If you own a 2007 to 2013 Toyota Tundra and you have been wanting to modernize the back end of your truck, the rear brake lights and turn signals are one of the easiest and most rewarding places to start. In this guide, we walk you through exactly how we upgraded the rear brake lights and rear turn signal lights using high power LED bulbs. We tested this setup, we installed it ourselves, and we are going to show you every step so you can decide if you want to tackle the same job on your truck. The key to a great result is not skimping on the product, matching the color of the LED to the color of the lens, and knowing where the wiring gets a little involved.
Why Upgrade the Rear Lighting on Your Tundra
When you upgrade the back end of the vehicle in the tail light housings with LED bulbs, you really do not want to skimp on the product. There are a lot of LED bulbs out there that are pretty dim. Even though a listing might say the bulb is brighter than stock, most of them do not work very well, and that causes a safety issue. This is especially true in the daytime and especially if you have tinted tail lights. The last thing you want is somebody crashing into the back of your truck saying they did not know you were stopping, when in reality your brakes and blinkers were on but the LEDs were simply not bright enough to see through the lens.
That is why we put together the exact kit you need for this truck. If you want to grab everything in one place, check out our 2007-2013 Tundra LED tail light bulb kit, which includes exactly the bulbs and resistors we use in this install. You can also shop all Toyota Tundra lighting upgrades if you want to keep going with the rest of your truck.
Why Color Matching Matters
There are two things you absolutely have to get right. Number one, you have to match the color of your LED with the color of the lens you put it behind. For the brake lights and parking lights, you have to use a red LED. For the turn signal, you have to use an amber LED. The reason is simple. If you use a white LED, sure it will be brighter in terms of raw lumen output, but you are really going to change the way that the housing looks.
Put a white LED in your brake light and it is going to look pink. Put a white LED in your parking light or turn signals and it is going to look yellow or white depending on your housing. On the smoked and clear housing shown in the video, a white LED would give you a white blinking light, which you do not want for your rear turn signals. When you use the matching color of lens with the matching color of LED, the light actually appears more full and more bright because more of the color shines through, rather than a white LED trying to blast through a colored lens.
The Bulbs We Used: GTR Lighting TWW6
For this job, we used the GTR Lighting TWW6 style LED bulbs in the 3157 size. That is a total of four bulbs, two turn signal bulbs and two stop and park light bulbs. We use these for a few reasons. First, they are way brighter than the stock bulbs. When we set the stock rear turn signal bulb next to the new one, the difference is pretty clear. They are totally different in output, but if you look at the bottom, they share the same wedge base. You unplug the old one, plug in the new one, and as long as the polarity is correct, it lights up right away.
For a very long time, this has been one of the brightest types of LED bulb on the market. When bulbs sit in the back of the vehicle behind a colored or tinted lens, you want them as absolutely bright as possible. They look better when they are bright, they offer better safety, and it is just good to have the brightest possible product back there. Another thing we like about this particular GTR Lighting bulb is that it not only has chip on board 360 degree light output, it also has a forward facing version with a little projector lens in front of it, which really aids in light output backwards.
If you want to compare other options in this size, we also have a rundown of the GTR i-LED Ultra 3157 turn signal bulbs so you can see how different high power 3157 bulbs stack up.
Perfect Color Match With the Factory Mirror Blinker
One detail that impressed us during testing was how well the amber TWW6 bulb matched the factory LED turn signal in the side mirror. When you compare the amber GTR Lighting TWW6 bulb in the tail light to the stock LED turn signal light in the mirror, the color is perfect. It looks exactly like it matches. That is a big deal to a lot of people, because you do not want a mismatched look. If you were to use a white bulb, a low power bulb, or a different brand, it would likely not match. With this setup you are pretty much guaranteed a clean match.
Tools You Will Need
To take the tail lights out, all you need is a T30 Torx bit, whether it is on an impact driver or a ratchet. For the parking lights and brake lights, that is it, since those bulbs are just a plug and play swap. For the amber turn signal bulbs, however, you need to splice the 25 watt resistors in line. That means you will also need a wire cutter to splice into the wires, a soldering iron and solder, some electrical tape to make and protect your connections, and a Phillips head screwdriver (preferably on a drill or impact) to mount the resistors.
How to Install the LED Bulbs
Step 1: Remove the Tail Light Housing
Taking the tail light out is very easy. There is a T30 Torx bit bolt on the bottom and another one on the top. Once you remove those two bolts, carefully remove the tail light from the truck. Be careful so the metal clips or spikes on the back side of the housing do not touch and scratch the paint. We recommend removing the tail light from the truck completely, unplugging everything, and setting the housing aside where you can work on it comfortably.
Step 2: Install the Plug and Play Brake and Park Bulbs
The red bulbs are just plug and play. Pull out the stock bulbs and put the new ones in. We recommend having the headlights or parking lights turned on so you know if they are working. If you plug them in one way and nothing happens, take them out, flip them around, and plug them back in. Make sure both are working, then have somebody stand behind you as you hit the brakes with the parking lights on to confirm everything is functioning. This part is totally plug and play, and the process is the same as replacing a stock bulb.
Step 3: Splice in the Turn Signal Resistors
The amber bulbs themselves are plug and play, but to prevent hyper flash or fast blinking you have to add the 25 watt resistors in line. Once you have identified your rear turn signal socket, you will see it has two wires coming off of it. On this particular truck they were black and green with a yellow stripe, but the colors do not matter because there are only two wires. All you have to do is tap into those two wires with your resistor.
The resistor has two tabs, and the two wires that come off it are both the same color, so they are polarity independent. One side goes to one wire and the other side goes to the other wire. Do not cut a wire and splice the resistor in between the cut ends. Instead, jump across the two wires, connecting one resistor lead to each turn signal wire. Solder your connections and wrap them up with electrical tape.
Step 4: Mount the Resistors Safely
The instructions that come with this kit include an important caution. For LED turn signal bulb upgrades, the resistors get hot, up to 180 degrees, so you must always secure them to metal away from anything that can melt or burn. We took that seriously and mounted ours very well. Take one of the screws that comes in the kit, line up the resistor where you want it, and drill a pilot hole first. There is a big flat surface in the sheet metal behind the tail light with a couple of inches of clearance, which is a perfect spot. Once your pilot hole is drilled, pick one of the mounting legs on the resistor (you do not need to use both) and drive the screw in, making sure the wire is not rubbing on anything.
Step 5: Reinstall and Test Everything
With the resistors mounted, put the LED bulbs back in. Because the LED bulbs only go in one way, they will not light up if inserted backwards, but that will not hurt anything. If a bulb does not turn on, just flip it around, since you have a 50/50 chance and it always seems to be wrong more often than not. With the parking lights on, you will see the red bulb glow dimly for the park function. When your assistant hits the brakes, it gets noticeably brighter, giving you that clear difference between parking lights and brakes.
The Finished Result
Once everything is reinstalled and tested, the job is done. You end up with brighter tail lights, brake lights, and park lights in the back because you used the GTR Lighting high power TWW6 style 3157 LED bulbs in amber and red. Honestly, the hardest part of the whole install was just taking the tail lights off the truck. The wiring for the resistors takes a little patience, but the payoff in brightness and appearance is well worth it.
What About Resistor-Free Options?
Some drivers would rather avoid splicing resistors into the wiring entirely. If that describes you, there are resistor-free bulb designs on the market worth exploring, like the Morimoto XB resistor-free LED bulbs at The Retrofit Source or the Morimoto 3156/3157 XB LED Bulbs. The TWW6 setup we installed on this Tundra does require the 25 watt resistors for the turn signals, so keep that in mind when deciding which route fits your comfort level with wiring.
Do the Reverse Lights Too
While you have the back of the truck apart, this is also a great time to consider upgrading your reverse lights. We do have products for those, and if you want to finish the full rear lighting refresh, take a look at our Tundra LED reverse light install guide for the complete walkthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What bulbs are used for the 2007-2013 Toyota Tundra rear turn signal and brake light upgrade?
The video uses GTR Lighting TWW6 style high power LED bulbs in the 3157 size, red for the brake and park lights and amber for the rear turn signals.
Do I need resistors for the LED turn signal bulbs?
Yes, the turn signal kit includes 25 watt resistors that must be spliced into the wiring to prevent hyper flash or fast blinking of the turn signals.
Are the brake and park light LED bulbs plug and play?
Yes, the red brake and park light bulbs are plug and play, you simply remove the stock bulb and insert the new LED bulb with no wiring required.
What tools are needed to install this kit?
You need a T30 Torx bit to remove the tail light housings, plus a wire cutter, soldering iron, solder, electrical tape, and a Phillips head screwdriver to splice in and mount the resistors for the turn signal bulbs.
Why is bulb color matching important for tail lights?
Using a red LED behind a red lens and an amber LED behind an amber lens keeps the light output looking correct and full, while a white LED can look pink in a brake light lens or yellow and white in a turn signal lens, which looks wrong and can reduce visibility.
Meet the Experts Behind Headlight Revolution
Chris Nelson – Founder
Before founding Headlight Revolution in 2011, Chris worked as an automotive install technician specializing in lighting, sound systems, and engine performance parts. He has personally tested thousands of lighting products and works directly with lighting engineers to evaluate the technical performance behind every recommendation.
Josh Beberg – Content Production Manager
Josh leads hands-on testing and content production at Headlight Revolution. From beam pattern comparisons to real-world installations, he works directly with lighting engineers to ensure every review is grounded in measured results, not marketing specs.
