broken 3rd brake light ? - Page 3 - Toyota 4Runner Forum

phattyduck · 10-21-2020, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endlessblockades

I just noticed my original 3rd brake light bulb is out. If I have standard bulbs in the main brake lights, I can use an LED as a 3rd without any other resistance mods, right?

Yeah, no problem with that.

-Charlie

Twan · 10-21-2020, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Endlessblockades

I just noticed my original 3rd brake light bulb is out. If I have standard bulbs in the main brake lights, I can use an LED as a 3rd without any other resistance mods, right?

Yes, it works fine.

Dom8706 · 10-21-2020, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phattyduck

The brake light circuit needs low resistance in it for the ABS system to sense the brake circuit correctly. One incandescent is enough - and since people replace the third brake light last, they blame problems on that. It isn't specifically the third brake light, all three are directly connected. You just need sufficiently low resistance in the circuit *somewhere*. I suggest doing it down by the tail lights because there is more room/access to put a load resistor there.

-Charlie

Thank you for your detailed response. Is there a specific load resistor that I need or is there a certain one you recommend?

brillo_76 · 10-22-2020, 09:18 AM

Cant you just use LEDs that are resistance loaded? They make these for the CAN system and vehicles that tell you a light I'd out. Those sould have resistance values in the leds bulbs themselves and may solve the issue for you.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

Dom8706 · 10-22-2020, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brillo_76

Cant you just use LEDs that are resistance loaded? They make these for the CAN system and vehicles that tell you a light I'd out. Those sould have resistance values in the leds bulbs themselves and may solve the issue for you.

Sent from my SM-J337V using Tapatalk

I wasn't even aware they made LEDs with built in load resistors. That definitely would of been the right route for me.

Ed_C · 10-23-2020, 01:48 AM

I've been running LEDs in my taillights' brake and 3rd brake light with no ABS or cruise control issues like some have had when switching to aftermarket full LED taillights, no piggybacked resistors required.

Tried a few 921 LEDs and found one that's more intense than the original incandescent bulb, used it first on my 1st-gen Tundra then decided to test it on the 4Runner. Best, Brightest LED Brake Light Bulb

FD7683 · 03-17-2021, 02:47 PM

Waking this thread up again. I was testing all lights as of routine maintenance to find the 3rd brake light not working. It seems like mine has been burnt out for years because I have never seen it work so I decided to change the bulb. Following this forum, I put in a 921 Sylvania bulb and it fit..... but was loose and wobbly. I'm going to assume that my connector to the bulb is shot so I will go get one off a scrapped 4Runner for now and see if it works. The old and new bulb is very identical so i'm just confused.

Ed_C · 03-18-2021, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FD7683

Waking this thread up again. I was testing all lights as of routine maintenance to find the 3rd brake light not working. It seems like mine has been burnt out for years because I have never seen it work so I decided to change the bulb. Following this forum, I put in a 921 Sylvania bulb and it fit..... but was loose and wobbly. I'm going to assume that my connector to the bulb is shot so I will go get one off a scrapped 4Runner for now and see if it works. The old and new bulb is very identical so i'm just confused.

Yes it's a 921 bulb. You may want to try bending the socket contacts with a pick or small screwdriver to tighten up the bulb fit.

FD7683 · 03-18-2021, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed_C

Yes it's a 921 bulb. You may want to try bending the socket contacts with a pick or small screwdriver to tighten up the bulb fit.

I was thinking about doing that but the plastic on mine was all burnt and melted so I headed to the nearest scrapper and scored 2 good connectors. One of them seems to have been replaced at one point which i'm very happy about and overall only paid $1. I did buy the 921 bulb and it's identical.

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