1. Welcome to 4Runners.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all 4Runner discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other 4Runner owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

The BIG headlight question

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by Singleminded, Jul 14, 2020.

  1. Jul 14, 2020 at 8:56 AM
    #1
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights
    After endless debate on upgraded H11 vs. H9 vs. HID kits vs. LED drop in bulbs vs. complete aftermarket HID assemblies vs. complete aftermarket LED assemblies...

    ...we now have the BIG headlight question:

    Will Toyota sell the 2021 4Runner LED headlight assemblies to owners of older 4Runners?

    About a year ago Toyota finally started including LED Fog Lights on some models stock, then later put them in their accessories catalog for sale to owners of models that came stock with halogens. In fact, I just bought them from my Toyota dealer for my 2020 Limited ($140 to buy, $240 with installation).

    Will Toyota do the same things with the LED headlights they are spec'ing standard on their 21 4Runners?
     
  2. Jul 14, 2020 at 9:14 AM
    #2
    Red_5

    Red_5 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2020
    Member:
    #15378
    Messages:
    386
    I would expect so, yes. Seems like an easy $$-making opportunity for Toyota.
     
  3. Jul 14, 2020 at 9:35 AM
    #3
    Mtbpsych

    Mtbpsych New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2018
    Member:
    #7922
    Messages:
    1,887
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5
    If it’s anything like the corolla, my HID’s will still be better:D
     
  4. Jul 14, 2020 at 10:20 AM
    #4
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights
    Good reminder that not all OEM LED systems are great. One would guess that the ones for the 21 4R will be very similar to those for the recent Tacomas. Anyone have experience with the Taco LEDs?

    For an objective measure, IIHS gives the Taco LEDs a "Good" rating compared to a "Marginal" rating for Taco halogens. But when you look at their headlight performance chart you see that the LED low beams don't throw as far as IIHS considers optimal. The throw is a lot better than the halogens, but not excellent. However, the LED high beams do match or exceed all the IIHS optimal distances (straight ahead, to the left, to the right). I'd certainly prefer this low beam LED performance to the abysmal stock halogens that came on my 4R. But I wonder how these LEDs would compare to a 4R running H9s. If H9s throw just as far, it might not be worth the price just for longer lifespan and better high beams.

    https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Toyota/tacoma-extended-cab-pickup/2020

    Yikes, let's hope the new 4R LEDs aren't like the ones in the current Tundra. Terrible performance!

    https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/toyota/tundra-extended-cab-pickup/2020#headlights
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2020
    NightRunner and kbp810 like this.
  5. Jul 14, 2020 at 10:39 AM
    #5
    kbp810

    kbp810 rebmem wen

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2019
    Member:
    #8935
    Messages:
    616
    Gender:
    Male
    For a quick moment of clarification though; the stock 4Runner headlights don't suck because of halogens; they suck because of the weak halogen bulb they use from the factory (which is focused on longevity more so than output). Even a better H11 halogen bulb will make a huge improvement, and outperform most any LED bulb option in terms of usable light and throw distance (in the stock 4Runner projector). LED's are white, clear, and super bright, but the usable throw is far shorter than a decent halogen bulb.

    To see real improvement with LED's in a 4Runner, you would need a new headlight assembly/projector that is designed around LED's so they are focused properly to get the light down the road.

    FWIW, I just removed my XD HID kit recently in favor or the H9 bulb; and it was a tremendous improvement. The output isn't as bright/white, but the throw and usable light output is significantly better. If someone could show me evidence of an LED bulb that could perform as well as the Phillips standard H9, I would be all over it.
     
    Thatbassguy and 7385 like this.
  6. Jul 14, 2020 at 10:53 AM
    #6
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights
    These are important points and the subject of another recent thread that discusses the actual differences in throw (which is what's most important) of various OEM and aftermarket headlight options. These kinds of analyses demonstrate what you are saying, for example that the stock halogens are bad because the stock H11 bulb is weak, and that the best H11s are a huge improvement (at the expense of longevity) as are H9s (which tend to last a bit longer than the enhanced H11s).

    What you're missing is that the point of my post is to ask about the possibility of upgrading to an LED assembly that's made by Toyota itself and thus is designed for LEDs and thus produces better throw than aftermarket LEDs while being safe for other drivers and DOT compliant.

    So what I'm wondering is:

    1. Will we be able to buy and use the LED assemblies that Toyota is making stock for their 2021 4Rs? For example, can I or my Toyota dealer install them in my 2020 Limited?

    2. If yes, will they produce a better throw than upgraded H11s or H9s? This is a key question, because as shown in the IIHS links I provided, the OEM LEDs in the Tundra suck, and the OEM LEDs in the Taco are, while better than stock halogens, not particularly good LEDs.
     
    Thatbassguy and kbp810[QUOTED] like this.
  7. Jul 14, 2020 at 11:06 AM
    #7
    kbp810

    kbp810 rebmem wen

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2019
    Member:
    #8935
    Messages:
    616
    Gender:
    Male
    Gotcha, completely misread the second part of that! Interested in this outcome as well.
     
    Thatbassguy likes this.
  8. Jul 14, 2020 at 11:34 AM
    #8
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights

    Postscript: The OEM Toyota LED High Performance Fog Lights that I just bought for my Limited are good but not great. They definitely cast a wider and brighter light than the stock halogen fogs, sending a lot of usable light deep into the trees/yards/sidestreets from which a deer/child/idiot driver might run out in front of you. They also put down a blanket of bright white light for, say, 30 feet in front of the truck. I assume they are also good with respect to cutoff. But the light is not even. There are some dimmer patches between the light that's directly ahead and the light that shoots far off to the sides. I did not have this issue with the aftermarket LEDs that I'd put in the fog lights of my last car. Those produced a super bright and even light all the way around.
     
  9. Jul 14, 2020 at 11:36 AM
    #9
    Mtbpsych

    Mtbpsych New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2018
    Member:
    #7922
    Messages:
    1,887
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5
    Just skip all the trouble and get HID’s:woot: they have the brightness of LED’s plus the throw.
     
  10. Jul 14, 2020 at 11:50 AM
    #10
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights
    LOL, the problem with this is that actual scientific testing shows that aftermarket HIDs often have poor throw and /or glare that's unsafe. People think they're great even when they aren't because, like aftermarket LEDs, they produce a lot of bright white light immediately in front of the car.

    I'm not saying that your specific HIDs are bad in either throw or glare, just that actual scientific testing shows that they tend to be bad in one or both of those ways.

    Can you tell us what HID setup you're running? Does it include projectors designed for HID bulbs? Cause I don't want to completely rule out a HID conversion if it turns out that I can't buy Toyota's OEM LED headlights, or if it turns out that they suck like they do on the Tundra. If your system works well I'd like to know how to replicate it.
     
    7385 likes this.
  11. Jul 14, 2020 at 12:07 PM
    #11
    Mtbpsych

    Mtbpsych New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2018
    Member:
    #7922
    Messages:
    1,887
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5
    DDM Tuning Plus 35W Premium HID kit, Slim AC Ballasts w/Hi-Output Bulbs, H11, 4500K https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CJ70TOS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WiGdFbA5SP3GQ

    This is all you need! Just need to drill the dust cover, and you’re good to go. 100000000x better than halogen, and tundra headlights. My buddy has a 2018 tundra and my HID’s blow his LED’s out of the water.
     
  12. Jul 14, 2020 at 12:36 PM
    #12
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights
    Thanks. Do they need to be wired to your battery or do they work fine just plugged into the existing connectors?
     
  13. Jul 14, 2020 at 12:38 PM
    #13
    Mtbpsych

    Mtbpsych New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2018
    Member:
    #7922
    Messages:
    1,887
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5
    They just wire into the existing connectors, there’s others that wire to the battery but I opted for the linked ones for the simplicity, and reliability.
     
  14. Jul 14, 2020 at 12:58 PM
    #14
    Jemplyr77

    Jemplyr77 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2018
    Member:
    #6688
    Messages:
    242
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Brian
    Oklahoma
    Vehicle:
    2019 MGM Nightshade
    Tinted windows. USR tail lights.
    I for one have tried stock bulbs (stink), LED (stink - returned), Philips Xtremevision (better), H9/H11 retrofit (better still, but I detected a hot/burning electrical smell so yanked), cheap headlight experts HID (much better but unreliable) and then Morimoto Elite HID. The Morimotos have been by far the best of those and have a very clean cutoff. I did lower my lights a bit to be safe and have not been flashed once (yet). Now, I know some people will say well...the throw is not as far as halogen or studies show the usable light is not as good as halogen or there is too much glare. All I can verify is what MY eyes see and I know everyone is different but without question, the Morimoto HID's work great in MY rig...others most likely will have a different opinion. As such, YMMV.
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2020
    jwslady likes this.
  15. Jul 14, 2020 at 1:34 PM
    #15
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights
    Thanks. My first choice would be good-performing OEM LEDs so I don't have to worry about things like DOT compliance / glare, warranty spats with Toyota etc. But if Toyota won't make that possible then I may give something like these a try. In the meantime I'll see how things go with upgraded H11s or H9s. From the tests I've seen, the best H11s have only a slightly better throw than standard H9s, cost a lot more, are harder to find and don't last as long. Still, it would be nice not to have to trim the tabs on the base of the H9.

    Thanks again.
     
    7385 and Mtbpsych[QUOTED] like this.
  16. Jul 14, 2020 at 5:00 PM
    #16
    mrmike7189

    mrmike7189 New Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2020
    Member:
    #14298
    Messages:
    599
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    mike
    MA
    Vehicle:
    2020 silver SR5 4x4
    2021 4runners will all have LED headlights. Damn you toyota...why?
     
    Singleminded[OP] likes this.
  17. Jul 14, 2020 at 6:30 PM
    #17
    Singleminded

    Singleminded [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2020
    Member:
    #15483
    Messages:
    1,724
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Limited
    OEM LED foglights
    LOL exactly. The headlights on the 2020 was my only real beef with this car, and I could hardly believe that Toyota hadn't gone LED yet -- especially at the MSRP of a Limited! Then literally three weeks after I buy it the news comes out that the 21s will all have LEDs standard. :annoyed: LOL such is life!

    Here's hoping we can buy those lights from Toyota -- and that they'll be good ones. I'm still shocked by how bad the LEDs on the Tundra are, so I'll be checking the test results of these new LEDs before even caring if I can buy them. Fingers crossed for all of us!
     
  18. Jul 14, 2020 at 6:36 PM
    #18
    alexstundra

    alexstundra New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2020
    Member:
    #14692
    Messages:
    51
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Alex
    Vehicle:
    2020 4runner nightshade/ 2016 tundra
    4runner is stock. Tundra not so Much
    If they could make them like the 2018+ tundra led headlights that would be the solution.
     
  19. Sep 25, 2020 at 12:02 PM
    #19
    Mainspring

    Mainspring New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2020
    Member:
    #16961
    Messages:
    1
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2016 4Runner Trail Premium
    Aurer Fog Lights
    I FINALLY found an LED that works perfectly with the 4Runner Projector Housing after HID and several other LED tries! (at least for me) It is a "Supernova S-V.4 H11 for low beam. I dropped the beam pattern by 2" at 25'. I have only been flashed 1 time in a year. They fit completely behind the cap over the low beam and, after a bit of maneuvering, so does the cable and small box. They have an outstanding flat and sharp cutoff and have given these older eyes new vision on the night roads. I have a 2021 model on order and I am concerned about how good the stock LEDs are. The bulbs "have to be changed out by the Toyota dealer" if there is a failure according to the manual that will come with the 2021 models. I haven't found anyone that has actually seen the new 2021 LEDs yet that can give a report on them.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top