Source of reverse light wire?

I seem to have "dirty power" coming from my reverse light wiring. It is apparent because I have hooked up reverse LED aux lights with a relay and especially when it is cold out, they do not seem to want to come on until several seconds have elapsed.

I have even added a relay which pulls power directly from the battery, after noticing my reverse lights would flicker if I tapped power from the reverse light wire by the tail light, even though my LEDs are not drawing much power (almost equivalent to the halogen bulbs). But by adding the relay, I have traded instant-on, flickering lights, with delayed-on, steady lights. I am assuming this is because the reverse light wire, which now only has one job - tell the relay to pull power from the battery- is still not providing consistent juice to the relay's 'switch'.

What I am looking to do is tap into the wire but much closer (or at the source of) where the reverse light switch is located, rather than all the way out by the tail light, to fix the issue.

Where is the source?

I have a 5 speed.

EDIT: Bad switch. Part # 84210-52050
Video on how to replace:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhVIiXD1PsY

 

Power is fed from the gauge fuse. And activated to give power to the backup bulbs from theback-up light switch on the transmission.

 

the LEDs "might" be affected by the cold, kind of like flouresent lights. It doesnt get too cold in SoCal so I cant test my theory.

 

Is it the relay that's delayed in turning on? Or is it the lights themselves?

 

Might very well be the lights !!

I have a set of Grote white lights that are triggered off the back up light right at the stock back up light bulb or where the wire comes out of the socket .

No problems switch closes the lights are on.

 

It’s not that I don’t think, once they’re on they’re totally fine. I’ve plugged them straight to the battery in 30F temps and they come right on.

The relay is delayed in turning on because I think the “switch” wire, aka the reverse light wire is not clean power.
When I use the reverse light wire as a power source I get the flickering.

 

Where on the tranny may I find it? Can I go in through the shifter hole, or is it easier to access underneath the truck? Where is the gauge fuse?

 

Switch is on the pass. side of the transmission next to the rear cat. Gauge fuse is in the body ecu in the cab. That wire runs along the tranny, conglomerates with the add harness which conglomerates with engine harness and enters on the pass side enginebay above the glovebox.

 

I bet your switch is corroded giving the flicker.

Is the switched portion of the relay fed off the LH or RH reverse light?

 

Driver side.

 

Led isn't affected by temperature.

 

very useful information

 

Well, when one of theories is "The LED might be affected by the cold" it's useful information for at least the person posing the theory.

An LED is essentially either on, or off. There's no real middle ground to them. Either the LED has enough voltage and current to fire the semiconductor or it doesn't. As opposed to a standard filament style light where a decrease in V results in less light they generally fire full brightness, if they fire at all.

I've never played with the wiring on a taco tranny, but many manufacturers use switched ground instead of switched hot for that situation. Make sure you're tapping in the right right side of the circuit.

 

Although alot of the switches in the taco (01-04) are ground switched. The backup lights aren't one of them.

 

This dude? Looks like it’s on the tcase...

 

Found it! Super helpful video btw. I can probably remove my relay too.

https://youtu.be/rhVIiXD1PsY

 

Looks like you found it? That pic is the VSS for future reference...

Does it look like the switch is bad?

I originally asked if you fed the relay from the LH or RH tail light because the RH tail light is a way longer circuit maybe contributing to vlt loss from a poor connection.

How did you attach the feed wire to the tail light wire? I forgot, I was meaning to ask that.

 

I crimped it to DS tail light.. That being said, I did the paper clip trick in the backup switch connector and my lights turned on instantly when I turned on the key. Definitely a bad switch. Already ordered another one. Now I need to find a buddy with a 27mm wrench...

 

Couldn't you just tap into the power wire from the existing back up lights?

Following as I plan to do this mod sooner than later. Hoping to use them as a work light as well.

 

Nope. Switch is bad. I will probably remove the relay and do just that after replacing the back up light switch.