Yeah, i don't want to burn my car up with a ghetto rewiring job, but my nissan map lights (overhead console) aren't built to light up when the door is open, only the dome light does. I really want to get them to turn on when the door is open, and yet still be able to use the push switches to turn them on while i'm on the road. my car has a SECU (smart entry, something something.) that controls the interior dome light. can i wire my map lights to this? 2002 Nissan SE-R Spec V (Sentra on steroids). I have the FSM if someone wants to take a gander at the electrical schematic.

thanks
gurus
scott

Split off that feed (is it switched power or ground? And wire it to a second feed for the map lights, direct to the bulb base, but diode protect it. So current can only travel one direction (no double-feed that way).

hmmm.. the dome light is getting a constant voltage from the battery and is controlled by switching ground through that SECU thingy (Smart Entrance Control Unit). When I open the door, and the control unit connects the ground, it turns on the dome light.

So, if I REALLY wanted to do it, i'd have to bring the ground wire of the map lights to the same wire as the dome.

problem is, if i do it that way, i will completely lose the use of my map lights via their push switches unless i open the door...basically defeating the purpose.

The map lights themselves are getting power by the "SECU" and then the switches i hit when i turn on the map light grounding the light, it would be hard to wire it up to turn on with the dome....soooo...i'm kind of stuck. i don't think i'm fully getting what you're saying though will...are you saying to wire the map lights in parallel with the dome?

If the map lights are also constant power switched ground, simply share the dome ground with the map lights (splice in, this becomes a second ground source) and diode protect as before.

hmm...ok. but does this still allow the use of them as map lights when my door is closed? I guess it should because it is a secondary ground source. ok. this might work. you're next of kin to einstein bill. thanks.