Make under dash lights brighter
 

Hey guys I dont know if you guys already figured this out or if you wanna make your leds under your dash brighter. I did so heres a no cost way to do it.

1. pull under dash panels down. see pics below showing most clips. Driver side has a twist fastener. i am pointing to it in a pic.

2. twist out the tinted black housing around the blue led light harness from the under dash panel.

3. unclip the tinted black housing from the blue led light harness.

test light intensity before doing step 4 because you cant go back after if it is too bright for you.

4. drill out the center portion of the tinted housing. i drilled out the entire center to prevent shadows.

5. reinstall and your done.

let me know if you have questions.

some pics just are to show how bad my carpeting job was done. I dont think my bmw was like this.
https://acurazine.com/forums/album.php?albumid=5955

heres a link to my album cause i dont think its working

https://acurazine.com/forums/album.php?albumid=5955

Oh my! I don't even realize that there's under dash lighting!!! I guess it's either so dim that I don't notice it, or it's not working!!! I need to go and check.... thanks!

I'm in the same camp. ...never noticed it. Is it supposed to be ambient when you're driving at night, or are they supposed to come on with the overhead LEDs when you open a door, or both? My last car (BMW 335) had under dash lighting that came on with the overheads that was not part of the orange ambient lighting at night.

They are ambient lighting at night. Just like the ones on the overhead console.

OP, do you have pics of how bright they are at night? Are they distracting bright?

I tried last night but it was hard to see. I will try again tonight. Its a little brighter than the light coming from the ones by the sunroof control.

Before i drilled out the tinted covers i took them off and painters taped the light back to the panel and drove around like that for a week to see if I liked it better.

Just like the rest of the guys I had to look for it to realize it was there. now it gives a nice blue. I have black interior so the brighter light is kinda needed.

I try to take pics again tonight.

just did it to my car, thanks op, and it is much brighter. The light doesnt spread out that much but its not bad. An easy yet nice mod.

just went out and did it to my driver side. I drilled a small hole first (1/16th) and then drilled a few more and went a little bigger each time to prevent cracking the plastic. I like it. I want to do the passenger side next. Any tips on how to pull down the passenger side under trim? Thanks.

Its all held in by clips, so I just started at the front side by the door and worked my way in. It pops off pretty easy.

While you guys were down there looking was your carpet like mine and ran really short.

Thanks. I will do it tomorrow. My carpet was exactly like yours on both sides. The driver side does not look so bad in that at least it is straight across. The passenger side has that strange cutout in the corner. I noticed that a long time ago while cleaning but figured it was just my car.

Takehold when i was trying to take my passenger side down i originally started pulling on the trim right under the glove box. Dont be an idiot like me and do that. the plastic starts after this small padded trim.

and thanks at least i know my car is not flawed in regards to the carpeting.

thanks - I will be careful when pulling it down. and thanks for tip on the lighting. I always knew it was there and always wished it were brighter but never got to investigate it. I changed just about every other light though.

Ya mine is short too, must be in all the TL's. Don't bother me much though.

can't see the pics of the album cus i don't have privileges or something like that could someone please post them here? thanks

Sorry I tried taking pics again tonight but so dark you cant see anything. So I guess to answer your question not too bright that it distracts you.

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HAWAII-TSX YOU ARE THE MAN!!! just did mine and it looks so much better now, i have black leather as well so the extra ambient light its welcome

thanks for the tip!

I'm wondering if for whatever reason i would like to buy the drilled piece, to undone the changes, would the dealer have it on stock?

i doubt it but im sure you can order the part. if not just put a tinted plastic piece in between the plastic piece and the led again. im sure you can find some plastic thing at a craft store and a single hole punch that will prob do it.

I don't think I would wanna go that dark again anyway. maybe something in between would be nice.

Found the piece number just in case someone would like to go dark again, here's the ref number.

Attachment 86661
LIGHT ASSY., FOOT
$17.18 Dealer Price
Reference Number 002
Origin USA
Emission KA

hey great job. Nice!!!

+1. I like to keep my interior as low light as possible but nice guide. Want to do one for the doors? xD

Thanks for the Mod cuz.. Oahu?

NP. Yup Oahu you?

Ya Kaimuki side. Just got my TL bout 3 months ago, traded in my TSX. Couple minor mods so far. Waiting for that ATLP quad exhaust. Gotta have loud pipes livin in Hawaii lol.

cool I live Aina Haina. I love my car just got it 1 month ago. I traded in an 08 X5. and am very happy to be back with an Acura.

Nice to see some Kamaaina on here. LOL Take care and post some pics.

good find. nice, cheap mod.

34760-TA0-J01 is the part number

nice hawaii-tsx...i have the same car!

Thanks again to the OP for showing us this!

wow, took me like 5 minutes to do this, and i cant believe any light would come through that cover to begin with...glad i found this post...

thanks

just being lazy but - any chance one can drill the hole without taking down the plastic trim pieces? Is LED right against the piece so one risks damage with direct drilling?

i thought about that, but i think you would run the risk of breaking through too quick with the drill and hitting the led...

honestly, its just too easy to pull the part out and drill it out and put it back in...i am not kidding when i say it took my 5 minutes to do...

and what a difference it makes...totally worth it...

How about taping piece of tint over it?

I just did this mod last night too, took me all of 5 minutes to remove these and put these back in, however, slightly longer to drill and hollow these out. Overall, it was a mod that was very very worth it.

everyone is going to want to do this...trust me!! in stock form, there is almost no light comming through the filter, now with it drilled out, its more like my type s was...its just enough light to see, but not too bright at all...

I'm going to do this mod tonight. Was looking at it last night and there is a very faint blue light at my feet but way too faint.

Can someone post some before and after pics if its not too much trouble?

I'll try to take some tonight.