DIY: Add Rear footwell lights

DIY: Add rear footwell lights
Disclaimer: I, nor anybody else is responsible for anything that happens, to you, your car, anybody around you or whatever else. There is NO warranty on this. Proceed at YOUR OWN risk. This worked for me, my car still drives and I’m still alive.
PLEASE take the time to read through the wall of text as it can possibly help understand what needs to be done, and give you a general idea of what to do before you begin, although it’s not complicated, it might answer some questions and prevent some headaches.

General Info

[] VW decided not to include rear footwell lights, so we will simply “add” them.
[
] This will be based on the Bold-Sport “kit”, so I suggest you get it since it makes life easier: http://www.bold-sport.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=43_44_58&product_id=131 (which includes connectors, wiring, and housings)
From what I’ve seen it’s the best price around for what you need. Gives you an excuse to buy other stuff on there too.
[] I’m going to go ahead and say this is going to be way easier to do on a 4-Door :slight_smile:
[
] The rears WILL be dimmable like the fronts as both are connected together

What’s needed?

[]Bold Sport Footwell kit
[
]If you want to have an ‘OEM’ look: Cloth tape (the one you see all over the car)
[]Quick Splices (not sure on gauge # but small.
[
]Flash light or other light source
[]Electrical tape (maybe)
[
]Extra LED bulbs to match front (Only if you replaced your OEM setup)

I did not take many pictures as its rather self explanatory once you start doing it.
Read through it first, and once you see the pieces you’ll know what to do.

What to do:
Step 1:
The basics: Ignition off. Making sure the interior lights are off is good too so you don’t blow a fuse or something.

Step 2a. Remove rear seat bottom.
(This will give you access to the carpet, allowing you to lift it and route the wiring)

== Step 2b: Move both front seats forward, and raise them to max height.
(This gives you more space for seat removal and it helps for later routing of wires)
Do one side at a time. So for example go on passenger side, grab the seat from the bottom, push towards rear of car and give it a tug, going up. Repeat for other side. There is only two “tabs”

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== Step 2c: Towards the back of the seat there is sort of a hook mechanism. Push towards rear of car and lift at the same time, and it should get freed.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/19/7abepe8y.jpg

== Step 2d: The back part of the seat is a little tricky as you need to sort of need to push down, and pull at the same time to get it away from the seat belt locks and the plastic pieces. Work on it a bit and it will come out. Helps to do sides first and then the middle. Remove from car and set it aside.

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Step 3: Here you have to decide which side you want to use for power. I choose the passenger side simply because I have a lot less wiring done there. It’s away from the fuse box which is where radar detector and other things are hooked up so if I could avoid adding extra stuff I will. Footwell light is also easier to get to, with that said, I’m writing this assuming you picked the passenger side, I would suggest it.

Step 4: At this point, your rear seat should be out, front seats up and forward, and you should see the carpet finishing where the back seats were.
Look at the wiring kit you got from Bold-Sport.
One connector will have 4 wires sticking out of it and the other only two. Obviously the connector with two ‘spare’ wires, is the one that has to be on the passenger side as those wires will be used for ground and live/power.

Step 5: Take the connector with the two wires, lift up the carpet (don’t worry, it will go back to it’s “shape”), and reach in towards the seat. Stay close to the right (center of car). You can exit next to the vents under the seat.

Step 6: If you look under the seat there is a spot for the housing to fit into perfectly, right in the center. Route the wire from the edge of the “metal seat bracket” so the connector is “inside” and it hangs from that hole rather than going up into it. Connect the housing and let it hang a bit loose

Step 7: Route the wire close to the center, over the hump, and repeat for the passenger side. Drag wire under carpet towards cut away section under seat, put the connector “inside” so it hangs from the hole, and connect the housing.

Step 8: Route the extra two wires towards the front of the passenger seat. You will see there is another opening there, sort of a flap.

Step 9: Loosen trim piece along the door sill (just pull up on it) enough to give you access to the carpet and route the wire under carpet from flap opening to the area where you removed the trim piece.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/19/yragapeh.jpg

Step 10: Remove footwell housing under glovebox, disconnect housing, and pull the wiring out a bit. You can use a flat head and pull it down.

Step 11: Route wires towards the front footwell light, making sure to stay under the plastic trim pieces. Again, your wires have to end up, so they’re coming OUT of the hole where the footwell light is, and not IN. You go behind the plastic in the corner.

Step 12: Brown is ground / Red is live. Whatever method you use to tap into the front footwell for power, match the colors. You can use quick splices here, soldering or just a regular strip and wrap around with electrical tape.

At this point, TEST the footwells, to see that they work. They will function just like the fronts, so they will dim and such.
If all checks out, go on.

Step 13: Now while in the back of the car, you can tug the wires either direction to give them “slack”. The “kit” is long enough for both sides to have slack. If you routed close to the center then you should be ok.

Step 14: The reason the seats were forward and up is because that should be the maximum amount the wire will get “dragged”. Therefore to test, lower the seat, push it back, push it forward, repeat and check the wiring so it doesnt get pulled.

Step 15: Use the cloth tape and wrap it around the wires to make it look “OEM”

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/19/pe5aqy9e.jpg

Step 16: Pop in all the footwell housings, snap the trim piece back in, re-install rear seat and you’re done

Feel free to ask any questions. If this helped you, don’t forget to say thanks, goes a long way. Support is always appreciated

Most of all, enjoy!

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