MESO Custom Dome Lights Install DIY - How-to & Photos

[6GenChad]

Whew,

I just wrapped up installing the MESO custom dome lights for the front and rear of the 4Runner. Installation was pretty easy on the rear, just have to pop the light out, take out the original lighting, put the plug through the hole, plug it back in and pop the unit back into place.

Now.....the front two dome lights gave me the most trouble and it took a near 3 hours to install cause clips weren't moving, and I got hungry, so I had a dinner break. The first headache is getting the actual unit off itself. There's two clips that hold in the top unit, and they're held in by god himself. I used a pry tool just to give me a little more rooms with my fingers, but they still ended up getting destroyed after. A lot of the install videos I watched, it just pops out with a little bit of force, but I don't know if this was just me, I had to really pull down on it like if I was trying to break it. After that, I took it back inside to get the bezel off and that took me the longest simply because the clips weren't complying with me. I watched 3 different install videos on how to do it, and all I can say is, have patience when working with the 6 clips you have to remove to get the bezzle off. In the process of trying to get the clips out, I broke like 3 of them cause they're plastic, but when it came to putting the bezel back on, they all snapped into place no problem. When getting the 6 clips off for the bezel, the clips have to go TOWARDS the housing. It might take a little time and finesse to get them out. I use a flat head screwdriver to push them towards the housing, and then came in with my pry tool to pop it out of there.

**I disconnected the battery before install, you don't have to, but MESO does recommend it

After you get the bezel off, it's a cake walk from there. The top piece pops out super easy, light's pop out easy and then all you have left is to drill the 4 holes. I used Tacoma Lifestyle video to get the exact points to drill. Once you drill, run the wires through the holes and then snap everything into place, you're pretty much done. The only thing left is to plug it back in, and then put the entire unit back in.

*They recommend a file to run the wire through the hole for the rear side, but you don't need it.

Also, this happened to me, so just going to write it down here incase it happens to someone else. Once I installed all the lights and turned them on, the passenger side light would stay on even with the switch selected to OFF. I'm guessing I pressed the button before the install, therefore turning it on before it got plugged in, but I am not sure. However, to fix this, all I did was disconnect the negative terminal off the battery, waited a few minutes, pressed the button the light itself once, and it started working properly with the door features.

Overall, I am super happy with how it turned out, the LED's are almost too bright for me, but the red lighting is perfect. I think that will be my to go lighting for now on. Just waiting for the cargo lights now!

Here's all the videos I used to help with installation.

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[RunnerRocks]

Thanks for the detailed writeup. I have held off installing these due to reports of them being too bright with no dimmer. Are there other options ?

 

[horbit]

Does the color stay the same it was last set to? The white looks way too bright at night, the stock OEM lights are pretty dim. Need some middle ground.

 

[6GenChad]

Thanks for the detailed writeup. I have held off installing these due to reports of them being too bright with no dimmer. Are there other options ?

I mean they are pretty fricken bright, but I rather have that over them being dimmed. I don't think there's any other options out there though

 

[6GenChad]

Does the color stay the same it was last set to? The white looks way too bright at night, the stock OEM lights are pretty dim. Need some middle ground.

Yeah, I just have mine set to red since the only time I use them is at night

 

[Maximus4R]

and I got hungry

Hahahaha. This is me every time something takes longer than an hour.

 

[6GenChad]

Hahahaha. This is me every time something takes longer than an hour.

I used that break to come down to earth again since the clips were annoying me

 

[spwaca]

Can you give more detail on the dome light installation?

The installation video I watched was for a Tacoma and it showed that when you pop off the dome, there is a bulb that you pop out, and then plug in the Meso light where the bulb used to be. But when I popped off the 4Runner dome, there was another cover preventing access to the light fixture. I asked Meso for help but haven’t heard back from them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[6GenChad]

Can you give more detail on the dome light installation?

The installation video I watched was for a Tacoma and it showed that when you pop off the dome, there is a bulb that you pop out, and then plug in the Meso light where the bulb used to be. But when I popped off the 4Runner dome, there was another cover preventing access to the light fixture. I asked Meso for help but haven’t heard back from them.

Thanks in advance.

I'm assuming you're talking about the rear? When you pop off the actual light, you have to remove that plastic piece with the ridge on it and the switchboard that goes with it as well. Grab like a mini flathead and pry it open, once you get it out, you'll be able to put the light in, as well as run the cable through that little hole.

MESO actually has their own install video as well. Taco should be the same, they use the same interior. Let me know if that's it

 

[kburrito]

For me after installation, the map lights no longer light up when i walk up to the car. only the dome light. Do you have a similar issue?

 

[Nodak]

if they were anything like the 5th gen map lights, use a plastic pry tool.

i have seen way to many people short out a BCM module on the 5th gen prying with a metal screwdriver and short circuit the bulb housing to the reflector.

i was lucky, i used duct tape to pull out the bulbs and even then i shattered 1 oem bulb pulling them out.

you could pull off the plastic clear len's (that you pushed to turn on/off) and just replace the bulb instead of the whole housing.

 

[JackedAcctnt]

I installed mine a couple weeks ago and agree with all of your pain points lol. Using a plastic pry tool helped remove the housing pretty easy but I also could not disconnect the main wiring to remove the housing unit for the longest time. The plastic clips were very hard to remove, even with a flathead, and in those other install videos they unclipped so easily.

Definitely be patient unclipping them.

 

[RunnerRocks]

...you could pull off the plastic clear len's (that you pushed to turn on/off) and just replace the bulb instead of the whole housing.

Which bulb type/number ?

 

[Nodak]

Which bulb type/number ?

not sure, i usually wait a year or two before the mainstream companies post bulb numbers.

usually like vleds, lasfit, retrofit source, diode dynamics, etc posts them after a while.

 

[RunnerRocks]

not sure, i usually wait a year or two before the mainstream companies post bulb numbers.

usually like vleds, lasfit, retrofit source, diode dynamics, etc posts them after a while.

Noticed this in the Owner's Manual.

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