[Lunarmonkey]

My ridgeline is slowly transforming into a Pilot... C'mon Honda why do Pilots get all the accessories? I know you want me to buy running boards but not everyone wants those.
I wasn't interested in installing running boards, but did like the idea of the lights they come with. I noticed that the Pilot accessories list just the welcome lights. The instruction's list only the Pilot and Passport. I took a gamble and ordered up the kit. It installs just like the instructions, no need to modify anything on the truck.

Honda Side Welcome Light (Passport, Pilot)

The Honda Side Welcome Light illuminates when your Passport or Pilot is unlocked with key fob or door is opened to provide a luxurious, upscale appearance

www.bernardiparts.com

Kit is pretty basic, 3 lights, hardware, and a harness for each side.

The plastic under pieces on the sides have the spots marked for where to cut to install running boards, these also work for the lights. Easily trimmed with a razor knife. Lights install in pre tapped holes using supplied bolts.

There are 3 "A" lights and 3 "B" lights. The instructions for the Pilot say to install ABA on the driver and BAB on the passenger. When I did this the center lights was totally misaligned. I installed AAA on the driver and BBB on the passenger and things looked like they should.

The wiring runs down the plastic attaching with zip ties. You remove a grommet under the carpet where the floor mat is, and the wiring feeds though, with a new grommet.
Passenger side is visible, Drivers side you need to remove a few pieces of hardware to get inside the plastic shield.

With the kick panels and door sills removed only one clip needs removed to lift up the carpet.

New wiring then routes over to the factory wiring under the sills and up to the dash, where there is an unused connector waiting on each side.

Lights come on anytime the dome light is on, door opened or unlocked with the fob. They light up a pretty large portion of the floor too.

 

[longboat]

Good job @Lunarmonkey!

The Ridgeline running boards only have two lights per side, so you actually have more light with the Pilot kit.

 

[Telemike]

How long an install? Was it difficult running the wires and pulling body panels?

I am planning on maybe doing this

 

[Lunarmonkey]

The Ridgeline running boards only have two lights per side, so you actually have more light with the Pilot kit.

Oh wow I didn't even realize that, that makes it even better. I didn't do any research on them because I knew I wasn't interested. I don't have anything against the running boards, they just weren't for me.

 

[17sport]

Awesome! That looks really nice and bright.

 

[Lunarmonkey]

How long an install? Was it difficult running the wires and pulling body panels?

Install is very simple. Only tools needed are a 10mm and 12mm socket and something to cut the plastic. All interior panels are held on using only clips. I would say total install about 3 hours. As always the second side goes much faster than the first. I'm not sure why, maybe for shipping but the lights are kind of a hobby kit that you have to put together. I did this on my couch while watching TV, only a screwdriver needed.

 

[tphan13]

That looks awesome!!! So correct me if I'm wrong they go in the threaded holes where the Running Boards would install into? So say you have the running boards already, these would not work?

Great work attempting this, @Lunarmonkey

 

[Lunarmonkey]

That looks awesome!!! So correct me if I'm wrong they go in the threaded holes where the Running Boards would install into? So say you have the running boards already, these would not work?

That's correct. From what I can see in the manual each running board bracket attaches at 2 spots. These lights use one of those threaded holes, the outer most, to hold them on. I can only tell you for sure of my experience with no running boards, but I can't see how it would work without modification. I believe the running board bracket needs to go in the same spot that the light is now using.

Here is one more picture taken at dusk, instead of night, that actually shows the truck and how far the light casts.

 

[FerioEH]

😢 I'm go broke if I keep on this forum lol. I've been wanting to do this since my crew cab s10 I did similar.

I think these will work with aftermarket running boards, since the normal OEM ones don't have the gap between.

 

[CentexG2]

Cool mod, thanks for the great post / description.

If nothing else, it's interesting to learn that there's a power-feed connector coordinated to dome-light operation available on each end of the dash - that certainly begs all sorts of DIY mod fantasizing, with or without Honda lighting

 

[Lunarmonkey]

If nothing else, it's interesting to learn that there's a power-feed connector coordinated to dome-light operation available on each end of the dash - that certainly begs all sorts of DIY mod fantasizing, with or without Honda lighting

I totally agree. I also ordered 2 of these harnesses just for that reason

HARNESS, STEP ILLUMINATED

HARNESS, STEP ILLUMINATED

www.bernardiparts.com

I believe the intended use is so that you can connect both the lighted running boards and the illuminated door sills together. Its basically a 18" Y harness that plugs into that factory connector and then gives you 2 outputs. I used one side on the welcome lights and plan to use the other to make some kind of custom interior floor lighting. I think the harness is a good idea for anyone trying to do something custom as Honda put the dash connectors in a terrible spot and the wiring is about 2 inches long.

I got the idea from the thread below.

Easy led footwell lighting

the truck interior is something of a black coal hole for me when i jump into it as mine came with no led lights in the footwells front or rear or below the bench seat in the rear where i have a storage bin. overhead lights are plain awful honda sells separately for ridgeline and pilot a...

www.ridgelineownersclub.com

 

[Telemike]

I totally agree. I also ordered 2 of these harnesses just for that reason

HARNESS, STEP ILLUMINATED

HARNESS, STEP ILLUMINATED

www.bernardiparts.com

I believe the intended use is so that you can connect both the lighted running boards and the illuminated door sills together. Its basically a 18" Y harness that plugs into that factory connector and then gives you 2 outputs. I used one side on the welcome lights and plan to use the other to make some kind of custom interior floor lighting. I think the harness is a good idea for anyone trying to do something custom as Honda put the dash connectors in a terrible spot and the wiring is about 2 inches long.

I got the idea from the thread below.

Easy led footwell lighting

the truck interior is something of a black coal hole for me when i jump into it as mine came with no led lights in the footwells front or rear or below the bench seat in the rear where i have a storage bin. overhead lights are plain awful honda sells separately for ridgeline and pilot a...

www.ridgelineownersclub.com

Could these work with the Ridgeline???

Honda Interior Illumination (Pilot)

The Honda interior illumination adds a custom soft glow of blue light to the foot wells of the driver and passenger’s seat in your Pilot.

www.bernardiparts.com

 

[Itz chucklez]

Another fabulous write up of spending money from @Lunarmonkey 🤣😂🤣 we all should have just bought damn pilots.
great write up man I’ve had rock lights sitting in a box to do this mod I must say I won’t be doing this mod with factory parts but I will connect to those factory connectors eventually

Could these work with the Ridgeline???

Honda Interior Illumination (Pilot)

The Honda interior illumination adds a custom soft glow of blue light to the foot wells of the driver and passenger’s seat in your Pilot.

www.bernardiparts.com

I read somewhere that the factory lights are too dim and they preffered something after market to adjust intensity or colors as they wish. That’s how I did mine. Maximum brightness in pic. I usually dim about halfway. The door handle was also custom with an led

 

[Lunarmonkey]

Could these work with the Ridgeline???

Honda Interior Illumination (Pilot)

The Honda interior illumination adds a custom soft glow of blue light to the foot wells of the driver and passenger’s seat in your Pilot.

www.bernardiparts.com

I think it could technically work as there are spots in all models I believe for the LEDs to mount. My RTL, definitely has the mounts on both sides, Honda just didn't install the lights. I think the biggest problem comes in that there is no wiring or harness to plug into. I have to assume Pilots have this wiring and that's why they sell the kits for pilots. Because of this you would have to run those wires to a source of power when the lights are on. People have done this for installing the cupholder LED lighting. I thought about this but honestly if you are going to go through all the work of running custom wiring, it probably just seems easier and more cost effective to go fully aftermarket like @Itz chucklez did. I don't think you would want to run the footwell lighting off the harness for the welcome lights or they will only be on with the dome light. That Honda light kit seems pretty pricey to me too considering its only 2 LEDS.

 

[Shaqdiesel]

Idk if I’ll do this. Cause of $$$$. But this write up looms ridiculously easy. This one is going to eat at me for a while. Thanks a lot for nothing lunar! Haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lunarmonkey]

Another fabulous write up of spending money from @Lunarmonkey

Idk if I’ll do this. Cause of $$$$. But this write up looms ridiculously easy. This one is going to eat at me for a while. Thanks a lot for nothing lunar! Haha

Hahaha sorry fellas the state of the world has left me little else to do on the weekends. Working on the truck is the only thing keeping me sane.

 

[LeXRidge]

I wonder how often you need to clean the lenses? I love this but how quickly would road dust make them dim?

 

[steven765]

Damnit I find this just after I install the running boards with lights

 

[S35flyer]

Well darn, after the locking tailgate and rear door hacks on my 2019 BE I thought I was done, now I guess not. Great write up, excellent post..thanks I think.

 

[jbp777]

Excellent post. I don’t suppose it would work on a Gen 1 RTL...(?)