2021 TRD Pro Headlight Dark Spot on Low Beams

It’ll be hard to “make it right” if that’s simply how all these headlights function. It is what it is. 3rd gen Tacoma halogens sucked compared to the 2nd gen reflectors. That’s just how it goes sometimes (odd as it might seem).

 

Very true. but the mgr. is supposed to be ordering me a different type of bulb to see if that helps. If not, I will have to tuck my tail between my legs, kick myself & trade it right in & get something besides a Toyota because I just can not deal with that distraction. It makes me feel like I am trying to run something down that I can never catch up with...LOL

 

That would be interesting. If the TRD Pro LED headlight is as nearly all other OEM unit, the LED part is sealed and non-serviceable. These units are all showing the same light pattern and as I said, it's either by design or lack thereof. But it's not that your particularly unit is faulty, they are all the same. So, expect a "they all do that" response and it's not the fault of the dealership. If they can really exchange a "bulb" in there, I'd be very surprised.

 

Well cug, Thanks for the input. I don't actually know what is going to happen but like I said, I have a Ram that doesn't have that flaw & the lights work like a champ. I have ALWAYS been a Toyota vehicle owner up to my Ram. my entire family is but if this is not something that can be fixed, I will have no other choice but to switch it out to another make which is not what I would really like to do. It just drives me nuts. Thanks again for everyone's input.

 

With all due respect, if that one spot makes you switch vehicles, you have other problems that might be worth addressing. I'm anal and have an OCD streak in me, but even I can live with the rather bad LED headlights (compared to my other car, which is "light"years ahead, even though it's older).

 

Well, with all due respect you don't jack about me other than what I have addressed on this sight and the last time I checked, your name wasn't GOD so you really have no place passing opinions about anything other than the current topic. But you know what they say "opinions are like A-holes, and everyone's got one" Don't get m wrong, I got on this forum to gain some insight from this issue but I wasn't seeking a self diagnosis of what you "think" my problem is. But hey, to each his own...

 

Fair point. Although you given plenty of opportunity to build an opinion. And I can build opinions on whatever pleases me.

The insight you're after is: they all do this. Sell it before your head explodes.

 

Appreciate the conversations as I was at first scratching my head! Had mine 3 weeks and just hit 1000 miles today! I’m definitely getting used to the dark spots....and truly appreciate all the commentary on this subject!

 

One thing I noticed that helped a bit: make sure your headlights are adjusted properly in height. Mine were all the way down when we got the car from the dealership. After I adjusted them properly, "the spot" is less noticeable and the low beam gives a fairly good road illumination. They are still not really good compared to other LED systems, but if adjusted properly, the low beam falls in the "decent" category of what I've seen. The high beam is garbage though. My motorcycle is significantly better and it's still worse than my other car. The low beams are closer together, but since the 4Runner doesn't have automatic leveling, you have to adjust for weight, and it's a pain in the ass, since it has to be done with a screwdriver on the actual unit. Feels like the 80s again ...

 

As others have said, this blank spot is a deliberate feature of the headlight design so if properly adjusted it will not blind oncoming traffic. It may be a lame attempt and annoying to some but that’s what we’ll get from Toyota LEDs until adaptive headlights are approved for use in this country.

 

Yup, I have the same thing on mine. Noticed it right away when I drove it at night. Thought it was an issue, but after seeing this thread I get what they tried to do. Just annoying, lol.

 

2021 Off Road Prem here and same issue with the dark spot. My spot shows up on the lower bumper of the car ahead of me. It is kinda annoying as I tend catch attention to it as well.

I assume it’s the thingy (what ever it’s called) that partially covers the bulb to prevent the light from being too bright, hence not blinding any other drivers. I’ve already been flashed the other night and I just got this rig with the factory LEDs. My previous 2012 with after market LEDs were super bright and I had to adjust the angle down slightly as I was getting flashed too much. A man’s gotta see, right? Lol

 

Wow if that little spot on the headlight bothers you wait until the front end parts on that RAM starts falling apart at <30k miles. LOL!

 

I’ve gotten about one oncoming hi-beam flasher with my low beams and fogs on per night since I’ve owned them. But there is definitely a cant to the beams so as not to blind oncoming traffic. It just may hit higher at times according to the camber and slope of the road too. This makes sense as a design, since tons of other oncoming trucks seem to be driving with their high beams on but may not in fact be doing so!

 

Funny how people were complaining about the halogen 4 runner headlights,now they are complaining about the new improved LED headlights too? LMFAO

 

So many people drive with their fogs on in all weather. Fog lights are actually meant for use for low speed driving in fog, dust, maybe some snow storm conditions where you’re just trying to find the edge of the road. Not as a general driving light. Since they are so low to the ground they do reflect off wet roads or shiny road surfaces and create annoying glare for oncoming traffic even in dry weather. Not all fog lights do this but a lot do, and it pisses off oncoming drivers. That may be what you’re experiencing.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/fog_lamps/fog_lamps.html

 

I still get on coming traffic flashing their lights at me thinking I have my brights on! I have noticed the spot on my 21 TRD ORP.
Don't care, traded my 17 tacoma for the 4runner and I love this 4runner!

Cheers!

 

Any updates on this? I noticed the unevenness of the lights on mine when I drove it home from the dealership. But this thread explained it. At any rate has anyone taken it back to the dealer? Any updates on this conversation since December?

 

From everything I’ve seen it’s by design. I no longer even notice it.

 

No doubt. I barely notice it myself by now.

 

I also have a new 2021 4Runner limited and that same annoying spot in my line of vision - it is very distracting. Matter of fact these are a brand new set of headlights from the originals (they were all chipped so the dealer replaced them) and it has the same annoying spot on the driver's side. I really do not like the headlights. This is my 5th 4Runner I've owned and I can say that spot in your line of vision really needs to be corrected - at times I've thought it was something in the road and slammed on my breaks. The new Highlander limited has LED lights and don't have that spot/shadow in the beam of light so why the 4Runners?

 

I would say if the void (that I do not notice) bothers you that much, maybe see if the after-market head lights would work better for you. Cheaper than the hit you will take on trade-in.

Steve

 

Well I guess I will just stick with my upgraded halogens and add some Diode Dynamics fogs. I realize I have OCD about stuff and thats why I returned the Alpharex LED's. Spending $1K+ to upgrade is a bad idea for my OCD and I could spend that money on DD fogs and lightbar for less money.

 

I’m quite OCD, but the improvement over the previous halogen or any reasonably priced after-market solution is so vast, that the top left cut off doesn’t really bother me. If anything, I don’t particularly care for the limited/pro trim integrated bi-low/high beam, which merely removes the light cutoff at the top. I would prefer an entire secondary beam of light as the high to double the light output. But I’m okay with even this due to the aforementioned vast improvement in the led low beam.

 

I just want to jump in and say- No way are the little dark spots there by design to reduce glare. I mean I can see exactly where they land on the road ahead of me... Only a tiny fraction of light output is affected. Is it only supposed to work when the incoming driver's face lands in the one little spot affected? Lol. Seems absurd.

Maybe it's just as simple as an LED headlight design that's not exactly top tier engineering?

 

I think there are two separate issues that are being conflated in this thread:

1. top left corner light cutoff that is DOT standard to reduce glare to oncoming traffic. This seems to be what most people on this thread are referring to.

2. one tiny little square in the middle of each side’s light beam pattern (I reiterate tiny). It’s not something that you can really see while driving on any real-world surface that isn’t a completely uniform such as a garage door.

If a bit bothered by the former, I can understand. If very bothered by the second, I dunno how you can be helped. And this is coming from an very OCD person like I am.

 

I see number 2 when I pull into the garage it is like there is a sticker or decal on the reflector that causes a shadow. I don't noticed it unless it is on the wall in the garage.
Steve

 

W

Well hell, here I am thinking it's the two tiny spots everyone is talking about! I can definitely see both cast on the road ahead, they don't bother me, but they're there. I've never noticed the other "spot" in the upper left that your referring too, though. Either way, no one has ever brighted me at night over the headlights, so .

 

My 21 TRD Off Road is exactly the same i just raised the left a little higher but it still has the same dark spot but a little more even across. Drives me crazy that it's not the same as the other side, i have checked as many 4runners as i could before i did the adjustment & all were the same.

 

These are by far the worst headlights I have ever had on a vehicle. The dark shadows are directly in the middle of your view and while turning they move across the street, this is really distracting and a safety issue in my opinion. I am surprised Toyota would allow something so unsafe especially when you consider their history with the gas petals and floor mats