My kids have started playing with the rear reading lights and I've discovered that the car does not shut those off after any amount of time with power off and key out, so they've drained the battery twice now.

Is there any way to set the reading lights to turn off after some amount of time with key out?

Or is it possible to disable the reading lights without disabling the door-open cabin lighting? (Looks like they're the same bulbs, but maybe there are separate circuits for the two features?)

 

if they are turned on manually by pressing on them, they will remain lit. on their default door open setting, they shut off after a certain amount of time that you specify on the MID.

 

Right, that's the behavior I'm observing.

Is there a way to disable the former functionality (press to turn on and leave on) while preserving the door open functionality?

 

^

 

There might be if you are willing to do a little dis-assembly

Looks like you could cut/disconnect the green/white wire going to the right rear map light to disable the "press for on/off" functionality but still maintain the on/off via the door opening/closing

 

Meh, yeah, that will work, but if the kids press the lights to the "ON" position and leave it there, then the door function won't work....dunno, pick your poison I guess

 

 

Nice -- thanks! I'm dismayed that we have to resort to hacking the wiring in cars with this many computers (or that the cars aren't programmed to avoid killing the battery), but I'd rather have to hit the lights "off" on occasion than have my battery dying because no one locks and checks the rear every time they leave the car.

 

switch to LED and problem solve. lol

 

That's a good idea too. Are there any LEDs compatible out-of-the-box with those sockets?

 

If I were a parent, I'd just yell at the kids until they stopped doing it.

I mean, that's what my parents did with me, and I don't ever touch anyone's map lights now.

 

i'm not sure wat u mean by "outta the box" but i got mine from ebay. there're many other site where u could find them though

 

I think he means where a resistor doesn't need to be added.

OP, I'm not into LED lighting, but there are a few threads in the Service Department as well as numerous other LED threads that might list a source for LED bulbs for the rear map lights. Or PM the LED modded members for info.