DTRL/Turn Signals/Park Light wires on 2015 Tacoma

I'm trying to mount resistors on the Tacoma, I have a blue, green, and white/black wires, labeled 1, 2, and 3. Which wires are which? I know the black/white wire is ground, but which is my positive that I need to splice?

 

Assuming you want to install LED replacements for the DTRL, and avoid hyperflash, your resistor splice should be in the rear.
If you splice a 6 ohm resistor in the front, it will run hot full time the dtrl is on, which is any time the headlights are off. .
I installed Vled DTRL replacements, with resistor in the REAR so it only hot in turn signal mode. Resistor is mounted to metal behind each rear housing, and spliced into the green stripe wire (turn signal socket) and to ground on the metal. (if you are using led on front dtrl AND rear turnsignals, you'll need a 3 ohm resistor)

 

I had the same question too and now I'm lost.

 

Thanks for all the help.
I did change my DTRL/ Turn Signal to LEDs, and the hyperflash occurred, I installed 6ohm resistors to the front. As of right now, hyperflash is gone and everything is fine.
Shall check to ensure no melting.
And on my truck, the green wire is the DTRL, white/black is ground and blue wire on Right (Passenger) is TurnSignal. For the Left (driver) side everything is the same but there isn't a blue turn signal wire, it's yellow.

 

running resistors up front sucks. they are scalding hot all the time. loading the circuit, all the time. plus the LEDs that are out there are really dim for this application.

get VLED Triton set up for up front, the resistors will only be online when you activate the signal. they are as bright or brighter than stock.

jumpers led on drivers side, VLED on passenger





no affliation, just a very satisfied customer after playing the LED game with the tacoma....

 

Congrats. on the install. IMHO resistors in the front must be mounted to solid metal to dissipate their heat, especially away from the wiring harness; they'll get as hot or hotter as a regular bulb (26-28 watts each) while DTRL's are on. If they can be in the regular airflow of the fan, it will help.

 

Agree that mmccoy has the correct solution for front mounting resistors to correct hyperflash.

In summary, in order to correct hyperflash after installing LED DTRL's, resistors simulate the original bulb still being in the circuit, so that the flasher module will flash properly. LED's use about 1/5 or less of amperage causing hyperflash.

Some have removed and modified the flasher module to add (solder in) this resistance which is a bit technical for me, however remains an excellent solution. [There is no replacement module we've found yet that is plug and play for LED compatibility.]

Still others use a Triton proprietary module setup to give a much brighter LED appearance, with a switchback look, and has a built in hyperflash solution. It's a bit pricy but has a lifetime warranty as i understand it and I consider it THE best solution for a quality DTRL appearance.

A third way is to add load resistors to the circuit so the turn signal circuit flashes normally. It turns out the resistors can be anywhere in the circuit; the turn signal flasher circuit just wants to 'see' the presence of two bulbs-worth of circuit load, or about 45-50 watts total. Each bulb is about 26-28 watts for the hi filament)
One way is to install resistors in the front DTRL wiring, another is to install in the circuit in the rear wiring as I did (stub harness for the rear light housing).
The advantage in the front is that the wiring is right there and easy to get to, with the disadvantage that the load resistors are on all the time the DTRL's are; this means that each resistor will be very hot (as hot as an incandescent DTRL bulb) virtually all the time, and soaking amperage from the alternator even tho LEDs are doing the lighting.
The disadvantage in the rear install is that the rear housings must be taken out and a splice made in the rear flasher bulb wiring with the resistor mounted on the metal back there. The advantage is that the rear resistors only heat in turn signal mode, not all the time. This saves about 3.5-4 amps of full time load on the alternator. Any way it's more work but I prefer this solution. Also with this solution, you spice into the mini (or stub) harness on the rear light housing, not the main harness-so a less intrusive mod to the wiring)
Edit: as full disclosure, i didn't use actual resistors, I installed 2 - 1157 style sockets from my junk bin, [with left over bulbs I'll never use], as my resistors - each turn signal usage they blink away, hidden behind the rear housings!! - but they add the resistance necessary and serve the same purpose..and to reverse the install, just take out the added bulb)

 

i only used load resistors in the back at rear signals. my tritons up front did NOT have resistors activated. in fact the new tritons (v3) dont even come with built in resistors. if you needed them youd plug them in. my v2's were run without the fuse present that activates the resistor. i didnt know this until installed them in another vehicle. regardless, if you use the triton kit, its only putting the resistors online when necessary.

a good place to mount resistors up front is on the horizontal metal crossbar of the forward engine compartment. having said that, i was glad to remove them and not use them anymore. the system sucked. they were dim and who wants those things boiling away all the time.

 

I'll second this. VLEDS Triton Switchback system is worth every penny.

 

X2. I installed my resistors in the rear for my rear VLED turn signal bulbs.

 

Were the 1157 style sockets you used 1 or 2 wire sockets? Trying to do the same thing. Going to go buy the parts I need before taking it apart.

 

The ones i had were 1 wire (actually an 1156) 1 filament bulb, for old style metal base bulbs used in backup lights. 2 wire, 1157 sockets are ok too, as long as you use the high intensity filament to simulate the needed resistance.
These sockets and bulbs are cheaper as they're out of usage in most new cars in the last 10 years. But you can use a 3157 or 4157 socket and bulb and socket as any of these bulbs will give the required load for the flasher circuit.
Take care to install the bulb in an area where it is secure; won't rattle around and break.
Also take care to install with the power switch off; i blew a fuse one time working on my lights when i scraped a wire to the bumper edge.

 

Thanks. You have been a big help. So if i buy a the one wire socket, all I have to do is splice into the turning light wire after the main harness for both sides? This will take care for leds in the front and rear turning lamps and also the DTRL. So I purchased (2) 1156 socket with 1 wire and 2 bulbs. I also have the 50w 6 ohm resistors. I don't know which one would probably be better to use in the rear.

 

I've installed 1156 style sockets, with bulbs, one behind each tail light. this takes care of the hyperflash for the DTRL Leds (Front only.) as this bulb compensates for the lighter load of the LEDs.

Again, I only have the front LED front DTRL replacement; My rear turn signals are still OEM bulbs.

Are you saying you're getting LEDs for front and rear?

 

Yes. Im replacing the front DTRL and rear turn signals with led. So will the resistors or extra bulb wired to the rear signal be sufficient for the hyperflash with the DTRL and rear signal?

 

Now you're in experimentation stage. As I only did the front DTRL to Led change I honestly don't know. There is a threshold of wattage that the turn signal module expects to prevent hyperflash.

So doing the math using my example.

OEM from factory:
Front 4157NAK is rated at 28.5 watts (12.8 v x 2.23 amps)
Rear

$40 3157A /4157A ST BP SilverStar 27-Watt High Performance Signal Light

3157A is rated at 26.8 watts (12.8 v x 2.1 amps)

So we know that about 55 watts/4.33 amps keeps the flasher blinking normally.

My Setup:
Front VLED Amber is rated at 340MA, 4.35 watts (.340a x 12.8 volts)
Rear, still OEM at 26.8 watts,
Resistor (1156 bulb) is 26.8 watts also.

So we know that I'm running 58 watts, and the flasher blinks normally.

Your setup proposed:
Front Vled 4.35 w
Rear Vled 4.35 w
Resistor (1156 bulb) 26.8w

(above assumes VLED products and their ratings, other bulb numbers for Bulbtown web site, some numbers rounded)

So the question is, will the total of 35.2 watts keep the flasher working normally? Per above you may need extra load with two resistors or two bulbs per side. Or forget the bulbs and purchase 3 ohm resistors?

From my setup without the bulb/resistor, 31.25 watts is too low and I (and others) get hyperflash.

Put in your purchased LED's, and experiment with installing a bulb or resistor in the circuit in the rear; it may work.

What I did to prove/disprove was to use a straight pin to pierce the wire insulation for a temporary test connection w/0 cutting the insulation, close to the rear blinker bulb (green stripe wire on drivers side). Turn on the turn signal with hyperflash, add the bulb in the circuit, hot to test pin shaft and other wire to ground. If the hyperflash goes away, you're good to install that solution permanently.
Be absolutely certain not to short the test straight-pin directly to ground or you'll be buying fuses!!!!

Make sure you purchase CK type LEDs. Any other type will blow fuses too.

 

Great. I just wasted money on the bulbs. Didn't get the CK ones. I bought Amber only as I didn't want white and Amber in the front. So I will need to get ck bulbs. I also got 4 6ohm resistors. I probably will need to get 3 ohm ones now. Thanks again for you help. I'm a complete newb.

 

no need to reinvent the wheel here.
just put 6ohm on the rear signals, install CK fixtures up front and be done.

 

So can I use Amber only ck bulbs for the front? Do I need to have ck bulbs for the back too?

 

amber CK up front.
the rear is a different bulb.
loading the rear signal with 6ohm on each corner will be sufficient.
no need for any math.

ive had hit and miss success with CK LED bulbs out of the box up front. V3 Triton kit was the best, brightest solution i found. 9 out of 10 DTRL run of the mill amber LEDs you put up front are going to be at least 30% dimmer than stock.