Bed lights for access cab

I guess my expectations as to how the bed lights should function did not quite align with what Toyota has established. As noted, multiple 'Trial & Error' sessions are needed for me to fully understand how they will work. I have a Leer 180 cap arriving soon and I've been debating whether or not to tie its dome light in with the bed lights. I just tried to turn the bed light switch to ON to determine if power is supplied from the battery and it appears that it is. The bed lights stay on even if the doors are locked, which I think will work well with the cap's dome light (assuming I never forget to shut them off). The Leer cap on '06 TRD had the dome light tied into the parking light circuit which I did not like.
Now I'll have to keep my fingers crossed that tapping into the bed light circuit doesn't disrupt Toyota's systems.
EDIT: BTW @NoVa TRD Sport, thanks for your input. Reading the 500+ page owner's manual does not always reveal everything there is to know about our Tacos.

 

My SR came w/o, so i ordered them at the dealership $160
it works great and came with this switch

 

The newer Leer caps have a fuse box in the rear driver's side corner. This fuse box has 6 inputs and 8 outputs, in a total of 3 proprietary plugs. It has 3 fuses -- 1 amp for the brake light, 5 amps for the dome light, and 10 amps for the (optional) 12 volt outlet.

I did the wiring for my Leer cap myself, using the recommended Leer wiring harnesses. Long story short, they expect the hot leads for the dome light and the auxiliary 12 volt outlet to be run directly to the battery.

The Tacoma bed lights are already fused (7.5 amps). If you add the cap dome light to that circuit, you run the danger of overloading it and blowing the fuse.

 

I know that Leer offers a 3-outlet 12V Powerblock - I did not opt for that. The dome light is supposed to be LED - hopefully without a resister, which should keep the power demand minimal - I don't know what the bed lights are rated at. Perhaps my idea will work. I plan to have a serious conversation with the shop that'll be installing the cap BEFORE any wiring gets done.

EDIT: My apologies to @specTACOluar (OP) for hijacking this thread. I've been looking for for as much insight as possible for the bed lights and the cap kinda snuck into the conversation.

 

I just got home with my new 2021 Taco Off-Road. Spent a few minutes looking around the truck and noticed there are NO bed-lights, at all! WTF??? Paid 40k for it loaded ("with every option" the sales guy told me) and it doesn't have a light in the bed? Nothing? Are you not supposed to load anything at night? I love the truck but um, what else am I going to discover they skimped on? Certainly not a good way to make a first impression. Guess I'll be ordering one of these kits but wondering, do they replace the front center brake light with a bed light or is it just the two rear cargo lights?

 

If it is an access cab, the kit will only have the two lights near the tailgate. I think I read somewhere that the third brake light housing is different on the access cab than the double.

 

The bed light kit only has the two bed lights that go by the tailgate on each side of the bed. If you look, you'll see dummy plugs. If you have a double cab, you should have the switch on the dash for the cargo light that is part of the high mount stop light. This will also activate the bed lights. If you have an access cab, you won't have that switch and likely not the relay (access cabs don't have the cargo light). So you'd need order those parts as necessary as they don't come with the kit. See the attached instructions for part numbers and where to look for the switch and relay. There's a good thread on this forum for installing these as well.

Yeah, it should be standard on TRD models. Sometimes you'll see it on a vehicle on the lot as port installed option.

 

My Access Cab did not have the cargo light switch but did have the relay. Check to see whether or not you have it before wasting your money on a duplicate. (Look behind the left side switch panel. The relay is the second little blue box down in a row on the firewall.)

The high-mounted third brake light on the Access Cab does not have the cargo lights, but it does have the advantage that the bulbs can be replaced from the outside. On a Double Cab, replacing burned-out bulbs is a major undertaking involving removing the headliner.

Of course, if you install a camper shell the cab's third brake light cannot be seen anyway.

 

Awesome thanks for the info. Looks like I have some work to do! Any opinions on the best bed lights for working at night? Something with variable brightness (and colors?) would be ideal.

 

Don’t trucks have the bed light build into the 3rd brake light ?

 

Mine doesn't. And no switch either. (it's an access cab)

 

I have a 2021 OR Access cab and also want to install the cargo lights and switch. I have already installed the lights but need the switch and relay. When I go to order them it says that these will not fit. Does anyone know why?

 

That is the correct part number for the switch. Ignore the "does not fit" notice. The Toyota parts-ordering system is screwed up. For example, if you try to order a front bed rail, it will tell you it won't fit a 3rd generation. But it does.

 

Cargo light rocker switch (84267-0C020) pinouts

 

I will go ahead and order the switch and relay. Thanks for your help

 

@Time Chaser So what happened when you installed the bed lights without the switch? Does it ever turn on?

 

My access cab had the relay - bought other parts and had someone put it all in - took him about 30 minutes.

I've seen some access cabs with them completely installed on the dealer lot.

 

Yeah I was just wondering since I bought the bed light kit before realizing that there was no kit in the access cabs. So I'm just wondering what would happen if I installed it

 

@AlPastor1618
If you install it - it will work - mine works like a champ.
The interior switch works in 3 ways:
On
Off
or Door ( ie: middle setting tied to when you open your door and interior lights come on then go off )

I just leave it on the Off position all the time and only switch to 'On' when I need it.

 

Wow thanks for this thread. Glad i read this before i.ordered those Amazon led strips