Ok, this is my first post ever (on any forum), so be gentle(ish) .

I've got a 2010 Platinum that I'm doing some mods on to give it some new life again. Since some of those mods involve other lighting, I'm already in the electrical mood. One of the things I really want to do is put my CHMSL cargo lights on their own switch--I hate having to turn on the interior lights when I want just bed lighting and vice versa when I want just interior lighting. I have yet to have a time when I want or need both on...

So, hopefully simple question--if I hook up a switch, run a new hot wire up to the cargo lights, can I simply cut the existing hot wire that ties the cargo lights into the interior light circuit and install my new hot wire? Leave grounds as is, just cut and switch the hot wires (and cap off/tape up the old hot wire). Will this mess anything up with the rest of the interior light circuit?

Thanks in advance! This seems like a simple question to me, but I'm starting to learn that electrical wiring can be quite deceptive at times.

 

Yes. You can hunt for the wire leading up to the cargo light within the passengers' side sill, the color of which may differ from MY to MY and perhaps between trim levels. It can be tedious digging for the right wire within the bundle of wires in that cramped channel so the next best spot, though much more involved diassembly-wise, would be right above the headliner behind the cargo light where it should be obvious which wire is the cargo light circuit as you can trace it directly after the quick disconnect above the headliner. Getting the back of the headliner down requires pulling all the "christmas tree" fasteners (should be two), scuff plate, and C-Pillar trim panel on the side you plan on running the new switched wire up through.

 

Awesome, thanks for the reply!

So I am going to be swapping out the bulbs for some Diode Dynamics ones--since ill already be up there, I was thinking I could just cut the hot wire from the bulb's socket and go from there. Any reason this wouldn't work? Other than having the pain of running the new wire from the switch all the way up to the cargo lights.

I like your suggestion of digging around in the passenger side sill. Would definitely be the easiest if I knew exactly what wire I was looking for. But in the limited amount of info I found on this subject, I found some people saying that the CHMSL cargo lamps are on the same wire as the rear interior dome light. This would complicate things if it is true. Any ideas there?

 

This will certainly work; just have to pop the headliner and C-pillar trim panels as mentioned, and run your wire.

They appear to be on the same circuit (wire) up to the branch somewhere above the headliner, so yea, the only solution is the one above in order to keep the dome light functional as before.

 

Sweet, then it sounds like the hardest part of this whole thing will be removing trim pieces and running the power wire up to the cargo lights. Thank you for the insight!

I think the convenience of this upgrade is gonna be well worth the effort. It's something on my Dad's Chevy that I absolutely love.

 

It's actually not that bad. I goofed and remembered that you have to take the pillar trim panels off both sides in order drop the rear of the headliner for sufficient access. It's all just pulling by hand, except the large plastic "christmas tree" push pin retainers should be removed with a plastic trim removal tool to prevent damage to the headliner.

 

Grey with violet trace 22ga wire is the one your looking for and she runs down both sills. Spikys info was dead on.