So I got tired of not having one. Got a plunger switch and a 6 LED module from Oznium, drilled a hole and here it is. Sorry I didn't get too detailed with the pics but I was in a hurry today and only had a short time to work on the FIT.

Plunger switch. NOTE: This is NOT the one I purchased from Oz and used. The one from Oz is a two terminal type and much better. This is a spare I wanted to show for those of you not familiar with the plunger type switches.



Plunger switch installed.


View 'looking up' to where the LEDs are mounted (3m tape and a little contact cement).


Lots of lighting. This pic was taken at about 3pm this afternoon with the sun shining right into the car and it still lit up the glove box pretty good.


Plunger makes good contact with the glove box door. When it closes, the light goes out no problems.

SWEET!

 

Very nice! Thanks for the writeup, LDO! I've been wanting to do this one. No light in the glovebox is annoying, to say the least.

 

NICE BOB!!! Now i gotta know where u got that plunger switch cuz i want that too!

 

The plunger I used is from Oznium, the one in the pic is from PepBz.

 

Good initiative. It is worth elaborating on wiring hook up and other details, as I am sure that lots of other Fit Freak members would benefit from your effort and expertise.
Thanks in advance

 

No sweat!

All I did was wire the + wire on the LED module to a constant 12v source (fused).

I bolted the plunger switch to the metal bracket behind the plastic trim piece and drilled a hole on the plastic for the plunger 'button' to stick out.

Used the plunger switch as my gnd interupt (switch is already grounded by the metal bracket).

Although the plunger switch has two terminals, I only used one of them to provide a ground (or open) to the LED circuit.

Had I bolted the plunger to a plastic piece, I suppose the wiring would have been different and both terminals would have been used.

Hope this helps.

LDO out.....

 

hey. did you have to drill through the metal bracket behind the plastic as well, or is there a hole that this will bolt in to? after a quick check it didnt look like there was one.

also does anyone know which fuse in the interior fuse box i could run a wire off of, or where i can add a fuse? thanks

 

Yes, drilled thru the metal as well.

as for power, any 'always on' fused wire works good. Like maybe the lighter hot wire.

 

nice as this is a problem at f-cking 2 a.m. in the middle on know where :-D

 

Was it difficult to install the plunger switch? I ordered the one from Oznium but accidentally got the wrong color LED so I haven't done the mod yet. I found a 3/8" nut that fits the plunger switch but it looks like it'll be damn near impossible to get a socket or wrench on the front of the plunger switch to tighten the thing in. Were you able to tighten the whole thing up from the back using just pressure?

 

I used a pressure washer and the nut. tightened up pretty good and the pressure washer keeps it fro coming loose.

Good luck.

 

i had to use epoxy, as there was no way mine was going to stay. but it has held great ever since, the nut hasnt moved.

 

Yeah I thought about putting loc-tite on the threads, I'll try a pressure washer first I think. Maybe both? Also, the switch is supposedly adjustable but I can't see any way to adjust it. I'm guessing it will work as is but do you know anything about that? Did either of you have to adjust the switch at all? Thanks for the input so far!

 

I just wanna report that I just tried this mod but I was unsatisfied with the resistance of the plunger switch and the scratchy noise it makes. I tested it out before I drilled through the plastic piece so I could put everything back to stock.

 

I am familiar with these switches. they were common in 60s and 70s Chryslers. They were used for door switches and a door, obviously, has a lot more heft than a plastic glovebox door. The sleeve holding the plunger is actually pressed into the nut part of the switch. In a door switch, closing the door provided enough weight to push the pressed-in sleeve as far as it needed to go, thus automatically adjusting the switch to fit the space. I suspect on a plastic glovebox door you might want to apply pressure over the switch while closing the door to force the sleeve in as far as it needs to go.