Bed Lights

[machstell]

Prior post said 30 seconds, unless you leave a cab door open. Who wants to do that?
When I want them on, I want them on.
I can see a shut-off timer because of the bed cover - you'd leave them on and forget and come back to a low battery. But anything less than several minutes is silly.

My 2020 Gladiator Overland has the following:

1. Bed lights on with door open- 30 seconds
2. Manually pressing "Bed Light" button (below fog light) - Lights on for 80 seconds
3. Pressing "unlock" button on remote key fob - Lights on for 80 seconds

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[IWantAJeepGladiator]

So I found the answers from the guys from Axleboy who did my Rhino bed liner. For anyone else:

There is a small NOTCH on top of the crystal plastic portion. Take a med width, thin flat head screwdriver and press straight down. About 2-3mm back from "front face", There is a single molded rendition clip that is part of the assembly. Simply PRESS DOWN gently (2-3mm movement) with front blade of flat head (do not try to "Pry Out). The top will come out, then the bottom. There is no clip on the bottom - its just tensioned in there with a plastic tab. I will try to include photos later today.

Any luck with photos?

 

[GladiTater]

Well, i was hoping this would have had a correct answer by now. Guys, the bed light is below the fog light. If it has a timer, i havent noticed it because i kept it on for a bit last night. The reason your lights aren't turning on: next to the button there are 2 dimmer wheels. One the right one dims your display. The LEFT dims your bed light. You need to have it turned up for the bed light button to work.

 

[BT911]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen so far with my Gladiator. Is there one good reason why the bed lights don’t come on when the tailgate is opened?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Is there one good reason why the bed lights don’t come on when the tailgate is opened?

Yes - they didn't wire it that way. ;-)

 

[BT911]

Yes - they didn't wire it that way. ;-)

I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised by this

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised by this

Well, you asked for a reason the bed lights didn't come on..........
Anyway, only one "theory" and that's all there is - it would mean a different approach to wiring the rear of the truck. At this point there's no raw, live power back there (unless the outlets are hot at all times and this I don't know if they are hot, or switched in some way)
So unless the outlets in the bed, if you have that option, are wired lived, then there's no hot wire back there. It's cold unless or until you have a door open or the bed lights are on otherwise.
You'd either need to feed the lights at all times and ground them through a tailgate switch, or switch the hot lead to the lights (not likely - it would mean two wires carrying power to a switch at the tail gate, not just one) - grounding the lights through a tailgate switch means one wire - and it would not be carrying anything other than power after going through the lights, not a bad thing should a wire be compromised.
Likely money, and resisting having power run to the rear of the truck (to the lights, or to a switch) as of now, the lights don't have power all the time, just sometimes.
They'd also want to monitor them as if someone left the tailgate down for any reason, the lights would remain on and be a draw on the battery. Now, they shut off, conserving battery power.
Complexity and money - but I do look for a change in an upcoming model year if not sooner.
Even the sales guy was scratching his head not sure why they did it this way. And he went to a class on these trucks when they were first released and he said he was TOLD in training they'd turn on with a push of the light itself!
So it was apparently originally in the specs to push on the light and it would come on. He kept trying - then decided and said - nope, they must have changed something.

 

[BAT]

Well, you asked for a reason the bed lights didn't come on..........
Anyway, only one "theory" and that's all there is - it would mean a different approach to wiring the rear of the truck. At this point there's no raw, live power back there (unless the outlets are hot at all times and this I don't know if they are hot, or switched in some way)
So unless the outlets in the bed, if you have that option, are wired lived, then there's no hot wire back there. It's cold unless or until you have a door open or the bed lights are on otherwise.
You'd either need to feed the lights at all times and ground them through a tailgate switch, or switch the hot lead to the lights (not likely - it would mean two wires carrying power to a switch at the tail gate, not just one) - grounding the lights through a tailgate switch means one wire - and it would not be carrying anything other than power after going through the lights, not a bad thing should a wire be compromised.
Likely money, and resisting having power run to the rear of the truck (to the lights, or to a switch) as of now, the lights don't have power all the time, just sometimes.
They'd also want to monitor them as if someone left the tailgate down for any reason, the lights would remain on and be a draw on the battery. Now, they shut off, conserving battery power.
Complexity and money - but I do look for a change in an upcoming model year if not sooner.
Even the sales guy was scratching his head not sure why they did it this way. And he went to a class on these trucks when they were first released and he said he was TOLD in training they'd turn on with a push of the light itself!
So it was apparently originally in the specs to push on the light and it would come on. He kept trying - then decided and said - nope, they must have changed something.

That would have been nice push the light to have it come on. I think I would like that more than them just coming on when opening the tailgate or a switch back there to turn them on

 

[JTBurns]

Well, i was hoping this would have had a correct answer by now. Guys, the bed light is below the fog light. If it has a timer, i havent noticed it because i kept it on for a bit last night. The reason your lights aren't turning on: next to the button there are 2 dimmer wheels. One the right one dims your display. The LEFT dims your bed light. You need to have it turned up for the bed light button to work.

Now I FINALLY know what that knob to the left is for!

 

[Higher_Ground]

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's not what the knob is for though. That knob controls the "ambient" lighting from the foot well in higher trim levels (there's 2 lights in higher trims, one light in lower trims that doesn't dim). It also controls a little led in door that's nearly imperceptible. It's more or less there just to confuse you.

I still wish the interior dome lights were controlled by the classic three position switch instead of the current setup.

 

[Gvsukids]

Now I FINALLY know what that knob to the left is for!

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's not what the knob is for though. That knob controls the "ambient" lighting from the foot well in higher trim levels (there's 2 lights in higher trims, one light in lower trims that doesn't dim). It also controls a little led in door that's nearly imperceptible. It's more or less there just to confuse you.

I still wish the interior dome lights were controlled by the classic three position switch instead of the current setup.

Page 48 in the owners manual.

 

[machstell]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen so far with my Gladiator. Is there one good reason why the bed lights don’t come on when the tailgate is opened?

Reference my previous post: My 2020 Overland bed lights come on when:
1. doors are unlocked with keyfob
2. any door is opened, including the tailgate
3. when the in-cab button is pressed;

I'm not sure whats going on with others in this forum on bed lights; but mine work great, when I need them. The only knock I have is that you can't just "turn them on" - like really on. They only remain on for about 80 seconds at a time.

My DIY mod just vampire tapped into existing lights wiring in order to power "whole bed" LED lighting strip. Its pretty frikkin bright when out camping..... for 80 seconds at least.

cheers.

 

[unsocbl]

I have these placed next to the factory bed lights. I deer hunt alot and it only took once trying to load 2 deer up in the pitch black with the factory lights. I'll be looking for something more useful/permanent shortly (probably LED strips under the bedrails with a switch in the bed).

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-...efix=battery+operated+led,aps,290&sr=8-8&th=1

 

[homerun]

Can the bed lights time out time be adjusted with a tazer or similar programer?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Reference my previous post: My 2020 Overland bed lights come on when:
1. doors are unlocked with keyfob
2. any door is opened, including the tailgate
3. when the in-cab button is pressed;

I'm not sure whats going on with others in this forum on bed lights; but mine work great, when I need them. The only knock I have is that you can't just "turn them on" - like really on. They only remain on for about 80 seconds at a time.

My DIY mod just vampire tapped into existing lights wiring in order to power "whole bed" LED lighting strip. Its pretty frikkin bright when out camping..... for 80 seconds at least.

cheers.

You are missing the point - they time out and turn off after a painfully short time. Get home in the dark with a bunch of stuff, open the tailgate and take more than a minute and some change to get stuff out and you have to open a door to turn them on again, or use the button on the dash. A royal pain.
The original plan according to the dealer I bought from was to be able to push the light lens and turn them on. They did not do that.
If you like them being on for such a painfully short time, great, but most of us don't, and it's a pain to have to leave a door open or go to the dash to press a button.

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