Power Tailgate Lock

This is from a Tundra but should be very similar to the Tacoma for installation.

 

Thanks for taking this on DOSS! I am by no means an electrician and just sort of winged it, which is why I did not document the process. My install went well, though and the tailgate lock works flawlessly.

 

patience is overrated. chop chop!

 

The lock mechanism in the Tundra video above looks identical to the 3g Tacoma. Pop and Lock takes a no-drill approach and appears to use the entire actuator to move the locking mechanism rather than a rod. That is what you get for over $100. My home made version was less than $50.

 

definitely sub'd, you guys rock!

 

For the impatient here is your list of stuff to pick up -- I get 90% of my stuff off of Amazon as I am lazy but you can find most of this cheaper elsewhere (I assume but then again I didn't search elsewhere due to the lazy)


Supplies you are going to need

Drill, drill bits, torx bits, basic tools, 3 beers (preferably micro/home brew)

wire connector (not necessary but someday you may want to take your tailgate off)

Ketofa 5 Kit 2 Pins Waterproof Electrical Wire Connector Plug

http://www.amazon.com/Pins-Waterpro...8-3&keywords=waterproof+automotive+connectors

16 Gauge wire - 18 will work just fine but meh I had 16 floating around
Honestly Speaker wire will do the job here

Universal Actuator

$10 Universal Power Door Lock 2 Wire Actuator Kit

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043G5UM0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01

2 inline wire connectors - make sure to match your gauge of wire

$10 Blue Solderless Wire Quick Splice Connector - 14-16 Gauge - 25

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Solderless-Quick-Splice-Connector/dp/B0041PDJ0S/ref=pd_bxgy_60_img_y

two sets wire butt connectors (waterproof type) - I like these and you can find them cheaper
http://www.amazon.com/Insulated-Ele...4183955&sr=1-23&keywords=wire+butt+connectors


Split loom for wire protection under vehicle - Can find cheaper as you really don't need 100 feet
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005V9UU1O?keywords=wire+tubing&qid=1444183767&ref_=sr_1_5&sr=8-5

A bunch of zip ties - if you don't have any at home then you need to stock up as how else are you going to tie people
up at a moments notice.. umm I mean zip tie wire to your truck frame.

a tube of white lithium grease (you should have this floating around anyhow right? )

 

you da man!

 

awesome. This is going to be a highly helpful Mod. I cant believe they didn't do this on the 2016 from the get go. Thanks.

 

In case anyone is wondering, the 2016 Tacoma uses the same tailgate handle as the 2014-2016 Tundra.

Jeff

 

hmmm.... so now if your car is locked, the tailgate locks as well? What if you want the tailgate unlocked, but the rest of the car locked. Manually unlock the tailgate I suppose (as long as it doesn't unlock the entire car)

 

Yup when you lock the doors the tailgate would lock as well. To just unlock the tailgate you would need to use the key... don't see why you wouldn't just unlock all the doors and then when you are done hit the lock button again though. but that is just me not wanting to carry a Key..

Actually quick poll.. who would want the tailgate to unlock and lock with just the driver door VS the passenger and back doors.. I would have to figure out what wires the front door lock uses but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

 

the only scenario I was questioning was when camping or hanging out at the beach. Keeping the tailgate unlocked so we can have access to the bed whenever we want and keeping the cab locked. Thanks! Sounds like it's no problem.

 

@Overkill07

 

MY PICTURES SUCK>> DEAL WITH IT

Supplies you are going to need

Drill, drill bits, torx bits, basic tools, 3 beers (preferably micro/home brew)

Optional - I don't ever plan on removing my tailgate so I chose not to put one of these in --- wire connector

Ketofa 5 Kit 2 Pins Waterproof Electrical Wire Connector Plug

http://www.amazon.com/Pins-Waterpro...8-3&keywords=waterproof+automotive+connectors

5 Amp inline fuse
Had one laying around

16 Gauge wire - 18 will work just fine but meh I had 16 floating around
Honestly Speaker wire will do the job here

Universal Actuator

$10 Universal Power Door Lock 2 Wire Actuator Kit

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043G5UM0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01

2 inline wire connectors

$10 Blue Solderless Wire Quick Splice Connector - 14-16 Gauge - 25

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Solderless-Quick-Splice-Connector/dp/B0041PDJ0S/ref=pd_bxgy_60_img_y

two sets wire butt connectors (waterproof type) - I like these and you can find them cheaper
http://www.amazon.com/Insulated-Ele...4183955&sr=1-23&keywords=wire+butt+connectors


Split loom for wire protection under vehicle - Can find cheaper as you really don't need 100 feet
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005V9UU1O?keywords=wire+tubing&qid=1444183767&ref_=sr_1_5&sr=8-5

A bunch of zip ties - if you don't have any at home then you need to stock up as how else are you going to tie people up at a moments notice.. umm I mean zip tie wire to your truck frame.

a tube of white lithium grease (you should have this floating around anyhow right? )


Step one, gather your stuff.. put into the bed of your new Tacoma..
Step two open tailgate and take off the cover panel as shown below

Step three stare at all of the cool doohickys and ask youself, am I really here? is this my life?
Step 4 get to work. you need to mount your actuator as pictured below - IE mark location for holes that will hold the actuator- drill holes, paint holes then mount things up

Now mesaure the distance from actuator to lock arm (be sure to have the lock unlocked and the actuator in the full IN position while doing this)

Drill hole slightly bigger than actuator rod in lock arm

based on your measurements you will bend your actuator rod like this so it will stay in your new lock arm hole.

now remove your actuator slide actuator rod into actuator - lube it well with your lithium grease, now into the lock arm hole and now screw your actuator back in.



well now that that is done lets run some wire - This is where the beer is needed. I started with about 25 feet of wire (was too much and ended up cutting some off but I didn't measure it later so better too much than too little). Start out under the truck and feed it up and through the center hole below the tailgate and then into the tailgate through the drain hole- make sure you get some of your loom into the hole to give your wire some protection and enough wire to easily reach your actuator wires.

Now feed everything through on top of the frame zip tying every few feet to make sure it doesn't flop around and will stay in place. Once you get to the front of the vehicle feed it up along the brake lines and next to the brake system. Now just to the side of the brake booster is a grommet. if you just push it to the side a bit with your fingers you can just slip your wires into the cab..


You may wish to disconect your battery at this point or just make sure you don't lock your doors on accident while you are doing wire stuff

Now when you get into the cab you will need to take off the drivers side kick panel- there is one finger nut next to where the firewall, remove this and then just remove the kick panel and the plastic runner that goes by the seat all in one peice.
Now next to the wires on the pannel you just opened up you will find a group of wires that are verticle and taped to a little plastic holder thing.. in here is a pink/green and a pink/red wire you will be using your quick splices to wire your wire to these -


between the pink/red and your wire wire in your 5AMP fuse.

Now back to the rear of the truck hook up the wire that you connected to pink/green to the green wire and the other wire to the other.

Hit lock.. SMILE
Hit Unlock.. SMILE

put your stuff back together and know that your tailgate is now able to be locked and unlocked without your key.

 

This mod should be a must and will be my first on my Taco when I get it in December.

To add icing to the cake, can you post a video demo? I think it would show the people how much the effort is worth doing so!

Thanks @DOSS!!

 

I will be doing this too!!!!!

 

How boring is a vid of someone pushing the lock and unlock button on their key

 

I've seen videos go a long way. Haha

It's up to you. I already appreciate the parts list and pictures.

 

Great write-up Doss! That is pretty much how I did it but I tucked the inline 5A fuse behind the kick panel for easy access. The great thing about this is if the actuator fails it's an easy $5 replacement part. Next electrical project is locating the relay for the 12v power outlets so I can make them hot all the time.

 

Thanks
I did toss in a fuse as well, just didn't take a picture of it. I put in in the kick panel as well