Hi all I've a MK3 Focus 63 plate. I'm a novice to the wiring side of things, all I want to do is wire up the LED's so they come on when I unlock the car and come on when I switch the headlights on. So I ask for some help with this little issue and any information will be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

Jon.

I'm extremely good at electrics but absolutely clueless about brain surgery, so I tend not to dabble.

This subject comes up every few months, and I've yet to hear of anyone successfully changing the wiring to achieve the function. Search this forum for 'Welcome Lights' and it will tell you how to do it.   

1 hour ago, Jonny1983 said:

Hi all I've a MK3 Focus 63 plate. I'm a novice to the wiring side of things, all I want to do is wire up the LED's so they come on when I unlock the car and come on when I switch the headlights on. So I ask for some help with this little issue and any information will be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

Jon.

Jon, I have exactly that set up, however, I actually paid a spark to do it for me (along with some other additions to the car) DRLs, additional 12v socket etc. I'm no help whatsoever, but why not pop into a local Auto Electrician and get a quote. If it's extortionate, well, keep seeking that DIY solution...

I only managed to do the passenger side as it's right next to the fuse box I tapped. 

I bought a green led strip, crimped it into a fuse tap and the other end to an alligator clip on the ground.

I suspect you're after something more permanent mine was a sloppy job 

1 hour ago, Jonny1983 said:

...so they come on when I unlock the car and come on when I switch the headlights on.

I just noticed this, why on earth would you want the footwells flooded with light when you turn your headlights on?

I dunno tbh just something that cropped up in my head.

26 minutes ago, mburdett555 said:

I only managed to do the passenger side as it's right next to the fuse box I tapped. 

I bought a green led strip, crimped it into a fuse tap and the other end to an alligator clip on the ground.

I suspect you're after something more permanent mine was a sloppy job 

Ok, so tapping from the fuse box sounds easier than going to the dome. I'm more of a how to do video man rather then reading instructions as helpful as they've been so far. Without seeing pictures and videos along side written instructions i struggle.

 

4 hours ago, StephenFord said:

why on earth would you want the footwells flooded with light when you turn your headlights on?

I understand your point, but that's how Ford built my car from new! 

Layman's Terms:

Remove roof light

Jot down colour of wires going to roof light

Go under glove box to BCM (Fuse Box)

Find the coloured wires of the roof light

Break into the circuit and add the two circuits to the new footwell lamps and reconnect

Use LED 5W bulbs 

Will send pictures if you want but as I said I only did passenger side, I couldn't manage to open up the central section to thread the wire through, too much cheap plastic to pull apart 

9 hours ago, DaveT70 said:

Break into the circuit and add the two circuits to the new footwell lamps and reconnect

Use LED 5W bulbs 

and these will work well as normal Footwell lamps but, the OP also wants them on when he switches on the Headlights !!!

Don't ask why 🤣

Post removed because you can't help some people

4 hours ago, anon said:

I don't know either. I thought that driving with the interior lights on was against the law but I may be mistaken.

A  pair of 1N5408 diodes from the headlight  main and dip wires to the footwell tap and a third one from the splice would do it.

Cathodes: join all three. Connect to footwell lights positive.

Anode 1 to BCM tap via a 2A fuse.

Anode 2 to dip beam wiring via a 2A fuse.

Anode 3 to Main beam wiring via a 2A fuse.

Heatshrink all connections.

I don't do pictures and videos. If you cannot take the trouble to understand written instructions then you have no business meddling.

So is this where I need to apologise for having a learning disability?

7 minutes ago, Jonny1983 said:

So is this where I need to apologise for having a learning disability?

No need to apologise at all. However, if you've already done a YouTube search, and haven't seen anything useful, it's unlikely you'll get much on a mainly written forum. Like I said originally, would do no harm to get advice from a local auto spark to help in this instance..

6 hours ago, anon said:

I thought that driving with the interior lights on was against the law but I may be mistaken.

Given that thousands of Fords in the UK have footwell lights as standard, I strongly doubt they are illegal.

9 hours ago, alanfp said:

Given that thousands of Fords in the UK have footwell lights as standard, I strongly doubt they are illegal.

I was in my friends 'mini' yesterday where the footwell lights stayed on as we were driving. Though they were very dim ambient lights where you could play with a button and change the colours. I can imagine at night, because they were so far up inside the footwell, it would cause no issue. However, my footwell lights (photo above on previous post) are very strong white LEDs which when the door is opened, at night, they light up the whole interior. Having those lit whilst driving would cause an atmosphere that it would be a dangerous distraction.

Having looked it up, it appears to be a  commonly held misconception and there is no specific law against it.

23 hours ago, mburdett555 said:

Will send pictures if you want but as I said I only did passenger side, I couldn't manage to open up the central section to thread the wire through, too much cheap plastic to pull apart 

 

On 1/30/2023 at 8:32 PM, mburdett555 said:

I only managed to do the passenger side as it's right next to the fuse box I tapped. 

I bought a green led strip, crimped it into a fuse tap and the other end to an alligator clip on the ground.

I suspect you're after something more permanent mine was a sloppy job 

 

18 hours ago, anon said:

I don't know either. I thought that driving with the interior lights on was against the law but I may be mistaken.

A  pair of 1N5408 diodes from the headlight  main and dip wires to the footwell tap and a third one from the splice would do it.

Cathodes: join all three. Connect to footwell lights positive.

Anode 1 to BCM tap via a 2A fuse.

Anode 2 to dip beam wiring via a 2A fuse.

Anode 3 to Main beam wiring via a 2A fuse.

Heatshrink all connections.

I don't do pictures and videos. If you cannot take the trouble to understand written instructions then you have no business meddling.

 

You don't know me or even have met me, so please don't pass judgement over me. I'm not lazy as even before I decided to use this forum I did some research but unfortunately nothing really helped, hence why I came here to seek extra advice. All I'm asking for is advice that's what forums are for. I'm not here for people to make me feel uncomfortable, so please just consider what you post in future it would be much appreciated.

Thankyou.

3 minutes ago, Jonny1983 said:

...and a qualified online nurse....

Crikey, I never even knew that was a thing! You learn something new everyday...

21 hours ago, mburdett555 said:

Will send pictures if you want but as I said I only did passenger side, I couldn't manage to open up the central section to thread the wire through, too much cheap plastic to pull apart 

That would be great Matt. If you don't mind sending some pictures, a look at what you've managed to achieve so far would be very kind.

Many thanks

Jon.

On 1/31/2023 at 12:46 PM, mburdett555 said:

Will send pictures if you want but as I said I only did passenger side, I couldn't manage to open up the central section to thread the wire through, too much cheap plastic to pull apart 

Can I just say a BIG THANKYOU to all the productive comments I've received throughout the last week. Finally today I've have managed to install my footwell lights and very happy with the result, apart from the tool from Ebay who messed up my order claiming I hadn't ordered any lights, then today find out they're more pink then red. But never mind it's set up now so all I will do is buy some new lights and hopefully they will be RED lol.

Some pics.

Some pics vids.

 

6 hours ago, Jonny1983 said:

it's set up now so all I will do is buy some new lights

👍 Looks like you've already done the difficult bit!