2014+ T4R Tri-LED Projector / Sequential Headlights

[D_WORK]

Received and installed my set of headlights from hidkitpros on Wednesday. I'm glad to report back that I will be keeping them as the Morimoto XBs are an overall improvement over the stock halogen lights.

I can't speak to the output compared to HID kits in the stock housings but the light output of these are definitely better than stock. Although the stock housings weren't at all bad looking, I feel like the XBs also improve the overall exterior aesthetics with the darkened housings. The switchback turn signals are also a nice touch.

As others have noted, I can also confirm there are some darker areas at the sides near the car fender areas. The majority of my driving at night have been with the fog lights off and I can see just fine. Running the OEM fogs fill everything out nicely if the dark areas are an annoyance. Not life/death as others have made it out to be.

Some questions for the others who have been running the Morimotos for a while...

- The step to hardwire the DRL harness to the battery was initially omitted on my car and, although there was no noticeable difference, I installed the harness later for piece of mind. What's does running the DRL harness to the battery accomplish?

- I needed exactly three turns to raise the low beam height. If you can recall, how much vertical adjustment was needed to raise the low beams to the height of the stock housings?


Here are some pictures and road test video. The start of the video is on a dark street with no street lights then transitions into a neighborhood with curves in both directions.

Video
YouTube

Before

After

With DRLs on

No fogs

With fogs

Great info here. Thanks so much for sharing. I am going to purchase these soon but I am waiting for the Black Friday deals to release. One quick question though, I noticed you have orange tape on the fenders/bumper cover. Any reason for that? Looking for as many install tips and tricks that I can get. Thanks in advance!

 

[mrblah]

Great info here. Thanks so much for sharing. I am going to purchase these soon but I am waiting for the Black Friday deals to release. One quick question though, I noticed you have orange tape on the fenders/bumper cover. Any reason for that? Looking for as many install tips and tricks that I can get. Thanks in advance!

tape is to keep the bumper from scratching the fender

 

[VB.TRD.Pro]

tape is to keep the bumper from scratching the fender

^^ This. As my luck would have it, the bumper is guaranteed to bang against the fender at least once in the process. Taping the edge adds some protection from potentially scratching or chipping the paint at the susceptible edges.

 

[TRDOR17]

Morimoto

This is my first post so bare with me here, I just ordered the new Morimoto XB LED headlights and started watching videos about them. I noticed one guy said that the DRL feature is no longer used on the headlight switch and you ha e to turn your parking light on to activate the DRLs/parking lights. Is this true? Is there no way to just have the white LEDs on as DRLs without having your parking lights on? Just trying to figure out if I can easily wire it differently when I install them?

 

[brtnstrns]

This is my first post so bare with me here, I just ordered the new Morimoto XB LED headlights and started watching videos about them. I noticed one guy said that the DRL feature is no longer used on the headlight switch and you ha e to turn your parking light on to activate the DRLs/parking lights. Is this true? Is there no way to just have the white LEDs on as DRLs without having your parking lights on? Just trying to figure out if I can easily wire it differently when I install them?

No, that is not true.

The LED "strip" around the perimeter becomes your new DRL. Literally all it is is plugging a wire that comes with the kit into each headlight and then running it to the under-hood fuse box. The connectors are all set up and the fuse box connector side has an additional slot for the fuse that you're running it to, so there is no splicing or cutting or anything crazy.

It's super simple.

 

[Broomsky19]

New here.. about to pull the plug and purchase these. Does anyone know if there is any difference to removing the bumper if you have a 2020 with Toyota Sense? I don’t want to damage the sensor on the bumper.

 

[LCFj40]

New here.. about to pull the plug and purchase these. Does anyone know if there is any difference to removing the bumper if you have a 2020 with Toyota Sense? I don’t want to damage the sensor on the bumper.

I have a 2020 TRD pro with the Toyota Safety Sense... All you need to do is unplug the sensor and remove the two bolts on the metal bracket. The sensor will stay attached to the bumper cover so no worries about calibration.

 

[Broomsky19]

I have a 2020 TRD pro with the Toyota Safety Sense... All you need to do is unplug the sensor and remove the two bolts on the metal bracket. The sensor will stay attached to the bumper cover so no worries about calibration.

Perfect! Thanks so much!


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[Trail4me]

How will these fare in winter? From my research it seems LED's do not heat outside lens enough to melt the snow and ice resulting in pulling over and cleaning the headlights frequently. Something I would want to avoid doing during a snow storm. Is there a mechanism built in to remedy this issue?

 

[VB.TRD.Pro]

How will these fare in winter? From my research it seems LED's do not heat outside lens enough to melt the snow and ice resulting in pulling over and cleaning the headlights frequently. Something I would want to avoid doing during a snow storm. Is there a mechanism built in to remedy this issue?

Is that really a problem or a perceived one (in theory)?

There is not a mechanism for that on these lights nor is there a solution for that on many other modern cars equipped with LED headlights. We live in Colorado and both of our other cars also have factory LED headlights. Never had an issue with snow build up on the lights and we've driven through some zero visibility storms. Not to go off topic but can't say the same about the radar unit on the front of the car for cruise control though. That has errored out due to build up but never an issue lights.

 

[Trail4me]

Is that really a problem or a perceived one (in theory)?

There is not a mechanism for that on these lights nor is there a solution for that on many other modern cars equipped with LED headlights. We live in Colorado and both of our other cars also have factory LED headlights. Never had an issue with snow build up on the lights and we've driven through some zero visibility storms. Not to go off topic but can't say the same about the radar unit on the front of the car for cruise control though. That has errored out due to build up but never an issue lights.

It's a potential problem. I'm in Northern Utah and visit high altitudes like ski resorts frequently. I don't have experience with LED's on my vehicles and wanted to know opinions of people that run them in winter. I know that the halogen lenses are warm to the touch and that melts the snow and prevents the icy film build up. I'm also new to the 4Runner and unaware if design of the headlight on 5th gen would be susceptible to snow build up. It could be that headlights designed for the LED's from the get go would have a different shape, slope, etc..

Kind of curios if wet snow would be an issue for the LED's as i'm looking into improving the horrid stock low beam on this truck. They are simply inadequate for driving in pitch black conditions i would experience if taking it in to the wild here.

 

[VB.TRD.Pro]

It's a potential problem. I'm in Northern Utah and visit high altitudes like ski resorts frequently. I don't have experience with LED's on my vehicles and wanted to know opinions of people that run them in winter. I know that the halogen lenses are warm to the touch and that melts the snow and prevents the icy film build up. I'm also new to the 4Runner and unaware if design of the headlight on 5th gen would be susceptible to snow build up. It could be that headlights designed for the LED's from the get go would have a different shape, slope, etc..

Kind of curios if wet snow would be an issue for the LED's as i'm looking into improving the horrid stock low beam on this truck. They are simply inadequate for driving in pitch black conditions i would experience if taking it in to the wild here.

I'll have to monitor and report back if it becomes an issue on the 4runner especially with these new headlights.

 

[fr4c]

If I remember vaguely when I was installing and aiming my XB headlights, the assembly does get warm to the touch after being on for a bit. Whether or not that is enough during the winter/cold to melt snow and ice, I guess we will all find out soon.

 

[kelkins]

If I remember vaguely when I was installing and aiming my XB headlights, the assembly does get warm to the touch after being on for a bit. Whether or not that is enough during the winter/cold to melt snow and ice, I guess we will all find out soon.

They do. The heat sinks for the LEDs give off enough heat to make the lens feel slightly warm to the touch. They don’t melt ice very well though in the limited experience I have with ice.

 

[Broomsky19]

Has anyone run into any issues with hyper blinking? Saw on YouTube several 2020 owners experienced it. Just trying to figure out what else I would need to prevent that and what would be involved when I do my install tomorrow.


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[VB.TRD.Pro]

....

 

[kelkins]

Heres the video, shows about 6:15 marker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxPsEPIQ3ak&feature=youtu.be

If you did not run the add a fuse wire like they did in the video, do so NOW. I just checked mine and the wire was flat as a pancake. Re ran the wire as they did in the video above as a precaution. I was really surprised how flat my wire was due to the fuse lid. I barely had to push on it to close it during the initial install. I’m glad I checked.

 

[LCFj40]

Based on the instances that have been mentioned, the hyper blink issue is present if LED bulbs are installed in the taillight turn signals. You should be fine if the original turn signal bulbs are still in the taillights.

Incorrect... I have a 2020, had hyperflash with the stock bulbs in the rear and Morimoto headlights.

When I added rear LED turn bulbs and installed VLED resistors the hyperflash stopped. I tried the factory bulbs again with the resistors and still no hyperflash. Morimoto sent me a set of resistors, didnt install them since the VLED resistor fixed the issue.

 

[LCFj40]

Has anyone run into any issues with hyper blinking? Saw on YouTube several 2020 owners experienced it. Just trying to figure out what else I would need to prevent that and what would be involved when I do my install tomorrow.


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You need resistors, contact whomever you bought the headlights from and they will send you a set.

 

[MadeInMaine]

Any word on Black Friday deals?