Finally, there is a new real competitor in the aftermarket Toyota Prius LED Tail Light scene. SPEC-D Lighting (aka JY Lighting) has always had a formidable selection of applications, as well as cutting edge features, but they lacked the US presence needed to be a true competitor. Now, with a dedicated US importer, they now have the backbone and infrastructure to compete against KS and Sonar's tails under their new company, SPEC-D Lighting.
Like KS taillamps, these SPEC-D Toyota Prius Chrome L.E.D. Tail Lamps (aka JY Toyota Prius Chrome L.E.D. Tail Lamps) are made to US Federal Motor Vehicle Standards and are DOT Compliant, assuring you that they are not only a quality product, but a street legal one as well. Also, these SPEC-D Prius LED Chrome Tail Lens are also backed by a full 1 year warranty against manufacturer defects, meaning that they are guaranteed to perform as long (if not longer) than the competition.
These Toyota Prius Tail Lights are the Chrome color of SPEC-D's LED Tail Lights, they use super bright and fast L.E.D. technology, designed to specifically fit your Toyota Prius. They replace both Prius OE tails and connect to your stock harnesses, using their power to light up the LED function... no extra parts required. Also, unlike the LED tails from other companies, SPEC-D LED Taillamps give your Toyota Prius the LED look without worries of burn outs... These Toyota Prius SPEC-D Chrome LED Tail Lens have resistors that are reasily replaced by SPEC-D while under warranty.
Tools generally needed to install Toyota Prius Tail Lights
- Socket wrench set or Phillips screw driver
- Painters tape to prevent scratches to your Toyota Prius
- (Rare) Torque wrenches, etc.
Toyota Prius Tail Light installation procedure
- Inspect the new set of Toyota Prius tail lights to make sure you can complete the installation with the tools you have available.
- Disconnect your Toyota Prius battery's negative battery terminal. If your stereo requires a key in order to reboot, please be sure you have it before disconnecting the battery. Also, be aware that you will probably have to reset your clocks, etc. after reconnecting the battery later. Please note that some vehicles (such as newer GMs) have extremely sensitive electrical systems. In these cases failure to disconnect the battery before attempting installation may lead to blown taillamp fuses or other damage.
- Apply painters tape on your Toyota Prius around the edges of your Prius's taillights to prevent any scratches that might occur while removing and installing taillamps. If uninstalling your Toyota Prius rear bumper is required, make sure you have a safe surface to place the Prius bumper on and that the working surface below the vehicle is also safe in the event the bumper falls down. This step is particularly important because tail lens, unlike headlights, often require a little force to come loose, leaving many people to inadvertently scratch their Toyota Prius in the process.
- Without touching the glass, uninstall the stock brake, signal and reverse bulbs (as applicable). For bulbs with flat rectangle harnesses, you just pull the bulb firmly outward. For bulbs with round bases, you usually just push them in a bit, and then turn a quarter turn to release them. Once the bulb is removed, place them in their original container (if available). If they are cold, you could also store them in a ziplock type of bag. Please note that if your Toyota Prius tail lamps have a harness that can be separated via a main harness that leaves part of the harness with the bulbs inside the Prius tail lights, you will still need both parts of the harness since the aftermarket Toyota Prius tail lights are designed to either re-use the stock bulbs (altezzas) or to connect directly into the bulb harnesses (LED taillights).
- Unscrew the Toyota Prius taillamps from the front or use a socket wrench to undo the Prius tail lamps from the back. Be aware that the old Toyota Prius tail lights might fall immediately once the tension of the bolts is removed. For this reason, it is best to lightly hold the lights in place with your free hand as you unbolt or unscrew them.
- Remove the old Toyota Prius taillens and store in a way that the lens will not be scratched. Install the new Toyota Prius tail lens and bolt / screw in place.
- Toyota Prius LED Tail Lights: Some of your stock bulbs, such as the reverse lights, might be re-used in your new Prius LED lights. For the rest, the LED lights will come with male plugs that should be identical to the ends of your stock bulbs. Connect these into your stock harnesses. For plug in type harnesses, please try to install the plugs in the opposite orientation if they do not work.
- Toyota Prius LED Tail Lights: Since Toyota LED taillights operate at a lower wattage than your stock bulbs, they include a resistor in order to regulate the current being passed to them. While sometimes this box is internal, more often it is external and connected via a plastic plug. In the case of an external resistor box, it needs to be mounted somewhere (they usually have double sided tape on the backs) where it will be away from heat and moisture.
- Reconnect your Toyota Prius battery and turn on your Toyota Prius taillamps and check for proper operation and blinking speed. If any functions are not operational, try flipping the plugs the reverse orientation and double checking that the resistor boxes are fully connected.
- Reconnect all connections and tighten all bolts in place.
Are these Toyota Prius tail lights sold by piece or as a pair?
All our Toyota taillights are sold in the full pair. When you pay the listed price, you receive the complete set including both the right and the left sides.
Are these Toyota Prius tail lights street legal?
As far as we know the Sonar (aka Spyder) and KS (Anzo) brand tail lights on our website are all street legal as mandated by federal law in the United States. This basically means that they are designed to the specifications set forth by the DOT (United States Department of Transportation). Occasionally, DOT might test models for compliance. If any Toyota Prius taillights fail (rare) DOT will have the companies issue a recall. For those tail lens, you can return them to us for a refund. For any other brands besides Sonar (aka Spyder) and KS (aka Anzo), we can not guarantee DOT compliance. Also, please be advised that your local laws that may disallow these sorts of taillights to be used.
After I installed Toyota Prius LED tail lights my front signals are blinking fast. What do I do?
Your Toyota Prius front and rear signals are connected, so when you have a problem with one you will have a problem with the other. A fast blinking signal usually points to too much wattage going through the system. This can be caused by three different situations: 1) a dead bulb in the front or the rear, 2) the appropriate plug on the LED taillamp being plugged in upside down, or 3) the resistor box not being connected or malfunctioning.
Dead bulbs can be examined by eye for blowouts. If one of the wires is broken and/or you see a burnt part of the bulb, then it is probably dead. For the LED plugs, this would only be the case if they were ALWAYS blinking fast. To remedy that situation, just unplug and replug the bulb in the opposite orientation. For a defective resistor box, check the connection. Worst case, try the resistor box from the other side to isolate the problem.
How can I prevent my Toyota Prius tail lights from fogging up?
During the first few days of operation, it is normal to see some moisture appear in your Toyota Prius tail lens. This is due to the small amounts of moisture in the plastic and coating that are evaporated when the tail lens are first warmed up during use. This sort of moisture is normal and should disappear within a few days.
To be sure that no external moisture gets into the new Toyota Prius tail lens though, it is a prudent idea to silicone seal the edges. Clear silicone sealant can be found in any hardware store (and some auto part stores), and can be applied to the seam along the Prius taillights where the clear lens meets the rear housing. Also, even if a bulb has died, make sure to keep it installed in the Prius tail lamp until you replace it to prevent moisture from entering through the bulb hole.
Can I smoke my Toyota Prius tail lights?
While smoking your Toyota Prius taillights (tinting them) is certainly possible through the use of carefully applied spray tint (use light even coats), doing so may make them too dark to be legal. Please check your local laws as well as smoked Toyota Prius taillights of any darkness might be illegal in your area.
