2022 Tundra SR5 wiring light bar to work with high beams.

The inspiration for hooking my light bar came from this thread.
https://www.tundras.com/threads/how-to-wire-up-your-led-aux-lights-to-work-with-can-bus-driven-hi-low-parking-headlights.110264/#post-2997724

From what I can tell the method in the above thread only works with the higher trim levels, does not apply to SR5 TRD Off-road.

I installed a 20” Rigid light bar on the CBI covert bumper and really wanted it to work with the high beams. I hunted for fuses to tap in to with no luck. After some research I learned of the CAN Bus system which was totally new to me. Fast forward to the above thread and I had a plan.

I ordered the CANM8 high beam with contactless reader from https://www.ncs-systems.com/canm8-highbeam.html an UK based company. Shipping was fast and excellent customer service. The website doesn’t list the Tundra as a vehicle that will work and they don’t know much about the Tundra.

I ordered switches from aironboard.com that fill the factory square holes left of the steering wheel. The Rigid light bar came with a wiring harness that included a relay, a relay is required for the switch do to low amp rating.


I was on the hunt for a location to install the contactless reader. The headlight location in the above thread is not the same on the SR5. I found wiring diagrams and discovered that main body ECU I69 feed the CAN High and Low to the headlights.

To access the ECU the passenger side dash and glove box have to be removed. This video is pretty good at explaining disassembly. https://youtu.be/gEVEdy69YWU

Once you get to the ECU you’ll have to unplug a few connectors to get to the one needed. There are a series of 3 that are vertical that are black white and black. The bottom one is connector I69. In the connector pin 1 and 2 are CAN Bus wires. Gray is CanH and White is CanL the contactless reader will need to go over these wires.





The firewall grommet is directly behind the ECU so wires can be ran in to the engine compartment. I did have to remove the battery to access the the grommet.

CANM8 recommends constant 12v power so I used and add a fuse in the passenger side fuse box to an always hot empty spot. The 12v output of the CANM8 then went to the dash switch and back out to the light bar relay.

My light bar now works with high beams only, I can turn the bar off and on with the switch only if the high beams are activated.

Do this at your own risk, it’s a pretty invasive install as far as taking things a part. But to me totally worth it. I love using my lightbar now.

 

of your truck with the light bar lit!

 

and a photo of the CANM8 with the green indicator which shows it functioning.

 

Impressive work my dude

 

I am interested in learning more about the bumper and winch...Thanks

 

I just made this for an overview of the bumper
https://www.tundras.com/threads/cbi-bumper-winch-and-lightbar.116847/

 

IMO this is the only way. So nice to be able to turn the light bar on with the high beams, and off when you need. Really, the only way, if you are using it on public roads. Nice job!

 

Excellent. Thank you.

 

Got my unit in and installed behind the glovebox. Great write up, thanks!

 

So in theory, you could use this contactless reader device on the same 2 wires and connect it to one of the trigger wires from a SwitchPros panel to achieve a similar effect?

I have really been wanting to set up my ditch lights and light bar to come on with the high beams but couldn't figure out where to tap in the trigger wire.

 

Yeah it sends out a 12v 1amp signal that can go to a relay or trigger

 

Awesome!

Did you have to remove the entire dash or were you able to get the right side off enough to get access?

Dave

 

I had to remove the entire glove box and move the airbag. It’s pretty tight up in there.

 

I was hoping to just remove the glove box and airbag and loosen up enough of the right side to get access

How long did it take you to pull the entire dash? I might just do the full removal if it saves me time in the long term.

And thanks for the quick response

Dave

 

It seemed easier to remove it all for full access. It wasn’t all that bad if you follow the video I posted in the tutorial.

 

All righty then. No sense trying to take a shortcut. It will bite me sometime when I can’t afford it

 

@B5114 Do the switches match the OEM? I’m mainly wondering about when they’re lit up. The “winch power” looks like it’s the same color and brightness but the “driving lights” switch seems brighter? (Maybe that’s because it’s switched on? I’m not near my truck now to check if that’s the case)

 

It’s really close if not matching. To be honest I can’t really see it so I don’t pay attention. It’s only illuminated when the high beams are on. I didn’t wire it to come on with dash lights.

 

So I've read this thread and the other one that 99ways2die posted about his install multiple times as well as searched google and other forums and I'm needing some help. I already have my light bar working with a Cali Raised switch inside the cab and it works like a normal on off switch currently. I have now installed the Canm8 with the wireless reader in the correct spot behind the glove box. I ran the wires coming from the actual Canm8 through a grommet located behind the battery like you suggested.

I have a few questions though, the Canm8 directions that are on their site and their app show like 12 wires coming from the unit and they have all kinds of different things they do(labeled), which I'm assuming I don't need to mess with except a couple since I have the wireless reader? I'm assuming I just need to use the ground wire provided and ground it, give it 12v somewhere from the fuse box(constant or an accessory) and then use the Grey wire (High Beam Output) and attach it to my Cali Raised switch and I should be in business? Do I need to add wire to the grey wire(output from Canm8) seeing how its pretty short and run it back into my cab and hook it to the Cali switch or can I splice into the wire that is already built into my light bars wiring harness that currently comes from the switch and goes to the relay?

It runs right by my battery and fuse box and would be easy to splice into right there instead of running a new single wire into the cab. I believe it would be the blue wire on my current light bars harness that I would be tapping into. It’s a 3 wire harness going to the switch. I'm on the home stretch of this install so thanks for the write ups and help.

 

I’m not sure if you can use a constant on switch along with canm8. Mine is only activated with high beams and the switch inside the truck cuts the signal to the relay just in case I don’t want to bar to activate with brights.

 

Just FYI I have 2024 SR5
****Not the premium LED headlights****

I just tapped into the green wire on the headlights for my TRD Pro grill swap for the amber grill marker lights.

don’t think you can do this with the Premium LED headlights cause of the CanBus garbage.

Marker lights come on and off when I turn on the lights or DTRL and do NOT stay on all the time like if I fused into the trailer lights fuse.

Hope this helps someone.

 

Can I ask you, what diagram or info did you use to determine the green wire was 12v hot for DRL's? And do you know which wire runs the third bulb that is high beam? My 2025 Limited has the same wiring harness. Red, dark green, black/ white, and lime green. I assume black/white is ground.

 

Hey SLC Sez,

Any update? Everything still working fine? I looked at that wire, but it seems VERY SMALL - 20ga or smaller. Does it handle the load fine?

I've got marker lights on both sides of the grill. For now, they are tied into the trailer plugs, but that does not give me DRL without the headlights turned on. I just want to have the white on any time the Tundra is on (see passenger side). The flashers work fine (see drivers side).

 

the diagram I used was tap and see what happens. I looked at nothing else.

we just stuck a paper clip in each spot on the harness and checked voltage as we went through light modes really.

 

Still works fine for my grill lights.

my neighbor has a limited and ended up tapping into the same wire.

what I have found out is this however.
When in Auto light mode they will not come on unless the headlights come on. I am ok with this.

but I can switch to DTRL mode and that is all that will be on. The amber DTRL and amber grill lights (which I like)

 

Do you think you can just interrupt the three wire leg coming out of the relay going to the dash switch with the CANM8? Specifically the 12V red wire going to the switch with the CanM8 12V and purple trigger? Power the CANM8 12V power with the 12V coming from the relay and then connect the CANM8 purple trigger wire to the 12V wire going to the switch? So when the dash switch is off, no signal goes to the relay, but when the dash switch is on, it only receives power through the CANM8 which is switching based on the high beam reader?

Or vice versa, interrupt the trigger wire coming from the dash switch going back into the relay with the CANM8 12V red on incoming and then CANM8 purple trigger connected to the relay?

@99ways2die ?

 

Howdy,
Sure you can; you can "interrupt" the lights ON in many different ways, and achieve what I think you guys are after.
But, why bother throwing an ON/OFF switch on the constant 12V relay supply (if I'm reading some this correctly)?
Doesn't matter if the CANM8 box itself stays powered on; don't interrupt the 12V+ for the relay either....I mean, what's the point.

Put a switch on the purple wire from the CANM8 and you can then turn the light bar off, regardless of whether high beams are on or off.
I build more flexibility into my install with a 3-way switch (which I mentioned in my OP), which give me total control over the light bar, but that's certainly not needed...and if you guys just wanna interrupt the CANM8 trigger (or down the line) then you certainly can.

Side note:
I see some mention that CANM8 instructions tell you to use a constant 12V+ to power the device, but just FYI: not necessary.
I run mine off an "ignition on" 12V+ circuit, so my CANM8 is only on when the truck is on/accessory-on.

-99

 

Thanks. I just finished my install and saw your post after I finished buttoning my dash back up. I spliced the CANM8 into the 12V wire coming out of the relay going to the light bar switch in the dash. In through the red, out the purple. Works like a charm. I can use my high beams independent of the light bar and I can turn my light bar on and off with the high beams. I just don't have a need to use my light bar with the lights off. Plus I don't have a 3 way switch in my dash, lol.


I do want to thank you for bringing this CANM8 and high beam scheme to the forum. It is such a better way to use the auxiliary lights.

 

looks good! thanks for posting