Led DRL DIY

I just started removing the bumper from one side until I had enough room to get in below the headlight.....then I buttoned that side and moved on to the other (leaving the upper portion unlatched).

 

the headlights are held in by 3 tabs --- 2 on the top and 1 more on near the bottom that's really buried.

 

bump up for a pic of mine....also with front lip installed.

 

I some how missed this thread . . .

Very nice job. They look great. I installed a lift kit on my 4Runner by myself, but the idea of removing the front bumper cover freaks me out a bit.

I really like DRL's. There have been close calls in the past that I felt they saved me.

I loved the amber DRL's my 03 4Runner had. You could see the amber in bright daylight for a
long distance.

 

Great job, I like the look. You must have a heated garage!! I'm thinking about the same thing once it gets warmer.

For others that may be interested, I also found these PlasmaGlow LED strips: Lightning Eyes LED Headlight Kit | PlasmaGlow. I wonder if anyone has tried them.

They seem to be a slightly different design (no groupings of 3) and come in more colors, if you're interested in that sort of thing. It looks like 19" is about right. They are a little more expensive but also come with a 1 year warranty, so they may be better quality. I found white ones at a decent price with free shipping: PlasmaGlow LED Headlight Strips, PlasmaGlow Lightning Eyes LED Headlight Strips.

 

nite shot with crappy iphone 3GS

 

Okay today was thinking about DRL as like on other cars.. Seems we keep working on the same mods... To funny... I am looking at 60cm 60led Audi style side shine SMD Light strip green... asking a few questions to ebay seller. I am just looking into this today. My hope is that LED will be bright enough to see during day. I will read forum and see how you did yours... If you can't see them during day I will be forced to set them up on parking lights. However I think I want these lights on all the time so I will need to find accessory power wire not sure if I will bring ground wire back in car for on / off switch... I have no more room for switches LOL... Auto headlights and green side mirror lights... so how many miles do you think we get to drive before the light goes out. I have seen numbers from 30 thousand hours to 80 thousand hours… Once thing for sure we will do this work more than once…

 

Looks amazing,. but very blue/purple, I'm guessing its just because they are LED? My LED's I got in Japan for my S2k photo'd very blue too but where pure white in person.

D

 

I love DIYs.. Thanks for the idea! WHere is everyone pulling their power from? All from the ACC from the head unit? Nothing in the engine bay?

 

Got a picture... I am asuming that ACC is Accesery power...and should be able to find yellow wire from Head light unit. My may be diffrient as have V with LED headlights.

Anybody got a picture of Accessery +12volt wire for taping my DRL's into...

 

Got another mod done… Thanks for all the information all removing bumper… Explored a bit while I was doing mod have several pictures… even removed head light on one side just to look around. At first it looks like you could un-screw clear leans but I was wrong. I got a little nerves and put everything back. It would be cool as you could install some halo lights. I was going to try a mod on fog lights but for now decided to stand down on that. Did not know that you can adjust fog lights as there is knob and I removed bulb and you could feel reflector more as you turned it. For now I put it back the way I found it. Bumper removal is easy as long as you have floor jack and some jack stands. On a Prius V you do need to disconnect the water for head light cleaning on the passenger side and main wire harness is located on driver side.

Things learned:

On this mod use silicone to make sure lights does not move. Curve around side is difficult to get just right with out. Plus 3M tape may not last forever in hot areas I put drop a about every inch and bit more for the turn. Light is position back about 1/8 inch from the edge of headlight except for the turns as not a lot of room.
I also need to cover one bulb that I could not remove. I put electric tape on it slipped during install, it was pain to deal with on both sides. I should have used Wire heat shrink tube to cover.
I ran wire to the outside of headlights as many great places to run wire compare to let wire being in the middle of the car.. There is a black bracket where the side finder and bumper come together I use that to rap my wire and then work my way down to bumper and rain cable across to other side. For now I am taped in to drivers side parking light yellow wire. This only allows lights on when paring and or headlights are on. I also ground wire on left side also.

Need help on:

Like to find access power so light can be on during day… I have not had car in sun yet with lights installed. Depending on how dim they are may keep it the same and save burn hours on bulb.

Some photos: not all..

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Can you post picture off positive wire tap. Or provide more information... Acc power (head unit?) that would give me the ability to turn on\off DRL any time the Power button is on. This would be great. Sounds like you did bring wire through the firewall seal. How bad was it any tips? I am thinking off using a three way switch as I am out of sockets to add switches. Have one for auto headlights and one for side green lights. Thinking down position on switch turn on side lights, up both side lights and DRL, middle position off. Hope I can find that type switch thinking Radio Shack... hope to match switches I already have installed.

Thanks again to all that have added to thread.:rockon::rockon::rockon: