The relay is deep behind the dash and you have to take a lot of stuff out to get to it. I don't know on the top of my head the exact way to get to it. Later tonight when I have access to my highlander repair documents, I'll try and see if I can find it. Just as an FYI It might be easier to just install resistors on the turn signal lines.

 

I can't exactly tell where the relay is, but I'll PM you the documents I got on it, so hopefully you can give it a shot. From what I can tell its deep behind the center dash (around AC equipment).

 

Where did you find the LED compatible flasher relay? I got one years ago for my 2008 Highlander when I switched to LED's, but can not find one for our 2012 Highlander. All they seem to be pushing are resistor wiring which is NOT a very good solution in my eyes.

 

I got the flasher unit from Super Bright Leds (www.superbrightleds.com). Would you be able to tell me how you installed the flasher? I've been trying to figure out where the flasher unit is in order to replace it.

 

Which one did you get?

 

The unit is located under the steering wheel near the fuse box. you can get to it by crawling underneath the dash and feeling for it. The screws/bolts are easy enough to come off when you know how. I broke one b/c I was too tired of fighting with it. Ten the second came off easy. Afterward, I saw how they were attached and smacked myself. Of course, that was almost 4 years ago so I have no idea how they are attached anymore.

 

my 08 uses this one:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=/specs/CF18-08.html
Matches pin purposes and overall design for the turn signal relay I have in my TIS docs

 

That is the same one that I got (CF18-08). Would you be able to tell how I can replace my current flasher unit with this one?

 

Ok, must be the same for my '08 Highlander Limited and my '12 Highlander Hybrid Limited then. Found the flasher, but not sure if it just pops off with a lot of force or there are some attachment clips that are needed to be popped first.

 

Did you removed any part of the dashboard or coverings to get access to the relay?
I was trying to locate it by hearing where it click and thought it was under the fuse block on the left of the column.

 

Its on top of that fuse block on my 08.

For reference, its this:

Located on top of this tan block here:

I think you can get to it by simply removing the lower dash.

 

Its on top of that fuse block on my 08.

For reference, its this:

Located on top of this tan block here:

I think you can get to it by simply removing the lower dash.

Good morning! Sorry for revisiting this, but I am trying to do the same thing that is being discussed in this thread on my 08 Highlander Limited. With the lower dash apart, it looks exactly like the picture you have here pointing to the bolt (except mine doesn't have a 115V button .. though interestingly it looks like the wiring is there). I cannot find this relay. Try as I might I can't find anything that looks like the top picture. My local garage wants $300 to do this for me. Is there a step by step guide somewhere to finding this thing? The tan fuse block in the first picture, is that the same tan fuse block in the second one? Is the relay behind that white plastic?

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Was the first picture taken from the windshield area looking streight down with upper dash removed?

 

dash was out on that top picture, left is toward the driver, right is toward the firewall.

 

I tried to pop up the lower dash (part with dimmer, wiper heater and traction control buttons). Due to Knee Airbag it doesn't seem to be an easy pop. How does the panel disconnects from the airbag?
I was trying to look and see the flasher through the gap when I pulled the upper portion. If the relay sits on top of the fuse block as per your picture, its a very tight and practically difficult spot to get access to, I even think steering wheel covers need to pulled out as well.
I have many Toyotas on my driveway. This Highlander is the most difficult to get to that relay. Why they did it in such remote spot...???

 

Once you remove the 2 lower bolts, the rest is plastic push fasteners (both along the top and around the airbag.) You just have to give it a pull.

I show how to remove it here along with the entire dash: http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...forum/122-2nd-generation-2008-2013/428669-so-about-dashboard-2.html#post5949546

You can try to take off the steering shaft cover like you said, simply turn the wheel 90* L and R and you will see a phillips head screw on both sides. Remove each and it pops off.

Just FYI, the FSM has you remove the dashboard to replace the relay, don't ask my why the Toyota engineers made it this way but eh. Crossovers are generally tight on room for components.

What you may be able to do is remove the left dashboard fasteners (10mm bolt on far left side, 10mm nut behind gauge cluster, plastic push pin behind a-pillar) and you MAY be able to lift the dash up a little bit to give yourself more room. However the radio is the main fastener for the dash as it holds the entire center of the dash in place, that may keep it from moving.

One way or another, without remove the dash, its going to be forcing something to get your hand back there.

 

To get to the relay one need to remove the dash...??? That's not a friendly procedure. I just looked at your pictures you referenced and its a whole project alone (removing the dash)... 2-4hr.... and all of this just to replace the relay.

 

Its what the factory service manual states :dunno:

Like I mentioned, you may be able to get one side sorta free and sneak your hand in there by lifting the dash. Its actually pretty movable once you remove a few of the fasteners.

 

Does anyone knows if LED Load Resistors are magnetic? Can I use magnets to ateach them to the vehicle body?

 

typically not

 

I do (that's how I knew it said to remove the whole dash to get to the relay), however I couldn't for the life of me find the procedure to remove the ECU (that fuse block). Because I "downloaded" the FSM section by section from TIS, I am sometimes missing missing things.

 

Any update on this relay? Really curious if you find an easier solution to change the relay.

 

I opened up a lower dash panel and squeezed my hand there with pliers to grab and pull the harness. Then just used another relay to connect to the harness and tie-wrapped it.

 

I'm glad you guys found a LED relay substitute for the OEM flasher to fix the LED Flashing issues.

But I have encountered an issue using LED 7443 bulbs (Tail Light/ Stop Light) on my 2008 Toy. Highlander ... having the tail light LED's on, the Cruise control won't engage.

Turn them on while Cruise control is engages, and control turns off.. not to turn on again while lights are on.

While I'm certain using load resistors would solve problem (or TWO resistors per bulb?) but I wondered if there wasn't another solution similar to this "turn signal relay" you guys found? I really don't like having to use load resistors, if I can avoid it.

Is there a separate RELAY that controls these stop/Tail lights that I can change out for one made for controlling LED's? - and if SO, Where would it be? -
Or is the Flasher Relay used (CF18-08?) to control both BLINKERS and STOP/Tail LIGHTS?

 

I'm glad you guys found a LED relay substitute for the OEM flasher to fix the LED Flashing issues.

But I have encountered an issue using LED 7443 bulbs (Tail Light/ Stop Light) on my 2008 Toy. Highlander ... having the tail light LED's on, the Cruise control won't engage.

Turn them on while Cruise control is engages, and control turns off.. not to turn on again while lights are on.

When I put LED Brake/Running lights in my Base 2008 HiHy, every time I stepped on the brake, the radio and dash lights would dim because it thought the headlights had turned on.

Had to buy 2 entirely new incandescent bulbs because running a mix of them with LED would pop the filaments.

Backup, interior and license plate lights were switched to LED with no issues.

 

I remember the brake switch from an earlier car but after I read about you guys switching one relay for another, it made me wonder if Toyota had not started using a relay in place of the old brake switch.

With all the electronics in cars today, it would not have been to far fetched for them to use an electronic relay circuit in place of an unreliable mechanical switch.

Tarzxf - What filaments blew when you had LED running/brake lights?

 

Tarzxf - What filaments blew when you had LED running/brake lights?

Brakes only, running filaments were intact. Put the LEDs back in for the run to the parts store, swapped them both in the lot. Ended up putting the LEDs in coworker's Honda Fit when a brake light blew. No feedback issues for nearly 2 years now.

 

Hmmm, Tarzxf - That is interestingI thought you had filaments blow on other bulbs in the car.

I've recently ordered a set of resistors on Ebay that are just plug and play for 7443 dual filament bulbs. They can also be used on 7440 bulbs. They come prewired in a harness that plugs into old socket and provides a new socket for LED bulbs, the resistor is enclosed in a small box between socket and plug... For considerably more than plain 50W 6 ohn resistors ($12 harness vs $3 resistors only). I hope it works since I don't relish cutting/splicing into factory harness.

I am surprised no one came up with a more high tech, electronic FLASHER circuit in lieu of using load resistors....perhaps one based on a 555 timer circuit for TURN signal LED's use in cars. They could draw less current AND create a small resistance on the cars electrical systen so our computers wouldn't go throwing up error messages.

 

There are electronic based turn signal relays for the HL out there. Its just its an extreme pita to get to it to change it. I have load resistors on all 4 corners of the car, additional draw isn't that big of a deal.

 

Pictures are worth a thousand words

Bringing back this old thread to add pictures!

I swapped the stock turn relay on my 2013 HL for a SmartTap one today.

1. I was able to access it by removing the left side of the lower panel, following @sweeneyp instructions (apologies for the blurry picture). I also unclipped the wires for the buttons on the lower dash panel and unclipped the top two wire sets (goes to the little screen displaying vehicle info on my Limited. It might be different for your's.
2. As other's mentioned, the turn signal relay is tucked way on top of the beige fuse block, WAAAAAY in the back. I tried to use needlenose pliers to undo it, but ended up usinga flathead screwdriver to unclip it instead, as it was easier for me to do that.
3. You will know when it is unclipped. Damn Toyota engineers...:gfy:
4. I didn't bother taking out the old one. I just plugged in the new relay and tucked it between the rest of the wires. It's not going to experience a lot of bumps from the road. If it ever acts faulty, I can easily access it by removing my coin tray.

All in all, it took me about 20 minutes, from start to finish.

 

Bringing back this old thread to add pictures!



I swapped the stock turn relay on my 2013 HL for a SmartTap one today.



1. I was able to access it by removing the left side of the lower panel, following @sweeneyp instructions (apologies for the blurry picture). I also unclipped the wires for the buttons on the lower dash panel and unclipped the top two wire sets (goes to the little screen displaying vehicle info on my Limited. It might be different for your's.

2. As other's mentioned, the turn signal relay is tucked way on top of the beige fuse block, WAAAAAY in the back. I tried to use needlenose pliers to undo it, but ended up usinga flathead screwdriver to unclip it instead, as it was easier for me to do that.

3. You will know when it is unclipped. Damn Toyota engineers...:gfy:

4. I didn't bother taking out the old one. I just plugged in the new relay and tucked it between the rest of the wires. It's not going to experience a lot of bumps from the road. If it ever acts faulty, I can easily access it by removing my coin tray.



All in all, it took me about 20 minutes, from start to finish.

How did you plug the smarttap in as well as leaving the OEM one I also have the smart tap and have no idea how it only took you 20 minutes to do this. I love the features of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I managed to change my 2012 HL turn signal relay, to an LED rated relay, without removing the dash, but I'm not proud of my method.
I broke the original relay off the top of the fuse block, and then "manipulated" the three holding tabs to remove the original.
My finger is only bleeding a little.

 

Adjustable speed 8-pin LM449 solid-state light controller / flasher ... for LEDs