Step Light - Puddle Light Install Log

[thesavo]

Caution. These directions may be incomplete. The normal Disclaimer applies. You break your car, it's on you.


Step Light - Few people call them that. The Subaru Wiring Manual Call it that. I will be calling them the colloquial Puddle Lights.

This is my build log for installing Puddle Lights in my 2004 BH. I have a USDM 2004 Model Year, Legacy Wagon L-S 35th Anniversary Edition. To assist the Subaru Aricalogists of 2514. It has Dual Moon Roofs (single Switch) Single bulb Head lights and no Cold Weather Package.

The only build log I could find was Grimmrican's Post Here

Tools:
-Trim Panel Tools
- #2 Philips Screw Driver.
- 10mm Socket and Wrench (optional)

So tonight I started my exploratory.

• I removed the Glove-box, which may have been unnecessary, yet made it extremely easier to work. [/*:m:3kawywew]
• I removed the Passenger door Scuff Plate. This is annotated in the Service Mannual as the Pillar Lower Panel.[/*:m:3kawywew]
• I Disconnected the connectors in this area to find the door connector. [/*:m:3kawywew]
• Examined the door connector for compatible pins. [/*:m:3kawywew]

1. Start by removing Snifter Garnish. Using a Trim tool Pry up on the front, while pulling forward. Note that there are nipples in top corner towards the pocket that easily break.


2. Remove the passenger side Philips screw in the corner of the coin pocket.


3. Remove the the plastic screw on the the lower left Center panel side. This will need to move out of the way when the glove-box is partially removed. It covers the final screw.


4. Paritally dislodge the Lower left center panel side.

5. Lower the Glove-Box out of the metal stoppers, by Pulling in on both sides of the glove box.
6. Remove the screws around the glove box.


7. Disconnect the glove-box Light.


Remove Passenger side door Scuff Plate. (Lower Trim panel) (front pillar lower trim)

1. Using a forked trim tool, pry out both christmas-tree plugs.


2. Pull up along the length of the panel to dislodge it from the 4 hook prawls.
3. Disconnect the 5 connectors Behind the scuff plate.
4. Using trim panel tools, remove white christmas-tree plug.
5. Reach in and withdraw the Door connector.

[thesavo]

Connectors in Subaru land Come in the Form of AXXx - A single letter Followed by a two or three digit number. The single letter represents the the wiring harness it is attached to. Subaru and other Asian wiring manuals will also refer some of them as Cords. ie door cords, roof cords, transmission cords. Yes some are called wiring harnesses. ie Bulkhead wiring harness,

• B - Bulkhead wiring harness. Interior body connectors, forward of the back doors. This also encompasses the engine room. [/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• R - Rear Wiring Harness. interior body connectors, starting at and behind the back doors. This does include the Sedan Trunk/Deck Lid. This does also include the roof line.[/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• F - Front end. Connectors at the front bumpers and fenders. This does not include engine connectors. See (Bulkhead).[/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• i - Instrument Panel Wiring Harness - Dash board. To eliminate confusion, the 'i' is the only one that is written as a lowercase letter. [/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• E - Engine Harness.[/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• T - Transmission Cord.[/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• D - Door Cords. All doors Including the wagon gate.[/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• AB - Airbag wiring harness. Airbags, not matter where they are located. [/*:m:21g0ifu0]

When a connector of harness or cords mates with another, they will be written as B101/D11. Body # 101 and Door 11. In this case. this is the Bulkhead harness mating with the the Front passenger door cord.

Connectors that you will be involved with are .

• B101/D11 - Front Right (passenger door)
  [/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• B30/D1 - Front Left (Drivers door)[/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• B280 - Integrated module
  [/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• D20 - Front Right Step Light[/*:m:21g0ifu0]
• D10 - Front Left Step Light[/*:m:21g0ifu0]

The B101 connector on mine, already has the pins and wires run. D11 on the other hand does not. This tells me that all I should need is some wire, the light fixturesm, and the necessary pins for D11, and I ru

[thesavo]

Spot Reserved for updates.
I found one of the Wagon Gate Diodes. R30. It was under the Passengers sill plate.
Removing it didn't have any effect on room light or the door ajar light on the cluster. So it must be, there are few other diodes in this area. This must be what I am looking for when I find the Key warning diode. B34. R30 doesn't have any bearing on this project, but neat that it has been found.






Here I think I found the Key Warning Diode B34. I think I'll do some tests and trust that it's there. This is behind the glove Compartment.

[thesavo]

Reserved for updates.

I made it to the salvage yard a few weeks ago. I really removed a door wiring harness from a BE/BH. I managed to extricate the pair of wires from it. I now have factory wire set for one door.

Due time constraints, I wasn't able to get the passenger side.

[thesavo]

Diagrams

Modified interior compartment diagram. I removed everything but the step light circuits, and merged in the 2nd page. I visually compared it to the separate 'pick up' diagram. Baja also applies.

[yaya]

Subscribed. I have a set, half installed, need to know how to wire them up.

[thesavo]

So far, using my car as an example, you only need the two wires for the door. They seem to have the door trigger and power wires run up to that point. I still have to check the integrated module for a power wire. It doesn't stop any any connectors along the way. It's a good chance it's there too.

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[rkrenicki]

From what I was seeing on grims car, he was likely missing a diode on the bulkhead harness somewhere under the blower motor to make his work. At least, that was the explanation I came up with for it not working.

Then again, his car does not have an integrated module like the 2003 and 2004 cars do.

I can tell you for a fact that there is only two versions of the integrated module. One for AT and one for MT. All of the modules are capable of driving the puddle lights.

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[thesavo]

So it would seem to be that this guide would apply to 2003-2004 USDM. See post 5. I just uploaded a modified diagram.
The diode bit only applies to the drivers side. There's isn't one for the passenger side.

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[Grimmrican]

Subbed

[rkrenicki]

Grimm: You never did try the passenger side, did you? Only the drivers side harness was swapped..

As for the 03-04, there is no difference between the MT and AT when it comes to this. The MT module is the same as the AT except that it does not contain the Shift Lock circuitry. From the lighting perspective it is identical.

[thesavo]

Also note that there isn't an integrated module USDM pre MY2003. Then you are looking for power at the interior 'fuse and relay box'

Connector B52 pin 6.
7 pin white/natural color connector at the interior fuse box. Blue/red wire. It powers a lot, so it will be there. It's spliced then runs to various lights and modules. It doesn't land in a connector until the door bulkhead connectors. So, in theory it should be wired up to the doors for you lot.
So you should have to only wire up the doors, and possibly needing a drivers side diode.

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[Grimmrican]

I didn't install the passenger side yet but I did test to see if it worked by plugging it in and had no response.

[thesavo]

My 2004 BH is factory ready for puddle lights. All the way up to the door, any way. Here are shots of B101 and B30. The doors need the appropriate pins and I will able to wire them up.

I'll update this post with more.

Meter on passenger side.


Meter with door ajar switch pushed in.




@grim
I think I found the drivers key warning diode. By the name, it should be there.

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[Grimmrican]

Sweet lmk

[thesavo]

I found the drivers diode. I updated post 3 about it. It should be installed. Trouble is, it's behind the heater box.

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[radu416]

So do cars without the factory step light have the B34 diode pre-installed?