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A real five minute mod! Well it took me about ten...
I didn't like how my dome lamp would come on when I turned on the Utility Lamp/cargo light, so this morning I finally checked out an online wiring diagram to see if I could make the cargo light switch turn on only the cargo light. My truck already has three other switches which turn the dome lamp on and off - so it needs another one like it needs a hole in its B-pillar...
After looking at the diagram for a while, I theorized that I could simply remove one of the three terminals from the cargo lamp switch's connector, and cause my switch to control only the cargo lamp, while dome lamp would still be under the control of the two door jamb switches and the headlight switch - but completely independent of the cargo lamp.
It stopped raining, so I went out there armed with only a stubby Philips head screwdriver. I removed the two screws and pulled out the cargo lamp switch, and then located the two black with a blue stripe wires which share a terminal. Went back inside and grabbed a cotter pin, and used that to disengage the terminal from the connector.
Once I had the terminal out, I plugged the switch back into the connector and tried it out, and it worked! The Utility Lamp came on by itself when I threw the switch. And the dome lamp came on with only the door jamb switches and the headlight switch. The hard part being over, I ran back in and grabbed some heat-shrink tubing and a lighter, and shrunk it onto the 'disembodied' terminal.
The two black with blue stripe wires are crimped into that terminal and that crimp completes the circuit which keeps my dome lamp working normally, as if there wasn't even a cargo lamp in the lighting system.
Then I stuffed it all back into the B-pillar and drove in the two screws to secure the switch, and I was done. It really is just that simple, so feel free to try it out on your rig if so inclined!
And if you end up not liking this mod, it can be reversed it back to stock in less than two minutes.
Love this mod!
I added the cargo light option to my ride about 2 years ago.
I had convinced myself that I had a bad switch because the dome light would come on in conjunction with the cargo light.
Thanks for figuring this out!
Tbruz
Has anyone ever considered turning the cargo light into a 3rd brake light? I am thinking I could require it to the brake lights and install a red LED bulb to give it the added safety. I even considered running a completely separate wire up from the brake light and putting a second bulb in the passenger side across from the current bulb so I could use it for both.
Has anyone ever considered turning the cargo light into a 3rd brake light? I am thinking I could require it to the brake lights and install a red LED bulb to give it the added safety. I even considered running a completely separate wire up from the brake light and putting a second bulb in the passenger side across from the current bulb so I could use it for both.
good thought, or maybe spray the lens on the inside with translucent red paint. HMMM.
Has anyone ever considered turning the cargo light into a 3rd brake light? I am thinking I could require it to the brake lights and install a red LED bulb to give it the added safety. I even considered running a completely separate wire up from the brake light and putting a second bulb in the passenger side across from the current bulb so I could use it for both.
Yes I did consider doing that when I put the light on my truck, (I bought a new cab with the hole for the light) but I simply hooked it up the way it's supposed to be. I went back later and disintermediated the dome light from the cargo light circuit.
But to further answer your question, I would still love to add some bright red LEDs inside the housing and have the High Mounted Stop Light on my rig, but with a stock appearing and functioning cargo light. It's a good idea! I've been working on my house lately, which is why I bought the truck, but once I'm done, I want to really fix up the truck too.
04-15-2018, 05:08 PM
Convert cargo lamp to work without the dome lamp!
The Utility Lamp came on by itself when I threw the switch. And the dome lamp came on with only the door jamb switches and the headlight switch. The hard part being over, I ran back in and grabbed some heat-shrink tubing and a lighter, and shrunk it onto the 'disembodied' terminal.
