You know what it’s like. You buy a new set of spotlights or light bar or air lockers and the switch that comes with the kit isn’t one that fits your blank switch plate or the wording \symbols are rubbish.

I found the solution though, Lightforce allows you to create custom switches to suit most common vehicles and they’re virtually a plug and play installation. Here is how I did it.

Step One: Ordering the Switches

1. Head to the Lightforce website and click on Custom Switches, once the page opens navigate to the Custom Switches section.
2. Select the custom switch that suits your vehicle. Switches range from $23 to $38 each.
3. Follow the instructions to select the image that you prefer before typing in the text that you want. The switch must be edited before you can purchase it and profanity is not permitted. It is also advisable to check your spelling as you won’t get a refund if you muck it up.
4. Once you’re happy with your edits, add the switch to the cart and repeat the process until you’ve completed your order.
5. Head to the checkout and complete the purchase.

Step Two: Installing the Switches

The only tools you’ll need are:

• wire cutters
• wire strippers
• connectors
• crimper
• soldering iron if you prefer

Each switch comes with a harness and connector as well as instructions on the wiring colours, making things very easy. As I already had switches installed, it was just a matter of crimping connectors onto the blue, yellow, red and black wires and then swapping out the old switches one wire at a time, making sure the correct wires were being connected.

To illuminate the switches when the lights are turned on, I used a test lamp to find the power on the dash light circuit and then connected the switch wires to that. Once everything was installed, it was just a matter of testing each set of lights with the corresponding custom switch.

Now I am very happy as all my switches fit perfectly and do exactly what I chose for them to do.

I also decided to grab one of the Lightforce dual USB switches as the one already in the Prado was a cheap and nasty one and only one socket worked. This was easy to install also as it was plug and play. I decided not to connect to the dash light circuit as a lit switch might become distracting considering its position on the centre console.