Passenger footwell light / Interior light fade-out (1996, Targa)

[Ron1999]

Post-search questions:
1. My car came in with a module hanging with zip ties right under the glove box. My question is - since the driver's side foot well has a nice little light down there, does the passenger side also has one and mine is just missing?

2. on a related topic -my driver's foot well light has this nice dimmer / delayed-fade-out while the interior lights of the car just turn off when the doors are shut. did anyone tried to add a delayed fade to the main cabin lights?

* bonus question - any other Honda/Acura models we can borrow interior lights from? Legend? Odyssey? Civic? i really like that modern "Fade out"

 

[ofdlt10]

if i remember correctly, the zip tied passenger module is for the factory alarm.
that's how mine was when i added the oem alarm

 

[Ron1999]

The module that hangs with zip ties is a big aluminum piece with a strange text "sporty mindset for life" or something, kind of looks like a DME, but it is not.
I shoved it somewhere and its ok.

So no lights for the passenger foot well?

 

[Old Guy]

You did not specify the model year which is always important. As a TLA DME has multiple meanings so you would need to elaborate on that.

No passenger side footwell lights on my 2000. The 'sporting mindset for life' or something like that appears on a number of things in the NSX. That suggests that your module might be an OEM part. I don't know whether the sporting mindset appeared on other Honda vehicles or just the NSX

On my 2000, the Acura keyless entry system is not mill finish aluminum; but, black (krinkle finish I think) and does not have that mindset sticker. On my 2000, the keyless unit is an Acura retro fit accessory and because of the passenger airbag it actually sits exposed (probably the reason it is black) and attached with clips and screws to the trim panel below the glove box. No plastic zip ties. Starting with the 2002 model year the NSX got a factory installed keyless entry system that was integrated with the alarm system. I can't comment on whether that was one module or two because I do not have the electrical trouble shooting manuals for a 2002+.

If somebody broke the original retaining clips for the keyless unit they might have attached it with zip ties. But, the Acura accessory unit is black. Some people have retrofit security units with keyless functionality to the car and may have used zip ties to fasten it below the glove box and those units might be mill finish aluminum. Is there a part number on the module? If so, a Google search would probably confirm what it is.

 

[Ron1999]

Thanks for the comment, updated with year and model.
So no pass footwell light. I guess I'll just need to add one myself

 

[drew]

Pictures would help.


The OEM Keyless Entry System (KES) made by Kenwood, is a metal box that is powder coated black (kinda brown). It should be bolted (10mm heads) to the under dash panel.

The body side KES connector integrated with the Security Control Unit for year model 1993-2005. In 1991-1992 year model, the SCU required overt additional connections. JDM year models are N-1.

***

The SCU monitors the door switches...and therefore the courtesy lights. I recommend fully rerouting the wires for the overhead courtesy light or adding in diodes so the SCU/KES work properly.

The KA5 Legend seems to have the most in common with the NSX. There are a few parts bin scraps in the Prelude (BB? BA?), Del Sol, and Accord.

 

[NSX Driver 14]

Post-search questions:
1. My car came in with a module hanging with zip ties right under the glove box. My question is - since the driver's side foot well has a nice little light down there, does the passenger side also has one and mine is just missing?

2. on a related topic -my driver's foot well light has this nice dimmer / delayed-fade-out while the interior lights of the car just turn off when the doors are shut. did anyone tried to add a delayed fade to the main cabin lights?

* bonus question - any other Honda/Acura models we can borrow interior lights from? Legend? Odyssey? Civic? i really like that modern "Fade out"

Regarding the passenger foot-well lighting ... I believe my (1995) NSX came with the drivers side only. I'd love to have a passenger foot-well light ... and one that fades out. I think it should be a simple upgrade/mod by adding a second light on the right side wired in parallel to the left. I don't want a seperate module controlling the right side because they would not (likely) be in synch. So, I just have to find a simple under dash 12v light assembly with a lens (so toes don't kick or damage it); an Acura OEM part or other should work. I've already changed the drivers foot-well light bulb to an LED - simple and works great.

I'd like to get the interior dome light to fade out as well - will add that to the list. That might benefit from an existing (Acura/Honda) OEM part. Has anyone done anything like that? If so, what parts work best?

But these are low(er) on my NSX Upgrade list. I recently finished my DRL (Daytime Running Light) mod/upgrade. It was a very satisfying project and keeps the OEM look. It was a fun project that took an effort, but well worth it. And it's sweet they way it looks and functions.

Next up is adding sound deadening to the cabin. Maybe my hearing is going (a good chance of that), but I believe there is too much road noise drowning out the stereo and conversation ... and that's with the targa roof on.

 

[Ron1999]

Funny that you're bringing up all these topics -
I too just got my Targa not too long ago, and last weekend my project was exactly that - sound deadening the car.

I did not document the process, but what i did was the following:
1. took the seats out
2. took of the firewall covers - center piece, behind the seats and the top cover
3. removed the armrest

For the floor of the car - i got floor insulation from Acura RL, cut it to fit under the floor carpet and just placed it there before re-installing the carpet.
Note that you dont need to do this for all the floor but only on the parts where the stock carpet doesnt have padding.

For the firewall -
1. Using speakers foam i basically plugged / filled every cavity or large voids that exists there, not making it too dense but plugging and filling these voids (make sure you're using fire-proof / fire retardant material)
2. on the back covers - the two large pieces, i glued the same insulation material i got from Acura, it's about 10mm thick and it does not interrupt with the mounting of the pieces.

Once everything was installed, i think the noise level in the car dropped by 20-30%.

As for the passenger foot well light - i got a recessed light from an LS400 trunk, it mounts flush to a surface, just need to find a right location on the NSX for it.

As for adding fade to the dome light - still on my list, haven't figured it out yet.

 

[Old Guy]

Interesting note about the floor under the seats. I installed 3M acoustic on the firewall and all the accessible cavities on the back firewall; but, I did nothing on the floor. I did the rear firewall because it was easy to do as an experiment. However, I found that it had almost no perceptible impact on road noise transmitted into the cabin. Perhaps the floor pan is the more significant contributor to road noise in the cabin?

The 3M acoustic is a straight noise absorber. Looks almost exactly like 3M thinsulate and cannot be used under carpets because it compresses. What does the floor insulation that you got from the Acura RL look like? A dense foam decoupler with or without a mass loaded vinyl layer?

 

[Ron1999]

The insulation i used on the floor under the floor carpet looked a lot like the insulation that is glued to the underside of the trunk carpet (and also can be found above the factory subwoofer location)
It's like a dense lint almost.
Main difference from the trunk material was that it is almost twice as thick.

As for the reasoning behind focusing on the floor is just many youtube videos / several articles i've read who suggested that the wheel-wells and the floor are the most significant contributors to NVH and road noise.
An additional point of reference was comparing the thickness and sturcture of my BMW M5 to what is in the NSX - it is almost 4 times as thick, counting the top carpet and the insulation backing.

the firewall will mostly block / isolate the engine noise from the cabin.

 

[docjohn]

Having post menopausal targa seals can also increase noise

 

[Old Guy]

Having post menopausal targa seals can also increase noise

I have the targa; but, it is not the gaskets that are the major source of the wind noise. It is the air spilling over the lower part of the A pillar and the back edge of the side windows at the top along the B pillar. That problem is baked into the design because those surfaces are not flush. I used some butyl putty to create fillers for those gaps which greatly reduced the noise; but, the butyl putty is not pleasing to look at and is easily deformed. I have thought about fabricating a filler piece using 3D printing in some black material; but, getting the dimensions of the filler piece into a file is a bit of a challenge. A previous owner had adjusted the windows so that they pressed tighter against the gaskets which made the glass even more non-flush which I think has contributed to increased noise.

As for the reasoning behind focusing on the floor is just many youtube videos / several articles i've read who suggested that the wheel-wells and the floor are the most significant contributors to NVH and road noise.
An additional point of reference was comparing the thickness and sturcture of my BMW M5 to what is in the NSX - it is almost 4 times as thick, counting the top carpet and the insulation backing.

the firewall will mostly block / isolate the engine noise from the cabin.

I did the rear firewall because it was easy and it gave me limited access to the rear wheel arches and I was hoping that would help in reducing road noise. If I am driving into a headwind, between the combination of wind noise and road noise from the rear tires I can barely hear the engine. If I am driving on what they call pop corn mix asphalt it is just a roar inside the car.

I have a 2021 Audi A4 and it has a very thick one piece molded tub of some sort of foam under the carpet so I am familiar with what your M5 might have. Space under the seats rules that out as an option. I don't recall anything under the trunk carpet and I have never messed with the subwoofer; but, I will have to go look.

The material I was thinking of was a heavy foam with a dense vinyl covering which is a little more like what appears to be in my Audi, just that the Audi has a really thick layer.

 

[Ron1999]

I have the targe; but, it is not the gaskets that are the major source of the wind noise. It is the air spilling over the lower part of the A pillar and the back edge of the side windows at the top along the B pillar. That problem is baked into the design because those surfaces are not flush.

This!!

i was trying to pin point that wind noise (now that my car is pretty quiet) and i think you've just figured it out for me.
And same thing here - my targa rubber looks pretty fresh, and even got some shin-itzo treatment a couple of weeks ago (as i was doing it anyway on my S2K)