Glove Box Pin Switch Light Mod

Glove Box Pin Switch Light Mod

The various other Toyota vehicles in my home fleet have some sort of OEM light in the glove box, albeit dismal! Therefore, I have not been able to let the lack of a lit glove box in my Tundra go. After some research here and there, I had not come upon a start to finish on this task for our 3rd gens. If this has been done previously, I offer apologies for my slight and thanks for the contribution.

The idea is relatively simple. It is a blended couple between a pin switch light assembly and a 74 bulb base adapter. In fact the idea originated from when I installed my VLEDS’s foot well lighting kit. This being said (written), I had many thoughts/versions before, during, and now after, of how to take this mod to completion. All the different angles, placement configurations, LED’s lights, and etc. are truly exhaustingly endless. Here is the version of “let there be light” in my 2019 Tundra glove box sourced with junkyard parts (81260-33030 & 90980-11087) and new parts.

While this task, for me and others, may appear straight forward and not too complex, only you can be assertive and know your skillset, thus are responsible for your install.

Parts used for task:

1. 81260-33030: OEM Glove Box Lamp - $20.57 (list price)

https://parts.toyotaofcoolsprings.com/oem-parts/toyota-glove-box-lamp-8126033030

2. 90980-11087: OEM Housing Connector - $17.99 (list price)

https://parts.toyotaofcoolsprings.com/oem-parts/toyota-housing-connector-f-9098011087

OR

3. 90980-11098: OEM Housing Connector - $4.37 (list price)

https://parts.toyotaofcoolsprings.com/oem-parts/toyota-housing-connector-f-9098011098

4. 2F_WP_74: VLED Base Adapter 2 Pin Female 74 - $2.00 (list price)

https://www.vleds.com/shop-products/light-bars/wiring/adapters/2f-wp-74.html

5. 2426: Oznium 6mm Black Aluminum 1 Watt – No lens Cool White Flush Mount LED Bolt - $5.99

https://www.oznium.com/led-bolts-prewired-leds/led-bolt

6. WAY_46229: VLED Inline 5A Holder ATO ATC 18GA - $5.00 (list price)

https://www.vleds.com/shop-products/install/fuse-taps/way-46229.html

7. DUO_TAP: VLED Duo-tap Dual Wire T-Tap Connector 24-18 AWG - $1.50 (list price)

https://www.vleds.com/shop-products/install/splice-taps-terminals/duo-tap.html

8. 18GA or 22 AWG wiring as needed

9. 5’ of 1/8 wire loom

10. Self-Adhesive Wire Loom Fasteners

11. 1 – 16 AWG butt connector and eyelet connector

12. 1 – Blue Positap

Tools used for task:

1. 10 mm socket

2. ratchet/driver

3. phillips screwdriver

4. various pry tools, preferably plastic

5. wire cutter/stripper/crimper

6. straight point dental pick

7. pliers

8. drill

9. 1/8 and 15/64 drill bits

10. sharp knife or Dremel

11. test light

12. heat gun

13. tape measure

14. bubble wrap, felt pad, blanket

Glove Box Removal from Dash

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable and allow at least 5 minutes for systems to discharge before starting projects that require manipulating wires, electrical connections, and airbags.

2. Remove the pertinent dash panels to access the glove box. There are many threads and videos that help with this step; however, I recommend this awesome one https://youtu.be/xu1C1AapaAI from @2020Platinum.

Glove Box at the Work Bench/Station

Glove Box Lamp (81260-33030)

1. Place blanket or other soft material on your work space as to not damage your glove box. Remember it lists for $554.13 (55320-0C030-C1)!

2. Remove inside shelf and cabin filter access panel. This will allow for ease of handling.

3. Take the Glove Box Lamp (81260-33030) and take inside seating measurements.

4. Mine measured to be approx. 1/2”x 1 5/8” and I transferred the measurements to a cardboard template to practice fitment.

5. I took measurement of the “pin” on the switch. Using foil to the appropriate length, I taped it in various places to the left of the open glove box compartment. This was to figure out the best area to place the pin switch for complete depression when opening and closing the glove box.

6. The measurements I went with for placement of the glove box lamp are the following: 1 1/2” from the grommet bump stop and 1/2'” from the left edge of the glove box inside space.

7. Place the template into position and carefully trace the rectangle for the switch.

8. Use a straight edge to make your cuts if using a sharp blade.

9. A small Dremel or like tool can be used. I had run out of cutting wheels for mine…

10. Make sure to double and triple check the measurement and make cuts within the lines. I did this and still made the rectangular hole two hairs too big! Patience will be your best friend here.

11. Install your Glove Box Lamp and check for fitment. A sliver of double-sided under the switch’s mounting face plate can help with any slight play.














Oznium Cool White Flush Mount LED Bolts (2426) X2

1. Again, there are so many options for LED lighting. I had originally envisioned using a mini light bar like the one used in the footwells but decided to use what I had on hand.

2. I chose the “slant back” surface plane of the glove box for two reasons: It provides for an angled shine of the light inside the glove box. It also makes removal and install clearance “easier” by having the wiring follow along the steel bar supports for mounting the dash and its components. I guess a third could be one less “thingy” in the trajectory of an airbag.

3. I used a straight point dental pick as a counter punch.

4. A small piece of tape was placed on the inside to help bore a clean hole on the inside of the glove box.

5. I started a 1/8” drill bit as a pilot hole then I progressed to a 15/64 drill bit.

6. Unscrew one of the two nuts on the LED bolt to allow for feeding the wires (starting from inside the glove box) into the freshly drilled holes.

7. I simply used the sole nut to tighten the LED into place and found it to be plenty secure.

8. The wires and LED bolt tails were then neatly taped and tucked within 1/8” wire loom approx. 20” in length.

9. Three separate self-adhesive wire loom fasteners where used to secure the wiring loom

















VLED Base Adapter 2 Pin Female 74 (2F_WP_74) and VLED Duo-tap Dual Wire T-Tap Connector 24-18

1. It is time to insert the 74 Base Adapter into the Glove Box Lamp Switch bulb socket. Remember that polarity matters. If it does not light up, switch to the other side of peg and reinsert. I used a 9 volt battery throughout to bench test my connections.

2. I chose to leave the VLED proprietary connector end intact (I am going to add an additional LED later and will use that connector to facilitate the later install.

3. The VLED Duo-Tap Dual Wire T-Tap is next. I separated a segment of the paired wires on the 74 Base Adapter for the splice. The other end is where I trimmed to fit the LED’s wire length to complete the spliced connections. I used double-sided tape to the back of the Duo-Tap to secure it the side of the Glove Box.

4. Wire loom was then trimmed to fit and well secured at this connection.

5. Glove Box was then taken back to the truck for a test fit. All additional components cleared and fit well, as if they had grown there originally!

6. Remove once again and carefully place back on work space.





Reinstall Negative Battery Cable…

1. I carefully reconnected my negative battery terminal. I know, this is asking for trouble but I was as careful as I could be with the airbags and such.

2. I had intentions of adding a non-keyed circuit or a direct line to the battery. However, I had had my eye on this particular empty harness that I just HAD to check… Toyota harnesses all have the part number prefix of “90980”. The secondary part number or suffix is found on the harness itself. I looked and looked and then some more. I could not find it! The only number that I saw was “11”, which does not make sense to me… Maybe the higher trim level guys (Platinum/1794) can take a gander at this and see what this plugs into for them and search for that number on their male harness?…

3. With a test light, I easily happened upon a pink hot wire. This is the wire and route I selected to go with. I wanted to know the harness number to source an empty connector to pin the glove box leads to… and to maybe acquire additional options my truck does not have from that harness…



Disconnected Negative Battery Cable… Again

OEM Glove Box Lamp Housing Connector (90980-11087) and VLED Inline 5A Holder (WAY_46229)

1. Luckily, I was able to find the Housing Connector along with the Glove Lamp Light in the junk yard. This connector, if ordered new, does not come with the wire leads so make sure to keep that in mind. My suggestion would be to source these both from a salvage/junk yard. This part is found in 581 Toyota/Lexus vehicle variants from 1997-2015.

2. My wired leads were not long enough to reach my power source. Approximately 28-30” is needed to ensure a proper slack for the connection. Therefore, I just de-pinned some OEM leads from my 99 Rav4 parts car. It is just my preference as I found this easier and cleaner than just extending the original wires.

3. Strip the ends of each the Connector positive wire and VLED Inline Fuse Holder (3 amp fuse used).

4. Place each end of the bare ends into the butt connector, crimp, and use heat gun to seal splice.

5. Strip the end of the Connector negative wire and place into eyelet connector, crimp, and heat.

6. Once cool, I proceeded to plug in the connector to the Glove Box Lamp and to neatly place the wires inside the 1/8 wire loom and secured with electricians tape. I elected to run the loom along the bottom edge (toward the firewall) side of the Glove Box with additional self-adhesive wire loom fasteners.

7. This set-up was done to make certain that if the Glove Box ever needed to be removed, it could be done with simple enough disconnects yet self-contain all of the materials of this mod with it.

8. The Glove Box is now ready for complete reinstall and finalizing electrical connections.















Blue Posi-Tap, Ground, and Reassembly of Glove Box and Dash/Trim Components

1. The lower half of the Blue Posi-Tap was placed first on the pink hot wire, mentioned above, before reinstalling the Glove Box to ensure adequate room for large hands to obtain a clean connection.

2. Slowly reinstall the Glove Box, carefully checking fitment/clearances while doing so.

3. Once in the Glove Box is in place, insert the positive connector into the Blue Posi-Tap top twist on the pink hot wire for my power. There is sufficient room to do this part.

4. I used a local 10mm nut near my grounding eyelet on the negative connector wire lead.

5. The slack wiring was neatly routed and tucked up afterward.





Now you can continue with buttoning up the reassembly, following the steps you used for the removal process in reverse order to complete your reinstall.





I thank you for looking and I hope this helps someone who may be wanting some light in his/her glove box as well, enjoy!

 

You’re the man Matt!...awesome job!...and thanks for throwing my video in there with the kind words, I appreciate it!

 

Ron, I appreciate that very much! Thanks for looking.

 

Thank you sir!
I think a lot of your videos and find them very helpful. I know others feel the same. Thanks again.

 

Very good job Matt!

 

Thank you Jim!

 

@T-Rex266
@ColoradoTJ

Can you add this to the DIY Mod list?

@ElNopal

 

No, thank you!

 

great write up

 

Thank you for your kind words Tim. They are much appreciated!

 

Outstanding write-up! Thanks!

 

The attention to deal is fantastic. And you could definitely piece this together as kit and sell a presides bundle.

 

Great work and great write up! Looks good

 

Thanks for adding it.

 

Great work man!!!
Thanks for sharing!!!!

 

You are very welcome and thank you!

 

Awesome write up!! I know exactly what you mean by not having a light in the glove box when coming from other vehicles. Now that I have a plan to follow, this will no longer be one of those little things that annoy me Thanks again for sharing!!

 

Thank you Chris for the positivity and good luck when you take on this project!

 

This is awesome!

 

Excellent and meticulous work Matt!

 

Just awesome !!!

 

¡Muchísimas gracias, gentlemen!

 

Great write up!! May be a future mod for me.

 

Nice write up... easy to follow.

 

Thank you Ter!

 

@ElNopal Gran trabajo y anote!

 

¡Muchísimas gracias, hermano 'El Bandido Ferroviario 73 Tejano'!

 

Just when you think you’re done with your mods .... The MAN strikes again !!! So nice .. well done .... another mods on the book's ...

 

New link for Type 74 bulb pigtail adapter:
https://www.vleds.com/2f-wp-74.html