Apparently my JDM GD1 is very basic, as it has no illumination at all in the boot/trunk (there seems to be a blank region in the left plastic panel where one would exist on a fancier model). Since this is annoying, I've bought a 12 V LED light chain to install, along with a length of wire. I hoped there would be unused wiring for the trunk light option behind the interior panel, but it doesn't look like that's the case. So, I'm thinking of chaining the wiring onto the centre dome/courtesy light, and replacing the bulb there with an LED for lower current draw. Would it be straightforward to install the wiring behind the headliner, or would that require removing the headliner (which looks quite a rigmarole)? Or is it perhaps feasible to tuck wiring in along the edge of the headliner and feed it along to the dome light fitting behind the headliner? Or perhaps run wiring down the B pillar and along the door sill? I'd like to place the light chain along the top of the hatch opening, but would consider relocating if that makes the wiring easier. Any tips most welcome.

 

Man, saving two bucks by not putting a light in the trunk? I personally wouldn't want to touch the headliner, knowing I'd never be able to get it to look right I think I'd look to hook it up wherever under the dashboard the dome light wiring originates and then run it down the door sills, just to minimize the possibility of ruining anything visible.

 

Removing the headliner is more involved than removing the interior trim, so I would vote for the latter approach.

I've never touched a first gen Fit, but on the GE8 the interior trim comes off pretty easily (once you figure out how to do it) and there is space underneath to safely run some wiring. If you compare the profile of the trim pieces to underlying metal it will be clear where the wiring can go. You should be able to run a limited amount of wiring from under the dash, down the driver door sill, up into the driver rear fender area, and to the top of the inner hatch area.

There should be posts here with directions for removing the trim, or refer to the service manual if you can get that.

An easier and cheaper approach would be to get an LED light switch from Harbor Freight and stick that to the inner fender liner or the inside of the rear hatch. If your time has any value, you can stick several of these lights in the hatch area and still come out way ahead. Problem solved.

 

It's $2 multiplied by every car sold. According to one site, Honda sold 769,273 Fits between 2006 and 2020.

2*769,273 = ~$1.5M

Source: https://motorandwheels.com/honda-fit-statistics/

 

Thanks for all the excellent suggestions! I spent some time this afternoon wiring between the fuse panel and the trunk. I found the wiring for the centre courtesy light (white/red for +12 V and green/red for the ground that's switched by the instrument cluster) and piggy-backed off that in parallel. Running the wiring along the door sills worked out pretty well.

I'd thought that all the interior lighting was switched together, since the "door ajar" light on the dash illuminates regardless of whether it's a door or the tailgate that's open, but unfortunately the lights don't stay on when the tailgate is open. I should have checked that before wiring it up. So, I'm trying to decide if I can live with it or should try to rewire so that the trunk lighting is switched by the tailgate switch. I'm not sure where the easiest place to tap into the tailgate switch would be.

 

Here's a thought: there's a 12 V wire in the tailgate/hatch door that supplies power to the rear wiper (green wire, 10 A circuit). If I mount the lighting on the interior of the hatch, I could probably power it from that, and conveniently wire into the tailgate switch for turning it on and off. Ah, but that 12 V line is switched by the ignition, and I think I'd want the trunk light to operate at all times. Hmm.

Good comments about manufacturer cost savings and profit margins: I read somewhere recently that they only make a few thousand dollars on each mass-market car sold, so I guess saving a couple of dollars on a low-end model makes sense.

 

Success! I found the green/red wire in the tailgate wiring that connects to the tailgate switch, and spliced into that for the ground for the LED strip. I'm still powering it from the 12 V lighting circuit from the under-dash fuse box, so my earlier cable run was not in vain.


Checking green/red wire to tailgate switch

Wiring harness to tailgate, behind brake lights (RHD)

New wire spliced onto tailgate switch circuit


LED strip installed under cargo cover

Thanks for the advice and support!