2020 Tacoma Access Cab Bed Light won't turn on

Hello guys,

New member here and first post here. I recently bought my first truck ever and I wanted it to be a Tacoma. I didn't need 4 doors so got an access cab for more storage. I saw that the bed did not come with lights. I recently installed a new Tonneau cover and now I felt the need for some bed lights. I ordered the following, see link below.

$63 Toyota Genuine 2020 & Newer Tacoma Led Bed Light/Lighting Kit PT857-35200

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084ZYH1K9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8

I was under the impression they were plug-and-play. I received them today and installed them accordingly. Access cab does not have a cargo light switch. From what I read in the forums, I understood that the lights would still work without the cargo switch with a key fob, using the lock and unlock button or when the truck doors are open (not tailgate).

I am having a hard time getting the lights to come on. I have checked fuses. Everything is fine and there.

Can someone please advise? I look forward to your insight and feedback. My apologies if this post has been covered elsewhere. Thank you.

 

May be a dumb question, but does the rear dome light have a 3- or 2-position switch? Does that light come on when you open the door? Try different positions with that switch.

 

Read dome light has 2 position switch and it does come on when the door is open. I did some more digging and found this. See link below, page 7.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oem-led-bed-lighting-kit-2020.644777/page-7

The person is saying you need all 3 items for light to work. Relay, light switch, and lights with the harness. I only have the lights with a harness so far. I guess I just need someone with an Access cab and be lights to verify this is correct before I go through the hassle of spending another 100$ ish to get the switch and relay. It sucks that the Access cab does not come with a cargo light on 3rd brake light.

So silly. I mean if a person opts for an Access bed for longer cab/storage. Providing a 3rd brake light with a cargo light would be even more ideal for Acces cab users, you would think. Oh well.

None the less thank you for your help CT.

 

I assume you saw this text on the Amazon link above?

"Additional Parts Required For Installation (If not Already Equipped): 1 of Deck Lamp Switch

$95 84267-0C020 Genuine Toyota Tacoma & Tundra Deck Lamp Bed Light Switch 84267-0C020

84267-0C020 and 1 of Deck Lamp Relay 90080-87026"

I have an access cab and agree, why don't we get cargo lights?

 

You absolutely need the 3-position cargo light switch on the dash. You may or (probably) may not need the relay. Mine already came with the relay. (It's the second-down small blue box on the firewall behind the left side switch panel. Check there before you order the relay.)

The bed lights are totally independent of the dome lights. The rear dome light is partially controlled by the 3-position switch on the front dome light (on the overhead console).

 

This. I am in that thread and have an access cab sport, i had to buy the switch, relay and lights for it to work. Page 7 or 8 of the thread i think.

Some crew cabs appear to come with the switch or the ability you indicate to use the fob, because they have a bed light mounted at the third brake light and access cabs dont.

 

I got my truck before bed lights were a thing so I ended up wiring my own using waterproof LED strips and a SPST flip switch for ~30CAD, had plenty of LED strip leftover so I also added lights to the hood with a hood pin switch (roughly 6 bucks at Princess Auto; like Harbor Freight for Canada).

EDIT: added pics, didn't realize my switch was beginning to rust, I should put some protectant on that lol

 

I am such a dumb ass. I completely missed that part. That explains a lot.

 

Thank you. I didnt realize this before. I opened up the firewall and switch box and I do not have a relay on my firewall. So will need to get that along with the switch. Does anyone have a good source to acquire a switch at a relatively decent price. Dealers want about 70 to 80, about the same on Amazon, that I saw.

 

Nice setup. Do you have a write-up or direction on how you accomplished this? Also, I always wanted a light that came on when we opened the tailgate. I did some digging on this issue but didn't find anything solid. Anyone else has had any luck?

 

@Homiec posted this previously...and it should provide the answers that you're looking for...

Read pages 7-8 of this thread: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/oem-led-bed-lighting-kit-2020.644777/page-7

 

@Tullie D (RIP) also provided excellent writeup threads. Here is one that he did for bed-lights (not exactly the same as yours, but it should give you some pointers). Good Luck!!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bed-lights.600377/#post-20172260

 

I agree - I was hoping for both cargo & bed lights on my '21 TRD OR AC but Toyota no longer offers the cargo light (not sure if they're available on a double cab).

Glad you used the term "partially". On my '21 TRD OR AC the bed light switch also influences the rear dome light.

 

All double cabs come standard with the high cargo light (in the center brake light housing). But it's not available at all in the access cabs. Likewise, you can't get a power sliding rear window in the access cab.

In my '21 Sport access cab, the bed light switch controls only the bed lights. It has no effect at all on either of the dome lights. However, the front dome light switch controls the rear dome light, unless overridden by the rear dome light switch.

ETA: The way the dome lights work is this:
The rear dome light has a 2-position switch: "door" and "on."
The front dome light (overhead console) has a 3-position switch: "off," "door," and "on."
The front is the master switch. If the front is "on" both lights are on (regardless of the rear switch position). If the front is "off" both lights are off (regardless of the rear switch position).
Only if the front is set to "door" does the rear switch become operable (but only in a limited way). Turning it to "on" lights it independently. That's it.

 

Ooof it has been so long I don't remember whose write up I used. There were a lot of people selling kits (for 100USD+ mind you) and figured I could do the same for cheaper using their step by step guide. Mind you I have absolutely zero skill and zero tools. Was basically:

-buy and stick on LED strip
-cut/wire to size (one end is prewired, you could cut and wire additional sections for sides and back but I'm dumb so just bent it around)
-wire to switch
-run wire along bottom of frame
-wire to battery

Again, I'm dumb and poor as bricks so all my stuff was acquired on aliexpress/ebay and the dollar store and borrowed any other tools (like a drill). Same goes for every single other mod I've had on my truck (minus the bumper, which I paid to have done since I would need WAY more tools and another person to install that)

I only skimmed this video but looks pretty much like what I did:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4j9PYdsWWY

Looks like he uses a prewired kit, since his lights have separate sections of the lights already wired unlike my lazy method. He also uses a push button switch which I did have (~7CAD for a pack of 5 on ebay) but it failed me maybe 4 years later, which then I replaced for the current SPST switch last year.