Headlights on

R

rocklighting

New member
I've searched the forum and havent been able to figure this one out...Background info, I came from driving an '06 Corolla, which had DRL. The DRL were set to have the headlights on all the time but dimmed during the day. They would automatically turn on full at night so after driving the car for 5 years, I've gotten used to not having to turn the lights on.

Fast forward to my '11 4Runner trail. Out of laziness I figured you could just turn the headlight stalk on and leave it that way; including while the car is parked and off...It has worked flawlessly for 3 days then one day I came outside to see my headlights on. It has done this for a few days now. Not a big deal I can learn to turn them on and off but I am just curious as to why I leave my car alarmed twice, to come out and see the lights on. Anyone have any ideas? Its a 2011 Trail edition with OEM remote start. Thanks.
 
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I don't have OEM remote start so I don't know how that affects it but on my TE, I can leave the lights on but need to press the lock at least 2 times (2 beeps) before they shut off. Haven't run into this not working yet.
 
Yes, I do the same thing 2 clicks for 2 beeps. After every possible combination I have found the following:

With my remote start I have to hit it twice to start the truck, and twice again to shut it off. If I hit the factory lock remote twice (2 beeps) the truck locks, but the headlights remain on. So it may have something to do with the remote starter. I doubt that while in my pocket and me laying on my keys, I hit the remote start twice, turned on the truck, hit it twice again to shut it off, and then hit the door remote twice to lock it. I can hear the truck start from every room in my house, so I doubt that is it. But since I was able to re-create it in a controlled environment, and the remote start is part of the equation, I'm going to blame it on that. Or rather the stealership that installed it :P...all kidding aside, it would be nice to know whats going on.
 
Locking the truck doesn't shut off the lights? Do they go out automatically after 30 seconds? This time setting can be changed check your manual. Also try leaving your headlight switch in the auto/DRL position and see if it happens. :shrug:
 
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No worries...I do have the trail edition not the limited. No if i park the car and shut off the engine with the headlights on the full position. I exit the car, close the door, beep it twice, all interior and exterior lights including headlights go off...I have left the car for a few hrs on 2 separate occasions to come out and see my headlights are on, even after I saw them go out after the 2 beeps. Again, this doesnt happen all the time.

I spend my life troubleshooting half of million dollar lighting rigs on concert tours but I'm having an issue with these headlights lol.

I have an OEM remote starter and i have found if i leave the stalk on headlight full, start the car remotely, shut it off remotely and lock the doors (2 beeps) the lights do stay on. My only idea is somehow me laying on my keys, has started the truck, shut off the truck and relocked the truck. Highly unlikely as I've said before I can hear the truck start from any room in my house. Again, I can learn to leave them off...but I'm more concerned of the underlying issue, as according to the manual the headlights should go off after 30s.
 
Does anyone know how to rewire these lights? So that the headlights come on with the DRL? I know there is a DRL mod out there, but I dont think it does what I'm looking for,
 
This will work on the trail, kind of. You can leave your lights on, turn the car off, and they will turn off also. the only contingency is that if you turn the car off, then touch the stalk to turn off just the headlights for example, the lights will stay on. in other words, if you turn off your car, then turn off your lights, then turn them back on to see if they turn off automatically, they won't. but if you just leave them on before you turn off the car, they will turn off automatically. hope that makes sense.
 
Jesse1983 said:
This will work on the trail, kind of. You can leave your lights on, turn the car off, and they will turn off also. the only contingency is that if you turn the car off, then touch the stalk to turn off just the headlights for example, the lights will stay on. in other words, if you turn off your car, then turn off your lights, then turn them back on to see if they turn off automatically, they won't. but if you just leave them on before you turn off the car, they will turn off automatically. hope that makes sense.
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Yes Jesse, this is exactly what I have been doing. But I've come out to find my truck has it lights turned on a few hours after I've seen them go out. As you have described with not touching the stalk, I see them go out when I lock the truck 2 beeps...however I've come outside to see my headlights on even after I've done the correct procedure and saw them go out. It's like they are deciding to turn on by themselves, a short maybe.

Antman, I would like to rewire them, so that when I hit the DRL in my trail, the headlights and driving lights come on. Essentially, creating DRL that run the headlights as well. I had the same set up in my '06 Corolla from factory. I know its physically possible, just don't know how in-depth we're talking.
 
Foques said:
not quite.

I have an SR5, and mine turns them off, as well.
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I'm pretty sure he means the auto feature that turns them on automatically when it gets dark.

To the OP, sounds like a wiring problem I would guess. I had something like this happen in my GS350...my lights would come on when the car was off after they had already turned off. I would come downstairs in the morning to go to work and the lights would be dim and the battery would be almost dead. They couldn't figured out what the problem was at the Lexus dealer, but the problem seemed to go away mysteriously after a few months...they suspected a wiring issue but could never pinpoint it. I eventually traded in the GS for my Trail.
 
rocklighting said:
Antman, I would like to rewire them, so that when I hit the DRL in my trail, the headlights and driving lights come on. Essentially, creating DRL that run the headlights as well. I had the same set up in my '06 Corolla from factory. I know its physically possible, just don't know how in-depth we're talking.
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So basically you want the headlights, fogs and DRL's on at the same time. It wouldn't be easy to to this with the DRL switch itself, but if you do my fog mod, and the DRL mod it would be basically the same thing. Just put a switch for the ground wire on the DRL mod.
You will have independent control over headlights, fogs, and DRL's. The problem is the DRL switch on the stalk breaks the circuit when you turn it to "headlight".

I guess you could use that ground wire to switch relays for the fog mod, and a relay to turn on the headlight circuit. That should work. Confused yet?
If you want to definitely do this, PM me and I think I can draw it up for ya. :)
 
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Antman said:
So basically you want the headlights, fogs and DRL's on at the same time. It wouldn't be easy to to thus with the DRL switch itself, but if you do my fog mod, and the DRL mod it would be basically the same thing. Just put a switch for the ground wire on the DRL mod.
You will have independent control over headlights, fogs, and DRL's. The problem is the DRL switch on the stalk breaks the circuit when you turn it to "headlight".

I guess you could use that ground wire to switch relays for the fog mod, and a relay to turn on the headlight circuit. That should work. Confused yet?
If you want to definitely do this, PM me and I think I can draw it up for ya. :)
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Yep, you are in the wrong line of work. Should be an EE.
 
phillyd2 said:
Not true. But we usually have staff read it to us ;):
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kmiller8821 said:
Oops, what was that westwind? I didn't notice what you wrote.... :)


yes, I do enjoy it when "Jeeves" reads my forum posts for me.. haha
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I knew that comment would come back to bite me in the a$$ :flipoff:

Foques said:
not quite.

I have an SR5, and mine turns them off, as well.
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Foques said:
apologies.. me < reading
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Well, I guess the LE's owners are not the only ones :biggrin2::cheers:
 
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