brambling

I wonder if the screw holes or wiring for the front dome light is still behind the headliner between the visors. It's kind of loose there. I guess this is how you would do it if you wanted it to look OEM style. From the 2006 Scion xB Repair Manual, Volume 2:

cjastacio

HMMM... Part number?

brambling

It looks identical to the dome light already in it except a section on the side. Somebody here speculated it was for sunroof controls. Other than this drawing, the "Front Room Light" is not in the manual.

I want to install a front dome light, but if there are mounting points already in the roof, I want it to install into them. That means you can't cut a hole in the headliner where you think it looks best. You have to align it to what's already there (assuming there is anything there).

Anybody who took the headliner off remember if there were any screw holes where this drawing has a dome light?

cjastacio

Try to PM Smartass. I know he has a tech article on how to replace the headliner. Just let me know if he has any useable input. I also believe there is someone on this forum who owns a bB in Singapore. You could also check him out.

brambling

I have the Repair Manual, it explains how to take the headliner off. I'm just not ready to do it (chicken). A bB would have the mounting points and wiring already. It would have to be somebody who took the headliner off an xB.

randode

iTrader: (-2)

good news: i have had several headliners out.
bad news: no holes or wiring for a front domelight.

brambling

Thanks for the info. I wonder what the bB front dome light screws into then.

FoDoToaster

Ditto on the no wiring or mounts....but I added in my own from a Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade. Works great and super bright.

cjastacio

FoDoToaster, I would like to see some pics.

FoDoToaster

Sure think. Starting tomorrow, I'm building a new sub box and amp racks ( to cover the rear windows like the Audioformz piece) over the next couple days. I put the light in a little while back when I re-covered my headliner and put in my overhead monitor.

brambling

FoDo, have you put the headliner back in? It would be great if you could take a picture of the area between the visors and above the mirror with the headliner off. Even if there is nothing there.

FoDoToaster

I've got the headliner back in. But where I've cut for the light, there's about 1.5 - 2 inches clearance.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...n/DSCN0351.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20...n/DSCN0350.jpg

brambling

Hmm, it's different location from the drawing. Did you just secure it to the headliner, or does it attach to the roof in some way like the middle light does? I noticed you have a black headliner. So there was nothing at all between the visors and above the rearview mirror mount? I think if I install it like the drawing, without attaching it in some way to the roof, it will sag. Good pics, thanks.

FoDoToaster

The Tahoe domelight doesn't need to be screwed down (or up for that matter). The main housing of the light has a hook or ledge that hold the left side to the headliner. The reflector has the other ledge that pulls the light tight when it's snapped into the housing. It's really not heavy enough to cause any sag. If you try to find a Tahoe light yourself, try to get one with the plug still attached. It took some working to figure out the config of the plug.

brambling

I'm going to be **** about it and try to copy the drawing in the manual as close as possible, which means the same part as the middle dome light, and getting some insight how they connect it to the roof on the bB.

I don't really want to do it right now, so I have time to be this way.

Orataro

Funny, doesn't everyone's look like that?

brambling

That's the way! How well did the install go? Is it screwed into the roof like the center dome light?

Orataro

One of my first mods. Found it to be pretty easy but I chose to place a metal plate to sercure the lamp housing. Getting the metal plate into place was the hardest part for me. I didn't want to remove the headliner so I made a whole large enough for the plate.

I then ran a piece of phone wire with six wires in it. If I recall, I had to use four of the six wires. I then wired it to the center dome light in the same order of the dome light. Being the dome light works like a three way switch (On, Door, Off) you'll need to run a ground wire for each connection. I have another dome light for the rear cargo area but never got around to installing it.

The dome lights were bought from the dealer at a cost of $18.00 ea. if I recall. It makes loads of a differance and I'm very happy with it.

brambling

So the metal plate secures it to the headliner and it's not attached to the roof? It seems like it needs something there to remove some looseness.

I'm going to find out how the bB attaches and try to copy it.

I have an idea with a rubber block glued to the roof, with some screw holes drilled in it to attach the light holder, but we'll see.

Can't it just be ran in parallel to the center dome light? I seem to recall 3 connections off the dome light in the repair manual, power, ground, and variable ground.

TenaciousJDD

I didn't remove my headliner, but when I had my sunroof put in the installer moved my dome light there. He said it was a perfect place for the light.