? Interior Door Latch handles hard to see?

[chiko]

Pretty minor problem but seeking suggestions.
When I put up the custom sun shade it suddenly gets MUCH darker inside the cab. My eyes will eventually adjust but until then it is very hard to find the door latches to exit the vehicle as its black on black.
I want the solution to look nice and I have considered to match the other orange trim pieces.
Maybe a bit of touch up paint? Maybe go with Nail Polish? I have had bad luck recently with Sharpie Gold Pen durability with use so that is a No Go.
At the extreme I might consider some subtle lighting options. I appreciate that eventually muscle memory will solve this but not for a passenger.

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[oysterville]

I would just turn the cab light on.

 

[Blue_Max]

Muscle memory is a thing. I've never had trouble finding my door handle. It never moves!

 

[Dad]

No ambient lighting? Posting on the cuff here. Does it go off immediately?

 

[Waterick]

As the driver, just open your door before the passenger reaches for the handle. Courtesy lights should come on lighting their way. Muscle memory will happen for you. If dropping someone off in the dark, just unlatch your door or turn on the courtesy lights with the switch. Nail polish? Touch up paint? Not for me in this use case .... You do you.

 

[Carlitos_92]

You'd probably have to replace it periodically, but you could try reflective or glow-in-the-dark tape. If you have the orange accents in your truck, an orange tape might not look too bad.

But really, being deliberate with your timing is the answer. Open your door and activate the dome light before you put up your sun shade.

 

[Tbone289]

I always ask the passenger to step out before I put the sun shade in the windshield. It gives me more room to work with the shade. I suppose this wouldn't work with a small child passenger, but I'm sure a youngster would have better eyesight.

 

[chiko]

I will endeavor to do a final results picture. But what the phone/camera captures bears little resemblance to what I see in person so I wont photograph the progress.
I have NOT yet committed to doing the front doors. Just doing the back doors so far as it could be a mess and I don't want to see it.
Product: From American Rite-Aid store brand "wet n wild" Fast Dry - color is not marked but barcode
778202 11936. It seems about perfect color match to the tray accessories; different textures gloss/matte but tone was close to perfect. The clerk really helped me out. I tested a bit on the back of one of the tray pieces and it varied from dark to perfect to light based on background gloss. Cost about $7
I also purchased "wet n wild" from same white to be a base cote so another $7. It had better/more opaque coverage than the color. "wet n wild" is among the cheaper brands.

Findings:

1. I used the back side of the the bed cover plate insert for test runs to see what provided the best results.
2. Pure acetone on the bed cover plate is harmless.
3. "wet n wild" Fast drive created too many brush stokes for my taste. I cut it with 3 drops of acetone do slow down the drying process. The door handle is textured so maybe it does not matter.
4. After testing on real parts and test surfaces. Thinned down, heavy coat could work very well. Thinned down white plus two coats of Orange will also work.

I will endeavor to update this thread to see if this in good and endurable.

 

[chiko]

Results so far are fair but not great.

I did the rear seat handles first. The nail polish went on with too many brush strokes on both the white cover and the orange finish. I was not satisfied. I decided that the fast dry was part of the problem and cut the polish with some Acetone. and to try again on the passenger side lock. I also tried a more dab the side of brush, not draw it out to fix the brush strokes. Not much changed.
For the driver side rear, and as my familiarity with the material improved, I decided it might be helpful to put a bit of hair dryer heat on the plastic. Nothing really improved in the results.
This polish seems to prefer heavy single coats and not multiple thin coats but its not great at either.

I am very happy with the color match hue and saturation but not the gloss level and gloppiness. Left side lock is just white, no color.

After market solutions seem to focus on replacing the background with orange and my attempts are smaller scale in the focus area.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

🫣
I wonder what it will cost the next owner to replace everything back to normal OEM? $$$$

 

[Toddman45]

Wow.

 

[2024_xl_hybrid b&w]

Pretty minor problem but seeking suggestions.
When I put up the custom sun shade it suddenly gets MUCH darker inside the cab. My eyes will eventually adjust but until then it is very hard to find the door latches to exit the vehicle as its black on black.
I want the solution to look nice and I have considered to match the other orange trim pieces.
Maybe a bit of touch up paint? Maybe go with Nail Polish? I have had bad luck recently with Sharpie Gold Pen durability with use so that is a No Go.
At the extreme I might consider some subtle lighting options. I appreciate that eventually muscle memory will solve this but not for a passenger.

I'm old school... lighter!

 

[Carlitos_92]

So I'm sensing a hard "no" to the REVERSIBLE ideas like tape...

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

On my 2023 Maverick when I turn off the ignition. The interior light comes on.

I think I would have tried glow-in-the-dark tape or glow in the dark paint just on the driver's door handle. Maybe even tried brighter blubs, before using nail polish on the handles.

 

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Results so far are fair but not great.

I did the rear seat handles first. The nail polish went on with too many brush strokes on both the white cover and the orange finish.

oh my. to each his own.

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