EDIT 23/7/2012, large pictures have been lost in the transition of web hosts, but here are the instructions and the thumbnails for this project:
Rear Cargo Light
1. Remove the left rear seatbelt anchor by gently prying the plastic cover off with a screwdriver and removing the anchor bolt with a 14mm socket.
2. Peel off the upper hatch-to- headliner trim gasket slowly being sure not to bend it. Remove it across the top of the hatch opening but stop on the upper right hatch opening so that you have access to the rear edge opening of the headliner. Let the trim dangle or gently lay it up over the right strut out of the way.
3. Pop the plastic center round roof/headliner plug retainer off by sliding your hand up into the headliner and gently pushing outward/downward.
4. Gently pop the left rear D pillar cover off. It is held on by a couple of small metal spring clips (like the door speakers).
5. Remove the existing middle cargo light out of its socket by removing the clear lens with a small screwdriver in the provided slot and removing the 4 screws in the light housing. The housing will drop down. Pull gently to bring some of the wire out with it.
6. Run a snake or a long wire from the back headliner opening up middle of the headliner until you see it in the forward lamp cutout. You may have to work with it to get it through the insulating material, but it will go. Rig up whatever you need to with tape to pull a dual wire in similar gauge back through the existing opening to the rear of the headliner.
7. Referencing the backside of the new light fixture, make a template from thin cardboard (shoebox) that outlines the cutout for the light and outlines the outside of the fixture.
8. If you are only removing headliner material (the easy way), then you can trace to the exact cutout (see red box). If you are going to cut sheet metal to create a full recess (the not-so-easy way) then you need to make your opening a bit bigger on one end to clear the electrical connections. This becomes a judgment call when you first try on your template. If you are going the easy route, you will also need to remove the four molded stand-offs on the back of the light fixture using a file, knife or Dremel tool. This will allow you to get the fixture flush against the headliner. If you are going to cut sheet metal, you'll want to keep these to compensate for the headliner thickness.
8. The center cutout is not in the exact center of the template, its offset to compensate for the switch in one end. Be sure to reference the outer edge of your template when determining the position and not the center cutout. After drawing your cutout on the headliner with a pencil, use a very sharp box or hobby knife to cut the rectangular opening. Don't cut the previously run wires.
9. Once you have cut your hole, test fit the fixture and get it where you want it.
11. I had the best luck last time making the sheet metal cutout using a Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel. It's tedious and if you mess up and the Dremel gets away from you, you'll wreck the headliner. After you get the cutout(s) done, test fit your fixture. Once you are satisfied with the fit, hold the fixture in place and drill four holes for your screws using a bit that is slightly smaller than your screws. Be very gentle as you drill through the inner roof skin so as to not ram the bit into your exterior roof surface.
11. The fixture has two small blade connectors. Experiment with whatever wiring connection works best for you and get those in place on the rear wiring. I used to crimp-style slide on edge connects that fit real tight.
12. On the existing fixture, unwrap the harness tape and use a small knife to bare each wire so you can make your splices. I did a nice splice and wrap and then sealed each one up with black tape. Then I taped the pair together and shoved them back in leaving only the connector exposed and the light attached.
13. If you are not cutting sheet metal, then you need to install some non-conducting material to keep the open back of the new fixture from coming in contact with the sheet metal behind it and shorting out the new light. I used some black tape cut the width of the headliner cutout.
14. Attach the new fixture to your two wiring connectors referencing where same wire is connected to the other fixture. Feed the wire up into the headliner and test fit your new fixture. If its fits okay, then start one of the screws that goes through the fixture hole with the metal grounding ring. Screw it in completely for a good ground. You should now be able to test the light and it should go on and off with simultaneous with the middle light or you can override it with the switch.
16. Secure the three remaining screws. If you cut sheet metal, you may need to make the screw holes in the headliner material slightly larger to allow the four standoffs to pass through and against the metal. Otherwise, just tighten your four screws slowly until you have the fixture flush with the headliner. NOTE: If you over-tighten the flat fixture against the curved headliner, you will cause a bend/crease in the headliner (as you will see in my initial picture below.)
Reinstall everything in reverse order and you are done.
Rear Cargo Light
1. Remove the left rear seatbelt anchor by gently prying the plastic cover off with a screwdriver and removing the anchor bolt with a 14mm socket.
2. Peel off the upper hatch-to- headliner trim gasket slowly being sure not to bend it. Remove it across the top of the hatch opening but stop on the upper right hatch opening so that you have access to the rear edge opening of the headliner. Let the trim dangle or gently lay it up over the right strut out of the way.
3. Pop the plastic center round roof/headliner plug retainer off by sliding your hand up into the headliner and gently pushing outward/downward.
4. Gently pop the left rear D pillar cover off. It is held on by a couple of small metal spring clips (like the door speakers).
5. Remove the existing middle cargo light out of its socket by removing the clear lens with a small screwdriver in the provided slot and removing the 4 screws in the light housing. The housing will drop down. Pull gently to bring some of the wire out with it.
6. Run a snake or a long wire from the back headliner opening up middle of the headliner until you see it in the forward lamp cutout. You may have to work with it to get it through the insulating material, but it will go. Rig up whatever you need to with tape to pull a dual wire in similar gauge back through the existing opening to the rear of the headliner.
7. Referencing the backside of the new light fixture, make a template from thin cardboard (shoebox) that outlines the cutout for the light and outlines the outside of the fixture.
8. If you are only removing headliner material (the easy way), then you can trace to the exact cutout (see red box). If you are going to cut sheet metal to create a full recess (the not-so-easy way) then you need to make your opening a bit bigger on one end to clear the electrical connections. This becomes a judgment call when you first try on your template. If you are going the easy route, you will also need to remove the four molded stand-offs on the back of the light fixture using a file, knife or Dremel tool. This will allow you to get the fixture flush against the headliner. If you are going to cut sheet metal, you'll want to keep these to compensate for the headliner thickness.
8. The center cutout is not in the exact center of the template, its offset to compensate for the switch in one end. Be sure to reference the outer edge of your template when determining the position and not the center cutout. After drawing your cutout on the headliner with a pencil, use a very sharp box or hobby knife to cut the rectangular opening. Don't cut the previously run wires.
9. Once you have cut your hole, test fit the fixture and get it where you want it.
11. I had the best luck last time making the sheet metal cutout using a Dremel tool and a cutoff wheel. It's tedious and if you mess up and the Dremel gets away from you, you'll wreck the headliner. After you get the cutout(s) done, test fit your fixture. Once you are satisfied with the fit, hold the fixture in place and drill four holes for your screws using a bit that is slightly smaller than your screws. Be very gentle as you drill through the inner roof skin so as to not ram the bit into your exterior roof surface.
11. The fixture has two small blade connectors. Experiment with whatever wiring connection works best for you and get those in place on the rear wiring. I used to crimp-style slide on edge connects that fit real tight.
12. On the existing fixture, unwrap the harness tape and use a small knife to bare each wire so you can make your splices. I did a nice splice and wrap and then sealed each one up with black tape. Then I taped the pair together and shoved them back in leaving only the connector exposed and the light attached.
13. If you are not cutting sheet metal, then you need to install some non-conducting material to keep the open back of the new fixture from coming in contact with the sheet metal behind it and shorting out the new light. I used some black tape cut the width of the headliner cutout.
14. Attach the new fixture to your two wiring connectors referencing where same wire is connected to the other fixture. Feed the wire up into the headliner and test fit your new fixture. If its fits okay, then start one of the screws that goes through the fixture hole with the metal grounding ring. Screw it in completely for a good ground. You should now be able to test the light and it should go on and off with simultaneous with the middle light or you can override it with the switch.
16. Secure the three remaining screws. If you cut sheet metal, you may need to make the screw holes in the headliner material slightly larger to allow the four standoffs to pass through and against the metal. Otherwise, just tighten your four screws slowly until you have the fixture flush with the headliner. NOTE: If you over-tighten the flat fixture against the curved headliner, you will cause a bend/crease in the headliner (as you will see in my initial picture below.)
Reinstall everything in reverse order and you are done.
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