How-To: Install JDM Maplight

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1: Remove the rear view mirror, seat belt indicator, visors, domelight, driver's A pillar panel and headliner.
2: Measure JDM Maplight up to the headliner and trim headliner so the maplight pops in.

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3: Take a screwdriver and pop two holes were the 2 mounting srews go through the headliner.
4: Use 2 speed clips and screws to secure the maplight to the headliner.

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5: Take a thin srip of metal or bracket. Plumpers strap will work to I guess but, the firmer the better, drill a hole in the metal to line up with the last mounting hole. Put a speed clip onto the bracket. Take 2 ground loops and put them on either side of about 3 inches of wire, secure one side in between the maplight and the speed clip. Secure with a screw to the headliner.

6: Put female connector on another piece of wire, 3-4 ft long. This will later be run to the domelight for power. Connect it to the maplight..

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7: Cut 1/2" off of your rear view mirror. It doesn't really need 3 screws to secure it

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8: Back in the car, you will see a tack welded bracket. I used tin snips and cut about 6-8" of this bracket off. You will need to separate the center tack weld. Try not to damage this piece because this is the piece that keep the rain from coming in your car. If you tear it a little when separating, just clean the area with alcohol, silicon and paint it

The reason to cut this is so that the maplight will fit as flush as possible. By this time, it will become apparent to you what I am talking about In the end it will be near perfect if you take your time.

On top of cutting the bracket, I tapped the black metal piece above where the maplight hit with a plastic mallet. When I was done, all looked great Just TAKE YOUR TIME.

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9: Get the headliner with the maplight back in the car. Wire the maplight to the White/Blue wire off of your domelight using the wire you attached earlier.

10. Get headliner positioned, put rear view mirror in place. before you screw the rear view mirror in, line up the other ground loop with the screw hole and screw the rear view through the ground loop grounding the maplight. Then just re-assamble everything.

My install was near perect with just a slight almost unnoticeable gap between the headliner and the maplight just in the front. Trust me, it's nothing to cry over The reason for that is that these maplights were not meant for USDM cars and the JDM cars do not have the bracket for the sunroof the way that the USDM ones do. If a JDM car does have a sunroof, it must have a different shaped bracket.

Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility for this how-to. Be careful when working on your car and all modifications should be done by a capable or professional installer.

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That's all folks

[rbf351]

looking good miguel

[S2KFU]

fuck that look nice!

[PornoPanda]

That looks super pimp. But where's the broadway mirror?

[schwanginpt]

great write up Mig! helped me a lot over the weekend

but contrary to what i thought, the USDM mirror is the same as the JDM mirror after you take all that seatbelt light crap off it.

I didnt cut my mirror to get mine to fit because i have a cover for the mirror, but cutting it will definitely help in making them fit nicely. thought i'd pass along my new knowledge

[andyhoiho]

nice !!!

[1QWKCRX]

Great write up and pics! THANK YOU!!!
It looks great!
Just a few quick notes:
So now that my front maplight is installed, is there a way to activate
either the front or back one to come on when I open my door at night?

Also, you may want to note that removing the spot weld is a B*TCH!!!
I ended up using a hammer and chistle, then using a hacksaw to
break the weld. NOT an easy thing to do.

There seems to still be a clearance issue once everything is back together.
The top of the maplight still hits that black rain/sunroof gutter. So it
still doesn't sit flush.
Ideas? Thoughts?

Also, what gauge wire did you all use for the maplight? All I had was 18g,
but the light looks very dim. Maybe a 20-22g will work better?

Great article! Thank you!!!

[Crix]

I also followed the write-up w/a few exceptions. I put the headliner back in before I mounted the Maplight and thank God I did that as I would have been hitting the Sunroof channel. I moved the maplight forward and was able to use the 3rd mirror mounting screw with my map light front mounting screw and it fit PERFECT!!!! All I need now is the mirror base cover and this is JDM?USDM Chit!!!!!!!

[1QWKCRX]

Crix, sounds like you had a good idea there!
I didn't think by reading the write up that it would
still be hitting the rain gutter- but it does.

Now did you get your rear maplight working again?