[prissyrabbit]

OK, just bought my new 2012 Equinox LTZ this past weekend. YAY!! For the most part, I love it so far. The two things I do not like (which I knew about going into the deal) is the fact that the back seats do not fold down flat, and also, I am not sure I am a fan of the two-toned seats. Everyone else seems to love them. So I guess maybe they'll grow on me over time.

Anyway, it didn't dawn on me until the deal was done to look at the ambient lighting. Not that it would have been a deal-breaker anyway, but I was hoping to get a car with the ambient lighting that you can change colors (like the Fords). I am not a fan of Fords, so that is why I did not buy one.

So then I noticed that my nox doesn't have ambient lighting in the footwell. Is it supposed to? It has the courtesy light that turns on in the footwell when you open the doors. But no ambient lighting in the footwells. I can find VERY LITTLE info about the ambient lighting and unless I missed it, I find nothing about it in the manuel either.

So I just called the service department and asked them. I have found a couple of mentionings of the ambient lighting supposedly in the footwell. The guy at the dealer didn't even know. He told me to come up there when the head guy was there during the day. He tried to give me some song and dance about how maybe it is an option you can buy, but it would have to be linked into the computer system for them to work -- yada yada yada. I never saw that offered as an option. Plus why would that be an add-on if the car already comes with some ambient lighting? One article I read said that the LTZ is suppose to have ambient lighting in the footwell.

So, anyone know an answer? Or do you know a site to direct me to so I can look it up? I know it may sound petty, but ambient lighting is one of my "things". I have ambient lighting throughout my house and wanted it in my car as well.

Thanks for any info! I don't know why it is so hard to find info about the ambient lighting on this vehicle!

 

[RIT333]

My '10 LTZ came standard with it. At the very worse, you can install them for about $25, and less than an hour, but I would think it should have them.

Anyone else with a '12 ?

 

[CFRTim]

OP is talking about ambient lighting, not under dash courtesy lights. The purpose of ambient light, in this case, is to provide a dim and pleasant amount of light while driving at night, in an effort to combat eye fatigue. Some car manufacturers provide this in lower areas of the interior, while others believe there is already too much light from the instrument panel (illuminated dashboard area extends a lot in some vehicles). If the amount of light coming from the dash is overwhelming, any ambient light in lower areas would become obsolete. I find my 2011 Nox to have a rather high amount of light coming from the dash; also there is one ambient light in the ceiling, right in front of the courtesy lights.
However, I did find the rear area of the vehicle to be rather dark, and had a hard time keeping an eye on the boy. So I did install ambient lights under the seats, both front and back, that come on/off with the ignition via cigarette lighter. They are blue LED lights, something that will match the rest of the car interior lighting at night.

 

[prissyrabbit]

Correct - I am talking about the ice blue LED lighting. I even tried to search for pics on the net - nothing out there!

 

[CFRTim]

Correct - I am talking about the ice blue LED lighting. I even tried to search for pics on the net - nothing out there!

There is no "factory" solution, so you're gonna have to get creative. Remember, the 3 cigarette plugs in the cabin are ignition controlled.

 

[prissyrabbit]

So does anyone have a 2012? My first question was is there supposed to be ambient lighting in the footwells? I have found a couple of articles that say the LTZ should have ambient lighting in the footwells. So if anyone else has a 2012 LTZ, could you check and let me know if yours has footwell ambient lighting? I would really appreciate it!

 

[CFRTim]

They don't. People confuse ambient light with courtesy lights.
Here is what people are talking about:

http://www.equinoxforum.net/index.php?topic=2683.0

 

[prissyrabbit]

This is what confuses me. I would post the links, but I am still a newbie and the site doesn't let me post links yet

On one site it said this:

"Lighting, interior - With theatre dimming, center-mounted dome, rear cargo area, dual front map lights, ambient lighting on center stack surround, and center console cupholders (Includes ambient lighting on instrument panel, center console, door handle recess, door storage and footwell)"

Another site:

"There are some nice touches. The ice blue ambient lighting is a delightful feature. It's standard on all models, but you get more as you go up the range. Equinox LS models have it on the center stack surround and in the center console cupholders. Equinox LT models add it on the instrument panel and center console, and the Equinox LTZ gets it in the door handle recesses, in the footwells and in the door map pockets. Equinox offers dual-zone automatic climate control, a hard-drive audio system and a dual-screen rear DVD entertainment system. "

And another site:

"Lighting, interior with theatre dimming, center-mounted dome, rear cargo area, dual front map lights, ambient lighting on center stack surround, and center console cupholders (Includes ambient lighting on instrument panel, center console, door handle recess, door storage and footwell.)"



Not sure what to make of that. Also, when I got my Nox, I got home and realized there were no floor mats. So I called and they said they had to order them. I go pick them up the next day and open the boxes when I get home. They gave me the all-weather floor mats. Weren't they supposed to be carpeted floor mats? Not that I am complaining. I think I would rather have the all-weather ones. But I guess I am losing confidence in this dealership. They have "screwed up" a lot of things and information in the handful of times I have dealt with them. When I went to just test drive some of their cars, I seemed to know more than they did about their cars. Of course I had been researching a lot since I had decided I was going to get a new car. But still... when I bought my ex-Pathfinder 12+ years ago, the sales people knew that car inside and out. These guys were stumped at about 85% of all the questions I asked them.

 

[Mochaman]

This is what confuses me. I would post the links, but I am still a newbie and the site doesn't let me post links yet

On one site it said this:

"Lighting, interior - With theatre dimming, center-mounted dome, rear cargo area, dual front map lights, ambient lighting on center stack surround, and center console cupholders (Includes ambient lighting on instrument panel, center console, door handle recess, door storage and footwell)"

Another site:

"There are some nice touches. The ice blue ambient lighting is a delightful feature. It's standard on all models, but you get more as you go up the range. Equinox LS models have it on the center stack surround and in the center console cupholders. Equinox LT models add it on the instrument panel and center console, and the Equinox LTZ gets it in the door handle recesses, in the footwells and in the door map pockets. Equinox offers dual-zone automatic climate control, a hard-drive audio system and a dual-screen rear DVD entertainment system. "

And another site:

"Lighting, interior with theatre dimming, center-mounted dome, rear cargo area, dual front map lights, ambient lighting on center stack surround, and center console cupholders (Includes ambient lighting on instrument panel, center console, door handle recess, door storage and footwell.)"



Not sure what to make of that. Also, when I got my Nox, I got home and realized there were no floor mats. So I called and they said they had to order them. I go pick them up the next day and open the boxes when I get home. They gave me the all-weather floor mats. Weren't they supposed to be carpeted floor mats? Not that I am complaining. I think I would rather have the all-weather ones. But I guess I am losing confidence in this dealership. They have "screwed up" a lot of things and information in the handful of times I have dealt with them. When I went to just test drive some of their cars, I seemed to know more than they did about their cars. Of course I had been researching a lot since I had decided I was going to get a new car. But still... when I bought my ex-Pathfinder 12+ years ago, the sales people new that car inside and out. These guys were stumped at about 85% of all the questions I asked them.

The AW mats are expensive you can get the regular one at the bone yard. They did you a favor there. The "ambient lighting" is just around the "floating center stack" and from above the cup holders. Only the top level cars even got the footwell lights but they can easily be added.Those are not colored but you can get colored LED bulbs to replace them and they do not stay on all the time.

 

[CFRTim]

OP you are right to believe that the LTZ trim has some extra lights, but not all are ambient. The ones in the door are, but the ones in the footwell are just courtesy lights. Since I have the 2LT trim I can't say about the ones in the door, but I did install the ones in the footwell, and they go on/off with the rest of the courtesy lights. Btw, can anyone explain about the ones in the dooor

 

[RIT333]

In the LTZ, there are lights in the armrest that are "ambient lights:. They are are whenever the car is running - not positive about the daytime, but certainly at night - when the headlights are on.

 

[prissyrabbit]

Still wondering if anyone is out there that has a 2012 LTZ to confirm they do or do not have the ice blue ambient lights in the footwells. I noticed that by the courtesy light over each footwell, there are two square holes with nothing in them. What are those for (see pic)?

 

[AMG Eric]

Still wondering if anyone is out there that has a 2012 LTZ to confirm they do or do not have the ice blue ambient lights in the footwells. I noticed that by the courtesy light over each footwell, there are two square holes with nothing in them. What are those for?

ambient is only in the dash, radio console, cup holder and doors. if you want them just tie the power to that circuit and add them.

 

[mdub]

do we know where on the doors the factory ambient lighting is? or, like the footwell lighting, are there prewired locations in the doors to accept the ambient lighting?

 

[CFRTim]

do we know where on the doors the factory ambient lighting is? or, like the footwell lighting, are there prewired locations in the doors to accept the ambient lighting?

Unfortunately I don't think that you can on the non LTZ. Maybe a LTZ owner can post some pics

 

[Wkeatonjr]

do we know where on the doors the factory ambient lighting is? or, like the footwell lighting, are there prewired locations in the doors to accept the ambient lighting?

I would like to add the ambient lighting to the door handles but unsure if the electrical connections are there. The parts are easy to get but I am unsure of the wiring harness.

 

[prissyrabbit]

do we know where on the doors the factory ambient lighting is? or, like the footwell lighting, are there prewired locations in the doors to accept the ambient lighting?

Here is a pic of my door of my 2012 LTZ Nox so you can see where the ambient lighting is in the door. Sorry for the blur. Had to take with no flash, which made the shutter stay open longer. Didn't want to have to go find the tripod, so this is as good as it gets for now.

 

[CFRTim]

Thanks for the pic. I guess non LTZ models don't have anything in that area. Nice touch, too bad it's not standard.

 

[prissyrabbit]

Thanks for the pic. I guess non LTZ models don't have anything in that area. Nice touch, too bad it's not standard.

So where could I get ambient lights that exactly match the blue color of the ones already in the Nox? If I try to add them to my foot wells, I want them to be the same color as all the other ones.

 

[RIT333]

So where could I get ambient lights that exactly match the blue color of the ones already in the Nox? If I try to add them to my foot wells, I want them to be the same color as all the other ones.

You could get the LEDs from the dealer, then they are sure to match.