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I dunno about that. Most vehicles that don't have every single feature have blank plates and so forth, and a genuine factory switch of some kind can be adapted to control an aftermarket feature. I've done exactly that on a couple of vehicles - put rear air springs in an Odyssey and used a factory switch to control the compressor, for example.
But there are other reasons not to chop holes in the roof.
Toyota/Lexus and Honda/Acura LOVE to leave blanks glaring at you from behind the left side of the steering wheel. Makes OCD people want to order new with every single option!
A toggle switch may be able to be adapted to add a feature such as fog lights, but a momentary switch may require existing wiring be present to connect to the body control module, depending on the car. Features such as one-touch open on a modern sunroof might rely on such integration to work.
The alternative to that would seem to be as having an independent circuit which would require the customer to use the provided custom/aftermarket switch.
If you can adapt such a thing for a factory switch, I'm sure you have people knocking down your door to give you money!
If you can adapt such a thing for a factory switch, I'm sure you have people knocking down your door to give you money!
The switches are rarely very complex - simple NO - OFF - NO rockers or momentary types. All of the open/close/pop control is integrated with the sunroof. There are usually several different types for the factory features, no matter how they're labeled or intended; a little interface circuitry (often nothing more than a relay) and you can do all sorts of "complicated" things.
I've done this sort of thing for decades, and sometimes people DO give me money. Automotive electricals are not wizard-level stuff, no matter how complex and tricky something like a sunroof or power seat might seem.
I worked in a car dealership as a mechanic in my youth. Old mechanic in the bay next to mine was running water out of a hose over a sunroof one day trying to find the point of leakage.....and cursing the whole time "Cut a hole in a perfectly good roof, AND THEN WONDER WHY IT LEAKS !"
I worked in a car dealership as a mechanic in my youth. Old mechanic in the bay next to mine was running water out of a hose over a sunroof one day trying to find the point of leakage.....and cursing the whole time "Cut a hole in a perfectly good roof, AND THEN WONDER WHY IT LEAKS !"
Good point I thought. Never had one in a vehicle.
Factory sunroofs - which excludes dealer-installed ones, which may not even exist any more - tend to be very reliable and leakproof.
Older ones (>20 year back), dealer- or aftermarket-installed ones, damaged ones... all bets are off. But I've never had one leak or fail on me in 20+ years.
The switches are rarely very complex - simple NO - OFF - NO rockers or momentary types. All of the open/close/pop control is integrated with the sunroof. There are usually several different types for the factory features, no matter how they're labeled or intended; a little interface circuitry (often nothing more than a relay) and you can do all sorts of "complicated" things.
I've done this sort of thing for decades, and sometimes people DO give me money. Automotive electricals are not wizard-level stuff, no matter how complex and tricky something like a sunroof or power seat might seem.
And Bill Gates once said that he considers himself middle class.
Well, somebody got whooshed there. Need to see whose sunroof is open.
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