How To Install An Illuminated Emblem
Illuminated emblems are a fun way to personalize your vehicle. If you're interested in installing one on your vehicle, you may be wondering if it's an easy upgrade you can do at home.
The answer is yes. It's a relatively easy upgrade, but you need to know what you're doing. It helps to have some wiring experience. If you're not sure if this is a project you can tackle on your own, here's a general overview of how it's done.
Finding An Illuminated Emblem
First, you need to decide what kind of illuminated emblem you want, and where you want it. Do you want it on the front of your vehicle, on the rear, or on the side? What design do you want, and what color do you want? There are many different designs and colors out there.
There are even OEM illuminated emblems! It's actually better to buy an OEM illuminated emblem than an aftermarket one. It's because:
- OEM illuminated emblems always come with the correct dimensions. This makes installation easy.
- Automakers use high quality materials when building their illuminated emblems. Aftermarket manufacturers don't always use quality materials.
- OEM illuminated emblems are compatible with your vehicle's electrical system. Aftermarket emblems aren't always compatible with a vehicle's electrical system. Expect electrical issues to crop up with aftermarket illuminated emblems sooner or later.
We carry OEM illuminated emblems for a variety of makes and models. Here are a couple of our best sellers:
Look up your make and model on our site to see if we carry OEM illuminated emblems made for your vehicle. Once you have your replacement illuminated emblem, it's time to remove the existing emblem.
Removing The Existing Emblem
Image Credit: GMCFullSize
If you're replacing an emblem with an illuminated one, you need to remove it first. Emblems are affixed to the vehicle in several different ways:
- Some emblems are glued on
- Some emblems are screwed on
- Some emblems are snapped on
Most emblems are glued on. To remove a glued on emblem, take the following steps:
- With a heat gun, make a couple passes over the emblem. This softens the glue to make removal easier. Do not let the heat gun sit in one place.
- Carefully use a plastic wedge to pry off the emblem. Do not use a screwdriver or anything sharp. These tools will scratch the paint.
- When the emblem is off, remove any remaining glue. An adhesive remover will make this step much easier.
Installing The New Illuminated Emblem
With the old emblem off, you can now install the new illuminated emblem. The trickiest part here is the wiring. Each make and model has its own wiring system. Here's an overview of the wiring process:
- Find access to the wiring system through the emblem area. If the emblem is on the trunk, there may be holes already present. You may need to remove the interior lining to access the wiring.
- Route the wires to where the emblem will be. You may need to install new wiring.
- Tap the wiring to a power source. Figure out how you want your emblem illuminated. Do you want it on all the time, like your license plate light? If so, find the power source for the license plate light and then tap into it for the emblem light. (Be sure to connect the red wire to the positive wire and the black wire to a negative wire - or directly to ground).
- Make sure the illuminated emblem has power.
- Install the illuminated emblem on the vehicle.
The wiring can be tricky, so you need to make sure you know what you're doing first. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of handling the wiring in your vehicle, have a professional handle the installation.