Swapping 2019 halogen headlights for OEM LED headlights

I bought the 2019 Pro LED headlights and ihacker’s harness to replace my 2019 halogen headlights. I was going to have a local shop install them, but they want around $400 to do it.

I am a complete novice when it comes to trucks, but it seems to me the more I see about replacing these headlights that I should be able to do it myself. I am on the fence.

I can build PC’s, repair home electronics and the house, so I think maybe I can handle this.

Can someone with no mechanical/wrenching experience have a reasonable expectation of doing this with a good result? What are potential gotchas to watch for?

Thanks for any advice.

 

Never changed a complete headlight in my live and I did it. Just take your time taking the grille off and the plastic pieces below it. Piece of cake from there.

 

Thanks. I think I am going to give it a shot this weekend, and if I mess it up i’ll End up paying to fix it but at least I will have tried!

 

Easy mod. You can do it!

 

Nothing u can mess up! Hardest part is taking off the grill as it feels like it will break but it’s just the clips that make it so snug. Don’t be afraid. I have heard that @iHacker always helps when called he’s a great guy. I have one Of his harness and it was easy. His instructions are on point

 

I used his harness and did it myself. I have 0 experience with wiring. It’s really easy the only thing is to take your time and be patient. As mentioned above

 

$400??!! That's outrageous. Here's an install video from 1A Auto with some of the finer details on headlamp housing removal and reinstall:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COmW6j2A1EU

Follow @iHacker thread for his harness install.

 

Thanks for the encouraging comments. I’m going to give it a try. Removing the grill and under the headlamp pieces is my primary concern. I am afraid I will apply to much force and break them. The wiring doesn’t look bad, so that doesn’t scare me.

 

The only tricky part is the two long tabs at bottom corners of the grille, I broke one, just give some light to medium pull pressure, it'll come loose, post pics when done!

 

Nah you will be good.

 

I suppose if I screw up the grill surround I have no option but to order a new color matched grill / surround and do an unscheduled chrome delete.

Since this a 2019 and I understand the tss unit is in the grill emblem, is their more complexity to removing the grill?

 

Just saw your from Spring, I'm Spring Branch

 

That’s awesome. It’s good to know there are some folks in the area. I live in spring and work in west chase, so a bit of a commute for the tundra lol.

 

There you go! If you can rationalize, or need to get wife approval, you can say you're buying the PRO grille with the labor $$$ you saved on the headlight install (not quite enough for the grille, but most of it anyway).

 

I’m over by Lake Houston. Commute to Humble and Conroe.

I did this on my truck earlier this year. I’m not mechanically inclined at all, and it was super easy. Took me maybe thirty minutes. That said, I’ve had that grill off a few times in the last couple of years, so I had a little experience.
The harness from @iHacker takes all the guesswork out. Don’t be intimidated at all. It’s really not difficult. Just make sure and run the harness per instructions.

Some people have broken tabs on their grill, but I’ve removed mine probably 4-5 times. First thing was when I swapped the factory lamps to led (don’t do this). Then I swapped to a Pro grill. Then I changed to Spyders. The first attempt I found out they took a different lamp, so I had to put the old ones back in until I got the right lamps. The last time I changed to the Pro headlights like you’re doing. Through all that I haven’t broken a tab.

Really the only scary part is pulling back the body piece under the headlights, but they are pretty tough.

 

No kidding. $400.00 is nuts. Even with no experience this is a one hour job with nothing but a socket set and flat head screwdriver required.

 

There are several grille removal videos on YouTube, but the one by 1A Auto is the only one that shows reaching behind the grille to assist in releasing the tab on the bottom. (Most people brute force them and are lucky). They also point out that the headlights have self-tapping screws at the top and a machine screw at the bottom, a fact that a novice might miss if they haven't cross-threaded enough holes.

 

Anybody with a Gen 3 Tundra better get used to it anyway. The only really dumb thing they did on these trucks was to make you have to remove the grill and headlights just to change a lamp.

 

I thought so also, which is why I am thinking DIY. They told me tundras are complex to install the lights and they would need at least a half day of labor to do it. Place has been good in the past, so not sure why the disconnect on this.

 

I asked a former Toyota tech about removing the grill on my 19 to replace the headlights. He said he would not unplug the radar, just pull the grill out far enough to move it to one side and tie it back and change one headlight then repeat for the other side. He said there should be enough slack in the harness for the pcs system
to do that.

 

Second the @iHacker harness.

 

I’m in Richmond, TX. If you were a little bit closer, I would have helped!

 

I’ll help ya if you would like. There isn’t much to it.

 

I appreciate the offers of help. My daughter has already volunteered to help, so we’re going to give it a shot. If we fail, then you may see me scrambling for help on the boards!

 

I’m usually around the area too if you need help. I doubt you will though.

 

Htown meetup! Lol

 

I’ve decided I’m going into a headlight swap business.

At $400 a pop I should reach retirement in no time.

 

Especially since that’s just labor. I could make $800.00 an hour easily. Them saying Tundras are complex to change the lights? If anybody could screw that up it would be me, and I had no issues.

The only thing on that truck I’ve had to get help with was swapping the rear bumper caps. That is a total PITA, and I only paid a hundred bucks to get someone to do it.

 

Another tip @goldldr : There are two tabs on the top of the housing that snap over grommets in the radiator support...THEY ARE A TIGHT FIT. To get the old headlights off, you may need to GENTLY lift the rear of those tabs with screwdriver until the tab comes over the grommet. When installing the new housing, there is a tab at the inside bottom corner of the headlight that fits into a metal bracket made into the support: you'll want to position that lower tab first, then move the headlight housing into position until the top tabs snap over the grommets.

Edit: Make sure all your harnesses are properly positioned and out of the way as you install the headlight housing.

 

Our Houston area el jefe @ARamirez73 never wants to.