LED mod for 12-Pin turn signal flasher relay w/DRL

[81runner]

Sorry I'm a little late to the party on this... No need to open the relay to modify it for led, if you are content in disabling DRL. Simply unplug the relay and bend the pin feeding the DRL slightly so it won't line up with the socket and reinstall. (I think it was pin 12. I think if you were looking at the pins, it was the pin in the lower left corner. Did it in a hurry, wasn't hard to track down, don't remember off the top of my head, so don't quote me on pin location.)

Now that DRL is disabled, you can simply purchase and install some canbus style anti-hyperflash led bulbs from your internet vendor of choice and install. Problem solved. And you can put similar anti-hyperflash lamps for the rear turn signals as well with no adverse affect.

Now, I understand that in some states DRL is required, you could do the fog light mod posted elsewhere in this forum, or wire in a different light to an ignition source for DRL if it's a requirement. (Raptor lights, anyone?) Hope that helps a little for the guys/gals that don't want to hack a relay or aren't any good with a soldering iron/Dremel tool.

IMHO, making an otherwise momentary lamp(turn signal) a DRL is an incredibly POOR DESIGN (what were you thinking, Toyota?) I got tired of having to smash a burnt bulb in order to remove it from my headlight assembly because it got so hot the socket would melt. Had enough of that, I elected to do what I just described above. Been flawless ever since, and now I don't have to worry about burning out the LED or cooking a resistor trying to drive a momentary lamp full time. Cheers!

 

[Ed_C]

Sorry I'm a little late to the party on this... No need to open the relay to modify it for led, if you are content in disabling DRL. Simply unplug the relay and bend the pin feeding the DRL slightly so it won't line up with the socket and reinstall. (I think it was pin 12. I think if you were looking at the pins, it was the pin in the lower left corner. Did it in a hurry, wasn't hard to track down, don't remember off the top of my head, so don't quote me on pin location.)

Now that DRL is disabled, you can simply purchase and install some canbus style anti-hyperflash led bulbs from your internet vendor of choice and install. Problem solved. And you can put similar anti-hyperflash lamps for the rear turn signals as well with no adverse affect.

Now, I understand that in some states DRL is required, you could do the fog light mod posted elsewhere in this forum, or wire in a different light to an ignition source for DRL if it's a requirement. (Raptor lights, anyone?) Hope that helps a little for the guys/gals that don't want to hack a relay or aren't any good with a soldering iron/Dremel tool.

IMHO, making an otherwise momentary lamp(turn signal) a DRL is an incredibly POOR DESIGN (what were you thinking, Toyota?) I got tired of having to smash a burnt bulb in order to remove it from my headlight assembly because it got so hot the socket would melt. Had enough of that, I elected to do what I just described above. Been flawless ever since, and now I don't have to worry about burning out the LED or cooking a resistor trying to drive a momentary lamp full time. Cheers!

Excellent writeup on bypassing and/or making DRLs switchable Toyota 4Runner DRL Mod

I'm not a fan of the turn signal DRLs either. If anyone wants to wire something else besides turn signals as DRLs use that bypassed wire mentioned in that writeup to trigger a Bosch/Tyco type relay and power the new lights via that relay. Someone did what I suggested and powered the halos on his projector retrofit as DRLs.

 

[81runner]

Excellent writeup on bypassing and/or making DRLs switchable Toyota 4Runner DRL Mod

That's the link I followed. Thanks for the clarification:bravo:

 

[nayborbob]

Some LED replacement bulbs may work erratically if run constantly on like as a DRL.

I have Philips Xtreme Ultinon 7440 amber bulbs, still one of the best designed LED bulbs (outperforms even Philips' second generation Xtreme Ultinons). They were designed to be used only as turn signals; after 5 minutes of constant-on run time they start blinking as a form of thermal protection.

Ed C are you saying if the DRLs are LED? I think mine already were, and I added LED turn signals. my DRLs never have had issues, just the turn signals since I converted to LED.
I am thinking of using a potentiometer to try and determine the best resistance... my son the electrical engineer wonders if changing the resistance using LED messess up the circuitry impedance, resulting in the erratic flash I saw... in other words maybe I need to add an inductor plus change the resistor.

 

[utmba95]

I am thinking of using a potentiometer to try and determine the best resistance... my son the electrical engineer wonders if changing the resistance using LED messess up the circuitry impedance, resulting in the erratic flash I saw... in other words maybe I need to add an inductor plus change the resistor.

I saw erratic behavior when the resistance was in certain ranges. Using a potentiometer is your best bet. As a electrical engineer, I'm sure it's nothing to do with impedance.

 

[Drift Monkey]

Ed C are you saying if the DRLs are LED? I think mine already were, and I added LED turn signals. my DRLs never have had issues, just the turn signals since I converted to LED.
I am thinking of using a potentiometer to try and determine the best resistance... my son the electrical engineer wonders if changing the resistance using LED messess up the circuitry impedance, resulting in the erratic flash I saw... in other words maybe I need to add an inductor plus change the resistor.

You may be confusing parking lights with the DRLs. All 4th gens use the T10 bulbs as parking bulbs in the headlight, but the 06+ moved the turn signals/DRLs into the headlights. Either way, getting rid of the DRL functionality allows LED turn signals to operate normally.

 

[Ed_C]

Ed C are you saying if the DRLs are LED? I think mine already were, and I added LED turn signals. my DRLs never have had issues, just the turn signals since I converted to LED.
I am thinking of using a potentiometer to try and determine the best resistance... my son the electrical engineer wonders if changing the resistance using LED messess up the circuitry impedance, resulting in the erratic flash I saw... in other words maybe I need to add an inductor plus change the resistor.

You may be confusing parking lights with the DRLs. All gens use the T10 bulbs as parking bulbs in the headlight, but the 06+ moved the turn signals/DRLs into the headlights. Either way, getting rid of the DRL functionality allows LED turn signals to operate normally.

I'm confused by his post LOL.

I said some replacement LEDs will work erratically. They're usually the ones that are very bright, very bright because the bulbs are driven harder than some of the dimmer LEDs, driven harder = more heat, heat = bad for LEDs.