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I'm needing to update my XJ dome light and I have a few questions for you guys.
Firstly... I have a 1991 "Sport" which is essentially one notch above the "Base" model. It's very simple inside with 1 single dome light as the only interior lighting. It only comes on with the twist of the headlight ****, or the opening of the front driver & passenger side doors.
So... essentially, I have no lighting whenever the rear passenger doors open, or when the rear hatch is open.
I'm going to upgrade the light in the dome to an LED and that should enhance interior visibility considerably... but I was wondering if anyone in my situation has went so far as to add a rear dome... or change out the standard front dome to a dome/map light option?
Here's what I've got:
Here's what I'd like to replace it with:
Is this a quick and easy change out... or would there be more wiring involved? I'm thinking it would be more wiring, since there would need to be "hot" lines to the map-lights. But... I thought I'd ask the crowd.
Thoughts?
Secondarily... would like to add a cargo dome light. I don't need it to turn on with the cargo door opening, but having it switched would be nice and seems simple. So, essentially, I'd be adding this:
Essentially... I'm looking for this look:
Alright... has anyone done either of these projects? I've looked on YouTube and haven't found anything, and the search feature here wasn't the most helpful. Most "dome upgrade" questions/threads have to do with changing the bulbs to LED's.
I have the BASE model Cherokee, and I too wanted to upgrade the lighting in my Jeep. I am in the process of adding an over head console, and that is a whole other can of worms.
But to add that switched map-light dome should just be plug and play. You have three wires in the dome light harness, and the factory light of yours only uses two of them. In the back there is the same lighting connector with the same three wires.
The Map Light Dome you want to install has three wires not two like your factory one.
I just went out to my Jeep to snap some pictures for you of all the wires, and the ends on the front harness that goes up the "A" Pillar.
Hope this helps you?
Interior harness connector under right kick panel. A Pillar dome light harness. Rear cargo lighting connector.
Thanks for the pics DW... that's very appreciated!
Quick question for you... does yours have any footwell lights? I can't find any on mine... and so I'm assuming that the base & sport levels didn't come with them. But... maybe I'm not looking hard enough.
Also... that last pic of the rear cargo connector... is that just hidden under the liner, and it's there even if you didn't already have a "cargo" light?
Quick question for you... does yours have any footwell lights? I can't find any on mine... and so I'm assuming that the base & sport levels didn't come with them. But... maybe I'm not looking hard enough.
Also... that last pic of the rear cargo connector... is that just hidden under the liner, and it's there even if you didn't already have a "cargo" light?
Bob
No Mine did not come with the under dash foot well lighting, but the wiring and connector are there for them.
Yes the cargo area connector is just forward of that middle trim panel under the head liner.
One other thing is that you will have a connector on the drivers side to hook up a third door switch for the passenger back door. So if you do want to add another switch you will need to source a switch, and the small loom that connects to it.
This is the under dash foot well bracket, and light connector. Just a better picture of the connector you will be looking for.
I saw a set of brackets and wires on ebay a while back, but I found mine in the JY in a Cherokee Laredo edition (That is where I got my overhead console from as well). If you find a set of brackets, they will be kinda rusty. Jeep never applied any paint to them, so they were just raw metal. These have soaked in Must For Rust, and then painted with Eastwood cadmium silver paint.
But look for the Yellow & Pink wires with a black connector in around each kick panel.
One other thing is to check out Cruiser54 website. HE has a lot of info there.
There is not a 1991 TSM, but you can look for 1993-95 which will more than likely cover you.
But to add that switched map-light dome should just be plug and play. You have three wires in the dome light harness, and the factory light of yours only uses two of them. In the back there is the same lighting connector with the same three wires.
The Map Light Dome you want to install has three wires not two like your factory one.
Well...
First obstacle:
My dome light harness only has two wires and not the third that provides switched power to the Map Lights. It only has the Pink and Yellow wires. So... that's a bummer:
2nd obstacle... I can't find the wiring harnesses for my "new" footwell lights, so I'm thinking they aren't pre-installed on the Sport model.
I used the overhead speaker pod from another jeep in the rear of my jeep. It has a cargo light built into it. I ran wiring from the stock dome light to the rear dome light so they both work together.
If you are looking for map lights - look at the 2000ish Chevrolets. They had map lights built into the rear view mirror. Not too bad a job to run wire up behind the interior trim panel and tap into the dome light wiring or bring it down one of the A pillars and tap into power under the dash somewhere.
As far as light coming on when rear doors are opened - I open one of the front doors before I open the rear doors or hatch. Has become a habit. Simple and free. Don't have to open it wide, just enough to depress the door switch.
Look in the right kick panel area for a red connector.
If that has three wires on it like the loom in the pictures (the connectors on the tire picture) you can have my A pillar wire loom, just pay the postage.
Since I am wiring in an overhead console I don't need mine anymore. I have the A pillar loom from the 91 I pulled the console from.
My Jeep is the most basic model built.
2.5l four, AX5, and no AC.
The wires should be there, you just need to find them under the dash.
Do you have a Factory Service Manual?
All the wiring diagrams are in there.
I used the overhead speaker pod from another jeep in the rear of my jeep. It has a cargo light built into it. I ran wiring from the stock dome light to the rear dome light so they both work together.
If you are looking for map lights - look at the 2000ish Chevrolets. They had map lights built into the rear view mirror. Not too bad a job to run wire up behind the interior trim panel and tap into the dome light wiring or bring it down one of the A pillars and tap into power under the dash somewhere.
As far as light coming on when rear doors are opened - I open one of the front doors before I open the rear doors or hatch. Has become a habit. Simple and free. Don't have to open it wide, just enough to depress the door switch.
For those who don't know how a door/pin switch works, the door switch provides the ground for the circuit, so when you open the door, it lets the switch extend, not depress. Extending makes the circuit so the lights comes on, depressing breaks the circuit so the light goes off.
I'm sure most figured out what was meant, but not everyone on here knows how everything works, and when it is posted backwards, it can cause confusion for someone trying to learn or troubleshoot a problem.
The post if correct in that it takes very little movement for factory pin switches to activate.
06-10-2018, 06:55 PM
84-96 Cherokee XJ Dome upgrade? (adding/changing)
