I searched everywhere and I couldn't find anyone who had added stock led puddle lights to an 2018 XLT. I had puddle lights on my 2013 and I really missed having them when I got this truck. I figured I would take some pictures as I tried to figure out how to make it work. I researched adding Lariat mirrors but I didn't to mess with adding modules and re-programming anything, all I wanted were puddle lights.

I want anyone that reads this to know that this is probably not the best way to get this done. I could have been a lot more neat with my wiring and connections. I appreciate any feedback.



I tapped power off of the cargo lights because I did not want to cut into any wires and I knew I wanted the puddle lights to be on whenever the cargo lights were on.


I ran my power wire across the channel above the headliner and through a hole in the upper cab corner. Then I routed behind the trim surrounding the seat belt.

Routed down under the door sills.


This picture shows how I tapped power out of the cargo light. It's just a spade connector shoved into the back of the connector. It's pretty tight but I plan to secure the connection better with hot glue when do the other side.

This part was a PITA. I ran the wire up by the hood release and through the panel near where the door wiring connected to the body. I unconnected the door wiring so that I could pull the boot out. I then took the speaker out of the door and reached in and cut a slit in the boot where it enters the door on the inside. I stuck a clothes hanger (best I could find) up through the slit and through the boot and out the top. I attached the wire and pulled it back through into the door.


I'm not sure I like how this turned out. I needed a way for the wire to get through the body and into the boot. I used a small drill and drilled a hole/channel into the connector and fed the wire through. It is not shown in this picture but I had small piece of heat shrink tubing around the wire where it comes close the sharp edge of the body. I'm sure there is a better way to do this.

Removed the mirror.

Disassembled the mirror.

This is what I was really hoping to find when I opened up the mirror. The bottom cover/casing of the mirror assembly has a faint outline of where an oem puddle light would go if it was cut from the factory. It's not great but it's better than blindly cutting into the cover not knowing what the placement should be.

I'm sure there was a better way to cut this hole but it was getting late at night and I was hungry. I used a small drill to drill holes from the inside out then I used a dremel cutting bit to "connect the dots". The plastic is at least 1/8" thick so it was somewhat difficult to cut.

This is how I routed the wires through the mirror and down to the light. Notice the spade connectors are not the correct size but that's all I had and it seems to be a good tight fit on the light.


I'm sorry the pictures are kind of vague. I wish I would have slowed down and taken more during the project. I will take a picture of the final product either tonight or tomorrow. The light works great and exactly as I want. I will probably do the other side this weekend.

 

Man thats alot of work! Good idea sourcing your purpose function and power from the 3rd light, i wouldnt of thought of that.

my observation and thought.
The size of your wire might be overkill. 20 or 22 gauge would be enough ( lights are leds ).
You'd of saved some length of wire by sourcing power from behind the switch.
Probably a good idea to have a female male connection in the door jam connections, even better to pin it into the factory connectors. If ever you need to disconnect to remove the door or replace the mirror assembly. The placement of that wire leaves it exposed to get cut and cause a ground, pulling more juice and causing a fire ( that red wire looks like 12 gauge ).


I almost did something similar with wire placement and after rethinking it, i used a pigtail adapter bought off amazon for the 8 to 22 pin mirror upgrade and used those to add new pins for a proper safer connection

 

Yes, in hindsight I should have used a smaller gauge wire. This stuff was 16 gauge but it did make it easier to feed through things. I'm actually not sure if there were any open pins in the door connector on the driver's side but that would be a really good idea to make that connection. If I get bored someday I will change the connection in that door to something better.

 

Very pleased with how the lights turned out. There are some things I would do differently if I did it again but this accomplished what I needed.

 

That came out great. Props to you