OEM (The Real Deal) Ambient Lighting discussion

[Svtweb]

Hi fellow Raptor Owners...

Have had my Raptor for a total of 3 weeks now and still have not been able to remove the perma-grin on my face. It replaced my 1994 SVT Lightning, it is amazing what 20 years of evolution comes up with.

I'm a tinkerer with an above-average skill-set who takes pride in doing the things that the factory should have done already. The first thing on the "To-Do" list is the factory ambient lighting. You would think that a $60K truck would have ALL the bells and whistles, but like other Car companies they de-content some options.

It appears that the 2013/2014 Raptors had their interior lighting controlled via the touch-screen.

After looking at the schematics, there are only 4 wires to control the lighting. They occupy 4 positions on the console connector that are currently vacant on the Raptor.

Hardware wise you would need both front side panels, console top (to swap the cupholder from), rear console trim with lights and the wiring harness.

I have already downloaded the "AS BUILT" coding from a 2014 Platinum F-150 and the "AS-BUILT" for my Raptor.

The Ambient lighting terminates into one of the connectors on the back of the Climate Control unit.

If anyone would like to collaborate and share any insights that they may have on this subject I am all eyes. I'll keep everyone informed along the way. My guess is we are talking upwards of $1K for this OEM+ mod.

 

[beachz]

Can't help you with the lights but.... Congratulations and welcome!!! Just so you know, it just keeps getting better.

 

[MEDIC MIKE]

Hello i just purchased my race red 2014 piece of raptor art and i have seen on Fords website the ability to purchase the ambient lighting for around $ 275.00. I believe it can be added at the dealer. Thanks MIKE

 

[Chris Crampton]

I specifically asked my dealer about this when I was picking up the truck. They told me the ambient lighting was not controlled through the head unit. (Very possible they could be wrong) so I installed my own pieced together from super bright LEDs. Cost was about $60. I would love a way to select via touch screen. For now I select inside the center console.

 

[SilentShooter]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the 13/24 Raptor did not have a factory ambient lighting option. It had a dealer installed option which is an add in lighting kit. Not the same lighting setup as the Platinum's.

If you want the dealer installed kit you can have the dealer add it at any time, but there is no factory build option to add it.

 

[Svtweb]

Correct.. the "Ford Accessories" Ambient lighting kit is about $280 + Installation for a half-donkey'd less than adequate piece of jingle.

What my plans are is to duplicate, to the exact 100% install of the Ambient lighting that is offered on the F-150 King Ranch, Limited, Platinum and FX4.

Just ordered the last of the parts last night. Starting to work on the spreadsheet that will help decipher the "AS BUILT" coding.

While in the process, I have also stumbled across all that is needed for the installation of the rain sensor.

Give me time, I will have the only SVT Raptor Platinum on the planet... all OEM...

 

[AbnMP13]

You have piqued my interest. I'll eagerly watch your progress.

 

[BAJASVT]

The ambient lighting in 2013-14 F-150 trucks equipped with it from the factory are controlled through the gauge cluster screen. Pre-2013 trucks had a button in place of where our auxiliary upfitter switches are. Unfortunately, no Raptor was ever offered with the factory ambient lighting and, in my opinion, the dealer installed Ford accessory kit is cheap and cheap looking.

I added the two center console side panels from a Harley Davidson truck to my Raptor for a factory fit and look. I didn't want the illuminated cup holders; I have them in my Mustang and I find them too bright and annoying... luckily the Mustang cup holders have a door over them that you can close, so I keep it closed pretty much all the time to block the view of the light. I also didn't really have any desire to be able to change the color of the ambient footwell lighting in my Raptor, so I just connected them to illuminate the color of all the factory dash lighting in my truck... I believe Ford calls it Ice Blue.

Each ambient LED has four wires: BROWN (ground), RED, GREEN, & BLUE.
Ground the ground wire and apply +12V to any of the colored wires and that's the color they will illuminate. Power a combination of wires for different colors (i.e. +12V to RED and BLUE illuminates the LED PURPLE. I powered BLUE and GREEN to produce the "Ice Blue" color to match the rest of my interior.

I admire your determination do decode the as-built data to gain access and control of the LEDs through the cluster, but I personally don't really see the point. Again it's just my opinion, but I think they look dumb if they're illuminated a different color than all the rest of the lights in the truck.

Good luck.

---------- Post added at 12:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 PM ----------

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f10/ambient-light-option-question-31653/index2.html#post635160

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f10/ambient-light-option-question-31653/index3.html#post636310

http://www.fordraptorforum.com/f10/ambient-light-option-question-31653/index3.html#post704287

 

[SilentShooter]

I do love the MyColor on the Mustang where you can adjust the gauge and such to match.

I do not like the Blue Ambient Lighting as at night it hurts night vision too much for me. I prefer red and amber for this reason. I do wish I could have both red and white lighting from the interior lights. At night if a passenger needs extra lighting to see something the white cabin light sucks for driving with it on.

I am thinking of replacing at least the passenger light to a red LED for this purpose and do want red ambient lighting so I might follow your lead and pickup the factory ambient light panels and just hook them up as red and put a inline led dimmer inplace should I feel they are too bright.

 

[Svtweb]

Thanks for the input...

I cannot speak for the 2013's, but the 2014's are controlled via the My-Touch screen, not the instrument cluster.

I do agree that dealer accessory is cheap and not worthy of a place in the Raptor.

I prefer the cupholder lighting as it makes it easier to put my Budweiser down at night, right before I go "Hey Y'all, watch this!"......

Decoding of the "AS BUILT" will not only affect the ambient lighting, but also allow for other modifications/tweaks. The My-Touch system (along with other items) are not limited to only the F-150. With a commonality across platforms for the other CAN-BUS based modules, one could adapt options no originally on the F-150 via proper coding and installation of appropriate parts. IE - Hi-Beam control/Lane Assist from a Fusion...