Installing second cab courtesy light

[silverbullet]

I have been told that on "C" spec vans - and those that only have a driver's courtesy lamp - the wiring for a second passenger lamp is already in the roof but may take a bit of fishing out. True or not? I have carefully cut the headliner and popped out the blanking plate but can't find any wire tails...

[lloydy]

I had to run new cables over on mine. Door switch on passenger side was there and wired to the driver side light.

[Titus A Duxass]

What's a C spec van?
I want to fit the extra one as well but also can't find any wiring.
It looks like it's going to be a PITA feeding new wires through the roof lining.

[silverbullet]

Caravelle C. Basic spec, CL's and GL's had twin cab lights I think (probably cost option, VW all the way as per) This one hasn't even got a passenger side switch, just a blanking cap.

[Hacksawbob]

I'd wire it down the A pillar and through the dash, to a separate positive on the back of the fuse box. I replaced my westy wiring to the drivers courtesy using the old wiring to pull through the new, but with the right fishing tool I'd guess it could be done.

Easy to see if the wires are there already though, see if there is anything disappearing up the passenger a pillar already! even though the lower specced vans don't have the unit fitted they usually share the loom with higher specced vans as it was cheaper for the factory to install one loom across the range.

[silverbullet]

Easy to see if the wires are there already though, see if there is anything disappearing up the passenger a pillar already! even though the lower specced vans don't have the unit fitted they usually share the loom with higher specced vans as it was cheaper for the factory to install one loom across the range.

That's what I had been told. Should have opened the glovebox and used a torch! I have a sparkie's nylon fish tape so I could feed it in the top end.
Thanks guys, I'll let you know what I find.

[Woodyyellow]

Hi. 
Hope this is of some help,  I've got my van striped out at the moment so quite easy to see the wires.

This is the view behind my fuse box (1987 - 1.9 petrol) and the feed wire and earth are easily seen. The red feed comes from the junction that also feeds of to radio etc.
I don't have passenger light in mine, but the wires run to feed the light in top bunk and over the kitchen, or they did, now striped out for refurbishing. I can see the wires running over the sliding door and they eventually exit the roof channel above the rear window.



Cheers
John

[silverbullet]

Hi Jon.
Thanks for the pics, all familiar looking stuff! The rear light (which my caravelle does have) is fed from the drivers side, which on rhd vans is via wires which cross over the roof in the cab headlining iirc. Those wires must go somewhere...

[poshbuggers]

I need to do this also. Mine has a single light over the driver and the rear light on the passenger side but it's a panel van. I need to rip the cab roof lining out to fit some cables for the TV so I will post my findings tomorrow.

[kevtherev]

with my head lining out fitting a passenger courtesy light took 20 mins

[CovKid]

Let the passenger sit in the dark. It'll only give them an air of superiority if you give them a light of their own to play with.

Actually, I fitted a light under the glovebox to light up the floor on the passenger side. All the passenger ever does is lose stuff on the floor. I got fed up of them scrabbling around so fitted a 12v neon. They can also look at their shoes if they get bored.

[poshbuggers]

I found a loom which looks like factory. It's in a flexible black tube with a white line along it and has a brown, red and black wire within.

It goes back to the passenger side rear where there is a recess for an additional courtesy light. Does anyone know what the black wire (inside a yellow terminal cover) does?

When tested the red is live, the brown is switched at the sliding door switch. Someone has added and additional brown earth to the body to create a permanent live (is this what the black should be for?).

I can't see that it goes to the passenger side so I will run a separate one from this forward to it.

[1664]

Someone has added and additional brown earth to the body to create a permanent live.

You mean a permanent -ve ground/earth rather than +ve 'live'?

That does sound like courtesy light cabling; permanent live to courtesy light +ve (lamp), door switched -ve earth to one courtesy light switch connction so light comes on when door opens if switch in that position and permanent -ve earth to other courtesy light switch terminal so light comes on regardless of door open/closed if switch is in that position.
If the permanent 12v +ve red dies when fuse 3 is removed then I reckon that's your baby.

[danmetallic]

I did this mod last year. Just took wires from the drivers side over the headliner to the passenger side in the end. Here's the thread http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=123771" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[1664]

Just took wires from the drivers side over the headliner to the passenger side in the end.

That's what I did. Autohomes had already fitted a switch in the passenger door to operate the driver's side courtesy light so straight forward really.