How-To: LED Interior / Reverse / Licence plate lights

jam_asian85

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Mazdaspeed 3
Lights to be changed out:

- Glove Box light
- Dome light
- Map light
- Trunk/Cargo light
- Reverse light
- Licence plate light

LED bulbs need:

- WLED-x6 OR WLED-x5 Wide Angle LED bulb (either or, doesn't matter, 6 however I think might be brighter)
- 3022-x9 LED Festoon bulb
- 7440-xLX3 Luxeon LED bulb

You will need TWO of the WLED-x5/x6 Wide Angle LED bulb (white of course) for the licence plate light, THREE more of the WLED-x5/x6 Wide Angle LED bulb (color of your choice) for the glove box light (1) and map light (2). TWO 7440-xLX3 Luxeon LED buld (white of course) will be used for the reverse light. TWO 3022-x9 LED Festoon bulb (color of your choice) for the dome light and the trunk/cargo light.

Please note: Bulbs may be different for sedans, as the following pics were from a hatch. The bulb you (sedans) will need for the trunk is the WLED-x5 Wide Angle LED bulb

Installation is straight forward just light changing a bulb at home, no add wiring of such sort is need, just swap out the stock bulbs and replace them with your LEDs.

Glove Box light:
Open your glove box, to remove the center strip
DSC_0001-1.jpg


Pull the center strip from the bottom, starting from left to right
DSC_0002-1.jpg


Pull of the door sills (if that's what its called) thing with the mazdaspeed written on it, don't be scared to yank on it, it just pops right off
DSC_0004-1.jpg


Then, remove the kick panel, there's the snap in "screw" thingy, which is easily removed with a flat head screw driver, just pry it in there and pull it out
DSC_0007-1.jpg


Then, take a phillip head screw driver and remove the TWO screws holding the glove box in place.
DSC_0010.jpg


After removing the two screws, pull on the glove from the bottom in order to get it out, be careful though, dont pull too hard or the wiring for the bulb might rip. After you pull out the glove box it should look like this, sitting in your lap.
DSC_0011-1.jpg


Then just pull on that little sucker holding the light bulb, then simply replace the factory bulb with your LED, then put everything all back in reverse steps.
DSC_0012.jpg


Map Light:

Get a good grab in there, and just pull on it, dont pull too hard or you'll damage the wiring harness.
DSC_0013.jpg


Once that's done, it should look something like this. You will see TWO knob looking things holding the factory bulb in place. With a simple twist they come out, then just switch the bulbs with your LEDs and put back the map light housing in place. Be sure to check if the LEDs are working before you put back the housing, if not then just simply take out the LED and put it in the other way.
DSC_0016.jpg


Dome Light:
Using a flat head screw driver just pop off the clear lens
DSC_0017.jpg


Then just pull out the factory bulb and replace it with the LED, again, test to see if it works, if not just remove and flip the LED around and put it back it.
DSC_0018.jpg


Trunk/Cargo Light:

Just pull on the clear cover and it'll just come out.
DSC_0019.jpg


Replace the factory bulb with the LED you bought.
DSC_0020.jpg


Reverse Light:

There should be a panel looking like this one the left and right side of the hatch, remove it and reach in for the bulb housing
DSC_0021.jpg


With a simple twist it just comes right out. Replace the factory bulb with the LED
DSC_0022.jpg


Licence Plate Light:

Look underneath the bumper, but right above the licence plate and you will see a clear cover being held by two hook thingys
DSC_0024-1.jpg


Just push on the hooks and the light housing will come out, with a twist the bulb will come out, once again just replace the fatory bulb with the LED
DSC_0023.jpg


Finish product should look like this with LEDs installed

the cabin
DSC_0048.jpg


the trunk
DSC_0040.jpg


white led reverse light
DSC_0051-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
i would be more willing to change over my interior to LED if LED's were brighter. its hard enough to see with the light that is in there, i imagine it will be harder with LEDs. Do you see anywhere where you could maybe put a larger array of LEDs in a bulb? i know they sell those 194 bulbs in a couple configurations...

btw nice writeup!
 
Cool writeup. I ordered some new reverse lights because of this!
im flattered lol

yo sweet express flip flops man!!!
lol thanks bro

i would be more willing to change over my interior to LED if LED's were brighter. its hard enough to see with the light that is in there, i imagine it will be harder with LEDs. Do you see anywhere where you could maybe put a larger array of LEDs in a bulb? i know they sell those 194 bulbs in a couple configurations...

btw nice writeup!

hmmmmmmmmmm maybe underneath the dash where your legs would be?
yea visibilty is close to nothing, lol, i mainly did it for the appearance, i have a flashlight that i use sometimes that i keep in the car lol ^-^
 
as requested, here you go elderlycoffee

DSC_0004-2.jpg


DSC_0006.jpg


this last one is a bit blury, couldnt get the camera still for a decent shot looking down from the back
ledinterior.jpg
 
This may be a stupid question but...

You seemed to imply that the lighting in the car was not very bright with the new bulbs. But the pictures seem pretty bright to me. Was there any decrease/increase in the brightness of the overhead or map lights?

Thanks
 
This may be a stupid question but...

You seemed to imply that the lighting in the car was not very bright with the new bulbs. But the pictures seem pretty bright to me. Was there any decrease/increase in the brightness of the overhead or map lights?

Thanks

hmmmmmmmmmmm how can i explain this
ok you know how people are putting HIDs in older model cars and they're SUPER bright when you're driving the opposite way, with all that glare, and from the driver's seat in that car visibilty isnt quite there, well yea, its almost the same, its bright but its kinda hard to look for something, sometimes. Maybe its just me (sad2) lol
 
Just ordered some LEDs for mine. Not the first time I have bought from superbrightleds.com either.(crazy)
 
I feel so very sick. Ever since I started modding my honda civic back in 2001 I have been against any sort of "ricer" mod such as colored interior lights, led wheel flashers etc... But I just bought those blue leds for the glove compartment, dome and map lights...

I must be so very ill!
 
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