4-Runner Style Door Lights

Hey folks! Just another interest thread.

My 4Runner has puddle lights + lights in the doors so you can see puddles when the door is closed (walking up to the door) and when the door is open. One issue with the MESO puddle pods is that the door blocks 90% of the light from the puddle area when the door is open. Making it hard to see when getting out of the truck. Seems like Toyota knew this already when designing the T4R.

Would you guys be interested in a plug-and-play harness + quality flush mounted lights that are triggered by the door being opened or unlocked? Obviously you would need to cut a hole in your panel. Here’s what I did today using VLEDS MAX Pods (0.2 A draw for the 2 lights). This is the only spot to mount them as there isn’t a lot of clearance:


Here’s a nighttime shot. On the right is the cutoff line from the puddle pods. Everything to the left of that line is being illuminated by a single pod. It would otherwise be pitch black.


Close up it seems like there’s a sufficient amount of light to see just about everything. For access cab owners it makes it super convenient to work inside of the doors. For everyone else you can see your steps/sliders and the ground below just like the 4Runner:


An added bonus is that the lights will illuminate as soon as you turn your truck off (like the dome light). You can see into the crack of the door nicely. I could make it so this is faintly lit whenever the headlights are on, if requested.


Anyway let me know if this is hot or not. We can use this thread as an R&D think tank. Do you want the ambient lighting? Just bright when the door is open? Make it easily added to puddle pods? Make it an add on for my footwell lighting kit? Junk the whole thing? Etc.

 

I was gonna say you should collaborate with the guys doing the footwell lights. But then I realized...

 

Yeah that’d be me. We’re working on expanding the usability of the harness. Hence the new thread!

 

Interested

 

Seems kinda cool. I would be interested.

 

Stop trying to find new ways to take my money!

but umm, yea I’d be interested…

 

WE just bought a 2022 4Runner TRD Sport for my wife..I got to look for these lights..

Oh, and now I can't afford anything else this year.

 

Definitely interested...

 

Wife’s car has “puddle lights” in the mirrors and apart from flashing the manufacturers logo on the ground (looking kinda neat), they are absolutely worthless for any real function.
Why not make it simple and put a set of lights on the rocker? Rather the overcoming one flawed design (lights are worthless with door open), with another floored design (lights are worthless with door closed), meaning you need two sets of lights to do one simple duty. Put one set of lights where they are needed and always light up the area you want.

 

For a lot of people (I’d say most that are in the aftermarket modification market) a rocker panel light would be tough to keep universal. Effectively 0 rock sliders will have a flat spot that is viably oriented toward the door area. You also have to deal with moisture, corrosion, rocks, mounting (I assume it’d be a strip light which requires an adhesive), and popping the wire harness through a grommet. It’s a good idea, but there’s a reason why auto manufacturers don’t put lights under (or nearly under) their vehicles.

Under the door as you swing it open is a decent spot, though.

 

Moisture or grommet I don’t really agree with. (But dirt could be an issue). Universal fit on the rocker I do understand, But that was the first suggestion, there are plenty of other spots that could be used and wouldn’t be interfering with sliders & steps. I was simply suggesting rethink if you want to create a “real” puddle light. But if you are fixed on that location, then surely pointing down would be best? (Ie bottom of door pocket) Unless you are trying to light up the seat side as well.

 

I’m not sure where you are at in the US, but here in Oregon my rocker panel receives about as much water and mud as my fender liners do. My sliders are caked 9 months out of the year. Also to trigger the lights with a door-open signal you will 100% need to pass through a grommet. Either in the engine bay or through the floor. All of the door triggers are internal, unfortunately.

The point is to replicate a conventional puddle light (or lights) that is placed in a mirror and shines down. Then there is typically a light inside of the door like the ones shown in the OP. Here they are on a 4Runner:


I agree it could be better to run it underneath the door. The panel isn’t very conducive to having flush mounted pods under there, though. The actual aluminum sheet of the door is too tight to the panel under there. So it would need to be a bar light.

 

Definitely interested!

 

interested

 

You had me at plug and play.

 

I'd be interested. Plug and play is always nice too. Any chances of RGBW color options? or making them ambient as well?

 

Man I’m going to need a second job just to pay for mods….sign me up

 

Interested!

 

More plug and play options is always a good thing.

 

Interested as well...