LED front turn signals: WALKTHROUGH

[jxjjang]

sigh.

 

I just about finished writing the walkthrough, and I accidently x'ed out of the page and lost it all.

 

As a result of my love for LGT.com, I will try this again....

 

_________________________________________

 

So before we begin, any modification resulting in any damage to your vehicle is totally up to your own discretion. I will take no responsibility! This mod was done on a 2006 Legacy 2.5GT 5MT Limited. I cannot guarantee the same results on a different year/model/trim!

 

If you're not comfortable with wiring, beginner-intermediate mods (bumper removal, clearing headlights, basic wiring), this mod MAY not be for you, but you never know. It's pretty easy, but usually people are just too afraid to try.

 

You'll need to purchase 3157A LED bulbs, NOT 3157. I bought the 3157 LED bulb before and it just had one light setting (bright) and not dim/bright for the running/parking and blinker application. I purchased mine from www.partsamerica.com (link is: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=JST&MfrPartNumber=3157A)

http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images/img/jsi/3157a.jpg

 

Next, you'll need to buy two (2) load resistors, one for each bulb. I bought mine from www.superbrightleds.com

link is:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=CAR&keywords=&cart_id=4470885.12339&next=0

The link should lead you to page 1 and it's about 1/8 from the bottom of the screen and looks like:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/store/html/images/load_res.jpg

RL-650 Tail Light Load Resistor kit

You'll need to buy two of these, one for each bulb.

 

When you receive these items, you're ready to begin!

 

1.) Remove the bumper and grill (follow the walkthroughs for the clearing/blackout headlights mod).

 

PASSENGER SIDE

2.) If you have the stock intake setup, remove the snorkel and airbox. For those with aftermarket intakes, you should be okay (except for the AEM intake which snakes down to the foglight area). You'll be working in that area, so you may run into problems with the AEM setup.

 

3.) Peel back the wheel lining and find the wires that lead to the turn signal housing. Trace the wires back behind the horns, and a bit farther until you reach and area where you can freely work with about 4-5" of wiring.

 

4.) Carefully peel back or cut back the trimming so you're exposed with three wires. They should be RED/WHITE (+), BLUE/BLACK (+), and BLACK (-).

 

5.) Using the blue t-clamps (or vampire clamps), open the clamp up so that the blue plastic is in a 180º position. It may sound foreign if you've never worked with these clips, but it'll make sense when you have them in your hand. When you open up the clip, one hole is exposed from an "O" position, to a "C" position, so you can slide in the wire you want to tap into without cutting the wire. Feed the RED/WHITE [+] (turn signal) wire into the open slot and close the clamp so that the blue plastic is in the 90º position (like you see in the picture above).

 

6.) Feed one end of the load resistor wires (doesn't matter which side) into the closed-end holes of the clamp. Once both wires are neatly in place, close the clamp with a pair of pliers until it locks. Check to make sure that the wire you tapped into is securely and neatly tapped into.

 

7.) Do the same with the BLACK[-] (negative) ground wire. When you're finished, it should look something like this:

http://xb7.xanga.com/9ccc963ad0232200526098/m155387939.jpg

yellow = load resistor wire 1

red = ground (-) wire

magenta = load resistor wire 2

green = blinker(+) wire

 

Essentially, what you're doing is this:

http://x2d.xanga.com/5d3c633a30233200526127/m155387968.jpg

pardon me for the poor diagram haha

 

8.) Replace your old 3157A bulb with your new LED bulb. It may seem like it doesn't fit snugly, but if you put a bit of pressure on it, you'll hear a *snap* as it locks into place. MAKE SURE you lock it into place! The first time I did this, I didn't make sure it was secure and when I put it back in my headlamp housing, the bulb almost dropped in there! I would've died if I had to spend all that time baking my headlights again for the 4th time!

TEST IF YOUR LIGHT WORKS! If it doesn't, it's probably due to poor connections with the clamps. MAKE SURE that your clamp is neatly cutting into your wires at a perpendicular angle!

 

9.)Secure the clamps with some electric tape to minimize weather-related problems.

 

DRIVER SIDE

This side is a bit trickier because there's less space to work with, but I found that removing your driver's side headlight housing gives a lot more space to work with.

 

10.) Follow the steps above up to pulling back the wheel lining.

 

11.) Peel back the wiring again, but this time you'll only have about 3-4" to work with.

 

12.) For some ODD reason, the blinker wire is color coded differently. Ground[-] is still BLACK, but the blinker is now GREEN/BLACK[+] and the running/parking is WHITE/BLACK[+]. I have NO clue why they did this, but this is just how it is.

 

13.) Follow the same steps as the passenger side - one end on the GREEN/BLACK(+) wire, and the other end on the GROUND(-) wire.

http://x79.xanga.com/051c713a70230200526125/m155387966.jpg

green - blinker(+)

yellow - load resistor wire 1

red - ground(+)

magenta - load resistor wire 2

14.) Replace your bulb and TEST!

 

15.) Clean up, tape up! Make sure your resistors are in a safe spot. They tend to get hot, so make sure they're not directly touching any wires/plastic.

 

NOTE- if your flashers stop working for some odd reason, you most likely just burned the fuse for the flashers. I believe it's no.14 in the hood fuse box and it takes a 15A fuse, which you may have a spare in the fusebox.

 

RESULT:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfq9FsXa9JY]YouTube - LED front turn signals (final)[/ame]

[jxjjang]

some quick pics on brake light application:

WITH LIGHT

http://x01.xanga.com/406c730329c30200532028/m155392877.jpg

http://x10.xanga.com/4cb8532279058200532055/m155392902.jpg

http://x97.xanga.com/274c6703c1533200532099/m155392937.jpg

 

now, in light, with brakes applied

http://xb0.xanga.com/f1cc450302d31200532256/m155393076.jpg

http://xcf.xanga.com/2b38302179256200532201/m155393027.jpg

http://xb3.xanga.com/b87c440724031200532155/m155392990.jpg

 

IN DARK

http://xdf.xanga.com/6cb8565606358200532316/m155393129.jpg

http://xfb.xanga.com/3b28245b79c78200532343/m155393151.jpg

http://x39.xanga.com/7c082b5579c18200532371/m155393181.jpg

 

now with brakes applied, in the dark

http://x48.xanga.com/aedc4b0334c31200532428/m155393227.jpg

http://x5d.xanga.com/2998525500418200532471/m155393261.jpg

http://x47.xanga.com/67ac750303730200532278/m155393094.jpg

 

Pretty much the same steps as above, but with the brake lights. I used a multi-meter to figure out which bulbs had a 12v draw, but I couldn't use it on the front signals because there were no exposed contacts (prob. weather-resistant)

[meier motor sports]

or get a solid state flasher module.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/tail-brake-turn.html

scroll down to electronic led flasher.

click "more info"

scroll down to cf18-18 for newer Toyota

this is what i have been running for a couple years now its 12.95 and doesn't mess with any wiring or create heat or add a load that the led was bought in order to remove

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34463

[VTGT]

OT is that the SPT exhaust?

[jxjjang]

yup v2, search my username on youtube and you can hear a clip of it

[mrjk77]

wow, very nice man.

[Grios2.5]

for the brakes im assuming you didnt need the load res right?

[jxjjang]

actually... now that i think of it, i might not have needed them, but i got them anyways.

 

but i'm still wondering that if the car still senses an incorrect voltage across any marker light, would your turns still flash at twice the speed?

[hassa]

or get a solid state flasher module.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/tail-brake-turn.html

scroll down to electronic led flasher.

click "more info"

scroll down to cf18-18 for newer Toyota

this is what i have been running for a couple years now its 12.95 and doesn't mess with any wiring or create heat or add a load that the led was bought in order to remove

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34463

 

Wow - nice work......so you basically just replaced the stock Denso module and replaced with the CF18-08? As far as the LEDs - based on this thread, all we'd need are the 3157As? Did you purchase yellow/amber LEDs all around?

[jkaic]

I know this is quite old but just so you know you need either 3157A or 3157 CK type LED bulbs and NOT regular 3157 bulbs. Reason is the ground wires are in different positions for the front turn signals, and using 3157 LED bulbs will blow the fuse (just went through like 7 fuses). Alternatively you can do the 3157 to 3157CK mod in this link which is what I did: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/321201-convert-non-ck-3157-led-bulbs-3157ck.html Cheers

[A_Tang]

UPDATE: My 2007 wagon does indeed have a 3157 CK style plug/connector for the front clearance/turn signal lamp. I tested the contacts in the socket with a meter and found that the common grounds are on the same long side of the "blade". (see diagram below)

 

The bulbs I purchased from SuperbrightLeds, p/n 3157-x45-T: 45HP-LED were not the CK style and blew my fuses. The hazard, parking, and clearance lamp fuses all blew.

 

Whether or not this is true for all 2007 models, as well as all other 4th Gen models, remains to be confirmed. Can other owners who have had the issues of blowing fuses please confirm?

 

I know this is quite old but just so you know you need either 3157A or 3157 CK type LED bulbs and NOT regular 3157 bulbs. Reason is the ground wires are in different positions for the front turn signals, and using 3157 LED bulbs will blow the fuse (just went through like 7 fuses). Alternatively you can do the 3157 to 3157CK mod in this link which is what I did: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/321201-convert-non-ck-3157-led-bulbs-3157ck.html Cheers

 

Thanks for pointing this out Jkiac, I just wish I'd seen this post before I ordered.

 

 

http://d114hh0cykhyb0.cloudfront.net/images/uploads/led-car-bulb-CK-wiring.jpg

[06leg315]

So on a 2006 legacy do I or don't I have cl type bulb? I want to order noe but don't want to get wrong ones

[A_Tang]

So on a 2006 legacy do I or don't I have cl type bulb? I want to order noe but don't want to get wrong ones

 

You need to run the test on your connector to know for sure.

[magnusonsubie]

I just found this thread today as I was installing my switchbacks and I had ordered the non CK 3157 bulbs and modified them to be 3157CK switchbacks using the toyota forum posted above. Seeing as my 2005 and A_Tang's 2007 both had the CK style I would assume that all 4th gens have this. Either order the CK style or order the normal and modify them to be CK bulbs.