DRL Melting lenses?

Neighbor brought his Tacoma in to have his headlights replaced. The DRL melted and cracked his lenses. I checked mine and sure enough there are melted spots.

Toyota replaced his headlight assembly He is replacing the turn signal relay to eliminate the DRL on his. Think I will do the same. Don't need DRL.

 

Pics?

 

Some melt, some don't ...... five years without any troubles for me.

 

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I didn't post pics because it looks likes a little "condensation" That s all. My neighbors was cracked though. Both sides. Mine is an 08 and I may put 40 miles a month on from April through September. But I am going to disconnect the DRL anyway after he does his 2010

 

Do you know the part number or exactly which relay I would need to do the same thing? I want to disable my DRL as well knowing that they can damage the lens. thanks! I have a 2011 tacoma

 

hi, yes.. newb here...

drl? something running lights? the amber lights that are always on?

 

yup

 

I pass a new F-350 every morning 0510 - 0520 hrs and it's even got them on his extended side mirrows initially you think that you're approaching an 18 wheeler with all of the amber lights on the front and top of his cab.

 

Where is OP's location - or the location of any other members reporting burning issues?

I suppose if you are in 120F temps, it wouldn't help to have the lights on as well - that plastic is already going to be hot.

Around western PA, we rarely see 90's and I can't imagine having this melting issue with these temps. I have had DRL since I installed 2 years ago. I inspected recently and there are no signs of any damage in there.

 

Mine came installed on my truck and I just noticed the problem drivers side is discolored and cracked whereas the passenger side only has bubbles in front of the bulb. LED bulbs would solve the problem same lumens, but no heat generated.

 

I haven't seen anything yet, but will keep my eyes open for it.

 

• Incandescent = oldest technology (1802) greatest heat generated, which Thos. A. Edison perfected in 1880.
• Florescent = contains mercury vapor hazardous if broken.
• Light Emitting Diode (LED) newest technology lowest heat generated.

My company fabricates and assembles process control enclosures and all of the major manufacturers have moved away from the 1st two and number 3 is the only illumination that can be specified.

Somewhat more expensive, but has greater longevity.

 

My company had 22 08 tacomas, some equipped with drls, and they have all cracked the lenses

 

This will probable sound stupid and unfounded, but I'll try anyways. I'm too lazy to run out to the garage and check but, don't the DRL bulbs cancel out when the headlights are on? I've been leaving the headlight switch on 24/7 (they shut off with the key).

If this is the case, would leaving the headlights on all the time lessen the chance of the melting lenses since the heat from the headlights would be spread out instead of concentrated in one spot? Or do you really think that Toyota used different plastics from one year to the next for the headlights?

Flame on.

 

I understand the headlights are not the issue. I was implying that the fix would be to leave your headlights on. Problem solved. Still visible during the day and no melting lenses. And you do not have to remember to shut them off or turn them on.

 

I wonder if bulb sizes were changed when they replaced my headlamps for this problem? 6 mos with no issue since they traded out...

 

There's a GM factory bulb that you can use. It's a shorter bulb and lower watts. Farther away and cooler, yes please.

 

you happen to know the bulb number on the gm ones?

 

^3057. Put them in mine and run great, no problems yet.

 

I recently replaced my headlights because of the same issue -- cracking, melting, etc. They looked like crap. I haven't had the 3057s in long enought to know if they will do the same, but they do not feel near as hot as the 4157s.