Ignition Keyhole Illumination

[LeeroyJ]

Someone in one of the threads today mentioned the lack of an ignition key light as being an issue. My muscle memory solves that issue for me, but it got me thinking about possible solutions and I came up with two ideas:

1) Buy a lumed bezel insert like this one, and put it around the ignition hole. I have some of these in a box somewhere of things I still need to unpack from my last move in Nov 2023, but one day I'll test it out. This should at least make it easier to see where the ignition hole is, although the lume won't be bright enough to actually illuminate the key area.

2) Buy a small led light like this one and mount it near the key hole. I think there may be room above the ignition to have this shining down. I ordered a 3 pack of these and will test it out and update this post after they arrive.

 

[grenadierboy]

Not a major issue but I bought a similar illumination ring on ebay about a year ago for a couple of bucks

Works fine, gets recharged via sunlight. The button lamp might be a bit OTT

 

[grnamin]

I have a glow-in-the-dark ring around my ignition. After more than a year, I've taken to indexing my key and not looking...

 

[Cheshire cat]

I have a glow-in-the-dark ring around my ignition. After more than a year, I've taken to indexing my key and not looking...

Is it easy to find when you need to switch it on?

 

[grnamin]

Is it easy to find when you need to switch it on?

Yes Sir! Muscle memory. I don't look anymore.

 

[Zimm]

Put some hair around it, you'll find it.

 

[grnamin]

Put some hair around it, you'll find it.

Genetic memory trumps muscle memory.

 

[Zimm]

Genetic memory trumps muscle memory.

I can see the headlines now.... "Texas man arrested for violating recently enacted car sodomy laws, after Grenadier seeks illegal abortion."

Be careful fella.

 

[Zimm]

I have a glow-in-the-dark ring around my ignition. After more than a year, I've taken to indexing my key and not looking...

The lack of a funnel sucks, but I bet part of my problem is the key being opposite my gwagon.

 

[LabRat]

It's kinda like changing magazines on the fly without looking - muscle memory works well.

 

[Jiman01]

It's kinda like changing magazines on the fly without looking - muscle memory works well.

You mean like changing from People Magazine to Time Magazine at the Dr office

 

[LeeroyJ]

Well for 3 for $5 that light isn’t bad, fits nicely under the ledge.

 

[Mudnut]

Not a major issue but I bought a similar illumination ring on ebay about a year ago for a couple of bucks

Works fine, gets recharged via sunlight. The button lamp might be a bit OTT

Just be mindful of the stick on illumination circles. There are a few posts on here that state they are the cause of the car not starting, as the key does not slip all the way in, and immobilizer will not allow car to start. For me, I just use my finger extended to the end of the key, and feel for the hole. Once found, I insert the key in the slot.

 

[Asnes]

Not my idea but got this from someone else on the forum...

I bought this LED light, glued it to the back of the panel where the key hole is, wired it into the existing LED light in the footwell, used some foam to block unwanted light and works like a charm.

It automatically lights up with the interior lights now when you open the door, etc..

Light from amazon:

Amazon.de : Qasim 1-Pair White 60MM 45SMD COB LED Halo Ring Angel Eyes LED Fog Light DRL Warning Lamps with Lampshade Cover 12V 24V

 

[wompser]

Not my idea but got this from someone else on the forum...

I bought this LED light, glued it to the back of the panel where the key hole is, wired it into the existing LED light in the footwell, used some foam to block unwanted light and works like a charm.

It automatically lights up with the interior lights now when you open the door, etc..

Light from amazon:

Amazon.de : Qasim 1-Pair White 60MM 45SMD COB LED Halo Ring Angel Eyes LED Fog Light DRL Warning Lamps with Lampshade Cover 12V 24V

did you put a resistor inline with that LED? Just curious if because I got about +5v from the footwell illumination lamps, not the 12V I was expecting. Have you had any errors with the head unit from drawing more current than the computer expects to go to the footwell lights? The factory footwell LED has some additional circutry that I have not been able to sus out just yet: if you open it up, you'll see some chips including a resistor (R) capacitor (C) and other items.

I'm working on a similar solution to this oversight... there really should have been a factory light on the keyhole!

 

[Asnes]

There was an inline (resister?) that came with the halo LED light that I bought from Amazon (link above). Post resister I simply plugged the two exposed wires (per the photo attached) into the factory fitting and it worked (super bright!). Plug and play. No errors or such on the head unit or otherwise.

I still have the factory LED that was plugged into the factory connection prior. Maybe this weekend I’ll tear both apart (black connector on the spare halo light in attached photo, and the LED light from the factory) and compare.

I suspect both will yield the same resister to downgrade voltage to 5v for LED lamp consumption.

At the end of the day, just buy the $10 LED halo light linked above, plug it in and it will work.

Problem solved.