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Please Help. I tried installing LED puddle lights, now they don't work....

29K views 72 replies 17 participants last post by  casher2006  
#1 · (Edited)
I put in some new LED puddle lights and they worked immediately, but shortly after stopped working. Now, even the originally crappy puddle lights don't work. ALL other lighting works fine. ANYONE know how I can figure out what happened? Please advise, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm almost sick over this.

Sorry, and how rude of me. I didn't even mention that my truck is a 2010 Toyota Tundra Crew Max Platinum edition..
 
#3 · (Edited)
It was just a "simple" plug and play operation. Actually, just UNplug the OEM lights and PLUG in the LEDs. The lights worked before, but one of the clips had broken so I decided to replace them with the LEDs.

Another side is, can anyone say FOR SURE, which fuse controls the Puddle Lights?

Sorry, and how rude of me. I didn't even mention that my truck is a 2010 Toyota Tundra Crew Max Platinum edition..
 
#4 ·
Pull the bulbs out and turn them around in the sockets, I've seen this be an issue when switching to LED's
 
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#6 ·
Sorry, missed the part about the original's not working either. Have you gone through the fuses like Dragos suggested? Next thing I'd do is get a multimeter out and start testing for voltage at the sockets.

Also, what clip broke?
 
#8 ·
I'd be surprised if the puddle lights had their own circuit, I'm willing to bet they're tied in with something else. OP, is there anything else on your truck not working now? DRL's? Interior lights? Etc?
 
#9 ·
The clip that broke was one of the ones holding the OEM light in.

Nothing points DIRECTLY to a fuse for the puddle lights and from what I can tell, all other lights are working. I even tested the power mirrors and they work.

I'll try testing for voltage at the sockets. I haven't done that yet.
 
#10 ·
When you're testing for voltage, also check for continuity to ground and check continuity of the bulbs as well.

I read about someone who replaced their puddle light bulbs on a 2008 and they accidentally broke the connection to ground, causing the whole circuit to fail. Check that socket and its soldered connections.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I have 11v when the doors are locked and 6.5 when I press unlock.

OK, working with the OEM wiring and lights, both have continuity. When I plug them in, they still don't activate when I unlock the truck.

I even marked which wire and which terminal on the bulbs were on the black probe when i got the continuity confirmation.

What next?

UPDATE----I had a light bulb go off in my brain (doesn't happen often) and decided to hook BOTH the OEM and the new LED bulbs DIRECTLY to the car battery. Guess what, BOTH set worked. SO, I'm really stumped now. Could I have fried something in a circuit board?
 
#12 ·
So you're saying you're getting voltage when the circuit is off?
 
#15 ·
Not necessarily with the truck off, very possible to get 12 and under if the truck isn't running.

OP where are you measuring voltage? across the terminals of the socket? If you're getting voltage AND you know the lights are good, I don't know how they can't be working, other than the socket is messed up and your contacts aren't making, well, contact.
 
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#19 ·
Here they are:

Keep in mind, these light worked before hand, the LEDs worked momentarily, now nothing works... Also, when I send the wires, the amp meters barely touches and it picks up the voltage. Just to recap.
 

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#20 ·
There's no socket for the light? I'm not familiar with puddle lights on the Tundra, I have an SR5 with Tow Mirrors I installed. Do the bulbs have two blade terminals to plug into those or is there a socket or fixture or something? (Gimme all the pics you can and I'll see what I can make sense of)

However, there is definitely a little bit of corrosion starting on those terminals, I'd clean them up with some contact cleaner the best you can, and then maybe even try to squeeze them a bit so that they make a good solid connection with whatever they plug into.

Also, if there is a fixture, you can check continuity to its terminals as well, power out of those wires does you no good if it's not making it through the fixture.
 
#22 ·
Got it, thank you, that explains a lot.

Ok so, back to basics here, you definitely tested continuity across the terminals of each light?

If yes (Plus you said they will light up with a bench test), I say you need to clean and crimp the connectors (female blade end on truck) to get a secure connection.
 
#23 ·
Yes, continuity checks and both sets powered up when I hooked them directly to the battery.

OK, I'll have to run and get some contact cleaner. If I had a little more wire to play with I'd just put new ones on.

I'm still confused as to why they worked before, the LEDs worked for a minute, then nothing?!?!? I'll still clean then, but this is turning into Bizarro world.
 
#25 · (Edited)
The computer is what connects the path to ground, completing the circuit. If you have voltage, you have a complete circuit already... I'm completely stumped as to why you would have voltage there all the time AND not have the lights work... If you have power there and the lights are good, they should be on. It's very simple in theory, however, as shown here, obviously more complicated than we think. I know I saw the wiring diagram for a 2008 truck with the puddle lights, I'll see if I can find it again and if it shows us anything specific. Maybe someone with more electrical experience than I can chime in as well. My expertise kinda ends after V=IR, lol.

Read through this as it seems like the exact same issue. The guy lists the two fuse circuits as well that you can double check.

https://www.justanswer.com/toyota/3...yota/342xh-2008-toyota-tundra-trim-changing-puddle-led-s-equal-voltage-ect.html
 
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#26 ·
From what I recall, some circuits on our trucks are ground switched, instead of power switched, aka positive grounding.


I believe the head lights are this way, but unsure of what else.

I only say this as there is a connector you have to switch around to reverse position when installing plows.
 
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#29 ·
From what I recall, some circuits on our trucks are ground switched, instead of power switched, aka positive grounding.

.
no No NO!!! NOT positive grounding, that's completely different then having a switched positive. I have worked on many old trucks that were true positive ground so I am like a fuking genius of positive grounded stuff and things
 
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#30 · (Edited)
OK, the only way I can get it to light up is by having the negative truck terminal hooked up to the negative bulb terminal and running power from the positive on the battery to the positive on the bulb. Then it lights, but does not turn off.

I guess I think I have the terminals on the bulb pegged right. the OEM bulb doesn't have the posts marked positive and negative. I can play with that more. I also will try the same on the LED, which has a black and red wire to make it easier. have to get the kids to bed first. ;-)
 
#34 · (Edited)
I would connect the puddle light, lock the truck.

Unlock it (the lights should at this time come on), with the light connected, check for power (with the light still connected).

You are likely getting trace voltage, with no amperage behind it.

Which can happen if you have a damaged wire, or if they are driven/powered via ecu, and that circuit has been shorted.

Gotta love trace voltage.

Have a $90 Snap-On test light that measures voltage that I do not use anymore as it had caused goofy readings due to trace voltage in an ecu driven circuit.
 
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#36 ·
OK, on the RIGHT, is where things stand without the OEM lights hooked up----12.06. This is also the same reading when I hook the power to the positive terminal of the OEM Bulb. As soon as I hook up the ground wire to the negative terminal on the OEM Bulb, I get the reading the LEFT----4.7!

I hope that makes sense. Also, without the bulb hooked up, I noticed that when I press UNLOCK, the voltage drops to around 5-6. Then, after the 30 seconds and the truck re-arms, it goes back to the 12.06 reading.

Thoughts?
 

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