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My 2007 4Runner
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4Runner History
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Other
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VLeds.com full interior led kit
for the 4th Generation Toyota 4Runner |
Craftsman #82334 Autoranging,
11 Function Digital Multimeter.
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Concept.
This page details the upgrading of my Toyota 4Runner's interior courtesy lighting from standard automotive incandescent light bulbs
to Led (light emitting diode) type lighting. This was done primarily to significantly increase overall nighttime visibility
and secondarily to change the color of the warm yellowish factory incandescent filament light bulbs cast to a whiter, cooler color range.
This modification was done in conjunction with two other mods, the Maplight Mod and the
Footwell Light Mod, and when all three are completed the results are a drastic
improvement over the factory courtesy lighting setup. The results are brighter light output, better color, a reduction of dark shadowed
areas, and lower power consumption.
Light bulbs that are being changed to Leds are as follows:
Interior dome Light
Cargo area dome Light
Map Lights
Door Lights
Vanity Lights
Glove Box Light
6000k leds on the left
vs.
5000k leds on the right |
This is my second iteration of modifying the interior lighting on this vehicle. My first version was a complete changeover to 6000k leds.
See that write up archived here...6000k 4Runner Interior LEDs. While the 6000k color was a vast improvement over the
factory lighting, my original preference was for something with no hint of blue in it. I went with
VLeds.com originally but they did not have a complete offering in 5000k color at that time.
Now they do. I had the 6000k bulbs installed for 1.5 years with absolutley no issues or problems at all. Due to the great experience with VLeds,
I went with them again for the change to 5000k.
For those who do prefer the 6000k HID color, all the bulbs listed on this page are available in the 6000k color as well.
Please note, while many of the bulbs listed on my 6000k interior led page have been discontinued, you can still refer to the photos on that page for the
color differences.
Testing.
I will detail what have learned about the Led bulb specifications. I feel that it is
important to be informed of and understand this info in order make the right choice for a particular application. You will find that
there are a vast array of 12V Led replacement automotive light bulbs on the market from a wide variety of companies. For any given
automotive bulb there can be hundreds of different Led replacements from a wide varitey of companies,
in various color ranges, running at various power levels, providing vastly different light output, and of course at various price points.
Unfortunately not many retailers make these specs available or provide consistent information on their websites. In fact upon contacting a
few of the companies myself, they simply either don't know, don't care to find out, or don't want to share that type of info. This makes
it hard to comparison shop amongst various competing products. Specs such as "high power", "HID color", "cool white", "super bright", zenon, etc.,
are meaningless without tested numbers to substantiate claims. As with any product, you have to take the manufacturers or retailers advertised
information with a grain of salt, do your own research beforehand, and follow it up with independent testing.
While I am unable to test the Color Temperature or Luminous Flux ratings due to not having access to that type of testing equipment,
I can confirm the advertised Watts (power) and Amps (current draw). To do this one can use a simple electrical multimeter which can test
the current draw and supply voltages. Multimeters cannot calculate wattage, but you can back into the number by multiplying the
supply voltage by the amperage draw of the electrical load.
Before we discuss how to do this testing, let's discuss why. My goal is to add high power Led lights to various areas of my vehicle
utilizing the existing factory light circuits.
As long as we don't exceed the factory amperage draw for a circuit, additional relays and fuses will not be necessary
and things will still be completely safe.
To measure the DC supply voltage of the vehicle's battery, set the meter to volts, and connect the electrical multimeter in
parallel with the battery.
Measuring DC voltage |
Measuring battery voltage
Vehicle off |
Measuring battery voltage
Vehicle on |
To measure the DC current draw of an electrical load such as an automotive light bulb whether it be incandescent or Led, connect the
multimeter, operating as an ammeter in this case, in series (in-line) with the circuit so that all electrons flowing through the circuit
have to go through the meter.
When a multimeter is placed in ammeter mode, it acts like a simple length of wire, with very little resistance from one test probe to
the other. Consequently, an ammeter will act as a short circuit if placed in parallel (across the terminals of) a substantial source
of voltage such as the vehicle's battery. So be very sure to switch the mode from amps back to volts before connecting it in line
(parallel) with the battery as if you don't you will create a short circuit. Hopefully your meter has a fuse, which will blow in that
situation. If your meter does not have a fuse you will either damage your meter or your vehicle's electrical system.
Measuring DC current |
Measuring current draw (amperage)
of the factory dome light
|
Referencing the pics above, let's go thru a basic example checking the wattage of the factory festoon 31mm dome lights (DE3175)
which are known to be rated at 8.0 watts. The wattage of any bulb can be calculated by taking the supply voltage (V=12.5)
multiplying that by the current draw or amperage (A=0.62) which gives a wattage of W=7.8 watts which is right about on target.
The meter being used in these tests is a Craftsman #82334
Autoranging, 11 Function Digital Multimeter. It is accurate to 0.5% when reading DC voltage and 1.5% to 2.5% when reading DC current.
Interior dome and cargo area dome lights:
Factory Bulb: DE3175
Factory Wattage: 8.0 watts
Factory Amperage: 620 milliamps
Led Replacement Bulb: VLeds 6-Led circuit board, 16mm round multi-socket
Part no.: DIY_6_BC_W_5K This has been discontinued, I recommend DIY_6_BC-C as a replacement
Led Type: 6 high power M-SMT
Advertised Kelvin color rating: 5,000k White
Advertised Wattage: 3.0 watts
Recommended forward DC Voltage operating range: 11.5-14.5 volts
Actual metered Amperage: 165.5 milliamps
Actual calculated Wattage at 12.5V (W=V*(MA/1000)): 2.1 watts
Approximate Luminous Flux: 120 Lumens
Comments:
As you know from reading above, I have used VLeds for my interior lighting previously. I have ran one of their 6 Led high power M-SMT bulbs in the 6000k
color for over a year and can attest that 120 lumens is perfect for the 4Runner domes. They are very bright, but not so bright that is is going to
look overdone.
I am not looking for the brightest leds out there. Having the brightest dome light may be great for someone who is not doing the Maplight and Footwell mods.
But I am looking to have an overall uniform and consistently lit interior, hence the choice of a moderate lumen levels from more lighted areas.
Installing the V-Leds 6-Led board is simple. First, use a small flathead screwdriver to gently pry off the dome lens. There are two small indentations
on one side of the lens where the screwdriver can be inserted, and thet is where you pry from. The VLed bulb is available with various different socket adapters
and the DE3175 (DIY_BASE_3175) adapter fits perfectly in the 4Runner dome lamp housing. The Led circuit board snaps right into the socket adapter. There is just enough
clearance between the installed led circuit board and adapter assembley and the installed dome light lens to avoid the two touching. I have tested the
leds by leaving them on for the full 30 minutes it takes the 4Runner to activate the automatic dome relay power off feature. After the 30 minute period,
the lens was indeed warm to the touch but there was no heat related damage inflicted whatsoever.
The light output of these very small boards is nothing short of amazing. The 5,000k color temperature is just what I've been waiting for as well.
Factory Incandescent DE3175 Bulb |
DE3175 amperage
0.62 amps (620 milliamps) |
6-Led board amperage
165.5 milliamps |
6-Led board |
6-Led board |
Multi sockets base adapters
for 194, 3175, 211, 57 and 1156 type bulbs |
Dome light lens removal |
Led Dome light installed |
Led Dome light installed |
Incandescent dome and cargo area dome lights
1 second exposure |
Led dome and cargo area dome lights
1 second exposure |
 |
Map lights:
Factory Bulb: W5W
Factory Wattage: 5.0 watts
Factory Amperage: 360 milliamps
Led Replacement Bulb: VLeds High Power 4 M-SMT Led 2.0W 5k White 194
Part no.: 194_4_RB_W_5K
Led Type: 4 high power M-SMT
Advertised Kelvin color rating: 5,000k White
Advertised Wattage: 2.0 watts
Recommended forward DC Voltage operating range: 11.5-14.5 volts
Actual metered Amperage: 155.2 milliamps
Actual calculated Wattage at 12.5V (W=V*(MA/1000)): 1.9 watts
Approximate Luminous Flux: 80 Lumens
Comments:
Choosing the maplight Led replacement bulbs required particular consideration. First of all, due to performing the maplight mod,
these lights will now automatically turn on with every instance of entering and exiting the vehicle. For consistency, their light
color and brightness would need to match that of the dome lights since they will be in operation at the same time. Fortunately,
all of the V-Leds.com interior led replacement bulbs I have purchased were available in the same 5,000k Kelvin color. So sticking with one
supplier for all the replacement lights for this project is a given. In terms of the maplights brightness, I was
looking for them to match the dome lights 120 lumens. Since there are two maplights, 60 lumens each would be ideal. These bulbs run at 80 lumens each
and that was the closest lumen level in 5k color I could get.
I specifically chose a down firing only Led bulb, rather than one with radial (side mounted) firing Leds, to reduce any glare that may affect the drivers
night time vision when used as a traditional maplight in complete darkness while driving. The integrated aluminum heatsink is a nice touch to have on
high power led lights that may be on for extended periods as well.
Installation begins with the maplight lens removal. Use a small flatheat screwdriver to pry out the lens beginning with the inner most facing part of the
lens and after you get that freed, pry out the outer section. There are four clips built into the lens that hold it in place. Be careful not to snap
them off.
Since this is a wedge type replacement bulb, installation is basically no different than with a standard incandescent factory bulb.
But keep the following in mind. Leds, as well as all diodes, are polarity sensitive. This means that the positive and negative terminals must be
connected correctly for it to operate properly. If upon installation they don't work, reverse the orientation (polarity) of the bulb.
Factory Incandescent W5W Bulb |
W5W amperage
0.36 amps (360 milliamps) |
Led #194 2.0W amperage
155.2ma |
Led #194 2.0W Bulb |
Led #194 2.0W Bulb |
Led #194 2.0W Bulb |
Map light lens removal |
Map light installed |
Map light installed |
Incandescent Map lights
1 second exposure |
Led Map lights
1 second exposure |
|
Door lights:
Factory Bulb: #194
Factory Wattage: 3.8 watts
Factory Amperage: 250 milliamps
Led Replacement Bulb: VLeds High Power 4 M-SMT Led 2.0W 5k White 194
Part no.: 194_4_RB_W_5K
Led Type: 4 high power M-SMT
Advertised Kelvin color rating: 5,000k White
Advertised Wattage: 2.0 watts
Recommended forward DC Voltage operating range: 11.5-14.5 volts
Actual metered Amperage: 155.2 milliamps
Actual calculated Wattage at 12.5V (W=V*(MA/1000)): 1.9 watts
Approximate Luminous Flux: 80 Lumens
Comments:
The factory door lights put out virtually no light at all onto the ground. They are basically there as marker lights to warn oncoming vehicles your
door is open. I intended to find a high power wedge replacement Led that would put out much more light and hopefully act as puddle type lamps if at all
possible, lighting up the ground in the area of entering and exiting the vehicle. Their position and aiming is not perfectly suited for this usage but
that was the hope at least. There is no reflector inside the door light housings and a down firing only type Led would again be the best choice here.
I went with V-Leds second highest power offering in the wedge base #194 surface mount technology (SMT) type bulb...194_4_RB_W_5K their 2watt, 80 lumen
down firing wedge base bulb. Their highest power down firing 194 bulb is the ones I am using in the domes. I chose the ones I went with primarily because
they have an aluminum heatsink built right into the bulb. There are many times when the interior lights of the vehicle may stay on for extended periods
of time. For example, when working on an extensive mod that may require the opening and shutting of the doors multiple times, which will reset the
automatic dome relay power off feature. This feature would typically shut these door lights off after being left on for 30 minutes. But opening and
closing the door resets it. While you can switch off the door operation of the domes, maplights (via the J.A. maplight mod), and footwell lights
(via the J.A. footwell mod), there is no such way to turn off the door lights short of pulling the fuse. For these times, which are not as rare as
you may initially think, it is nice to have the integrated heatsink feature.
I ordered four of these bulbs, one for each door and am very satisfied with the choice. As can be seen by the pics, light does indeed reach and
illuminate the ground in the area of entering and exiting the vehicle.
To install, I prefer to pop out the entire door light housing rather than just the lens. It just comes out easier then trying to get
only the lens itself off. Once the housing is out of the door, the lens can be removed much easier.
Since this is a wedge type replacement bulb, installation is basically no different than with a standard incandescent factory bulb.
But keep the following in mind. Leds, as well as all diodes, are polarity sensitive. This means that the positive and negative terminals must be
connected correctly for it to operate properly. If upon installation they don't work, reverse the orientation (polarity) of the bulb.
Factory Incandescent #194 Bulb |
Incandescent #194 amperage
0.25 amps (250 milliamps) |
Led #194 2.0W amperage
155.2ma |
Led #194 2.0W Bulb |
Led #194 2.0W Bulb |
Led #194 2.0W Bulb |
Door light lens removal |
Door light lens removal |
Door light installed |
Incandescent Door lights
1 second exposure |
Led Door lights
1 second exposure |
|
Vanity lights:
Factory Bulb: 1+1/8" long double end
Factory Wattage: 2.0 watts
Factory Amperage: 167.3 milliamps
Led Replacement Bulb: VLeds High Power 3 SMT Led 5k White Vanity
Part no.: VANITY_W_5K
Led Type: 3 high power SMT
Advertised Kelvin color rating: 5,000k White
Advertised Wattage: 0.5 watts
Recommended forward DC Voltage operating range: 11.5-14.5 volts
Actual metered Amperage: 16.42 milliamps
Actual calculated Wattage at 12.5V (W=V*(MA/1000)): 0.2 watts
Approximate Luminous Flux: 20 Lumens
Comments:
Nothing special here as there are not many variations at all to choose from when it comes to the vanity replacement bulb. This 3 SMT Led
bulb appears to run at almost a quarter watt and the color matches all the other lights we are replacing as part of this project.
Installation again is relatively simple. Just take your time removing the vanity light lens as the tabs holding it in place appear to be
fragile in nature. Getting the lens out with a small screwdriver is simple, but putting it back in place is a little more worrisome.
When trying to remove the factory bulb, be sure to remove the dome light fuse before using any type of metallic tool to pry it out.
Otherwise you risk creating a short circuit and blowing the fuse at a minimum.
Factory Incandescent Vanity Bulb |
Incandescent Vanity amperage
0.17 amps |
Incandescent Vanity milliamps
167.3ma |
Led Vanity Bulb |
Led Vanity Bulb |
Led Vanity amperage
16.42ma |
Vanity light lens removal |
Vanity light installed |
Led Vanity Bulb |
Incandescent Vanity light
1/2 second exposure |
Led Vanity light
1/2 second exposure |
|
Glove Box:
Factory Bulb: #74
Factory Wattage: 1.2 watts
Factory Amperage: 82.8 milliamps
Led Replacement Bulb: VLeds High Power 1 M-SMT Led 0.5W HID White 74
Part no.: 74_HP_W This has been discontinued, I recommend 74_3_W_5K as a replacement
Led Type: 1 high power M-SMT
Advertised Kelvin color rating: 6,000k White
Advertised Wattage: 0.5 watts
Recommended forward DC Voltage operating range: 11.5-14.5 volts
Actual metered Amperage: 17.5 milliamps
Actual calculated Wattage at 12.5V (W=V*(MA/1000)): 0.2 watts
Approximate Luminous Flux: 20 Lumens
Comments:
This #74 bulb, although small and often overlooked, has quite a few replacement choices. Again, high power SMT technology was desired.
Currently this is not available in a 5,000k color rating. Looking at the factory bulb housing for this glove box light shows that a down
firing only type of bulb would again be best. V-Leds half watt 74_HP_W #74 replacement Led appears to be best offering out there.
Installation is quite tricky, but once you find the release tab and pry it open with a small screwdriver, the light housing will drop down.
Then, as with the vanity bulbs, it is difficult to get your fingers in there to pull out the bulb. Using a piece of electrical tape,
sticky side towards the bulb, to assist with getting some grip on it appears to help quite a bit in removal efforts.
This Led light itself is very bright, more so than I thought it would be. The limiting factor with useful light output is the factory
design and location of the light housing itself. With the upper storage box in the open position, and all the owners manuals and such
in this upper compartment, little if any light can make it's way to the lower and much larger main storage area. In the future and
as time permits, I will have to add additional Led lights and the wiring that will be required to make them work, to this main glove box
compartment.
One should note that this bulb is not part of the dome light circuit. It is part of the Taillight and Illumination circuit. To operate
this light, the glove box needs to be open and the headlamp switch needs to be in any on position (parking,low,high). Yes the 2006+
4Runners have a glove box door operated light switch. The 2003 and 2004 models do not, not sure about 2005. So anytime your 03-04 parking
headlights are on so is the glove box light.
Factory Incandescent #74 Bulb |
Incandescent #74 milliamps
82.8ma |
Led #74 amperage
17.5ma |
Led #74 Bulb |
Led #74 Bulb |
Led #74 size |
Incandescent Glove Box light
upper compartment closed
2 second exposure |
Led Glove Box light
upper compartment closed
1 second exposure |
Led Glove Box light
upper compartment open
1 second exposure |
Total Power Consumption:
The 2 dome lights, 2 map lights, 4 door lights and 2 vanity lights I changed over to Leds are all on the dome light circuit.
So is the ignition key cylinder light, but that is already a Led type light as equipped from the factory. For Limited model owners,
the running board (step) lights are on this circuit too. The glove box light, which I changed to Led as well, is not on this circuit,
it is on the Taillight and Illumination circuit.
I took measurements of the dome light circuit's current draw with the above mentioned lights (2 dome lights, 2 map lights, 4 door lights and 2 vanity lights)
ON both before and after the conversion to Leds. As you can see in the pics below, the amperage draw with incandescent bulbs was
3.46 amps or 3,460 milliamps which equates to 43.3 watts. After converting to Leds, but before adding the footwell lights, the circuit was measured
drawing only 1.529 amps or 1,529 milliamps which equates to 19.1 watts. This is a significant savings and adding further Leds, such as the footwells,
to this circuit will not be a problem at all.
To measure the current draw of the dome light circuit, you need to hook up the multimeter in series with the circuit's wiring. The easiest way to do this
is to remove the dome light circuit's 10 amp fuse located in the engine compartment fuse box and connect your meters probes there instead.
Before - Incandescent
domes, maps, doors, vanities
3,460 ma or 43.3 watts |
After - Leds
domes, maps, doors, vanities
1,529 ma or 19.1 watts |
Led footwells only
372 ma or 4.7 watts |
Led domes, maps, doors, vanities, footwells
1,794 ma or 22.4 watts |
Quick Reference Lighting Chart:
Before - Incandescent
1 second exposure |
After - Leds
1 second exposure |
Special Offer:
I have purchased all the above Led lights from one source, V-Leds.com.
The decision to go with them for all the lights was based on much advance research into their product line, communication
with them via email as well as customer feedback found on a wide variety of online automotive forums. I have had nothing but
excellent customer service from this company.
V-Leds Coupon offer:
Join the V-Leds Newsletter and get 15% off your next order!
One Year Update:
I have had various V-Leds bulbs installed for over one year now and I have had absolutely no issues or problems at all.
I continue to return to them for all my automotive LED and HID bulb needs.
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