Bumbo
New member
Considering he popped the fuse during installation... it very well could be it.
Easy test at the very least...
Electrical Issue? Installed Interior LEDs - Now NOTHING Works!
- Thread starter native_end
- Start date
Considering he popped the fuse during installation... it very well could be it.
Easy test at the very least...
Yep, if it controls ALL of the LED's he replaced. Sometimes you have dash bulbs and interior bulbs and console bulbs, etc. all on different circuits.
native_end
New member
delloro
New member
Then put a voltmeter between the positive post of the battery and the (removed) positive cable, with and without that fuse installed. With the doors shut and vehicle locked of course. If there is voltage with the fuse present, but not with the fuse removed, there is a path to ground which should not be there.
This is good advice. Will be able to figure out if there is current draw from the lighting circuit. Do it carefully though with alligator clips and not allowing the terminals to touch anything. But a current draw alone shouldn't be doing weird things like setting off the alarm.
native_end
New member
Agree on all points, but this is what has me confused.
You also need to allow any systems that remain awake after the key is off to go to sleep before you do this test. Otherwise, there will be current flow sufficient to light the test light or show voltage on the meter even if there is no problem.
I suspect the weird things are due to a battery that is discharged due to a parasitic draw. Need to charge the battery before testing, for sure.
flyrv9
New member
If you're doing any type of electrical work - it's good practice to either disconnect the battery or pull all fuses associated with the circuits involved. Battery is easier though. LED's are polarity sensitive. they should either be marked or or constructed so they can't be installed backwards.
I suggest you disconnect the battery and reverse your mod putting things back to where they were and see where you stand. All fuses should be checked with a meter because they sometimes can look good, but still be blown.
I suggest you disconnect the battery and reverse your mod putting things back to where they were and see where you stand. All fuses should be checked with a meter because they sometimes can look good, but still be blown.
native_end
New member
What really sucks is I threw all the halogen bulbs in the trash...
delloro
New member
There are different ways to skin a cat. I prefer to leave the problem in place, to make it easier to find. But that's me. Just keep us informed.
I still think it's your battery. My Xterra ate them up every few years. It was bone stock. And they were always a sudden death.
Bumbo
New member
I know ur already kicking yourself on that... but anytime I come across "extra parts" either from upgrade or whatever, I add it to my small emergency kit for my car.
In there I have things like a code scanner, meter, spare fuses, bulbs, paper instructions for various things or aftermarket equipment, manuals, tools like various sockets for things I might need to make life easier on the road or on the trail... I even have my old serpentine belt when I changed out to a new because it was getting old...
nglayton
Senior Member
^^This^^ Easiest place to start and cost nothing.
EDIT: Oops, just noticed the above mention of throwing all the old bulbs away......never mind
Last edited:
rigtec
New member
Hi RCFJ,
...I think the low voltage when the battery is dying is causing the alarm to trip; this is 'in part' a design/default "fail-safe" factor!
rig, Cheers!
HighTechAddict
New member
Want replacement bulbs to test?
I also swapped out all my interior lights for LED this week, so I have a complete set of working bulbs sitting on my work bench. Want them? They're yours. I'm in Littleton, PM for contact info.
FWIW, I completely agree with the others that it's your battery and the LED swap was just bad timing.
I also swapped out all my interior lights for LED this week, so I have a complete set of working bulbs sitting on my work bench. Want them? They're yours. I'm in Littleton, PM for contact info.
FWIW, I completely agree with the others that it's your battery and the LED swap was just bad timing.
native_end
New member
Update
Ended up taking the 4R to my Toyota guy over the weekend.
He said he ran through it with a fine tooth comb. Could not get the issue to replicate. Found some codes that were voltage related. Re-tested the battery and alternator and found no issue. Tested all connections, nothing. Tried searching for any voltage pulling and still couldn't find anything.
Now my interior lights will not come on when I open the driver's side door. All other doors turn them on.
It was very slow to start this morning. Sat in my garage overnight, wasn't overly cold.
I'm pulling all of the LED bulbs out this weekend to see if that changes anything. None of these issues were happening before I installed the LEDs, so that's where I'm going to start.
Will keep updating until the problems stop.
Ended up taking the 4R to my Toyota guy over the weekend.
He said he ran through it with a fine tooth comb. Could not get the issue to replicate. Found some codes that were voltage related. Re-tested the battery and alternator and found no issue. Tested all connections, nothing. Tried searching for any voltage pulling and still couldn't find anything.
Now my interior lights will not come on when I open the driver's side door. All other doors turn them on.
It was very slow to start this morning. Sat in my garage overnight, wasn't overly cold.
I'm pulling all of the LED bulbs out this weekend to see if that changes anything. None of these issues were happening before I installed the LEDs, so that's where I'm going to start.
Will keep updating until the problems stop.
TRUSTYAXE
New member
For the love of God man, change the battery.
native_end
New member
lol, ok I will try that out after work today.
just would prefer not to drop $150 on a new battery if it is testing fine?
Sounds to me like a bad ground by the symptoms, I would check the ground wire from the battery to the engine block and anwhere else it splits to. However, I had a similar issue on my old 95 T4R and it was that stupid 2 piece battery connector they used. There was so much corrosion between the 2 pieces that it would go in and out of connection. If I rolled my windows up the headlights would dim to almost nothing, and I could actually kill the motor by rolling all 4 windows up and leaving the switch up after the windows closed all the way. All I had to do was completely take that battery connector apart and wire brush it down to bare metal(had like a white crust all over it)
Randyman...
New member
A personal observation:
For whatever reason, the rear hatch lights (which I swapped to LED's) in my '13 SR5 always remain dimly lit with the hatch closed. That is not a lot of draw, but I opted to leave those rear hatch lights in the "Off" position to kill any chance of that "parasitic current draw" leaving me stranded with a dead battery. Simply turn them on again when needed (not very often).
If your battery was on the way out, combining this parasitic draw might be just enough to prevent starting, and (with time) drop the resting voltage enough where the alarm starts freaking out.
I haven't noticed this "light still dimly lit when off" phenomenon with any other interior light location where I switched to LED's (swapped them all). Odd...
The fact you popped a fuse during the LED install is also somewhat interesting - but I'm assuming the fuse should protect any damage (why it's there!).
In any event - a Booster/JumpStart pack should be standard issue in any vehicle IMNSHO. But that's not a solution - just a CYA :cowboy:
For whatever reason, the rear hatch lights (which I swapped to LED's) in my '13 SR5 always remain dimly lit with the hatch closed. That is not a lot of draw, but I opted to leave those rear hatch lights in the "Off" position to kill any chance of that "parasitic current draw" leaving me stranded with a dead battery. Simply turn them on again when needed (not very often).
If your battery was on the way out, combining this parasitic draw might be just enough to prevent starting, and (with time) drop the resting voltage enough where the alarm starts freaking out.
I haven't noticed this "light still dimly lit when off" phenomenon with any other interior light location where I switched to LED's (swapped them all). Odd...
The fact you popped a fuse during the LED install is also somewhat interesting - but I'm assuming the fuse should protect any damage (why it's there!).
In any event - a Booster/JumpStart pack should be standard issue in any vehicle IMNSHO. But that's not a solution - just a CYA :cowboy:
