'12 Prius Two Footwell Lighting

If you are up for experimentation (or a wait), exLED USA makes a footwell controller with LED strips here: LED Control Modules :: exLED LED Foot Lamp Control Module + x2 7000k Samsung LED Bars - exLEDusa, beyond the limit for $35. The unit lights fully with the door switches and lights dimly with the Park/Tail lights (which matches the overhead gear selector LED)

I thought the strips would be way too bright but I did notice when I got them that the strips can be cut into 2 or 3-LED pieces. However I was "smarter" than that and found some cool LEDS from another source here: Tiny Prewired Super Bright Surface Mount LEDs - 12V DIY Plug and Play SMT LED. These are easy to mount and come in many colors. I mounted them beside the holes for the factory LEDs already in the footwell covers and also mounted 2 under the console "flying buttress" to illuminate the lower tray. I even added 2 separate pots to control the light levels for the footwells and the tray (since I was doing the work in the day and had no idea how bright they would be at night). I was very pleased with the result.

HOWEVER, several weeks later I had the doors open for a long time working on my mirrors and suddenly smelled the unmistakable odor of burning fiberglass. I de-powered everything I could find and noticed a melt mark on the edge of the exLED module. I eventually tore it apart and it looks like a power transistor fried and took the circuit board with it. SO, I have ordered another light package (this is getting expensive for 4 LEDS!) and THIS time I will put my ammeter on the original light strips, the cut light strips and Oznium LEDs and see just how much current each is drawing. I cannot believe that the 4 Oznium LEDs are drawing more current than the supplied LED strips but I am not going to burn another one of these. I will also re-check all my wiring but I don't think it would have lasted 3 weeks if the wiring was wrong. I may have to series/parallel the LEDs to get the current right and then play with the pots for adequate illumination. I intended to write up the project but it needs to work first! Rev 2 of the module is expected next week (it takes a while to ship to Canada). Weahter may also delay this as it is getting close to freezing here now and I have no indoor place to work at the moment.

The other item to check, if you can, is connector 2B Pins 17 and 18 - blue wires. These are the footwell contol pins from the ECU. Those pins drive to ground to light the OEM LEDs, which are connected to permanent +12v. Unfortunately that connector is on the back of the ECU and you need to remove the ECU assembly to get at it. I have not read of anyone successfully doing that in order to tap the wiring, or if the wiring is even there on cars not equipped with footwell lights. If they are there, if they work and if you can get at them, then you can get the Lexus footwell LEDs that other posters have mentioned as direct replacements or use something like the Oznium LEDs.