MESO Puddle Light build

El Chivo Norteño · May 16, 2019

NickB said: ↑

It definitely is nice that it’s plug and play which makes it super easy, I was half joking about it being too complicated. I just hate pulling trim pieces, they never seem to fit back correctly. I especially get scared around the airbag trim.
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Just disconnect the battery and it won’t pop

pc3coyote · May 16, 2019

NickB said: ↑

It definitely is nice that it’s plug and play which makes it super easy, I was half joking about it being too complicated. I just hate pulling trim pieces, they never seem to fit back correctly. I especially get scared around the airbag trim.
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I've pulled the dash trim pieces 10+ times for numerous installs and have never broken a clip or had issues getting things back together. It definitely seems scarier than it really is. When you're messing around the a pillar, just make sure you have the battery negative terminal disconnected.

LivinOnEdge said: ↑

@pc3coyote

Would it be ok if I use your post and put everything in an organized pdf?
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Sure! I can work to do that as well. @MESO may add it to the first post or to his website in the install instruction section as well.

MESO · May 16, 2019

pc3coyote said: ↑

I've pulled the dash trim pieces 10+ times for numerous installs and have never broken a clip or had issues getting things back together. It definitely seems scarier than it really is. When you're messing around the a pillar, just make sure you have the battery negative terminal disconnected.

Sure! I can work to do that as well. @MESO may add it to the first post or to his website in the install instruction section as well.
Click to expand...

yup, that's the plan!

LivinOnEdge · May 16, 2019

pc3coyote said: ↑

I've pulled the dash trim pieces 10+ times for numerous installs and have never broken a clip or had issues getting things back together. It definitely seems scarier than it really is. When you're messing around the a pillar, just make sure you have the battery negative terminal disconnected.

Sure! I can work to do that as well. @MESO may add it to the first post or to his website in the install instruction section as well.
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Took some liberty to begin just hoping youd say yes

Tacospike · May 16, 2019

LivinOnEdge said: ↑

Took some liberty to begin just hoping youd say yes

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HELL YEAH BOI!!

pc3coyote · May 16, 2019

LivinOnEdge said: ↑

Took some liberty to begin just hoping youd say yes

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That already looks better than I’d make it haha good work

LivinOnEdge · May 16, 2019

pc3coyote said: ↑

That already looks better than I’d make it haha good work
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I do all kinds of layout, packing, graphic design etc... for a living. You provide the instructions, I'll make it pretty.

scary_larry · May 16, 2019

LivinOnEdge said: ↑

So who in SoCal wants to have a meetup to install these?
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down for an install meet if I'm lucky enough to snag a set..

LivinOnEdge · May 16, 2019

So far at 14 pages in the guide. Keeping it straight forward with big pictures so its friendly for both print and for those with a tablet or laptop. @pc3coyote did a wonderful job with all the details.

Tacospike · May 16, 2019

Thank you for doing taking the time buddy

baldbeardedtaco · May 16, 2019

pc3coyote said: ↑

@MESO Puddle Lights
These things are awesome! Quality is amazing and an OEM finish. The trim piece tucks the LEDs in incredibly well where you'd have no idea that they were there or weren't stock unless you were looking for them. The lights are super bright with a nice crisp white light. The distribution of light along the whole cab is great with no dead spots. The harness is good quality with more than enough cable length and plug-and-play connectors so no cutting/splicing of any kind is required. Installation isn't terrible at all and is pretty straight forward. The only pain in the ass part is getting the wires through the door boots, not a major feat but takes some patience. These have been awesome to have already at nighttime when approaching the truck or unlocking the doors.

Instructions

Parts List

Parts

Puddle Pods

Tools

10mm socket

Phillips screw driver

Electrical tape (if required)

Zip ties (if required)

Trim removal tools

Removing the Door Panels

Disconnect negative battery terminal with 10mm socket

Remove felt in cubby with pick

Remove plastic behind door handle with pick

Remove three fasteners securing door panel

Remove two Phillip screws

For the plastic insert, push the center button in and then pry outside with pick

Remove the upper mirror trim piece with trim removal tool

Remove door panel with trim removal tool starting at the bottom pulling hard and sliding up towards the window

Slide out two door handle cables

Disconnect the two electrical plugs, the larger one has a release tab you press down and a collar that slides back, the smaller one has a release tab you press down,

Set door panel aside

Repeat Steps 2-11 for the passenger side

Passenger door has two electrical plugs to disconnect as well but both just have a release tab you press down

Installing the Puddle Lights

Disconnect mirror plug

Remove three black tape pieces covering the bolts securing the mirror with pick

Remove three nuts off the mirror bolts passing through the door with a 10mm socket while holding the mirror on the outside of the door so it doesn't fall

Remove the mirror from outside the door by sliding the bolts through the door once the nuts have been removed

Disconnect the 10” extension from the meso harness

Remove the tape on the mirror cable pass-through

Remove lower mirror trim piece with pick

Fish 10” extension through mirror trim piece and then through mirror arm

Connect the extension to the puddle light and snap it into place

Pull out slack of cords and push the trim piece flush onto the mirror

Rewrap the cables coming out of the pass-through with electrical tape

Reinstall mirror from outside door with 10mm socket to reinstall the nuts onto the bolts while passing the cords through the door and holding the mirror in place

Repeat Steps 1-12 for passenger side

Installing the Harness Leads

Overall wiring

Remove floormat

Remove lower kick panel trim piece with tool

Remove twist cap nut with your hand and then pull side footwell panel trim piece out

Disconnect three plugs in the driver footwell

Between the door and the cab, pop off boot from door with pick careful not to hit wires by slowly prying around the edge

Pop off boot from the cab side by prying on around the edge on the outside with the pick and pushing from inside the cab and cut the electrical tape securing the open end of the boot that goes into the cab

Take the shorter lead side of the meso harness and add some tape around the extension connector and its wires (if required) so the wires don’t pull out and so the connector release tab doesn’t snag on the boot as you push it through

Feed the meso cable through the cab passthrough to outside

Push the connect through the boot which is a little bit of a pain in the butt but have patience, it helps to have one hand stretch the boot as you use the other hand to push the connector through with your finger, once you get it more than halfway you can roll the opposite side of the boot back to expose the connector and pull it the rest of the way, be very careful to not rip any of the factory cords or damage the boot

Fish the cable into the door now that you have it through the boot

Make a small cut in the door plastic lining to reach your hand into the door to pass yourself the meso cable

Pull the cable through and connect it to the end of the extension that's coming through the top of the door

Feed the longer lead side of the meso harness through the small hole of the carpet under the console to the passenger side

Feed cable under carpet in passenger footwell, it just lifts up

Repeat Steps 2-13 for the passenger side

There's only two plugs to disconnect for the passenger footwell

Installing the Harness to OEM Connections

Remove the three 10mm bolts holding the lower dash piece in place with the 10mm socket

Gently pull the lower dash piece down to disengage the 11 clips holding it in place

Use the pick to remove the plastic piece in the a pillar that is covering the bolt

Use the 10mm socket to remove the bolt and pull the a pillar cover off

Feed the large end of the meso harness behind the dash towards the a pillar

Disconnect the OEM harness and plug the OEM female into the meso male and the OEM male to the meso female, you may need to cut the zip tie securing the OEM harness to do this

Tuck the extra slack of the meso harness in ensuring nothing is getting in the way or possibly interfering with the airbag

Final Steps

Reconnect battery negative terminal with 10mm socket

Test by opening and closing your doors and unlocking and locking your doors to ensure the puddle lights come on with the map/dome lights (ensure the map lights switch is set to the center function to be triggered by the door)

Tape the meso harness to the existing mirror harness in the door

You can add tape if needed to the plastic lining on the door if you had to cut it to pull the meso extension wire through

Reconnect the door panel electrical plugs and the two cables for the door handle ensuring you snap the ends of the connectors for the door handle wires into the trim on back side of the door panel, the door handle wire connectors have notches for this

Lift the door panel back onto the door starting at the top near the window and sliding down before pressing all of the plastic clips into place

Snap the top mirror trim back into place being careful to not lose the three plastic clips that secure it in the door

Screw back the two phillips head screws in the door, the larger screw is for the cubby and the smaller one is for behind the door handle

Snap the plastic insert back into place

Reinstall the felt and plastic trim pieces for the doors

Push the rubber boot back into the door and cab

Repeat Steps 3-10 for the passenger side

Reinstall the a pillar trim piece using the 10mm socket and snapping the cover back over the bolt

Snap the lower dash piece back into place and secure with 10mm bolts

Tuck any extra wiring up behind the lower dash piece and secure with tipties (if required)

Reinstall the side footwell trim piece and tighten with twist nut

Reinstall lower kick panel

Reinstall floor mat

Repeat steps 14-16 for the passenger side

Photos

Below has the meso puddle lights on plus my rock lights with a @DSIM dome light harness which you can read about in his thread and my wiring write-up

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Those nighttime shots are amazing, may reconsider these after all

pc3coyote · May 16, 2019

kjhadfield said: ↑

Those nighttime shots are amazing, may reconsider these after all
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It’s crazy how bright they are by themselves. It’s nice spread out and even light along the whole cab without any hot spots or dead spots in light. I’ve only had them on the truck or three days and it’s already been really nice to have.

SK_TRDPro · May 16, 2019

Looking forward to getting a set!

baldbeardedtaco · May 16, 2019

pc3coyote said: ↑

It’s crazy how bright they are by themselves. It’s nice spread out and even light along the whole cab without any hot spots or dead spots in light. I’ve only had them on the truck or three days and it’s already been really nice to have.
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The evenly spread part was caught my attention. The hot spot on the truck isn’t as bad as I originally thought

tacodnr · May 16, 2019

Maybe I missed it in all this talk but has there been news of the drop date when to look out for these sets ?

757yotas · May 16, 2019

05-15 tacomas?

Tacospike · May 16, 2019

tacodnr said: ↑

Maybe I missed it in all this talk but has there been news of the drop date when to look out for these sets ?
Click to expand...

No date. This month some time.

757yotas said: ↑

05-15 tacomas?
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Not at the moment.

mwt18 · May 16, 2019

kjhadfield said: ↑

The hot spot on the truck isn’t as bad as I originally thought
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It should light up my Pro badge nicely.

LivinOnEdge · May 16, 2019

Basic guide just about done. @MESO check your inbox in a few minutes. Make sure it looks ok

SgtPuddin · May 16, 2019

Meso has definitely cornered the Tacoma mod market on this forum. I mean the man could make a custom seatbelt release button and you guys jump on it like crack lol. His best selling point is the fact that his items are exclusive. I hope he doesn’t decide to mass produce anything. It makes everything he sells special.

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MESO Puddle Light build

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