Installed LED turns, keeps blowing 10A Tail fuse

I installed JDM Astar LED's in rear signals and front DRL/signals, as well as corner lights. I have resistors on all four corners and everything works properly with no hyperflash. But now when I turn on the headlights it immediately blows the 10A Tail fuse behind the dash. Everything else continues to work EXCEPT the corner lights and tail lights. Brake lights and all signals still work properly.

I'm stumped! Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated

Side note... I searched here and google extensively before posting

 

Are you sure you hooked the resistors to the correct wires?

 

Yes I did. I think the bulbs are not CK style. I'll have to purchase a new set I'm guessing

 

try putting a 15A fuse in. if it still blows you got a bad ground some where. or faulty wiring

 

That is most likely the problem. Using a "standard" 3157 or 7443 in a CK socket will cause the low intensity "tail/parking" light circuit fuse to blow--it's due to differences in placement of the ground contacts.



The standard lamp in the CK socket shorts the low intensity feed to ground...

 

^^This,

On a side note. I thought the 2nd gens had a flasher module you could replace instead of splicing in resistors for turn signals

 

^Yes, or you can even open up the flasher module and grind down a resistor inside, but module is a bit difficult to access.

 

lucky, on the third gen, the module is built into the guage cluster. Can't do anything about it. Have to use resistors

 

^Ehh so use resistors. My eBay tail lights with built-in LED turn signals also have built-in resistors. So far they haven't overheated.

 

What not obvious is that adding the resistor means the LED/resistor combination uses just as much power as an incandescent lamp..

 

^Correct. However, most people don't convert to LEDs in their Tacos to reduce electrical power consumption; they do it to improve appearance.

 

I suppose with the proper schematics, it may be possible to disassemble the gauge cluster and rework some circuit board components to achieve the correct blinking rate for LED bulbs.

 

I'd love to do it once they last as long as household LED bulbs just to never have to worry about a light being out. Automotive led seems to have burn out issues though.

 

You can replaced the flasher relay on a non DTRL vehicle with a new drop in relay. On DTRL trucks, you have to modify the OEM relay.

You can convert your bulbs to CK style bulbs super easy instead of replacing them with overpriced CK style bulbs. I did this for my truck with no problem.

Heres a link - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/convert-non-ck-3157-led-bulbs-to-3157ck.321201/

The only thing I did differently was add some heat shrink to keep the leads from crossing each other once moving them.

 

I believe this is the issue, yes. Used the same bulbs in the rear with no issue. Installing them in the front causes the "tail/parking" fuse to blow. Will be ordering CK bulbs. Any recommendations? I know lots of folks here love VLED and Diode Dynamics. Does JDM Astar make a CK application? I've had great results from them at a much lower price. (I know you get what you pay for but there is such a thing as point of diminishing returns as well)

 

Ok so an update...

I installed the CK style bulbs. The fuse no longer blows. But now it's a new issue.

They work perfectly until the parking or headlights are turned on. No longer do they blow a fuse but the front signals won't blink. No hyperflash, the rear works correctly, but the front doesn't blink. Also the DRL's don't dim when the parking or headlights are turned on so I think that's connected.

Any one got an idea?

 

Coulda saved a crap-ton of time, energy, and money by getting one of these. You don't need resistors if you replace your blinker control with this one:
https://www.diodedynamics.com/store...05-2013-toyota-tacoma-led-turn-signal-flasher

 

Except mine has DRLs and it clearly states only compatible for Non-DTRL models. If that's not accurate I would order it today

 

poop

 

Or just stick with the OEM lighting--but then I'm retired, and old, and have handled more than my fair share of life's hassles to go out of my way seeking tgem out.

OP, 'twas me I would put it all back to stock to verify its all still working--then modify one end at a time...