Notices
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Cheap bastards idiot guide for fixing fast blinkers after LED swap

Old 03-09-2006, 04:27 AM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
SloPoke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: BAOK
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cheap bastards idiot guide for fixing fast blinkers after LED swap

My wheelin partner installed some LED's and didn't like the fast blinking or the resistor fix so......this is what he did. Thought I'd share with yaul.

The relay that needs to be modified is well hidden. You will have to take down the lower part of the dash and remove the two bolts n the picture below:



Once you have those removed you can wiggle the box down. The arrow points to where the relay should be, the relay had already been taken it out when the picture was taken.



Here is what the unit looks like:



He is lazy and rather than scraping the solder off that terminal he just drilled out the red spot in the pic below. This is the "Lamp Failure Detection" pin according to this link, page 3. http://www.atmel.com/dyn/resources/...nts/doc4727.pdf




After you drill it out, just put everything back together and you’re done.
FWIW: the truck this was done on is a 1999 TRD model, and the label on the top of the chip is U643B.

Hopes this helps. Easy mod and only took about 10mins once he found the relay.

If you have ?'s you can mail him direct at sloth@r65.org
Old 03-09-2006, 05:19 AM
  #2  
Sponsor
 
Tofer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Puyallup WA.
Posts: 9,173
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
sweet! i'll have to keep this in mind.
Old 03-09-2006, 06:04 AM
  #3  
Contributing Member
 
MTL_4runner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Montreal, QC Canada
Posts: 8,807
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Good work on solving that one!
You can also just use an exacto knife to cut the circuit board trace.
Old 03-09-2006, 10:25 AM
  #4  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I like this mod, I tried to get an aftermarket soildstate one to work with no avail, I guess I'll be installing all my LED's now!
Old 03-13-2006, 12:56 PM
  #5  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
For those with 4Runners, you probably have the Denso flasher, this will need to be replaced with the Tridon unit part # EP-35 sold in most automotive outlets. I got one at Pepboys for $8.95, did the modification and it works great! Here's another write-up I found
Old 03-15-2006, 05:33 PM
  #6  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I installed the LED's in the rear and for those who are afraid tht they aren't bright enough in the daylight, they are. what's really cool is the back-up light now produces a true white light and not the yellowish glow the stock bulb puts out. I still need to install them in the front, but that's gonna take a bit more work since I'll be replacing the entire turn signal assy.
Old 03-16-2006, 06:55 PM
  #7  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
SloPoke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: BAOK
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by BruceTS
For those with 4Runners, you probably have the Denso flasher, this will need to be replaced with the Tridon unit part # EP-35 sold in most automotive outlets. I got one at Pepboys for $8.95, did the modification and it works great! Here's another write-up I found
Why do the Runners have to replace it with the Tridon unit?
Old 03-16-2006, 06:59 PM
  #8  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
SloPoke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: BAOK
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by MTL_4runner
Good work on solving that one!
You can also just use an exacto knife to cut the circuit board trace.
That's what we did first but it was a PITA so we just drilled it out and viola...done deal.
Old 03-16-2006, 09:12 PM
  #9  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Taco's are assembled in the USA and 4Runner are assembled in Japan, hence the difference in parts......
Old 03-17-2006, 06:34 AM
  #10  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
SloPoke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: BAOK
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by BruceTS
Taco's are assembled in the USA and 4Runner are assembled in Japan, hence the difference in parts......
So, is the Runners flasher is not take apartable? Should have the same failure check circuit shouldn't it? or are there no circuit maps available for the Japaneses blinker boxes?

Thanks
Old 03-17-2006, 03:35 PM
  #11  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by SloPoke
So, is the Runners flasher is not take apartable? Should have the same failure check circuit shouldn't it? or are there no circuit maps available for the Japaneses blinker boxes?

Thanks
Actually they are electronic, and the circuit traces from the IC are similar, but cutting the trace to pin 7 just kills the flasher, I tried every combination to see if I could get it to work with no avail. Far easier to go down to a local discount auto parts store and buy a replacement one.

The next modification I plan to do to the Tridon flasher unit, is install a variable resistor to control the rate which it flashes, it goes a bit too fast for what I need it to do.
Old 03-19-2006, 05:15 PM
  #12  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ok, I played around with the flasher unit today and finally got the rate set exactly where I need it, for my new front sequential LED turn signals to operate properly. Next step is to modify the front bumper to install them and add in fog lights as well.
Old 03-21-2006, 02:12 PM
  #13  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've got the BLING!!!!!

That's right my new front turn signals are now installed and working perfectly! I'll post some picture later on tonite when it gets dark to get a good shot of them in action.....
Old 03-28-2006, 06:18 PM
  #14  
Contributing Member
 
elnip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Nice Bruce! The link in the first post is not working anymore so did anybody copy the pages?
Old 03-29-2006, 05:13 AM
  #15  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The link to the .pdf file won't work, but if you go to the site you can do a search and get the pages.......
Old 03-29-2006, 05:18 AM
  #16  
Contributing Member
 
elnip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Roger that. I was in a hurry last night and didn't feel like digging!
Old 06-20-2006, 03:09 PM
  #17  
Registered User
 
jbd202's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Lexington, SC
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hey brucets what type of LED bulbs are you running and where did you get them. I am looking at getting some but I don't want to waste my money on something that is no good.
Old 06-20-2006, 04:29 PM
  #18  
Contributing Member
 
runnerSR5's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Is there a tech write up for LED turn signals on 4runners?
Old 06-20-2006, 04:56 PM
  #19  
Registered User
 
midiwall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Seattleish, WA
Posts: 9,048
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by runnerSR5
Is there a tech write up for LED turn signals on 4runners?
The post at the top of this thread explains how to deal with the speed issue if you want to mod your current flasher module.

Or, head here and buy a replacement module:
http://autolumination.com/equalizers.htm

Or, in the 5th message of this thread, BruceTS points to another writeup of the mod.

Last edited by midiwall; 06-20-2006 at 04:57 PM.
Old 06-20-2006, 09:06 PM
  #20  
Contributing Member
 
BruceTS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by jbd202
Hey brucets what type of LED bulbs are you running and where did you get them. I am looking at getting some but I don't want to waste my money on something that is no good.
rear turn signals
Quantity: 2
Product: 7440-15 LED bulb $ 6.99 (each)
Options: Amber

back-up
Quantity: 2
Product: 7440-15 LED bulb $ 6.99 (each)
Options: White +$2.00

brake
Quantity: 2
Product: 7443-15 LED bulb $ 6.99 (each)
Options: Red

front markers (194 type)
Quantity: 2
Product: WLED 5-LED Wide Angle LED bulb $ 2.99 (each)
Options: Amber

license plate(194 type)
Quantity: 1
Product: WLED 6-LED bulb $ 2.79 (each)
Options: White +$0.95

not sure what stock front turn signals are since I didn't need them, but this is where I purchased them from... http://www.superbrightleds.com

if you do a search on this board there are many threads about this subject....


Originally Posted by runnerSR5
Is there a tech write up for LED turn signals on 4runners?
A 4Runner, it is similar to the Taco... the flasher unit is located on top of the fuse box.....

Last edited by BruceTS; 06-20-2006 at 09:11 PM.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: Cheap bastards idiot guide for fixing fast blinkers after LED swap



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:07 AM.