Twan
Senior Member
A pain I am all too familiar with.
Low Beam issue on 2000 4Runner
- Thread starter GRNT4R00
- Start date
TheDurk
Elite Member
Saved me typing the same thing.
[MENTION=102597]IBallEngineer[/MENTION]
Yes, you both are correct and i just performed it again to make sure.
The Main DRL relay plugged in and connected. Switch off and light stalk turned to the OFF position. Test Light Grounded at the battery and i stuck the probe into Pin #5 the green wire on the Main DRL Relay. The Test light lit up AND the Low Beams came on. I also pushed the stalk forward and the High Beams worked. The stalk was still in the OFF position.
Do you want me to take a separate wire and run it from the PIN's #5 & #6 and connect it to ground to see what the results are?
IBallEngineer
New member
Can't hurt at this point to test it directly to ground.
Your result with Pin 6 makes me think the reason you don't have auto off is because someone bypassed the instrument cluster and there is always ground to the headlights through DRL#4. But that should back feed a ground the the main DRL relay, I know there are some diodes there but they don't appear to be in play. I wish I had DRL's so I could verify operation. You don't happen to have a spare known good Main DRL relay to try do you?
I have to settle a head ache with Mr. Maker's. Then I may think this through some more.
Thank you, i have some speaker wire i can use and i will test those two Pins #5 & #6 now directly to ground. I will try 6 with the plug disconnected and 5 with it reconnected. I will ground it at the battery as well.
I wouldn't think anyone bypassed that feature as I am the 2nd owner of the truck and i bought it directly from the original buyer 15years ago who was a school teacher. It was and is still completely stock except for an Alarm i had put on at the stereo shop i use to work for over 20 years ago. I had the head tech install it who was the most anal guy that didn't take shortcuts and i knew he was particular about things. He didn't mention bypassing anything but i never knew that was a feature either. I guess that would be the only explanation. I don't have another MAIN DRL to use as i wish i did then that would tell us if that is the issue and i could just buy another one from the dealership.
Going to test these Pins now...
Makers Mark leaves a Mark...
TEST RESULTS with Grounding Pin #5 & #6
Ran a ground wire to the negative battery post and connected it to Pin#6 Red wire with the Main DRL Relay unplugged---The Low Beams came on. Pushing the Stalk forward had no effect on the high beams, they did not turn on.
Pin#5 Green Wire -- Reconnected Main DRL Relay and used same wire for grounding. ---The Low Beams lights came on and if i pushed the stalk forward, the High beams came on as well as if normal operation.
Same results as using the test light. I also retested with the test light to verify the results are identical.
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IBallEngineer
New member
I'm assuming the lights came on with the hdlt switch turned off again. Not sure how to deal with that yet, but now can you test the same Pin 5 with the test light connected to the positive Bat post to see if the DRL is grounding the circuit or not?
Yes the lights came on with the HDLT switch in the OFF position. I will do the other test now. What results should i expect?
Do you want the Main DRL Relay plugged in for this test?
Be back in 5 mins
Results.
Tested Pin#5 with the test light connected to the Positive Batt terminal and the MAIN DRL Relay plugged in. Touched Probe to the Green Wire and NO Headlights or Test Light. The Test Light did not light up
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IBallEngineer
New member
I should have emphasized this, did you turn on the headlight switch? I am interested in the test light turning on or not with the light switch on or off.
You know. I don’t recall if I did. I will try it when I get back home. I didn’t think of that since it’s been cutting on by itself. My bad.
Re-Test Results.
Connected test light to Positive Battery Terminal and stuck probe in Pin#5
Test Light did not turn on and neither did the headlights. Turned light switch to on and No Lights, Pushed Stalk forward for High Beam and No Lights. (Flash To Pass function still works).
Turned ignition switch on to test that way and same results of No Headlights with Stalk turned to ON position. Test light never came on either
IBallEngineer
New member
OK, so this indicates the DRL main relay is NOT receiving a ground signal from the stalk. Which again, provides ground THROUGH the combination meter. The next easiest test is to check the stalk switch connector PIN 13. Same type of test you just did. Test light to positive battery, and pin 13, with connector installed should light the test light in headlamp or in hi beam. If it does the stalk switch is good and ground is good, indicating a bad Comb meter. If it does not, then the switch or it's ground source is bad. Check Pin 16, it should light the test light all the time.
Ok, looks like a red with gold stripe wire after counting it out. I connected test light to positive terminal on battery and stuck the probe in pin 13. The test light came on with the Stalk Switch turned to the ON position but the headlights did not turn on with low or high beam. I do see some wire connectors there which may be from the Alarm install for the remote start feature.
Pin #16 did have the test light on the whole time
Based off those results and what you stated above, you think its the Main DRL Relay that is bad and needs to be replaced or the Combination meter? What is the Combination Meter as i have not heard of the before unless it has another name as well. Is the light stalk also known as the Combination Meter? I have been trying to read other post where it was mentioned.
Thanks
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SO I have been reading and if I’m correct Toyota calls the dash cluster the Combination Meter. That would be terrible if it’s the culprit. I’d really hate to have a dash with mix match mileage from what is actually on the truck since I have low miles on it. I’m hoping that if it is the Cluster, there is some sort of miracle work around that’s not a complete hack you guys can help me with.
IBallEngineer
New member
Well no miracles, just bypassing it. But first are any of those splices on the Red with yellow stripe wire?
Basically, this wire grounds the headlight circuits necessary to turn power on to the headlights, it is interrupted by a logic circuit that turns if off when the key is off and you open your door. This is embedded in the instrument cluster. The red/yellow goes to the comb meter, comes out as the green wire going to the main DRL relay at Pin 5. There could be another failure along the way, especially if Joe Alarm Installer used some scotch locks. Ideally we would be testing pin 1 and 5 at the comb meter to be absolutely certain.
:cheer2:
I did say that this is where the previous roads have led us, not all roads lead to Rome, but if it smells like a fish...
The red with yellow stripe isn’t touched or spliced in any way. The red/white Wire has scotch lock going to it with another wire running from it. The other two wires with scotch locks don’t have anything connected to them. Green/black and black/red.
Is there a test I need to run next?
IBallEngineer
New member
Right now we know the stalk switch is good, and we know if we apply the ground directly to the DRL main relay, the lights work. What we don't know for sure is if this is because of the combination meter, or some bad wire or wires. If you pull the cluster, and check to see if the red/yellow wire still turns the test light on at pin 1, but not at pin 5, then the comb meter is toast. If pin 1 does not light the test light, then we have an open circuit between the comb meter and the switch. If both pins light the light, then there is an open circuit between the comb meter and the DRL main relay. Those are the 3 possibilities based on what we know so far.
Thanks Iball. I will look up removal of the cluster and try to start these test this evening or possibly tomorrow. I will respond when I have completed them. Hopefully I have time after work.
What test do I need to perform with Pin #1 and Pin#5? (Test Light to Positive Batter?) I'm thinking you are referring to the connectors on the dash cluster but if you can confirm and spell it out, I will definitely perform the test.
I managed to remove the cluster during lunch. Just need to verify the connector and what test I am doing for later
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TheDurk
Elite Member
Sorry, I had a really busy weekend. You guys are making good progress, but I came back at an opportune time, as you need some additional info to do that test on the cluster. It is Pin 1 and 5 on the C27 plug. There are five or six plugs on the cluster. Go back to the Connector list I linked to earlier in Post #31 to see the Pin out (page 262). C27 is a white 2-row plug with 18 pins, 7 on top and 11 on the bottom. IBall wants you to test those for ground (clip on positive, headlights on). Also keep an eye out for any more post factory wiring involved, and let us know exactly what it is and take pics.
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Welcome back. I will perform these test later this evening after work and report back. Thank for the clarification. I have the Plug list pulled up now at work.
Thanks again.
