Why is there no cargo light in TJs?

[voodooridr]

Why would Jeep not put some sort of cargo light in the rear of these things? It's a pain to have to walk around, unlock the front door and turn on the pod lights to be able to grab your crap out of the back.
Has anyone found a solution that doesn't look like something from a lite night infomercial?

 

[Ante_Up]

There's a rear cargo light on my hard top... If you have a soft top I suppose you could hide some led light strips under the lip of the tub

 

[Fouledplugs]

Hard tops have a rear cargo light and the Mopar overhead speaker pods on the roll bar have lights that illuminate as soon as you open either the front driver or passenger door.

 

[Nickgsjeep]

Hard tops have a rear cargo light and the Mopar overhead speaker pods on the roll bar have lights that illuminate as soon as you open the either the front driver or passenger door.

Not all hard tops

 

[Fouledplugs]

Not all hard tops

Is it only the 03-06 models?

 

[Bionic_Scorpion]

Is it only the 03-06 models?

No, I have a 2000 Sahara with factory hardtop and it has a rear cargo light.

 

[Ante_Up]

Mine is a 97 and has it as well

 

[AndyG]

Why would Jeep not put some sort of cargo light in the rear of these things? It's a pain to have to walk around, unlock the front door and turn on the pod lights to be able to grab your crap out of the back.
Has anyone found a solution that doesn't look like something from a lite night infomercial?

Hey man it's funny you came up with this.... I picked up a set of truck bed lights tonight... Walmart sells these they come with a little switch that lets the lights come on when you open the hood...I'm going to put it on a bracket and set it up so they come on when I open the tailgate. Also @SamwiseGamJeep just did some nice LED lights under his hood and set up so that the factory light acts as the gravity switch.

 

[LONGJP2]

I added this switch in the rear. It taps into the door switch circuit and turns on the interior lights.

However, the rear seat blocks most of the light, so I added a stick-up light to the roof of the hardtop.

 

[Modoc Guy]

Interested in this cargo light thing. I’ve got an ‘02 with an original hard top and no cargo light.

Perhaps it was an option?

 

[voodooridr]

Mine is an '06 LJ, I don't think it has a lamp in the cargo area (guess I'm going to have to remember to look)
If it has one it obviously needs a new bulb

 

[voodooridr]

I added this switch in the rear. It taps into the door switch circuit and turns on the interior lights.

View attachment 212677

I added that same switch in the bed of my F250 hooked to 8 led pods under the bed rail works great
Those of you with the cargo light, do you have to turn the pod lights on to make it work or can it be switched on independently?

 

[Bionic_Scorpion]

I added that same switch in the bed of my F250 hooked to 8 led pods under the bed rail works great
Those of you with the cargo light, do you have to turn the pod lights on to make it work or can it be switched on independently?

Mine comes on with the pod light when I open the doors or turn the light switch on. It doesn't come on independently.

 

[voodooridr]

Mine comes on with the pod light when I open the doors or turn the light switch on. It doesn't come on independently.

That's what I was afraid of, I would like something that I can turn on independently when grabbing gear and bits out of the back without having the door open or having to go back and turn off the pod lights

 

[Bionic_Scorpion]

I would like to maybe try installing a door jam switch so the interior lights come on when opening the tailgate same as the doors.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W6NVT4/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Has anyone tried something like that?

 

[Fouledplugs]

That's what I was afraid of, I would like something that I can turn on independently when grabbing gear and bits out of the back without having the door open or having to go back and turn off the pod lights

Certain models came with such a switch. All that was required was a simple turn of the multi function switch. You could turn on the interior lights without opening either of the doors.

 

[Fouledplugs]

I would like to maybe try installing a door jam switch so the interior lights come on when opening the tailgate same as the doors.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W6NVT4/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Has anyone tried something like that?

Multiple ways to do it. Id look for something more clean and OEM like, however here is one example.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/tailgate-dome-light-activation-switch.8682/

 

[voodooridr]

Certain models came with such a switch. All that was required was a simple turn of the multi function switch. You could turn on the interior lights without opening either of the doors.

Mine does that, the idea is to not have to go back and turn the light off. Looking to be able to just flip a switch, close the tailgate and go in the house (or close the tailgate and the light goes off)
Or, wire it into a jamb switch so that it will only come on when the gate is open

 

[Bionic_Scorpion]

Multiple ways to do it. Id look for something more clean and OEM like, however is one example.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/tailgate-dome-light-activation-switch.8682/

Thanks for the link. I was thinking something similar but running the wires along the same path as the 3rd brake light wires and use a pin switch in the same location instead of installing it in the door jam.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Mine does that, the idea is to not have to go back and turn the light off. Looking to be able to just flip a switch, close the tailgate and go in the house (or close the tailgate and the light goes off)
Or, wire it into a jamb switch so that it will only come on when the gate is open

See post above.