2021 OEM LED headlight performance?

The Limited and Pro use bi-LED projectors, meaning that the low and high beam are both handled in the same projector housing. The halogen bulbs in the "old" high beam reflector are just for dim DRL duty.

 

Strange

 

Yes it is a little weird to split their product mix like that. Why not just switch all of the housings to one design? Maybe bi-LED projectors are significantly more expensive and they decided not to offer them in the cheaper trims.

Edit: and to further confuse things, the Limited/Pro DRL bulbs are not dimmed using pulse width modulation (PWM) like the regular assemblies. They still use the same 9005 halogen bulb so they must be using an alternative method like voltage reduction. PWM works just how it sounds, with short pulses of electricity that only allow the halogen bulb to flicker on and off very quickly without igniting to full brightness. This is why many have noticed that LED bulbs in the high beam are at full blast all the time, because they are instant on/off.

Someone on the other forum tried replacing the DRL bulbs with XD extreme LED kit and found that they would not dim, just blast at full high beam brightness. The XD bulbs are made with a special dimming module that works with the normal PWM and they did not work. Maybe there is no need for a PWM circuit since the bulbs no longer do "double duty".

 

Could be they're using up all old inventory then make the full transition.....

 

The housings are fully redesigned to accommodate the new LED projectors for both kinds of headlights. As similar as they look to "old inventory" I assure you they are all brand new assemblies.

 

New member here, was going to join several months ago as we'd purchased a new 2020 4Runner and my wife murdered a deer with it and it was totaled out. Finally just got a replacement 2021 Limited. Was curious on the DRL's for the Limited. Since they're purely DRL's now with the dual low/high beam LED's have you heard if replacing the DRL bulb's with LED's work now without worrying about the PWM? With everything else being LED it's irritating that they don't match and I need not worry about the halogen/correct reflectors for LED's in them.

 

The LED bulbs will work but as far as I know, no one has yet determined how Toyota is controlling the dimming circuit for them. So when you use them in DRL mode, they will blast at full high-beam brightness. Even when using drivers that work for previous 4Runner replacements. You might try contacting TRS/Xenon/Headlight Revolution and see if they have anything for 21+ Pro/Limited DRLs?

 

I don't own a 4runner rather a tacoma but I'm selling these headlights for my cousin. I have a guy wanting them but I'm wondering if he will need a harness. His is a 2017. Any help would be appreciated.

 

So far I have not seen anyone adapt the Pro/Limited headlights into older trucks. The bi-LED projectors are controlled differently than the standard units, so I'm not sure if they're backwards compatible at all.

Why is he selling the headlights?

 

^ Do you really need to ask that question? LOL

 

He bought some morimotos

 

Oh great. Did whoever he bought the Morimoto headlights from give him a proper adapter harness? The wiring for the Pro/Limited headlights is wildly different. Because of this, the Morimoto headlights may not work. Their website only lists compatibility from 14-20, not 2021 models. And the guy with the 2017 truck may not be able to use the OEM units.

Tell your cousin to consider returning the Morimoto headlights for a refund. The OEM units perform much better anyway.

 

This is really bumming me out. I was kinda counting on the ability to buy the new headlights and put them in my 2020. I've done the H9 upgrade and, while I highly recommend it, it's not nearly as good as the LEDs. Especially when it comes to illumination off to the sides. I know drop-in LEDs would be even worse. So if I can't get the new OEM LEDs I'll want to experiment with either add-on lights (eg LED bar) or even HIDs. I'm reluctant to go the HID route due to risk of glare, but they sure do seem to boost illumination distance quite a lot.

 

Yes morimoto provided them.

 

If homeboy has the funds to buy a brand-new Pro and trash the OEM headlights for aftermarket.. I suggest he takes those great OE headlights to a custom builder that will modify them with fancy LED's like the aftermarket style. He'll be in an even better spot because his will actually be custom and different! PLUS they'll perform better.

 

Maybe Morimoto has the knowledge, and can create a backwards compatible harness, then?

 

I'm sure there's a harness. I had put the new 3rd hen tacoma lights on my 2020 and the harness was 30 and worked light magic.

 

Interesting, and thanks. To clarify, the new 3rd gen Tacoma headlights are LEDs? And you put them into your 2020 (Tacoma? 4Runner?) that came without LEDs?

Thx again.

 

I'm sure that it can be done. The only issue now-a-days is that the cars are "smart" and use computers everywhere. So it's not as simple as getting the correct power to the lights. One could probably do that fairly easy, and have everything function.. except I bet the computers will be confused so you might get, for example, a constant "bulb out" reminder, etc.

According to the poster here, Morimoto has already figured this out. I'm skeptical but only because I know how difficult that can be with today's vehicles. That said, maybe they did! If the headlights cost around $1500 (I have no idea), I could see them doing it right.

 

I'm surprised this hasn't been done yet and reported on in the forums. It seems a lot of folks are enamored with the Morimorons and keep wanting to try that instead of a proven OEM solution.

 

I have no idea how the Morimotos perform. Maybe the really are great. A mere 10 years ago, all aftermarket headlights were trash except for custom ones made by enthusiasts.

 

Don't fret! It's only the Pro/Limited assemblies that are difficult to adapt (at least no one that I know of has done it).

Plenty of people are already using the OEM single LED projector headlights from the lower trims. Check this thread here, there's even a shop selling OEM units with the proper connectors crimped on. If you're interested in more (street legal) lighting, check out J581 auxiliary high beam lamps. I have a set of Diode Dynamics SS3 driving beams in my grill.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-sae-j581-aux-high-beam-thread.696597/

 

Thanks Tory. I'd definitely be fine with OEM LED low beams and regular halogen high beams on my 2020 Limited. While I'd prefer LED highs, the stock halogen highs aren't that bad.

Thx again.

 

The Morimoto headlights are decent and at least have correct optics (and are DOT compliant). However, many folks have complained about narrow beam patterns, underwhelming high beams (they use tiny projectors instead of reflectors like OEM) and LED chips on the DRL burning out (the same one in the corner, so it's likely a design flaw).

The Morimoto headlights for the Tacoma are already on version 2 which have improved a lot of these shortcomings, but have not seen anything announced for the 4Runner yet. The Tacoma market is huge compared to the 4Runner, which is why they may leave the 4Runner as is.

 

It is weird how Toyota does this on certain vehicles with the 4Runner seeming to be the worst. I still can't understand why some trim levels in Canada vary so much from those here in the US. Like my ORP in Canada has auto headlights, and dual climate control. Just creature comfort things but still odd nonetheless.

 

I’d much rather have a halogen high beam, so I like the combo setup. Much better color temp for distance and peripheral viewing. And the low beam led is great for city driving.

 

I can totally see the merits of this. Kind of a best of both worlds thing. Plus, the halogen highs are actually quite good. If you look at the IIHS test data, they project even farther than they consider optimal. Not exemplary off to the sides, but also decent there.

So, yes, the new OEM LED lowbeams combined with the old halogen highs = really good.

 

Yep I agree. And the halogen high beams get even better with a performance bulb (9005). The Philips +100’s are great. And they’re a 400 hour bulb (iirc).

 

Or a 9011 bulb with tab trim.

 

I’ve not tried that one yet. Simply because I’ve been more than satisfied with the 9005.