2017 Xenon Depot HID issues

I purchased the xtreme HID kit a couple weeks back and just got the install done yesterday. Had to figure out mounting brackets. Anyway, I started out by connecting the relay harness to the battery and ground and made sure the bulb would fire up before doing the full install. I also used the adapter wire harness included that goes from 9006 to H11. They fired up just fine with the truck off, DRLs on too. I proceeded to finish the install. This is where it gets odd.

I started the truck to make sure I didn't run the battery down too much testing the bulbs. I turn on the headlights and get nothing with truck running. OK. Seems odd. I tried a few more times, lights off then on. I get passenger to fire. I try again and only driver fires. WTF. I shut the truck off and try again and only get one. OK something must be wrong. I started to diagnose with the multimeter.

I started the truck to check these:

I'm getting 12V on the inline fuse.

I'm getting 12V from the factory harness.

I'm getting 12V from the relay harness output.

I decided to do some Google research and din't find much. I went back out and and disconnected the harness to ballast connection and reconnected making sure it was seated tight. Truck off, both lights come on. I start the truck and now both come on. I checked it a few more times throughout the day and still worked.

This morning I drive to work and they both fired up fine, however when I get to work I see my DRLs do not work anymore. I park in front of glass. They don't work with the switch just in parking lights either or in the DRL position. I haven't had time to check any fuses yet.

Not really sure what is going on here. I haven't seen anyone encounter this situation before.

TLDR: HID work when truck is off, don't work when running. Then eventually work when running, no DRL anymore.

 

Are you using an anti-flicker thingy? I know dlr's cause issues with HID because of the voltage pulses and low volt changes. They help keep the voltage constant and steady.

 

I am not, but on a 3rd gen the DRLs are the LED strips and should be independent of the headlight wiring. Would have thought Xenon Depot would include them if needed.

 

That's definitely bizarre. Does the 'harness' you have just plug into the stock wiring and not use a relay?

 

No its a relay harness. The wiring goes from stock headlight harness to adapter harness to relay to ballast. Relay connected to battery + and factory ground.

 

Plug a halogen bulb into the opposite headlight connector that isn't currently plugged in. Does it fix the issue?

I've seen bizarre issues like this when the vehicle just doesn't seem to like only a single connector plugged in.

 

The only thoughts I have right now is I need canbus, but not supposed to on 3rd gen tacomas. And maybe the DRL off setting in Entune over rides the stalk, but I don't think it does. And how did it get turned off? Maybe turning it off on the stalk?

 

Was your ebrake on when you were parked and looking in the glass for your DRL's? If so, they dont turn on when the ebrake is engaged from what I can tell.

 

I've got 2 relays so both headlight plugs are plugged in.

 

Nope. AT. Never have used the ebrake.

 

i did this write up a bit ago. did you roughly follow this process?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...hilips-4300k-bulbs-review-and-install.530187/

also, not an insult to intelligence but you have checked all of the switches for Auto-DRL-Headlights on to ensure its in the correct position?

 

Right on, thats all I could think of since it had me worrying before I knew the ebrake disabled the drls. Good luck with finding the issue. Have you called Xenon Depot? They are super nice and have really good customer service.

 

Toyota doesn't use canbus systems for the headlights. That's not it.

 

When you say:

"I started the truck to check these:

I'm getting 12V on the inline fuse.

I'm getting 12V from the factory harness.

I'm getting 12V from the relay harness output."

What are these measurements with the truck off?

 

I look to be wired the same as you are. Don't have Auto headlights. I know I drove to work last week before the install a couple times with parking lights setting, was DRL and fogs on. I really just needed instrument lighting since it was dusk.

 

may just be a faulty harness?

 

Will have to check tonight after work. Didn't think to bring multimeter. I'll dig around in entune and see if that DRL setting is off.

Just seems really odd that they weren't firing correctly, but now are.

 

The DRL setting is on in Entune. The DRL fuse is good. Tested for continuity as well. I tried swapping the DRL relay with the fog relay and that didn't work. No idea what is going on. HIDs have fired consistently any time I have tried. I sent an email to Xenon Depot. I'm at a loss. I also can't figure out how to get the DRL connector apart to test there for current. Its like they don't want it to come apart.

 

So this was driving me nuts so I went out to diagnose more. I got the DRL harness apart. I'm getting 12v on 2 of the pins depending on which headlight setting I use. I assume one is for dim and one is for full brightness. At this point it seems the LED strips have been killed. The HIDs still work. My only running theory is using the same ground that the headlights used cause some sort of grounding loop or other interference. Although it seems others have used the same ground.

 

The harness is BS. Decent bulb kits have the right connector and a 1” grommet that the wires feed through to make the connections. You will need to drill a 1” hole through the access cap to feed the wires through and put the grommet in. Biggest thing with Toyota is check the polarity where you plug into the h11 socket as you will probably need to swap the + - side to side to get it right, its just the way they are wired. This can be done on the 9006 end before you put the wires into the connector.