LED Swap (Lights+Tools+Steps+Pictures)

[Masaro]

Hey everyone,

As soon as I got my 2014 LE, I knew I wanted to do the interior LED swap + puddle lights + license plate lights. I read many threads here and watched several videos where I found a lot of very helpful information. However, I never found a single thread with all the information neatly contained in one place. So I decided to post my entire process, products and final pictures in this thread.

Lights
The premium set from Precision LED seems to have everything you need (tools and premium lights). However, I did not want to spend $150+ for something that could be purchased for $30 elsewhere. So I decided to keep looking. First, I ordered a set from Amazon that was not nearly bright enough. Then I ordered a set from eBay that was brighter, but were not the exact color I was looking for.

Finally, I found these:

If you have a 2010 - 2013 5th Gen:
13 Pcs Deluxe White LED Lights Interior Package Kit for 2003 2012 Toyota 4Runner | eBay

If you have a 2014 - 2015 5th Gen:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/28156270827...r&_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=281562708274&_rdc=1

This was the only listing I found that shipped from the US and included a set of “luxury” lights. I did a lot of reading on LEDs and decided that as long as you purchase an SMD of the newer kind 5630 or 5730, you should be OK. The eBay set listed above includes the 5630 chips. These are super bright and a nice 6000K pure white color. The other sets I returned had the 5050 chips and there is no comparison. The 5630 are truly three times brighter just like they claim. This is the list of parts that you need (at least for the 2014 LE):

A total of 12 “T10” lights and three “31mm” festoon type lights
Map Lights (2 x T10)
Dome Light (1 x 31mm)
Door Courtesy Lights (4 x T10)
Vanity Mirrors (2 x T10)
Trunk Rear Hatch (2 x 31mm)
License Plate (2 x T10)
Side Mirror Puddle (2 x T10)

Tools
Since the eBay set did not include any tools, I ordered the set from Amazon linked below. It includes four different hard plastic bars that seem sturdy enough for this purpose. You could use a screwdriver or some other tool, but since these are just $5 bucks, I decided to get the tool set and do it right. That way you avoid breaking or scratching something.

Amazon.com: KINGLAKE® Portable 4Pcs Auto Car Radio Door Clip Panel Trim Dash Audio Removal Installer Pry Tool: Automotive

Installation
My two main sources for installation instructions were the Precision LED YouTube video and the thread linked below. The video is pretty good, except for the side mirror puddle lights, that is where I used the t4R thread instead. The guy on the video removed the side mirrors which I felt was not needed at all. The post by ROSBCOOL in the thread explains with pictures how to access the bulbs without removing the mirrors.

Toyota 4Runner LED Install - 2014 5th Gen DIY - YouTube

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/162994-2014-side-mirror-bulb-access-2.html

The dome light is a pain in the neck to fit. The festoon lights is too long for the space in the 4R. I found this to be the case on all three sets that I ordered. In the end, I was able to fit the bullet at an angle from front to back and from top to bottom. It took me a while since I’m a bit OCD about these things, but I think that it feels pretty secure the way it turned out.

Pictures
The lights turned out to be the exact color I was looking for. The rear hatch lights are super bright and the extra brightness in the trunk and the floor around it is especially helpful. Also, I really like the look of the white light in the license plate and the puddle lights.

I hope that anyone thinking of doing the LED swap finds this thread helpful. It’s an extremely cheap and easy mod to complete in less than an hour. Go for it!

 

[jasonv]

thanks for condensing this. I had a bad experience with Precision so i would encourage others to look elsewhere. I'm not sure this mod is even worth the time and hassle though, from what i can tell its a gamble that the LED's you'll be getting (from any source) are any brighter than the stock regualr bulbs. It just seems whiter.

 

[Masaro]

thanks for condensing this. I had a bad experience with Precision so i would encourage others to look elsewhere. I'm not sure this mod is even worth the time and hassle though, from what i can tell its a gamble that the LED's you'll be getting (from any source) are any brighter than the stock regualr bulbs. It just seems whiter.

I agree on the gamble comment. Proof of this is that I did not get satisfactory LEDs until the third supplier I tried. The brightness overall is roughly the same as the stock bulbs, but whiter like you say. Except for the rear hatch. Those two festoon LEDs really light the whole area up.

 

[Landy]

Great write up! Thanks so much!

 

[getsam21]

Thanks for the helpful post. I bought the cheap Amazon light set about 5 months ago and I only installed the license plate lights. I have been waiting to install the rest, but after reading this I think I will go ahead and buy the set you posted from ebay.

THANKS!!!

 

[Stifler]

bought the same set of EBay and they have been just fine for more than 2 years now. They are way brighter than OEM

 

[The Waco Kid]

Bit of a resurrected thread, but thanks for the info [MENTION=115407]Masaro[/MENTION].

The kit looks great and is really bright, as advertised.

The hardest part for me was the door install. Darn things killed my pick tool. Other than that and the oversized map/hatch lights, the kit is great.

For regular TE owners, 2014 and later, I'd recommend contacting the seller and ask that he replace 3 of the “31mm” festoon type lights with 3 T10 lights (to finish off the interior and do the license plate lights). I didn't do this and had 3 extra festoons left over, and was short 1 T10 led to finish off the interior.:ybrick:

But I ended up using the extra's in my Brothers FJ, so the extras ended up as a non-issue.imp: I went ahead and ordered 4 more T10's to finish off the truck and to keep the one left over as a spare.

 

[enkrypt3d]

subscribed so i can read this later :hug::tongue1:

 

[bruindave]

So were most of you guys able to get the festoon lights in? seems like those are a big hassle. Are the T10 lights smaller and not as bright as the festoons? I'm contemplating just getting more T10s like the waco kid is suggesting.

[MENTION=115407]Masaro[/MENTION] What LEDs did the seller include for the 2014s that you asked for?

Seems like the ebay seller has a "sale" right now for ~25 bucks.

 

[Masaro]

I specifically asked the seller to send me 12 “T10” lights and three festoon "31mm" lights since that would complete the list shown in my original post. In addition the seller sent me three spare T10 lights that I did not request. Nice of them.

The festoon lights work OK for the hatch. They go in easily since the enclosure there has good clearance and plenty of "spring". The one on the dome is a real pain. Like I mentioned, the only way I was able to stick it in is at an angle from front to back and also from top to bottom. However, I'm comfortable since it's really stuck in there and has not moved in over two months.

You won't be able to use the T10s instead of the festoons. They are two different types of bulbs and enclosures. The T10s plug in, like replacing a blown Christmas light. The festoons are "bullet" type bulbs that slip into a spring, like changing a AA battery.

So were most of you guys able to get the festoon lights in? seems like those are a big hassle. Are the T10 lights smaller and not as bright as the festoons? I'm contemplating just getting more T10s like the waco kid is suggesting.

[MENTION=115407]Masaro[/MENTION] What LEDs did the seller include for the 2014s that you asked for?

Seems like the ebay seller has a "sale" right now for ~25 bucks.

 

[Masaro]

Also, IMO the festoon lights are much brighter. They have 9 diodes all pointing in the same direction while the T10s have 6 diodes arranged in a circle (4 around the LED and 2 on top). However if you buy from the same seller, the color should match OK on both types, so no worries there.

So were most of you guys able to get the festoon lights in? seems like those are a big hassle. Are the T10 lights smaller and not as bright as the festoons? I'm contemplating just getting more T10s like the waco kid is suggesting.

[MENTION=115407]Masaro[/MENTION] What LEDs did the seller include for the 2014s that you asked for?

Seems like the ebay seller has a "sale" right now for ~25 bucks.

 

[DjSamthrax]

The 5630's I bought off ebay for $38 seem to be brighter than the Precision ones I ordered. Not a huge difference but it IS noticeable.

 

[bpwwer]

I contacted the ebay seller [MENTION=115407]Masaro[/MENTION] referenced in the first post and asked about a deluxe kit for the 2015. They don't have one but created a custom kit that included:

map light(2xT10)
dome light(1x31mm)
door light(4xt10 )
vanity(2xt10)
trunk(2x31mm)
license plate(2xt10)
side mirror puddle(2xt10)
misc(3xt10)

This was $32 shipped. You end up with 1 extra T10 bulb as a spare which seems reasonable. The only minor issue was the response time using ebay messaging. It seemed to take almost a day to get a response from the seller. So starting out with a query to get the above for $32 may speed up the process by a day or two. The kit was packaged up and sent within 24hrs of payment. Overall, a very positive experience.

 

[bruindave]

I contacted the ebay seller [MENTION=115407]Masaro[/MENTION] referenced in the first post and asked about a deluxe kit for the 2015. They don't have one but created a custom kit that included:

map light(2xT10)
dome light(1x31mm)
door light(4xt10 )
vanity(2xt10)
trunk(2x31mm)
license plate(2xt10)
side mirror puddle(2xt10)
misc(3xt10)

This was $32 shipped. You end up with 1 extra T10 bulb as a spare which seems reasonable. The only minor issue was the response time using ebay messaging. It seemed to take almost a day to get a response from the seller. So starting out with a query to get the above for $32 may speed up the process by a day or two. The kit was packaged up and sent within 24hrs of payment. Overall, a very positive experience.

He asked me to paypal him directly instead of using the listing. I am a little weary of that, did you do that by chance?

Also, how do you wind up with only 1 extra T10 bulb? You have 3 additional T10s compared to the OP.

 

[bruindave]

I specifically asked the seller to send me 12 “T10” lights and three festoon "31mm" lights since that would complete the list shown in my original post. In addition the seller sent me three spare T10 lights that I did not request. Nice of them.

The festoon lights work OK for the hatch. They go in easily since the enclosure there has good clearance and plenty of "spring". The one on the dome is a real pain. Like I mentioned, the only way I was able to stick it in is at an angle from front to back and also from top to bottom. However, I'm comfortable since it's really stuck in there and has not moved in over two months.

You won't be able to use the T10s instead of the festoons. They are two different types of bulbs and enclosures. The T10s plug in, like replacing a blown Christmas light. The festoons are "bullet" type bulbs that slip into a spring, like changing a AA battery.

Thanks for the info!

 

[bpwwer]

He asked me to paypal him directly instead of using the listing. I am a little weary of that, did you do that by chance?

Also, how do you wind up with only 1 extra T10 bulb? You have 3 additional T10s compared to the OP.

Yes, did a direct payment via paypal. Given the feedback rating on ebay and other feedback here, plus the amount is low enough, I felt it worth the risk.

You can use 2 of the T10's for backup lights. The backup lights aren't on the list. I guess I should have added that. The list was a cut-n-paste of what yitamotor sent me.

 

[bruindave]

Yes, did a direct payment via paypal. Given the feedback rating on ebay and other feedback here, plus the amount is low enough, I felt it worth the risk.

You can use 2 of the T10's for backup lights. The backup lights aren't on the list. I guess I should have added that. The list was a cut-n-paste of what yitamotor sent me.

Ok thanks for the tip, I'll just go ahead and do that!

 

[Headhunter14]

Thanks for the detailed write up. I contacted the eBay seller and he provided me the link to the lights for the 5th gen.
18pcs Deluxe White LED Bulbs for 2014 2015 Toyota 4Runner Interior Package Kit | eBay

 

[Headhunter14]

Yes, did a direct payment via paypal. Given the feedback rating on ebay and other feedback here, plus the amount is low enough, I felt it worth the risk.

You can use 2 of the T10's for backup lights. The backup lights aren't on the list. I guess I should have added that. The list was a cut-n-paste of what yitamotor sent me.

How bright are those T10's as backup lights?

 

[Masaro]

That's great...the '14-'15 listing now includes everything needed + 3 spare lights. I'll update the link on my original post so that the write up has better info.

Thanks for the detailed write up. I contacted the eBay seller and he provided me the link to the lights for the 5th gen.
18pcs Deluxe White LED Bulbs for 2014 2015 Toyota 4Runner Interior Package Kit | eBay