What are some underrated mods for a 3rd gen Toyota Tacoma?
I’d say an electronic tailgate lock and some truck bed LEDs are totally underrated.
For sure, you should check out the OEM tailgate lock. I got mine at a discounted price from an online dealer, and it’s pretty simple to install yourself, saves you a bunch on labor.
As for the bed LEDs, I grabbed some aftermarket ones from Amazon for under $18 last year. They look identical to the OEM ones, and the wiring’s already behind the tail lights, so it’s an easy plug-and-play.
Yeah, bed lights for the 2020+ models are plug-and-play, no hassle
Exactly. I used OEM parts from Amazon for both the tailgate lock and the bed lights. It’s surprisingly affordable and easy to install. I honestly don’t know why the bed lights aren’t standard.
Same here. I got the bed lights from Amazon, but I had to buy a switch off eBay. It’s great that Toyota pre-wires everything. By the way, does the OEM tailgate lock work with proximity sensing, like the front doors when you have the key fob on you?
Proximity sensing? Hmm, not sure about that. My 2021 doesn’t unlock automatically when I’m nearby with the fob. However, if I grab the driver’s door handle, both the doors and tailgate unlock.
Yeah, that’s what I was asking! If you touch the driver’s handle with the fob, it’ll unlock, but what about the tailgate? Can you touch it to unlock, or do you have to go to the main door first?
You have to use the fob or touch one of the door handles. Touching the tailgate won’t unlock it by itself.
Got it. Guess I’ll be walking to the front door then
I installed the OEM auto power lock on my tailgate too. Took less than an hour, didn’t even need to jack up the truck to get underneath. My only gripe is the metal clip that holds the actuator on the plastic pin; it doesn’t feel super secure. But hey, it works perfectly and locks/unlocks with the door locks, so I can’t complain too much.