LED day time running lights won't turn on

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 11:38 AM
  #1  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
LED day time running lights won't turn on

New to posting on this site so here we go. I own a 2007 Base TL and I am in the process of replacing all exterior lighting to LED's. LED day time running lights will not come on at all. It's not fuse, bulbs or wiring, I've eliminated all of those things. It was suggested that I get load resistors which I did and still nothing. When I put my OEM DRL's, they come on. Any help would be greatly appreciate it.
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 11:49 AM
  #2  
thoiboi's Avatar
Senior Moderator
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 48,312
Likes: 9,177
From: SoCal, CA
did you use a relay harness?
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 11:56 AM
  #3  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Yes, I purchased harness from Amazon, plug and play from the led to the wire connection. Still no power.
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 12:51 PM
  #4  
thoiboi's Avatar
Senior Moderator
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 48,312
Likes: 9,177
From: SoCal, CA
LEDs are polarity sensitive, did you try and flip the plug to see if they turn on then? Do you have a DRL light on your dashboard? Do you have a multimeter and can see if there's power? pics of your installation and harness you bought?
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 03:05 PM
  #5  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Thanks for you help, I appreciate it. When both LED are plugged in no DRL light on dash. I already eliminated each of your suggestions, swapped bulbs, swapped harness. Tried to post pics. Hope you see them.
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 03:55 PM
  #6  
peter6's Avatar
Three Wheelin'
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 498
What kind of harness do you have? Load resistors or one with separate relay? Post a link.
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 06:15 PM
  #7  
thoiboi's Avatar
Senior Moderator
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 48,312
Likes: 9,177
From: SoCal, CA
No pics sir..
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 07:26 PM
  #8  
sweeT n Lo's Avatar
Instructor
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 133
Likes: 20
Check your ground. Make sure that if it's touching the body of the car that the paint has been scraped off from that area for a good, solid connection. From personal experience, every issue that I have had with LED exterior lighting with my TL has been due to that. Good luck
​​​​
Reply
Old Nov 10, 2020 | 08:36 PM
  #9  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Here is the link to the wire harness I purchased.
Amazon Wire Harness Amazon Wire Harness
Amazon Amazon
. Again, thanks for all the feedback and suggestions from everyone. Getting a little frustrated.
Reply
Old Nov 11, 2020 | 08:04 AM
  #10  
peter6's Avatar
Three Wheelin'
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 498
This harness won't work. It simply puts additional load on the system to fool cars that measure current going to the lamps (since LEDs will draw much less current). Our cars don't measure current. Both bulbs for DRL are connected in series, making them run in 6V each. Car then checks the voltage between the bulbs. If it's around 6V, then all is good, if 0 or battery voltage, one of the bulbs burned out.

You need one of harnesses that has a relay and separate battery connection, or DIY a harness yourself.

Here's my thread of how I did it in my car:
https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g...nstall-960677/

Here's some other thread:
https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g...w-pics-853543/
Reply
Old Nov 11, 2020 | 08:08 AM
  #11  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Thanks Peter. I saw a video on a separate battery connection but wasn’t sure on it. I’ll try this and post results. Dan
Reply
Old Nov 11, 2020 | 12:34 PM
  #12  
thoiboi's Avatar
Senior Moderator
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 48,312
Likes: 9,177
From: SoCal, CA
Yeah that wasn't a wire harness.. that's just load resistors. you'll need an actual relay harness, preferably a good quality one like from Morimoto (www.thretrofitsource.com). 9005 input.
Reply
Old Nov 16, 2020 | 08:25 PM
  #13  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Hey Peter - I contacted IJMD regarding the second harness you posted. Here's the link https://store.ijdmtoy.com/products/w...adapter-aa1180. Question...which load resistors would I purchase? I was thinking the resistors came with harness.

Thanks,
Dan
Reply
Old Nov 16, 2020 | 08:34 PM
  #14  
peter6's Avatar
Three Wheelin'
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 498
I didn't buy resistors, but instead used what I had. Probably anything that will plug in will work.

Since our cars don't check for current, but instead they check the voltage in the middle part, the higher resistance of the resistors the better - less power goes to waste as heat.

If you want to go "semi DIY", you can buy 9005 adapters, and solder the 1k or 10k resistors to them. Barely any waste, no light on the dash, no heat, easy way to connect the harness from the link.

If you know how to solder and have tools, I can guide you how to make it. Crimp connectors might also work, but I'm not a fan of those.
Reply
Old Nov 16, 2020 | 08:56 PM
  #15  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Nope, never soldered in my life. But it looks pretty self explanatory I am going to order the harness. Can you provide a list of what tools/wires I will need? If you have time once I get the harness, it would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dan
Reply
Old Nov 16, 2020 | 09:25 PM
  #16  
peter6's Avatar
Three Wheelin'
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 498
Posting links to whatever came up first in search:

Any low wattage 10k (10,000 ohm) resistors will work fine.
Amazon Amazon

Any male 9005 connectors will work fine.
Amazon Amazon
If you don't plan to return the harness that you bought, the one from the link you posted in post #9, you can cut it and use those. $8 vs $15 so whatever is easier

If you don't plan to solder more, then this will probably will be enough:
Amazon Amazon

Also a knife or something to strip the wires.

Then you combine everything like:


You might need extra wire to connect "#5 wire on the harness" to the passenger's side "new connector". (if you search for 18 AWG wire, that should be enough)

Some insulation tape or heatshrink tubes.

Then power from the harness (one that has fuse inline) goes to battery positive, black on the harness goes to ground (or battery negative).

That's all. Or you could search for harness made specifically for our cars. It seems like not many people liked my solution, but it works and was cheapest for me.

Last edited by peter6; Nov 16, 2020 at 09:30 PM.
Reply
Old Nov 16, 2020 | 09:38 PM
  #17  
def04TL's Avatar
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Thanks for the details. I needed that.

Dan
Reply
Old Nov 17, 2020 | 09:10 AM
  #18  
peter6's Avatar
Three Wheelin'
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,553
Likes: 498
If you are already building and soldering the wiring harness by yourself, it might be easier and faster to build the whole thing yourself.

By using the connectors, some extra wires, and 10k resistors, you could build what I did, but without cutting into any of the factory wires. That would eliminate the fault light, provide 12v to the bulbs, and won't require extra connection to the battery and no extra relay.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
WesTypes
3G TL Problems & Fixes
1
Nov 10, 2020 10:45 AM
dominik331
1G TSX (2004-2008)
1
Feb 18, 2020 03:03 PM
kpsharp929
2G TSX Problems & Fixes
3
Jul 14, 2011 11:35 AM
xelvic
3G TL (2004-2008)
9
Feb 9, 2005 01:46 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:25 AM.