Honda CR-Z Footwell LED Brightening Modification
Introduction
The CR-Z's footwell (floor) accent LEDs are fitted from the factory on GT/Sport trims in Europe and EX trims in North America, but each footwell LED sits behind a black or dark grey plastic cap that acts as a heavy filter. Because of that filter the blue glow is barely visible, unlike the center cup-holder light, which uses a translucent white cap and reads much brighter. This guide restores the advertised footwell glow by exposing the two footwell LEDs and either opening their dark caps or replacing them with the white cup-holder cap. It applies to the Honda CR-Z (2010-2011 and later), and base models that lack the LEDs still carry the mounting holes so the assemblies can be added. The job costs nothing if you drill the existing caps and typically takes only a few minutes per side. Adapted from a community writeup by YLA on CRZ Forum (https://www.crzforum.com/threads/diy-brighter-floor-lights-for-gt.1037/), including corrections from the follow-up discussion.
Reference
Tools Required
- Plastic trim pry tool (or just fingers)
- Drill with a small bit (around 1/16 in) to start the opening
- Step drill bit (unibit) or a rotary tool with a grinding/stone bit to open the cap
- Soldering iron (optional alternative to drilling)
- Soldering iron and length of wire (optional, only if relocating the driver-side LED)
Parts Required
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None required for the basic modification
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Optional: white cup-holder light assembly cap, Honda part 34760-SZT-003 (approx $15), if replacing the dark cap instead of drilling
Safety Warnings
- ⚠ Drilling risks the bit catching the LED or its wires; go slow, or use a rotary tool or soldering iron to remove only the cap.
- ⚠ Support the LED whenever it is loose, especially on the driver side, so it does not drop into the panel cavity and force a larger teardown.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Confirm the footwell LEDs are present and locate them
Switch on the interior/parking lights (the footwell LEDs are tied into the same circuit and come on with the glove box light) and look into each footwell in the dark. On equipped cars you will see a very faint blue point of light behind a small round dark cap. Base US cars omit the LEDs but retain the mounting holes. If you cannot spot the glow, wave your hand slowly across the lower panels to find where the light falls before you start removing anything.
2 Release the passenger-side lower panel
Grip the black plastic panel beneath the glove box and draw it toward you; the rear (firewall) edge lifts free easily. Then ease the panel downward to release the retaining clips, which sit near the corners roughly 3-5 cm from the edge of the glove box door. Work gently and release one clip at a time so the plastic does not crack. You do not have to drop the whole panel; freeing the clip closest to the door usually gives enough room to reach the LED and its wire.
3 Disconnect and extract the LED
With the LED reachable, press the small locking pin on the connector and slip the wire off the terminal. Then rotate the LED body (about a 45-degree twist) to unseat it from the panel and lift it out. Keep a finger on it so it does not drop; if a footwell LED falls into the cavity you may have to pull the kick panel to retrieve it.
4 Open or replace the dark filter cap
The dark cap is the light-restricting part. Choose one method: drill it by starting a pilot hole with a small bit (around 1/16 in) and enlarging it with a step bit or a rotary tool to roughly 3/8 in, taking the opening as large as possible without weakening the mounting; grind the outer shell away with a rotary tool; or melt a hole through the center with a soldering iron. As an alternative to cutting, pop the translucent white cap off a cup-holder light assembly (Honda part 34760-SZT-003) and fit it in place of the dark one. Keep the cap seated on the LED afterward, since it also carries the LED into the panel.
5 Reinstall the passenger LED and panel
Seat the LED back into its opening and twist it to lock, then push the connector onto the terminal until the pin latches. Refit the lower panel by aligning and pressing the corner clips home and pushing the rear edge back into place. Confirm the light now throws a noticeably wider, brighter pool onto the mat.
6 Access the driver-side LED
The driver-side LED is mounted near the hood-release latch and is reached from the top of that panel rather than by dropping a cover. Rotate the retaining tab at the top of the assembly, then work the light down and off the panel, or simply slide your fingers in from above, twist the LED, and pull it out; on many cars the panel does not need to come off at all. Thin fingers help. Press the connector pin and remove the wire as before. If you drop the LED, the side kick panel pops off in a couple of minutes to recover it.
7 Modify and refit the driver-side LED
The driver-side cap is a dark grey translucent type and faces away from the floor, so opening it yields a smaller gain than the passenger side. Open the cap using the same drilling, grinding, or soldering method, then twist the LED back into place and reconnect the wire. Reverse any panel steps to close everything up.
8 Optional: center the driver-side light
For symmetrical footwell lighting, relocate the driver-side LED to a central position matching the passenger side. Cut the connector off, splice in an extension using an appropriate gauge of wire, and route the LED to the center cutout. Expect this to be the most tedious part of the job, as the factory lead is very short once the connector is removed.
Pro Tips
- 💡 The center cup-holder light already uses a translucent white cap and is the brightest LED from the factory, so it does not need this modification; if you still want more from it, a hole through the white cap removes the remaining diffusion.
- 💡 If you prefer not to cut anything, buy the white cup-holder light cap (Honda part 34760-SZT-003, about $15) and swap it onto the footwell LEDs.
- 💡 A rotary tool or soldering iron only removes cap material, avoiding the risk a drill bit poses of striking the LED or its wiring.
- 💡 Base and some US models omit the footwell LEDs but keep the factory mounting holes, so complete cup-holder light assemblies can be mounted there and wired to the cup-holder light circuit to add the feature.
- 💡 Official Honda access instructions for this LED appear in the Illuminated Door Sill Trim installation sheet, which covers the same panel: http://www.handa-accessories.com/crz/litsill.pdf
- 💡 Consider shaping the opening into a short slit rather than a round hole for a wider, more oval light pool instead of a tight bright circle.
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