 

My 2008 Outback does everything the modification does right from the start. I believe someone posted that Subaru must have come to the decision to include map lights in the control circuit after so many owners previously complained and asked about it in earlier models. Either that, or the original owners of the 2008 did the mod too! I will have to take down the map light fixture and look to see if the mod is there.

 

Both of these Subaru's are new to our family since late spring, so my wife has always lamented about the lack of illumination up front as opposed to the Outback being bright. This mod took care of the issue.

 

Thanks!