Please Help: grille light install

I have a 2003 Tacoma and I ordered a new grille that has 3 amber grille lights already wired up in the grille. The lights have 3 wiring harnesses that all wire together. I spliced the end and attached an add a fuse and grounded the black wire. I cannot figure out which fuse to place it in to get the grille lights to kick on. I have checked all of the plug ins and everything is seated well. This is my first time using an add a fuse so maybe I am doing something wrong. Any help would be appreciated. I’ve attached a picture of the exact grille I purchased.

 

Just what did you use as the power source for your marker lights? It should be the green wire at the parking light your fuse should be between that connection and your new grill lights

Your sure the black wire is the ground? White /black stripe is the truck harness ground wire at the parking lights.

Remember LED lights can only be wired one way because of the polarity of the diode .

Did you get any instructions ?

Good luck.

 

It has one red wire and one black wire. I couldn’t find any instructional videos for first gens. All the videos I found were for second and third gens. The grille did not include any instructions but from what I’ve seen on the second gen Tacoma’s other people have just spliced an add a fuse and replaced the fuse for their running lights. I’ve tried this with mine and they will not turn on. I will try end take some photos of the wires tomorrow because it’s currently dark where I live. Thanks for the reply

 

Was this a new grill or used?

You did not cause the Tail light fuse to open in your wiring adventures?

Make up some fused jumper leads and try hooking direct to the battery make sure the lights even work.

Time to break out the Meter and double check what is what.

I am pretty sure it is dark every place in the continental USA at 0100 on the east coast.

 

This is a brand new grille. The tail lights work just fine. I’m starting to wonder if the amber lights even work or if they’re defective

 

I’m also seeing a lot of guys install these on different vehicles and they spliced the grille lights into their turn signal lights. I’d rather not go this route if I can avoid it. I’ve been researching the diagram for the fuse box to try and see where I should plug in the add a fuse but nothing seems to work

 

Take the black wire and stick it on the negative battery terminal. Take the red wire and stick it on positive battery terminal. Do they turn on?

You need to do this first to determine if they actually work.

When using an add-a-fuse you need to plug it into a working circuit. Most of the open spots in the fuse box do not have power running to them FYI. You need a multimeter to find one with power, or use it on one that you know has power, like an existing system circuit.

 

You really just don`t need that add a fuse that might be your problem. Now if you were installing those lights on a brand new circuit you would need some circuit protection.

Those LED lights added to the tail light /parking light circuit if working correct will not draw that much current to cause the 10 amp fuse to open.

 

Broheim previous owner had Raptor lights installed in the stock grille (for sale btw).

I took this photo of how they were tapped into the corner/parking light when deleting it all. Hopefully it helps.

Green factory = power > red power on raptor lights
White w black stripe = ground > black ground on raptor lights

No relay or fuse inline.

 

That is what I was thinking..

Not enough draw to need any more circuit protection.

 

Well you don't want to splice into your turn signal lights because then the raptor lights in the grille will only flash when you use the blinker switch/stalk.

You want to tap into your parking/corner lights so that when you turn your headlight/parking light stalk into the parking light and/or headlight position the raptor lights will turn on.

 

Madjik_man thanks for the help and the picture of how to wire it up. I am new to wiring lights and that was a big help I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do

 

No problem. Like bivouac said above, the draw from the three LEDs in the grille is so minimal that you don’t need to fuse it.

Good luck. Report back if it worked out or if you’re still having issues.

 

They work and it was super easy to tap into the parking lights. Thanks for all the help. I will post a better picture when it gets darker

 

I am glad to see you figured things out.

That is how you learn.