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More Interior LED woes

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by gnarltoof, Nov 12, 2020.

  1. Nov 12, 2020 at 5:15 AM
    #1
    gnarltoof

    gnarltoof [OP] Member

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    I purchased a 2020 TRD off-road and like many people decided to upgrade the interior lights to LED. I ordered some leds off Amazon and proceeded to replace the Vanity, Maps, Dome, and the 2 license plate lights. Of course along the way I had to do the 180 reverse polarity thing a few times but all in all it worked well. Here is the pickle.....I have both the map, and dome turned to the "door icon" when I walk up the the truck the proximity sensor fires the interior lights up, when I walk away they fade down. When I enter the vehicle the lights fire up, and if I sit there for a moment (7.5secs I set it to) they will fade out. Perfect!

    However!....when I put my foot on the brake (the lights fire up) and start the truck the interior lights do not fade away and turn off...they stay on now? Why is that? I even put the dome, and maps back to factory and it still does the same thing. My dash brightness knob still works ( read a thread where someone said check that) and I can still adjust the dash brightness, and no warning lights to speak of.

    Did I fry the ECU? I haven't checked the 7.5amp fuse yet, but I figured if that burnt, they simply would be no power to the maps or dome at all?

    Any assistance is appreciated!
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2020
  2. Nov 12, 2020 at 5:21 AM
    #2
    brandon78lusch

    brandon78lusch Well-Known Member

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  3. Nov 12, 2020 at 6:26 AM
    #3
    TuffTaco

    TuffTaco Member

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    I replaced my interior lights on my 2021 with these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0834MGNHM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    No issues at all with the install. No flickering at all when using accessories like the moonroof. Didn't have to reverse any bulbs due to polarity they worked first try. Fade in and out work like the factory incandescents. Only thing I had to do was spin the vanity bulb LED's 180* towards the back because they were blindingly bright at night when using the vanity mirror.

    I didn't install the license plate lights though. I read that they are so bright it blinds the rear view camera at night. Maybe the license plate LED's are giving the trouble since they are activated when you turn on the headlights and work with the brake circuit. You didn't mention you changed those back to factory in troubleshooting the issue.
     
    NNemo and gnarltoof[OP] like this.
  4. Nov 12, 2020 at 6:29 AM
    #4
    Josh-L

    Josh-L Well-Known Member

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    I've read several threads complaining about the cheap LEDs so went with @MESO for the maps. They are crazy bright and haven't had any issues. I will get a dome light once they are back in stock. That's all you need really in my opinion. I mean how often do you use your vanity mirror lights?
     
  5. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:10 AM
    #5
    gnarltoof

    gnarltoof [OP] Member

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    Put everything back to OEM, no luck. In fact The MTS/Crawl and sunroof buttons do not work now. I can see light to the SOS button and the map lights work (same issue though) Is there fuses for the sunroof and mts etc etc.... other than the 7.5? I checked the 7.5 amp fuse, and it is fine..maybe I did not seat it correctly? Man o Man what did I fry?! I tried to remove the overhead console to get a better look behind but that thing is in there TIGHT, sketched me out!
     
  6. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:12 AM
    #6
    deadpocketss

    deadpocketss Dingus

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    She runs. What more can I ask for?
    Where's @Jimmyh to tell us that LED are nothing but trouble? ;)
     
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  7. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:26 AM
    #7
    GreyBaldTaco

    GreyBaldTaco Well-Known Member

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    Did you disconnect the battery when putting the led's in?
     
    doublethebass and Traction like this.
  8. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:43 AM
    #8
    MannyS

    MannyS Well-Known Member

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    My ‘20 has Phillips 194 LEDs on the map and license plate lights with no issues.
     
  9. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:46 AM
    #9
    Velequez

    Velequez Well-Known Member

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    I wish I could be more helpful. I moved LEDs from my 17 to my 20 sport and had no problems other than needing to reverse polarity on one or two.

    I would be very surprised if you fried something swapping the cabin lights out. I’m not saying it’s impossible because new cars are full of crazy electronics but I’m skeptical.

    Have you considered taking it to the dealer now that you have put the OEM back in? Maybe even carry the LEDs with you?
     
  10. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:57 AM
    #10
    gnarltoof

    gnarltoof [OP] Member

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    I did not disco the battery, just turned the lights to the off position. Made an appt with the dealer early dec...We will see....with all oem back in ;)
     
  11. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:59 AM
    #11
    Greenbean

    Greenbean B.S. Goodwrench

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    Sounds to me like something was “backfeeding” hmmmm.

    Can I ask you if you have anything plugged into an accessory socket in the truck? Like an adapter of sorts to charge a phone or something like that, not a charging cable plugged into a socket but like the old-school chargers plugged into your 12 V cigarette lighter outlet.

    I have no clue what to tell you but please keep the thread updated as I’ve seen one crazy thing like this when I worked for Acura back in the day.

    When the first Acura TSX came out it had a new CANBUS style electrical system with like a central brain that would monitor the length of time that the dome lights will stay on and the wiper washer relays and stuff like that and one day this lady pulls in and she has a brand new TSX but just her driving down the road and all of a sudden her turn signals might start to turn on.

    We looked at it and I put her in a loaner car kept the vehicle for two days and we could not duplicate the issue. So turns out we made a call into tech line and tech line said they had an issue that they found with like two other cars in the US and they wanted me to call her and find out what kind of phone she was using and her charger, well of course we could never duplicate the issue because she would take her little cell phone and her charger adapter with her when she went into the loaner car and turns out there was something in that brand of charger and possibly with her phone but more of the charger and Acura actually wanted me to offer to buy her out of her phone and her charger.

    No this was years ago, but I’ll never forget it, and ended up being some kind of a cheap charging adapter and it was storing enough energy in itself somehow that while she was driving it was backfeeding and sure enough it didn’t do anything that was deemed unsafe, but just by her getting a new cell phone charger problem is fixed.
     
    xxTacocaTxx likes this.
  12. Nov 13, 2020 at 6:03 AM
    #12
    RedWings44

    RedWings44 Well-Known Member

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    Strange that the 2020's have been so different in so many ways. I put a cheap $25 Amazon kit in my 2017 back in about May and have yet to experience any issues. They're polarity specific as well. Mine came with 2 reverse lights as well which work ok, but are very dim compared to my tail lights from GTR lighting.
     
  13. Nov 13, 2020 at 6:12 AM
    #13
    gnarltoof

    gnarltoof [OP] Member

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    Nothing in the accessory.. Funny thing is, when I switched to LED everything worked just fine...so it seemed.....until the evening when I got into the truck and started it, and the internal lights would not go off...that was the first time I noticed it.... Just noticed the MTS/Crawl control ,and sunroof buttons no longer work either last night.. The only thing I did was replace to oem lights and check that ECU ACC 7.5 amp fuse ...which was fine...I mean I tried to get the overhead panel off a few times but got sketched out when I couldn't get it to budge..like many I felt like I was pulling too hard on the corners.
     
  14. Nov 13, 2020 at 6:55 AM
    #14
    ICU1

    ICU1 Well-Known Member

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  15. Nov 13, 2020 at 7:26 AM
    #15
    b3itz

    b3itz Camp Life

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    Tuned, geared, armored, BP51s...
    I think meso had found some bad soldering point or something on the top of the dome housing that was easily frying when doing the led swap with power to the truck?
    Maybe I made that up - @MESO ?
     
  16. Nov 13, 2020 at 3:57 PM
    #16
    Jimmyh

    Jimmyh Well-Known Member

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    Right here. I tried to warn people, but they never listen.

    Haha.

    OP I hope you get it fixed...
     
    erok81, Chew and Boghog1 like this.
  17. Nov 13, 2020 at 4:39 PM
    #17
    $yoda$

    $yoda$ Well-Known Member

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    Lol don’t you guys even want to enjoy your brand new trucks for a min before you start breaking shit?
     
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  18. Nov 13, 2020 at 4:51 PM
    #18
    Tacospike

    Tacospike Semi-Unknown Custodial Member

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    That’s not the TW way ;)
     
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  19. Nov 13, 2020 at 5:14 PM
    #19
    Rx7turbo2

    Rx7turbo2 Well-Known Member

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    Sorry if I missed it. Has OP removed/reinstalled negative battery terminal since they’ve swapped back to OEM bulbs?

    2020 here, running Meso maps and dome, no issues.
     
    daltondrose likes this.
  20. Nov 13, 2020 at 6:26 PM
    #20
    ICU1

    ICU1 Well-Known Member

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    Toyota says this is normal
     
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