[Rimrock]

Disclaimer:
First and foremost, I'm not responsible for any damage you cause to your vehicle. I am very comfortable with electrical projects and am very accustomed to completing wiring tasks like this. If you think this job is too difficult or may cause you problems, contact me and I will give you a hand.

1) There are two ways to wire these lights. You can wire them to the foot well lights, in that case you just need to tap into the 2 wires under the dash. Remove the bulb and socket, and splice the wires into the + and – side of the socket. Use these:

(50) 3M T-Taps/Male Insulated 22-18 Ga Car Audio Alarm Wire Terminals Connectors | eBay

2) This will light the sill treads when the doors are open and will shut off in approx 30 seconds.

3) Using Add A Circuit, (MINI) which you can pick up at any auto store, you will need to add about 2 feet of wire to the end of the Add A Circuit.



Using Add A Circuit, this will keep the lights on only when the engine is running and will shut off when the engine is shut off. I prefer to have them on.

4) If your considering adding some ambient lighting to the foot well, now is the time to do it. These are the ones that I purchased. They come in white, blue, red, amber and green.

12V 15 LED 30cm Car Motor Vehicle Flexible Waterproof 3528 Strip Light | eBay

5) Whatever ones you get please make sure that they are waterproof. I only say water proof as the coating protects the LED chip. If you get a 16 foot roll of LED to wire yourself then go with non waterproof. It’s very difficult to cut the coating off to get to the copper leads to solder wires. Buy at least 2 to 3 extra sets of LED’s just in case you make a mistake or the LED strip may be bad. They are cheap enough to have a few extra.

And or if at some point you might want to add something other 12 volt accessory, ie radar detector, now is the time to at least have an extra wire and leave the ends sealed.

If you want to change your foot well bulbs out to LED’s, these are the ones you need. They come in other colors but be sure of the wattages and pin size.

6PCS Cool White T10 192 912 W5W 5SMD 5050 LED Bulbs for Dome Reading License | eBay

6) Here is the link to the site where I got my plates. It takes about 18-25 days for delivery to the USA.

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT "CHROME" DOOR SILL TREAD PLATES FULL SET OF 4

You have to send a message to him and ask him about the cutout plates, letters and the cost.

7) The cost to have the dealer to install the OEM illuminated sill plates is $1175.00 US, (Labor and material, that’s from my dealer but other parts of the Country might have a different cost, $, +/-) plus tax.


So lets begin!!!

New sill prep.

Take a piece of tape and tape it to the weather stripping.



For the acrylic covering of the letters, I got the letters cut out so they could be inserted into the cutout.



Attach a piece of 220 grit sand paper firmly to a flat surface. Slightly in circles, keep the letters flat and lightly sand to defuse the clear acrylic. Repeat on all letters both sides. Rinse off with water and dry.





You will also have to defuse the flat piece of acrylic that goes on the back of the sill. This piece needs to be ripped to 1 1/8” wide.



Once this is done, proceed with installing the flat stock on the back of the sill plate. Insert the letters into the sill plate to make sure they fit, and then remove.



Place the flat stock in place and secure with some clamps.

Run a bead of epoxy (5 min works well) around the edge of the plate. Let dry for at least 1 hour.



Once it dries, use some WELD ON 4. I did not have any glue at the time of posting. Please review U-tube link below on how to use this glue.

Get it here: Sears.com

DO NOT USE SUPER GLUE TO GLUE THE LETTERS!!!!

Removed the plastic sill trim plate. There are 4 clips that secure the piece to the frame. Work your tool from the seat to the gas pedal and slowly the piece will get loose. When all 4 clips are loose, pry the piece off, set it aside.

You can see now that the carpet has a pre cut out for the OEM pieces. This is where the LED strip will be installed to the frame. A little bit of the carpet will have to be cut out later.





Lay your new sill plate upside down with and mark the front and back edge of the flat acrylic stock to mark the area to be cut out. Also measure from the front seat to the center of the letters, its 1.5 inches.



Cut out the marked area. I am using a metal blade in my jig saw, cut slowly and be accurate on the cut line, just follow the tape…. Drill a hole to insert your blade and cut away…..SLOWLY and ACCURATLLY!!!



***NOTE, I DID NOT SEE ANY EVEIDENC OF ANY PREWWIRE FOR THE OEM PLATES***

You also need to purchase some of this 3m black double sided tape, sold at Lowes or HD. Do not use the tape that is on the LED strip its worthless…



Cut a strip off the roll about 14 inches long and secure each end with a pin to a hard surface.
Peel the white tape off the LED strip and carefully attach/align the edge to the new tape. You can get 2 pieces on the new tape.





Do the same for the other strip. Then take a razor and cut the excess tape off.




Place your LED strip onto the frame, align LED to your lines, do not peel the backing off yet. Temporary secure the LED to the frame with some tape. Cut any carpet as necessary for the LED.



If you are adding some foot well lights, install another new LED strip under the dash, or behind the front seat in the rear for the rear lights.

If you are also adding some lights to the rear seats, here is what I did because there is no solid surface to mount the strip to.

Get some acrylic from the local HD or Lowes. ¼ inch works well. Sand to rough it up using 80 grit paper, rinse off and dry. Buy some 3/16 x ½ inch plastic nut and screws.

Cut the acrylic 5/8 inch wide by 13 inches long. Sand the edges smooth. You won’t be seeing this piece after its install so don’t be to fussy.

Drill a hole about 3.5 inches in from each end. Make sure your screw goes into the hole you just drilled.

Take a felt marker and bend the part of the seat forward and center the acrylic. Mark the holes and drill a hole in the thick felt.

Install the acrylic and tighten the screws up, then install your LED strip to the acrylic.

 

[Rimrock]

Part 2

Electrical Hook/Connections

I prefer to use solder butt joint connections.
There are plenty of ways to connect 2 joints but please do not just twist the wire together and tape it, or use wire nuts. There are some butt joint connectors being sold on ebay that use a heat gun to melt the solder, just make sure you have a good connection. Use wire shrink wrap not tape.

If your using a crimp tool for the connectors, be sure it’s down nice and tight. Tug on each end of the wire to make sure you got a good crimp/connection. Do not use a pair of plyers for crimping. Cover the butt connection with a heat shrink tube.
You will need some 22/2 copper strand wire. Roughly measure the amount of wire you need to go from the sill tread back to the glove box.

The LED strips that I purchased have a + and a – pigtail all ready installed. You will need to add extensions to all of the LED strips that you are using.

Add the correct length of wire to the existing LED strip, start by stripping off 1 inch of the insulation off the LED strip.



Fold the wire in half and then fold again. It should not be about ¼ inch long, tin the end with solder.



Take your butt joint connector and connect the two joints together. Since I am using a solder joint, these pictures may vary.



Slip a heat shrink hard tube over the butt joint connection and heat to melt.


Repeat on the other wire. When both are done, add a heat shrink tube to cover and secure both wires, on your LED strip.



You will have to install a black ground wire about 2 feet long. Remove the plastic plate under the glove box. Once removed you will see a white metal handle. Drill a hole ¼ inch, and add a 3/16 inch screw with a lock nut washer and ground your wire securely. Use either a O or a U shape connector on the ground. Do not just twist the wire around the screw please!!! I previously did this when I installed my foot well lights but did not take any pictures.

To wire the lights, we are going to use the Add A circuit. Look for fuse number 67 and remove it. It’s at the bottom left hand corner of the fuse box, easy to get to from under the glove box. Add about 2 feet of red wire to the end if the Add A Circuit using a butt joint connection shown previously.



Sorry, it’s in a spot that a picture is nearly impossible to take. Check the owners manual for a better picture of the fuse layout.



Install a Male Bullet connector to the end of the red wire and the black wire.




If you plan on adding some accessories later on, we are going to add a red pig tail to the end of the red wire and also the black ground wire. Cut a piece of red and black wire about a foot or so and connect as shown.





You connect the female end of the bullet connector in the same way. Since I have 6 lights I am connecting using a 10-12 connector. If you are only connecting 2 LED’s then you would use a 18-22 gauge connector.

It’s important that you overlap the female end at least 1 inch with the heat shrink so that when the male is inserted the male end is protected. Be careful when heating this end as you don’t want to shrink the tubing. Set aside for a bit to cool down. That is why I put a drill bit on the end so the tube would not shrink.



If your going to crimp the connectors, plead make sure its nice and tight, after crimping, pull the ends to see if they are snug and recover with a heat shrink.

Install the fuse that you removed into the Add A Circuit. BOTH FUSES MUST BE IN THE ADD A CIRCUIT FOR THIS TO WORK. Install the Add A Circuit back into the fuse box. Temporally connect the red wires from the ADD A CIRCUIT to your red wire of your LED, and the black wire from your LED to your ground. Just twists the wire around the connectors.

Keep the red and black wires from touching.

Once done, start the DS and your lights should light up…if not then you have a bad connection somewhere along the way. Test all your LED strips prior to the final install to be sure they are all working.

****You can also pre check all the LED that you wired up when you add the wire extensions to the LED’s by touching the red to red and black to black on the battery, If they light up you’re your good to go.****

This is a typical but joint connection. Use whatever method works for you.

Run your wires up along the side of the foot wells across the back and behind the side of the console, tuck behind the carpet and secure. There is 1 screw to remove to loosen up the trim plate. Remove the screw and pry the trim off a bit, enough to tuck the wire behind it. Pass the wires thru the console. Might have to use a coat hanger to get the wire thru and across the console.

Do the same for the other side and run the wires up and thru and out the glove box. You will have to remove the plate in back of the glove box, it pulls right out.

Install the LED on the other side in the same manner.

Reinstall the black trim section that you removed and cut out earlier. Be sure that you properly seal the weather stripping over the trim plate and make sure the LED is not positioned by the clip position on the frame.





This photo is right where the LED strip needs to be installed. Remove the red backing tape and press firmly into place..



Once all the wiring is tucked away, we are going to use BULLET CONNECTORS for the final connection. If your only installing two lights, then you will need 18-20 gauge connectors. If you are installing 6 lights, then a 10-20 gauge connector is needed.

Twist your wires together and crimp the connectors to the + and – wires and the same from your LED’s. Be sure all wires are tinned if possible before you connect.

Check the lighting again before you precede to be sure it’s working.

Run the wires under the seat and in the middle of the seat you will find a seam from the front trim that you undid before. Run the wires under the trim and up into that small trim that was removed from the side of the console earlier and out the other side, behind the other trim and bring out wires out the glove box.

Repeat for the other side.

Run the wires over and out the glove box. First remove the small plate on each side of the console. It just pops off.

**If I had to do this over I would bring all the wires out thru the triangle trim piece on the passengers side, much easier than trying to work thru the glove box.**



Take some denatured alcohol and wipe the plastic sill plate. Then take the 3m liquid that came with plates and add it around the perimeter of the plastic still.

Remove the double stick tape from the sills and place carefully on the plastic sill.












Wahooo done !

 

[MGLarry]

Extraordinarily well done and well documented ! The results look absolutely fantastic!

Having said that, even with your tremendously detailed instructions - there ain't no way I'm gonna try it!

 

[Rimrock]

Its as easy as mashed potatoes, send me all the pieces, even if you just want some LED foot well lights....... I'll wire them you just "plug and play" as they say.


"its my New Years resolution, to help people in any way that I can"



Minus the cost of the sill plates, the LED lights (6 of them) cost me +/- $20.00 for all the parts, wire, connectors ect, and LED strips to bat!!!

 

[bornacane]

wow great write up this is awesome stuff. Might have to take you up on that offer.

 

[Rimrock]

Can do, just let me know. Yea we really enjoying them.

 

[ghiro6969]

Hi, great work !! I had done a similar thing to my previous Evoque but I connected the original cable already present for the Genuine Illuminated Door Sill Trim in all versions sold in Italy. Do you have any photos, of the original cable hidden beneath the muquette, where you can see the type of "male" connector?

 

[Paul]

Awesome work.... and thanks for sharing.