Exterior Utility Lighting

Exterior Wiring for 2016+ Tacoma


This information was taken and modified from a pervious Tacoma World post, found here originally by Corneeeeelius. The original problem with this mod was that the power and ground were drawn from too small a power supply and thus were insufficient to power auxiliary or exterior lights. The schematic arrangement below has corrected the problem. It is clean and works well.


This wiring scheme will connect the on/off function of the Cargo Lights to any auxiliary or exterior lights of your choice. At the control of the Cargo Light Switch to the bottom left of the steering wheel, these aux or exterior lights will turn on, off, or function with the close and opening of the door, as well as the locking and unlocking of the vehicle with key/fob. (Connecting to Cargo, rather than Interior Dome Lights, is preferable. Dome lights are interior, used sometimes during active driving, etc. Cargo is exterior and used when stationary.)


The setup is ideal for approaching the vehicle in the morning or night in dark conditions, say, for work, hunting, changing flats on highway, doing general maintenance at night, etc. Also ideal for exiting the vehicle in unknown conditions, say, muddy, uneven terrain, or when possible unknown persons are in the vicinity and you need a clear...shot. Last function is for bed use, which benefits tool or cargo access. Especially beneficial for trucks with bed covers.


Parts List

1. YITAMOTOR 2pcs 60"es LED Truck Bed Light Strip Lamp White Waterproof Lighting Kit for Truck Cargo Boat Pickup RV SUV, with On-Off Switch Fuse 2-Way Splitter Cable, 12v
   Lights
   
   
2. Wire Tap
   
   
3. $13 ESUPPORT Car Relay 12V 40A SPDT 5Pin Switch Socket Plug Wire Harness Automotive Pack of 5
   Relay
   
   
4. Wire, 16 gauge
   
   
5. Heat Shrink
   
   
6. Splice connections, various
   
   
7. Zip Ties
   
   
8. In-line fuse or circuit panel, w/ 5A fuse*

Steps:

1. Mount Exterior Lights
   
   
2. Connect all Exterior Light positives. Same for all Exterior Light negatives.
   
   1. Connect Exterior Light positives to Exterior Light Relay’s blue wire (terminal #87).
      
      
   2. Connect Exterior Light negatives to frame.
3. Install wire tap on Cargo Light Switch/Relay’s blue wire (terminal #5).
   
   1. Connect wire from wire tap to Exterior Light Relay’s white wire (terminal #86). Do not ground the white relay wire.**
4. Run one main power wire from battery to Exterior Light Relay’s red wire (terminal #30) and to Exterior Light Relay’s black wire (terminal #85). Essentially, connect Exterior Light Relay’s red and black (terminals #30 and #85) with the main power supply wire.***
   
   
5. Test lights.

* Lights linked above come with an in-line fuse in their wiring harness.


** Normally, any relay should be grounded on the frame, but in this scheme it piggyback’s the Cargo Light Switch/Relay’s blue wire, which will connect to ground when Cargo Light Switch/Relay is tripped, closing the circuit on the main power supply to the Cargo Light. This same function will now occur for the Exterior Lights. Essentially, the Exterior Light schematic mimics that of the factory Cargo Schematic. To be clear, this setup does not have Exterior Lights draw power or ground from the Cargo Light or its switch/relay. It only draws the relay trip ground.


*** Since the Exterior Light Relay is now wired to trip with a connecting ground, a constant power supply to the Exterior Light Relay. This power can be drawn from the same source powering the Exterior Lights, which is already running through the red wire on the Exterior Light Relay. Hence, the main power supply should be connected both to the Exterior Light Relay’s red wire and to its black wire. I repeat here, in the factory Cargo Light Relay it is the ground, not the power, that trips the relay circuit. So, it must be the same setup with the Exterior Light Relay.


Lastly, the relay’s linked above come with a fifth, center, yellow wire connection. Leave this connection alone. Tape it, cut it off, etc. You don’t need it.




Images:

Factory Cargo Light Wiring Schematic:



Actual image of the tap on Cargo Light Switch/Relay blue wire (terminal #5):


Exterior Light Wiring Schematic (green rectangles are the exterior lights):





Actual image of Exterior Light Relay wiring arrangement:




Video of the lights (will post another one utilizing the switch later tonight when it grows dark outside):

 

Very similar huh...
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-added-lamps-to-cargo-sw.587660/

 

I don’t plumb the threads, so I appreciate the prior reference.

 

Do you tap the white wire from the relay to the green wire from the connector behind the kick panel?

Nvm, I didnt look at the picture above.