Option 1 is all that I'm looking to do. I don't need the look of a time delay or light sensitive on off. Seems simple enough when I get a chance I will try it. Any suggestions on the size rating for the relay?
Just grab a standard 30 or 40 amp automotive relay. You need the higher current because this relay will carry the entire lighting load.
It's a fairly easy mod - you're going to have to cut one wire, and add one other one - add one relay and you're pretty much done. However, I would highly recommend adding a SPST toggle switch across the relay terminals so one can by-pass the whole
'auto turn off' function for those times when one really needs to have the lights on without having the keys in the car. Trust me, if you don't add the switch one day you are gonna be so pissed that you didn't. :roll:
Here's the whole deal, go get you a relay like
this one (
these folks are great to deal with). For the money, grab two... ;-) Anyway, it really doesn't matter where you get it, just get one with a 40 amp contact rating, and a 12v coil.
What you want is either a SPDT or a SPST relay (four or five pins - it really doesn't matter one way or the other get whichever you can find.)
Four pin SPST
![Technology Electronic device Electronics accessory Electrical supply]()
Five pin SPDT
![Auto part Electronic device Electrical supply]()
Now the fun part, open up the plastic cover over the steering column and locate the light switch. Now find the black wire at pin #12. You want to trace this wire back down the column till you see it actually terminate on the frame. If I remember correctly it terminates on the center of the dash - about where your knee would be if you're sitting in the drivers seat. Someone will have to actually check this and make certain because I'm pulling this from memory -
and at my age it's a challenge to even remember much of anything.
Once you actually see this wire go from the switch to the frame chances are pretty good that you have the right wire. So let's look and see a location somewhere along the run where we can stash the relay... Once you determine that, cut the black wire in two.
Four pin relay #s
![Text Line Diagram Design Font]()
Five pin relay #s
![Text Line Diagram Design Parallel]()
You want to connect the end of the black wire that is coming from the light switch to pin #30 of the relay
(you also want to connect one leg of the toggle switch to this pin - you are going to put the by-pass switch in, right?).
The other end of the wire (the one that goes to the body) will connect to pins #86 and #87 - and the other leg of your toggle switch.
Now all you need to do is make a connection from the center pin ('V3') of the 'V' connector to pin #85 of the relay.
Under Dash Fuse Relay Box
red arrow pointing to V connector
![Finger Technology Plastic Electronic device Gadget]()
V3 pin is the center pin
![Product Auto part Technology Electronic device Electrical connector]()
Grab you a ziptie or two and tie that puppy right to the wire harness so it's out of the way, and you're done.
Once you do this, just turn the light switch on and leave it. If you wired this up correctly the lights will NOT work, none of them until you turn the key to the 'RUN' ('I') position and of course go out when you turn the car off.
If you put the toggle switch in, you will have the ability to override the whole thing and actually use the lights without having to put the key in and turn the car on.
I'll have to actually look and see, but if memory serves correctly this shouldn't interfere with anything else, the parking lights should still flash when the key-fob locks / unlocks the doors and that kinna thing.
