Packy

I'm replacing the headliner (and doing a bunch of other stuff) on my 88 XJ. I'm pretty sure the plastic bump out closest to the front is the old IR keyless entry sensor? I'm sure it doesn't work anymore, and if it did I don't have the key. I'm wondering if anyone has ever replaced that with something else, like maybe an additional interior light, so that there would be now 3 interior lights in the Jeep.

The wiring harness for the IR sensor has 4 wires: red, brown, green, black. The wiring harness for the dome light has 2: red and black. Is it possible I could take the red and black wires from the IR sensor and use them to power some type of additional dome light at the front of the vehicle? Or should I just try to cover over what used to be the IR sensor?

Thanks for any help,

Patrick


(Cross post from a Facebook group a few days ago where I got no replies)

Red1992XJ

I am not very familiar as to how these early systems work.

First, I would think you would have to check first if those red and black wires at the ir sensor have power constantly, if they have power at all. If they do, the light would remain on constantly unless you get a light that has a switch to be shut off at your convenience.

I would start to look at what kind of light would be able to fit into that space once you remove the ir sensor, then I would look into how to wire it up.

Rogue4x4

Get a FSM, and look at the schematics, find out which wires do what.

I would try to tap into the interior lights circuit and run new wires from the junction to that location, and put a led there, tapping into the existing light circuit will make it function with all the others. You could find a a housing and led online that's got a similar footprint and make it work. Maybe someone with a 3d printer could help...

Packy

Ok awesome thanks for the replies Red1992XJ and roninofako, both gave very good advice. I’ll have to find out if there’s even power there first, but it would make more sense to tap into the interior lights circuit.

I was thinking of going with a 3d printer, I’m sure if I go to some store with my original IR sensor housing and tell them I want to make a light housing that size they’d be able to help me out.

Thanks again, I had no idea what I was doing, just had an idea and thought it would be cool to try it. I will update (might be a while) when I make an attempt at this.

Rogue4x4

Excellent! We love updates and follow ups!