Electrical Issue? Installed Interior LEDs - Now NOTHING Works!

[native_end]

2011 Limited

Purchased in September with 85k miles. Everything looked great, had it checked by an independent mechanic who also verified everything looked great.

Installed this LED kit over the weekend-

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010OOXVTS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

While installing the dome light, the interior lighting fuse blew. I replaced it with the same 10A fuse and continued installing the rest of the lights. Everything worked fine.

Monday-
Come to the 4R parked in our company garage. Nothing works. I thought the battery was dead. Jumped it, as soon as I connected the positive everything lit up. Took it to the local auto parts store and they ran testing on the battery and alternator. Both looked fine. Ok, I'll just wait for it to happen again.

Tuesday-
Everything is normal. No issues.

Today-
Friend calls me saying my alarm is going off in the garage. I go check it out, and it's like the alarm is going off but the battery is weak. The horn is barely tooting and the lights are flickering. I jump it again, same thing. As soon as the electrode is connected, everything lights up.

Any clue what this would be?

 

[rayofsi]

did you charge up your battery that should be fine? If that is the original battery on a 2011. It is about time to replace it

 

[Bumbo]

troubleshooting...

I would pull every one of those LED lights out, and see if all operation returns to normal...

 

[lbro23]

Just spitballing here... but it seems like perhaps there is a minor short somewhere in the electrical system, or something else causing parasitic current draw. There's a method of testing voltage across a fuse to measure the amperage in the circuit but its very tedious to do it for every fuse. If you can't find the problem elsewhere, it might be worth looking into.
https://us.autologic.com/news/testing-parasitic-draw-via-fuse-voltage-drop

 

[Bumbo]

Just spitballing here... but it seems like perhaps there is a minor short somewhere in the electrical system, or something else causing parasitic current draw. There's a method of testing voltage across a fuse to measure the amperage in the circuit but its very tedious to do it for every fuse. If you can't find the problem elsewhere, it might be worth looking into.
https://us.autologic.com/news/testing-parasitic-draw-via-fuse-voltage-drop

I think that is a really good suggestion... because if you get a brand new battery as a "fix", and you do have some type of parasitic draw issue, then its only going to keep happening.

OP, how long did you have the truck before you started experiencing this, or before you started making modifications?

 

[native_end]

did you charge up your battery that should be fine? If that is the original battery on a 2011. It is about time to replace it

It is not the original battery. Looks like it was purchased from Autozone in the last few years. The meter at the auto parts store said both the battery and alternator were reading out fine.

 

[philsey]

Poor/corroded battery terminal connections.

 

[native_end]

Poor/corroded battery terminal connections.

Negative. Both connections on the battery are clean and tight.

I was not able to locate every ground connection, so I cannot rule that out.

 

[1jzgte]

so battery is weak

have you replaced the battery

 

[native_end]

Here is a video I took while the alarm was halfway going off.

https://youtu.be/OpTvRVnBLtg

When I got in the car, everything was dead. Had to jump to start.

 

[1jzgte]

Here is a video I took while the alarm was halfway going off.

https://youtu.be/OpTvRVnBLtg

When I got in the car, everything was dead. Had to jump to start.

wanna answer the question?

Change your battery. Ground issues dont happen simply from swapping bulbs. If you installed some fancy switches to light up some fancy crap in the 4runner then i can see that becoming an issue but you dont seem to have any aftermarket driving lights.

 

[native_end]

so battery is weak

have you replaced the battery

I have said previously in this thread that I went to an auto parts store expecting to buy a new battery. They tested both the battery and alternator and both were reading fine. Does not need replacing.

 

[1jzgte]

I have said previously in this thread that I went to an auto parts store expecting to buy a new battery. They tested both the battery and alternator and both were reading fine. Does not need replacing.

read again.. you said you had battery and alternator testing.. nothing about replacing a battery..

EDIT: I see where you mentioned the 2 yr old battery now.. try a store other than autozone.. they might be jerkin you around so they dont have to replace your battery under warranty..
o reillys, pepboys etc etc all do free testing as well
.
any aftermarket switches added to the 4runner?

 

[Bumbo]

I have said previously in this thread that I went to an auto parts store expecting to buy a new battery. They tested both the battery and alternator and both were reading fine. Does not need replacing.

I would at least throw a multi-meter on it right now and look at the resting voltage when these "things" are happening...

I wouldn't rule out a bad battery, but I think a parasitic draw test is in order if the battery does check out to be OK and you keep running into these low voltage conditions that require a jump... something is using power that shouldn't be using power...

I think its also worth mentioning that once a battery goes flat, especially multiple times, they generally start to degrade in life/performance/capacity.

Having a dead battery for an extended period of time can cause it to die prematurely.

 

[rayofsi]

I have said previously in this thread that I went to an auto parts store expecting to buy a new battery. They tested both the battery and alternator and both were reading fine. Does not need replacing.

friend had a battery in his car tested. they told him his 12 year old battery tested fine.. So he drove him

Next day, it wouldn't start.

 

[TRUSTYAXE]

[MENTION=173306]native_end[/MENTION]

I too think you need a new battery, I have seen a battery that tests good cause strange issues. The fact that you installed led interior lights is coincidental.

 

[native_end]

Thanks all. I'll go to a different auto parts store after work today and try replacing the battery. Hopefully it is that simple.

 

[delloro]

The battery needs to be load-tested, not just voltage-tested. Remove the battery, have AutoZone charge it and load test it. That may take hours or overnight.

I think it is also coincidental to your LED swap.

You needed a better look at your battery. Do you have a hydrometer? A charger? Those can identify defective cells.

 

[rzgkane]

friend had a battery in his car tested. they told him his 12 year old battery tested fine.. So he drove him

Next day, it wouldn't start.

Doubtful it's a coincidence that it happened right after you replaced lights with LED's. I'd pull all the LED's out and see what you get. If you had to remove screws in order to pull out any housings related to the LED installation, it's likely you poked a screw through a wire on re-installation and have created a short to ground somewhere that now acts like a parasitic draw. Retrace your steps. I'll bet you find the problem is staring you in the face.

 

[delloro]

Doubtful it's a coincidence that it happened right after you replaced lights with LED's. I'd pull all the LED's out and see what you get. If you had to remove screws in order to pull out any housings related to the LED installation, it's likely you poked a screw through a wire on re-installation and have created a short to ground somewhere that now acts like a parasitic draw. Retrace your steps. I'll bet you find the problem is staring you in the face.

OP, if rzgkame is right, then pulling the interior lights fuse should avoid the problem.