How to install LED 3rd brake light?

trailhead98

trailhead98

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Anyone have a write up on this? Or is it just that easy? If you have any advice it would be much appreciated. Thanks
 
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Yeah ive got that, but i guess im being more specific as to how to hook up the wires? The 3rd brake light i got just has a black and red wire coming out of it.
 
This is what the new brake light has to offer.

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And this is what I'm dealing with after i remove the light bulb housing. So im thinking cut the wire?

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You could possibly cut off the port and then use a volt meter on each wire. Have a person depress the brake pedal while you try the volt meter on each wire to determine the positive (+) wire. When the pedal is depress (sending signal to light to light up) while the volt meter is connected to the correct wire the volts should go up and then drop down when the pedal is released. The red wire on the new brake lamp should be the connected to the determined live signal (+) wire on the 4runner and the black wire should be connected to the determined ground (-) wire. This is just based off my wiring experience with car audio; I have not installed this brake lamp, but this seems to be the case.
 
And fyi fwiw on my 2000 oem light/deflector you dont have to remove the deflector to get the light out. If you tilt the light down and to the side a bit it will slide out. It is a tight fit but does come out. Hard to explain but there u go. G.l.
 
I just cut off the stock harness, then crimp a male spade connector on each end of the brake light wire, then female spade connectors on the car.

Plug em in, if they light up with the brake then you're good. If not, switch em around. Should work.
 
I believe that since it is an led, nothing bad will happen even if you plug it in backwards. it just won't work. I diodes won't be damaged by the positive wire being reversed. plus there is only two wires, no dedicated ground. it is basically a resistor in series.
 
hey trailhead so when you installed this did you add a resistor? Cause from what i have read, having the LED tails paired with this LED 3rd brake light you will get an ABS light. Im gonna order one of these today i think
 
Yeah, get a resistor..my ABS came on and I still haven't got around to fixing it. Even though it sounds like a pretty easy fix.
 
On these circuits, the ground (-) is usually black with white stripe. That should go to the black wire from the LED's. As said by everyone, if that don't work--just reverse it.
 
trailhead98 said:
Yeah, get a resistor..my ABS came on and I still haven't got around to fixing it. Even though it sounds like a pretty easy fix.
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k thanks, Ive been reading around it looks like resistors get extremely hot. it makes me kind of nervous sticking that inside the small fitting in the lift gate. Im thinking maybe i will leave the stock bulb in there and just splice the LED into the stock harness and set the bulb aside? it would for sure save money buying the resistor anyway
 
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hey guys a need some help, i didn't want to start a new thread cause this is related the OP's post.

So i got the LED 3rd brake light and im kicking around how i want to install this thing without throwing any ABS light. I already have the LED tails.

so im going to do what i posted a couple days ago ^^^ the bulb that is in the OEM housing is a 921 bulb. Now the problem is that the LED 3rd brake light lens is a clear/smoke and if i keep the stock bulb in there its going to emit a white light through some of the housing which i dont want. Anyway i found these
1 EA V-LEDS RED 14 M-SMT 5W HIGH POWER 3RD BRAKE LIGHT BULB T15 T-15 516 579 901 904 906 908 909 912 914 915 916 917 918 920 921 922 923 926 927 928 939

they say they are 5 watts. Anyone know that the Halogen light produces?
 
shoot yeah im looking at all these threads and i cant tell the differece between watts and volts lol! i think i need at least 12 volts to the bulb. Basicly what im doing instead of getting a resistor im going to tap into the stock bulb/harness and trick the system that way. i just need to get the right bulb. and an LED would be nice to match the LED 3rd brake light
 
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