Illuminated pony Proof of concept.

[Shayne]

700 bucks you have to be kidding me almost like getting a second fob. If it does not make it run better or faster it is not for me but gr8 to see. Keep up with your great imagination.

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[jsteach]

How about 3d printing a channel the shape of the pony and putting the wire is the channel then gluing the piece to the pony?

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Better news. I found the break in the wire, it was before the illuminated part. So I put it back together. And all was well. Replaced the front stripe. Placed the emblem and put it all back together.

Worse news:
The EL apparently draws enough power to cause some weird activity from the right headlight. It doesn’t always turn on. When it does, there is anywhere from 1/2 to 2 second delay over when the left headlight and the emblem come on. And sometimes, just the forward light itself comes on, the horizontal “eyebrow” may not, along with the vertical slit lights between the main beams.

So my next step will be to find a less important power wire under the hood. Maybe @markboris knows of one?

 

[AzCoronaDog]

The EL apparently draws enough power to cause some weird activity from the right headlight.

Are you sure the wires you tapped into are 12v, and not something coming from some intermediate magic box for the headlights?
If it is 12v, perhaps a 12v relay?
Can you measure the amp pull of the EL stuff?
Is there a headlight relay in the MME where you can tap into the trigger wire for a second relay?

 

[markboris]

Rod, you looking to have your pony light up only when the headlights are on or anytime the car is on?

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Better news. I found the break in the wire, it was before the illuminated part. So I put it back together. And all was well. Replaced the front stripe. Placed the emblem and put it all back together.

Worse news:
The EL apparently draws enough power to cause some weird activity from the right headlight. It doesn’t always turn on. When it does, there is anywhere from 1/2 to 2 second delay over when the left headlight and the emblem come on. And sometimes, just the forward light itself comes on, the horizontal “eyebrow” may not, along with the vertical slit lights between the main beams.

So my next step will be to find a less important power wire under the hood. Maybe @markboris knows of one?

I can't believe I'm trying to help here but anyway, if "always on" is okay, would the jump points in the frunk area work? seems like they'd be easy to get to, easy to undo from, and should "just work".

 

[timbop]

Better news. I found the break in the wire, it was before the illuminated part. So I put it back together. And all was well. Replaced the front stripe. Placed the emblem and put it all back together.

Worse news:
The EL apparently draws enough power to cause some weird activity from the right headlight. It doesn’t always turn on. When it does, there is anywhere from 1/2 to 2 second delay over when the left headlight and the emblem come on. And sometimes, just the forward light itself comes on, the horizontal “eyebrow” may not, along with the vertical slit lights between the main beams.

So my next step will be to find a less important power wire under the hood. Maybe @markboris knows of one?

Maybe tap into the foglight?

Oh yeah...

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Rod, you looking to have your pony light up only when the headlights are on or anytime the car is on?

Either would be fine. It’s not very bright, so I had thought to just tap the headlight. but anytime the car is on would work.

 

[markboris]

Either would be fine. It’s not very bright, so I had thought to just tap the headlight. but anytime the car is on would work.

I don't have access to my car for about 12 days because I left it at my parents (3 hours away) and brought them up to my house in their car so I can only go off the wiring diagram for the GT. For the GT illuminated emblem, it shows the ground being the Black/Green wire which you have already attached and the power wire being Brown/Blue coming off the wiring loom at the left front headlamp. There is also a third, control wire that is going to the GT illuminated emblem from the BCM so that leads me to believe there is some circuitry in that emblem. Since I have no car to test that Brown/Blue wire, let me know if you get the proper voltage there to light up your emblem and not cause any other issues. If not, then I will dig deeper.


I’m thinking that power wire supplies voltage all the time the car is on. The wiring diagram states that third control wire from the BCM activates the emblem when the parking lights are turned on.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I don't have access to my car for about 12 days because I left it at my parents (3 hours away) and brought them up to my house in their car so I can only go off the wiring diagram for the GT. For the GT illuminated emblem, it shows the ground being the Black/Green wire which you have already attached and the power wire being Gray/White coming off the wiring loom at the left front headlamp. There is also a third, control wire that is going to the GT illuminated emblem from the BCM so that leads me to believe there is some circuitry in that emblem. Since I have no car to test that Gray/White wire, let me know if you get the proper voltage there to light up your emblem and not cause any other issues. If not, then I will dig deeper.

Thanks so much, Mark. Wiring diagrams aren’t my thing. More into mechanical stuff and human anatomy. I will test the gray/white wire when I get back home on Saturday, I left for work right after I tagged you earlier, and see how that one goes. I’ll let everyone know. Even those that think I’m crazy. (Anyone in that camp can rest assured that I agree with you).

 

[markboris]

I edited that post above with a bit more info. I sure wish I had my car to help you out with this sooner. I don’t like giving you info based off the wiring diagram without me testing it first.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I edited that post above with a bit more info. I sure wish I had my car to help you out with this sooner. I don’t like giving you info based off the wiring diagram without me testing it first.

It’s all good my man. Don’t sweat it. Your wiring diagram info is undoubtedly better than anything I can come up with. I’m a nurse not an electrician and I’m already down this rabbit hole. With what you’ve accomplished with tailgate buttons and subs, any help from you is good help..

 

[markboris]

Rob, I edited that post again and changed the wire for you to tap into to the Brown/Blue wire at the Left headlamp connection. This should be the low beam headlamp wire which would allow your lighted pony to come on when the headlamps are on. I am trying to find a wire for you to tap into when the parking lights come on so that the emblem will light up when the welcome lighting is activated but seems like that is all internal in the headlamp assembly. No exterior wire to tap into. I will keep you posted.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Rob, I edited that post again and changed the wire for you to tap into to the Brown/Blue wire at the Left headlamp connection. This should be the low beam headlamp wire which would allow your lighted pony to come on when the headlamps are on. I am trying to find a wire for you to tap into when the parking lights come on so that the emblem will light up when the welcome lighting is activated but seems like that is all internal in the headlamp assembly. No exterior wire to tap into. I will keep you posted.

I’m excited to get home tomorrow and see if that emblem power wire exists in my non-GT harness.

 

[markboris]

I’m excited to get home tomorrow and see if that emblem power wire exists in my non-GT harness.

Unfortunately it does not. When I had my frunk apart a few months ago working on the sub wiring and front hood release actuator, I saw that there wasn't a free plug meant for the illuminated emblem.

On a side note, I did tap into the actuator that electrically releases the frunk hood but never did connect it to a switch. Reason was, you are able to activate it at anytime and I did not want someone pushing the button while I was driving and having the hood fly open. I am still in search for a power or ground wire that is only energized when the car is in park like the rear hatch wire I connected but still no luck.

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