LC200 Rear Tailgate Cargo Interior Light DIY - Total Cost $26+tax

[luke27617]

I really like the design for the rear tailgate cargo interior light someone is selling here but thought the price is way too high (`~$140 USD). Since I like DIY projects, I did my own. Still KUDOS for the concept. If you would like to buy one, you can go to the link LC200 Rear Tailgate Cargo Interior Light Very Bright.

So here it is what I have bought
LED light - $16 (you can buy cheaper, but seemed as the best quality I have found on Amazon. I went with white, but the seller offers as well yellow, blue and red color)
Amazon product ASIN B013QLMFA2
Pushbutton switch - $10
Amazon product ASIN B07RY6NKL2
In case you damage the plastic trim, you can buy a replacement for $10 from toyota.

Quick install instructions (pictures below)
- Put your hand inside the rear hatch and un-hook the power lift gate switch
- Attach two wires to rear power lift gate plug (attaching picture from radman who had a better then mine). Black neutral from outside, positive next to it from inside.
- If you buy the pushbutton switch I did, use option #4 for wiring schematic (picture below)
- After just drill hole for the switch, couple screws and for cable, just connect everything
Total install took an hour as I wanted everything nice. Got it operational for testing within 5-10 minutes.

 

[luke27617]

More pictures

 

[grinchy]

Nice. I went looking for a light like this a few nights ago and then got distracted and never finished the search. Good score! Does the Rear Hatch Off switch in the front stop it from working?

 

[luke27617]

Nice. I went looking for a light like this a few nights ago and then got distracted and never finished the search. Good score! Does the Rear Hatch Off switch in the front stop it from working?

The pushbutton switch controls only the rear hatch light and has no effect on anything else (front light control doesn't have effect for the hatch light either). It feeds power from lift gate switch.
As well the light will turn off automatically with the rest of interior lights after 20 minutes when hatch is left open to prevent power drain. Open/close any door and it will turn back on. Of course the light and pushbutton illumination turns off automatically when the hatch is closed.

 

[MTNLIVIN]

Nice work, this is awesome. Thank you for sharing! I will be doing this with the Amber light, from my understanding that should attract the least amount of bugs at night.

 

[samster747]

So are you tapping into only the big red and black wires from the lift gate switch? and then red and white from switch to red wire....black from switch and black from light to black wire....and brown to red on light?

 

[grinchy]

Sorry I wasn’t clear. My lx570 has a power rear door off switch. I assume the tlc has similar. When off, the rear door does not operate automatically via fob or auto open or close. It turns it off and it is manually operated.
Does this dash panel switch also prevent the light from working?

 

[silverhorse]

Landcruisers dont have the power hatch option i dont believe

 

[luke27617]

So are you tapping into only the big red and black wires from the lift gate switch? and then red and white from switch to red wire....black from switch and black from light to black wire....and brown to red on light?

Yes. The big wires in the picture are actually the light connection wires. All four switch wires are the same size. Just remember the negative wire goes to outside terminal and next to it positive. If the light shines at reduced power you connected from wrong side and just flip it around.
If you want to make the project really easy and don't need power button switch you can just connect directly to the plug.

 

[luke27617]

Landcruisers dont have the power hatch option i dont believe

Yes, starting 2018 year.

 

[silverhorse]

Ohhhh.. did not know that.. nice mod!

.

 

[grinchy]

Yes, starting 2018 year.

Only took 10 years to trickle down the technology

 

[luke27617]

Sorry I wasn’t clear. My lx570 has a power rear door off switch. I assume the tlc has similar. When off, the rear door does not operate automatically via fob or auto open or close. It turns it off and it is manually operated.
Does this dash panel switch also prevent the light from working?

I have just tested and the light still works even when you disable power lift gate. Light comes on when you open the hatch and turns off when you close it.

 

[grinchy]

Merci! I have that switch off as the rear door doesn’t clear my spare tire. I’m a go for install

 

[radman]

All four switch wires are the same size. Just remember the negative wire goes to outside terminal and next to it positive.

Not a big deal, but on the LX the wires you want are slightly bigger (lower gauge) than the other 2. Also, I ran without a switch for a few months (light directly into the switch), but the freaking thing is so bright that it attracted too many bugs.

 

[luke27617]

Not a big deal, but on the LX the wires you want are slightly bigger (lower gauge) than the other 2. Also, I ran without a switch for a few months (light directly into the switch), but the freaking thing is so bright that it attracted too many bugs.

Thanks for the follow up to help LX owners. Was not aware of plug wire gauge differences between LX and LC. Btw thanks again for offline feedback you gave me before I started the project.

 

[RandyCSVT]

Do you have a wiring diagram for installing this on a 2016 with no rear power door?

 

[luke27617]

Do you have a wiring diagram for installing this on a 2016 with no rear power door?

Sorry I do not. Since there are no power lift gate I feel the best place to tap in is the dome light. Seems it will be task intensive as you need to route wire through rear hatch and behind headliner. I would get something battery operated. The seller of the expensive version didn't want to share any info but I am sure he has instructions how to do that for non-power lift gate version. Maybe one of the members who bought it can share the info so you don't have to spend $140USD to find out. I assume he taps in the dome light.

 

[CharlieS]

I assume the same. I tapped into the cargo area dome light for my National Luna LED light on my '13, non power tailgate, version.

 

[radman]

Do you have a wiring diagram for installing this on a 2016 with no rear power door?

@fasteddie2015 can help with this!