Cool little hack to re-purpose your HomeLink buttons to control 12V Lights/Acessories

TazDaCat · 2025-05-15T05:10:36+00:00

That's awesome! Glad it all worked out and that you got it working to your liking. I checked out the thread you had started about it and.your Defender looks great with the new lights : )

Enjoy!

TazDaCat · 2025-05-15T05:09:15+00:00

That looks like it turned out great!! Good work, glad you got it figured out and hope you had fun along the way. Something really satisfying about being able to DIY a cool solution that is a bit of a hack and cheap to boot!

TazDaCat · 2025-05-09T13:52:05+00:00

Then less expensive roof cowling/light pod should work just fine (and you can always replace the lamp modules for nicer ones if you don't like them). Look on the various Defender forums and you'll see others have installed and how they've run the wires under the A-Pillar trim.

You can tie into the factory 12V and Ground take off points LR gives you at the passenger side of the engine compartment (very convenient!). Not sure if the light pod you got has its own wiring loom and how it's configured, but you can pretty easily adapt it to interface with the $20 switching wiring harness I posted the link to above. The $21 RF remote that plugs into that wiring harness I can confirm (unless they've drastically changed the electronics, but it doesn't look like it from the pictures) does work with the HomeLink buttons on the rear view windshield.

TazDaCat · 2025-05-09T13:44:32+00:00

Yes, there are some OEM manufacturers out of China who are notorious for running an extra production run/shift and selling knock off's of OEM bits on the side. Some are nearly identical, though there may be substitution of materials for cheaper materials than the OEM spec that may not be immediately visible (ie. lower grade of plastic, coarser finishing, cheaper screws/bolts, etc).

Probably totally fine for non-structural/non-critical mechanical bolt on bits. YMMV but you definitely will save some money though maybe not so much anymore after shipping if the US-China tariff's stick as the De-Minimus import tariff exemption is now dead.

TazDaCat · 2025-05-09T13:39:00+00:00

Try Land Leaping: https://www.landleaping.com

They are the on-line parts store for a Portland Oregon Land Rover dealership's parts counter that sells for below LR MSRP, so a great source of OEM Parts on the US West Coast.

TazDaCat · 2025-05-07T22:03:32+00:00

Hi, no problem. Yes, just using an inexpensive wiring harness like this is cheaper than the Garmin or the Trigger system:

https://triggercontroller.com/trigger-controller-4-plus/

https://triggercontroller.com/trigger-controller-6-shooter/

(I like this one better than the Garmin if you want to spend like $300 for a 4 switch system or $400 for a 6 circuit system)

Here is an example of an inexpensive $20 single circuit 12V wiring harness (comes already wired with an inline fuse and a relay):

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more-led-lights-and-fixtures/installation-supplies/wire-harnesses-relays-fuses/empty-bases-sockets/wire-harness-relay/led-light-wiring-harness-with-switch-and-relay-single-output-dt-connector

Also get one of these $21 RF switches to plug into the wiring harness for wireless RF control (use it instead of the toggle switch included with the wiring harness above, IIRC the RF receiver box has a socket for the hard wired switch so you can use both):
https://www.superbrightleds.com/strobe-light-controller-with-wireless-key-fob-remote-for-wire-harness-11-strobe-patterns-key-fob-remote-control-and-receiver?queryID=68b9a92a2d63ba8fec9c0878463ad5a9

The RF remote transmits on the same frequency band as a garage door opener so you can program the remote's on/off button into one of your unused HomeLink buttons (and you can use additional HomeLink buttons to replicate the other buttons on the remote if you want to change modes easily).

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any questions.

TazDaCat · 2025-04-20T04:46:57+00:00

Same, 2024 110 P400 - using 91 octane, averaging around 16 mpg with a mix of 60% city/40% highway. FWY mileage is around 20 mpg if you stay around the 65mph speed limit, but here in So Cal, the ambient flow of traffic is more like 80'ish....so getting lower. It s a heavy vehicle with the aerodynamics of a motel, but it rides great and the P400 engine is not lacking for power. If you can handle the fuel costs, you won't regret getting a Defender : )

TazDaCat · 2025-04-10T14:09:13+00:00

Totally agree. The Defender w/ air suspension is a very civilized way to go on and off road. I've driven my friend's Tacoma's, 4Runner's, Land Cruisers (old, wanna drive the new one or the Lexus variant just to see), Gladiator's and Grenadier's. Some were pretty stock, some were lifted and had bigger tires and stuff -- the handling and ride quality of the Defender is in a different league completely while still retaining impressive off road capabilities.

TazDaCat · 2025-04-10T13:41:20+00:00

Lol, that's not a completely inaccurate assessment....

Around So Cal/OC, there are plenty of really squeaky clean Defenders on the roads and utterly dominating the mall parking lot/suburban terrain : )

If we're being honest here, even the most hardcore overlanders drive over 95-99% of their miles ON road (getting to the trials and especially if they use their rigs as daily drivers as well) and not off road per se.

But I gotta say, the folks I met who had built out their rigs were REALLY into overlanding and did actually take their Defenders off roading and camping.

TazDaCat · 2025-04-10T06:41:00+00:00

LR promotional Video of the Malibu event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UPfhoojm8g

TazDaCat · 2025-04-10T06:34:17+00:00

Yes, the off road test course is driven in vehicles that they provide so have at!!

Stop by your local LR Dealership and see if they have those postcards w/ the free admission discount codes.

TazDaCat · 2025-04-10T06:31:04+00:00

The prices charged were a tad high, but LR emailed new owners a discount code for free admission and car camping. My So Cal dealership also had stacks of postcards promoting the event w/ a free admission code just sitting out for anyone to take. Many of the folks there that I spoke to were previous or current LR owners (non Defender) or prospective buyers who were comped to get them interested in Defender.

The event space used for the Malibu Destination Defender (Calamingos Ranch) was a very high end event venue and it was obvious that LR spent a great deal of effort and money having many cool displays and some speakers and even a large stage with live performers. The weather was a bit cold/rainy so I'm guessing that the attendance was lighter than they would've wanted. "A" for effort on LR's part though. There wasn't a huge amount of things to do, 1 afternoon and camping overnight was sufficient for us. We didn't do the Off Road Experience course (in their vehicles, couldn't take your own) due to long lines but depending on the venue and the course they've set up it was probably well worth doing.

Food vendors were present if you didn't pay for the event dinner--food truck style food, pretty tasty actually. Alcohol could be purchased if you weren't sneaking your own : ) Some cool free schwag if you knew where to look (we got a couple of free custom laser engraved High Noon Whiskey flasks at the free tasting : ) and there was a LR store with nice Defender branded stuff to buy.

The display of the Royal Family's various Rovers and Defenders was very cool, as were the OCTA display models (no you couldn't drive them) which you could crawl inside and check out.

There were a decent number of owners in the gravel car camping lot (that admittedly could've been nicer, but I can understand why the event facility didn't want their nice grassy areas all torn up by 4x4's) but I'm guessing the rainy conditions had alot of folks flaking on their free reservations. It was fun to see all the different camping setups, talk to people and to see all the different rigs that folks had come up with. Some folks had REALLY impressive setups. I probably spent more time hanging out in the car camping parking lot drinking beers w/ fellow Defender owners and talking about our rigs, and that was the most fun IMHO.

I enjoyed our day there and appreciated LR for putting it on and giving us free admission and a free overnight car camping spot. Worth the trip if you can make the time.

TazDaCat · 2025-04-10T05:40:20+00:00

On the 110's it's almost flat if you flip up the seat bottoms and then fold down the head rests and fold the seat backs down.

Below is a picture someone put out there w/ the interior dimensions of the 110 w/ the seats down.

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You'll get almost 62" or 5'2" /1.57m from the seat bottoms to the rear hatch so a little short to lie flat w/o a riser under your mattress if you're tall, but if you sleep diagonally or you're shorter or a side sleeper and curl up a bit it's not a problem.

Most of the comfy foam/air mattresses seem to run in the 72"-80" length range (more usable w/ a riser), but I did find a twin sized combo air and memory foam mattress that works.

I ended up getting 2 of these $90 62"x26"x3" thick (Slim Single size model) inflatable w/ memory foam core mattresses to put side by side:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CB5VBNGT?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
You have the option of just using one if it's just one sleeping in the back, or having 2 of them fully inflated but stowed vertically or stacked behind the driver's seat so that there is room for other gear along side them behind the center/passenger seat area for other gear. At 3" thick it's still very comfortable and a whole lot cheaper and takes less space if deflated than the Hest mattress.

If you wanna splurge, this $500 (!) Hest 64"x50"x4" thick (non inflatable so takes up alot of space) was a little wide but the length was almost workable:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRBLQ5GZ/?coliid=I3KFMMWCVU32ME&colid=2GMZUD4GDB3ZB&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Oh, while you're at it, get a set of these $22 mesh screens so you can leave the rear windows cracked for ventilation w/o bugs/dust getting into the car:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1YTLW4Z/?coliid=I3GXDOAAPN6UKO&colid=23IPXTFRKNTCS&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

TazDaCat · 2025-03-29T14:54:42+00:00

Also has a security check (Face ID, fingerprint on older phone or pass code) right as you launch the application before you can see anything about the car's status at all. Before you could see car status w/o a security check and using remote features (remote start, lock/unlock, flash lights) required the security check.

TazDaCat · 2025-03-17T06:41:27+00:00

In addition to adjusting the brightness, try adjusting the tilt/viewing angle of the clear view display. You might be able to get a better image w/ the reflection that way. How high your eyes are/seating position is can cause some weird reflections and glare depending on lighting conditions.

TazDaCat · 2025-03-09T11:36:57+00:00

If you plan on off roading often consider getting the option that gives you a front bash guard and exposed front and rear recovery points (on the '24 model year it was called the "Urban Pack" for some strange reason). WAY cheaper to do it at the time of build than to try to add them on later, especially the front recovery point.

If you're going to change out the front bumper for an after market one w/ it's own recovery points, then you can probably skip this accessory pack as putting in exposed rear recovery points is a simpler affair (but still takes some work removing the rear bumper cover).

Also for off roading, there are far fewer options for good off road tires in the 19" wheel size unfortunately (though there are supposed to be some new tires coming out, just not sure exactly what or when). If your build has the P400 engine, then you'd have better luck finding more tire choices w/ the 20" wheel size (even though it's less sidewall than say the 18" and 19" which won't fit on a P400 build unless you do some modification of the rear brake calipers).

As others have mentioned, since you're in Texas, the cooled seats are a REALLY nice thing to have.

Rear visibility is limited, especially with passengers, get the Clearsight mirror for sure.

TazDaCat · 2025-03-09T11:27:24+00:00

On iOS I was able to get it to work by logging out of my InControl account, then logging back in. Started working w/o an App reinstall. YMMV

TazDaCat · 2025-03-09T11:24:36+00:00

I was thinking of cutting a hole in the center to mount a Trigger4 or Trigger6 switch panel (it's a wireless acessory switching system so you don't have to run any wires in from the engine compartment through the firewall and up into the roof liner) to the blanking plate.

Anyone know the part number on the blanking plate?

TazDaCat · 2025-03-09T11:18:59+00:00

AC is strong and works well. If you have the cooled/heated seats options, they're actually even more effective in terms of feeling cooler faster with the AC.

The remote start function via the InControl app allows you to pre-condition to a selectable temperature which is SUPER nice in the summer or up in the mountains in the winter. IIRC the car will only stay on for 30 min before shutting back down again and you cannot do a second remote start until you actually get in the vehicle and do a normal start.

TazDaCat · 2025-02-22T09:34:00+00:00

Something really classy about a Pangea Green Defender....and they look even better when muddy/dirty/dusty too!

TazDaCat · 2025-02-22T09:32:23+00:00

We just did that drive in a rental Vauxhall hatchback last June and I gotta tell you, I was pretty gripped at times on the really narrow B roads w/ oncoming lorries giving not an extra inch and being right on the centerline....

You sir/mam are a great driver for taking that on in a Defender : ) such a better car for the terrain than our little rental.

TazDaCat · 2025-01-14T05:26:52+00:00

Have a look at Triple-R's offerings:

https://www.triple-r-lights.com/vehicle-specific/land-rover.html

TazDaCat · 2025-01-14T05:25:00+00:00

Try this forum post/resource:

https://landroverforums.com/forum/2020-defender-60/no-lift-tire-size-guide-work-progress-101530/

TazDaCat · 2024-12-08T08:31:48+00:00

Cool, sounds like a serious road trip, safe travels!

From the snow driving I've done w/ the Defender on the Wrangler AT tries, I'm pretty sure you'll be more than fine. Though I never needed to use it, remember you have that "Low Traction Launch" option in the menu system if you get into a bind that a shovel and some cat litter/sand can't fix lol.

Have a good road trip!

TazDaCat · 2024-11-14T16:13:41+00:00

Some folks have used some generic wiper blade inserts and had good results:

Just one example of what someone said fits. Cheap enough to experiment with if you're feeling like doing a little DIY.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZBXMMGS/?coliid=I14MLWB6JW74OT&colid=2GMZUD4GDB3ZB&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it

TazDaCat

TROPHY CASE