4Runner Auto Up/Down Windows

I've seen this question asked multiple times before: can the auto up/down windows from a 99-02 4Runner be installed in a Tacoma. Well the answer is yes! I have successfully completed this modification after a lot of research and part collection. I learned many things along the way, including the slight variations and similarities in the Toyota interiors.

Keep in mind I was installing everything into my 99 Prerunner SR5 Ext. Cab. There are slight variations across the years, even into the newer Tacomas. I got a lot of help from Enola Gaia (wiring Guru) over on custom tacos.

I started this mod after seeing the driver side master window switch from a 02 4Runner and noticing it had the word AUTO on both the driver and passenger side switch. In the process I learned that you have to have the switches (both driver and passenger), the window motors, and wiring between both doors. This of course is not an easy task, but it is mostly just adding wires and swapping parts. The most difficult part was figuring out the wiring. I have created a wiring diagram that shows what wires to connect from the 4Runner master switch to the Tacoma master switch. There are only 2 wires that need to go from the driver side switch to the passenger side switch: GR-B and GR-R.

Your best bet is to find a donor vehicle that has the switch and wiring so you can make your own harness. I found someone on yotatech that was parting out a 02 4Runner and was able to get the master switch and wiring pigtails that I needed. There are two that plug into the master switch and one that plugs into the passenger. You will also need the passenger lock switch because it is not the same as the Tacoma and will not fit in the trim piece. You can use the driver side trim piece from a 4 door tacoma and the passenger side trim piece from the 4Runner. The 4Runner pieces only come in black or silver, so you either have to keep them that color or paint them to match. You could potentially use a 2 door trim piece and trim the actual master switch to fit behind it if you do not want to use the 2 rear window switches. I am working on making my vent windows power and will use the 2 extra switches for those.

Now, since I was putting this in a 99, there were no trim pieces that fit my year. I decided to upgrade to 01-04 door panels in this process. They are much stronger and look more modern than my old ones. I listed the door panels in my parts list. Total cost without the door panel swap would be $188.94. You could potentially get parts even cheaper than I did, especially if you find someone parting out a 99-02 limited 4runner.

The 4Runner window motors install just like the Tacoma ones except for a few things to take note of.
You must wire the 3 extra wires for the pinch sensors.
You MUST plug the motor (free from the regulator) and switch into the truck and hold the window up for at least 6 full rotations. This resets the limit switches inside the motor. If you do not do this, the window will roll up and then halfway down. Do this before you put everything back in the door, otherwise you will be like me taking the doors apart 5 times.



Wiring Diagram (there is a PDF at the bottom of this post)


Inside the 4Runner Master Switch


Inside the Tacoma Master Switch


B plug on the 4Runner Switch


Test fitting the 4Runner Trim


Painted the passenger side trim (Valspar from Lowes)



Comparison with the Tacoma passenger lock switch


Finished Door Panels minus the passenger inside handle




I'm just putting all of this information together so some things may be unclear. Please ask questions if it looks like some information is missing.

 

Mods, this may be more appropriate to the 1st Gen Forum since it is only applicable to them. Please move if necessary.

 

Subd. I need to do this.

 

My 98 Limited already has auto up/down for the driver's side. Might be easier and cheaper to mod the driver's side to the passenger's.

Ado you have a write for the rear windows?

 

Yours does auto up? My 99 had auto down but not up. There are different window motors in the 4 runners that are designed to retract if they encounter something in the window (like an arm). It is not possible to wire a driver switch to the passenger side, the mechanism in the tacoma switch is completely different from the 4runner.

I don't have a write up for the vent windows since it is rather involved. The wiring is simple, but I fabricated parts using a dodge caravan linkage and the stock linkage. It involved welding the aluminum bracket. There is some more info in my build thread. The wiring is very simple though.

 

So OP this will allow both the driver and passenger Windows for auto up and down?

 

Yes it will. This feature was available on the 99-02 limited 4Runner.

 

So I took apart my master switch and put in a red LED instead of the green. I was also trying to see if I could get the passenger button to illuminate but there is no provision in the switch case to allow light through. The actual button is the same as the driver, but there is no passthrough. You can see the rectangle just below the driver switch bottom on the black part. That is actually clear plastic that carries the light up to illuminate the switch. I was hoping to find a spot to add an LED but it seems much more complicated that I wanted it to be. I may add something in the future, but for now I'll just leave it with one switch illuminated.



I also opened up the passenger switch (the one on the passenger door) and replaced the SMD LED with a regular 3mm diode. I guess the SMD LED was burnt out. The regular LED fit just fine and I just used what I had on hand.

EDIT: I believe a master switch from a 01-06 Sequoia has the driver and passenger switch "AUTO" illuminated, but I have not seen one in person to verify.

 

Bump

 

Auto-Up/Down isn't a huge deal for me but I'm impressed by your tenacity between this and the vent windows. Let us know if you ever decide to sell a kit for those, I've considered it quite a few times but I'm afraid of a botched looking job.

 

That's what mods are for. It works because these two models had a lot of interchangeable parts. Someone even put a Sienna steering wheel radio controls on theirs, there's also the ES stalks that control fog lights that also have caught my eye. You just need the time and patience to do these.

 

I absolutely agree. I wired up power door mirrors, got a roof rack and the climate controls all from a 4runner. Seriously been considering the Rav4 steering wheel with the tri-spokes.

 

OEM 4Runner roof racks fit on a Tacoma? I need one to help haul kayaks.

 

Yea, I've seen at least two people that have done it on the extended cab so it may be easier on the DC. For the extended, I may have to trim it down some and then add some foam or something for the gap where the extended cab roof becomes a little taller. Nervous about putting holes in my roof but I don't want to pay $500+ for a Yakima that may or may not work out correctly.

 

That's badass, I wouldn't have guessed. OEM racks on DC tacomas are hard to find as it is.

 

Here are some photos with the red LEDs lit up.

 

You wired up power mirrors? How did you do it? I have all the components from a full power door truck to convert my all manual doors but I don't have the connectors behind the kick panel that connect to the integration module so I have to fab a harness myself. I only have the full OEM door harnesses from each door and the four partial kick panel connector pigtails they connect to (I cut it as much as I could of it to solder wires)

 

The only OEM connector I kept was the one for the power switch so that I had the correct wires. I used one 01-02 4runner mirror that is heated(haven't been able to safely hook up the heated option yet). The other is just a simple power mirror.

The heated mirror has 5 wires(2 of which I did not use), the regular power mirror has 3. Of the 3 wires, one of them is for left/right, one is up/down and the third is power/signal. From the switch (I'll check later to confirm), you have a power and ground, you'll have an up/down wire and left/right wire for each mirror and you will have a single signal wire that splits into one for each mirror.

I powered the switch from my battery temporarily while figuring this out, I recommend buying some wire from Amazon, I got 6 rolls of 100 feet of wire of varying colors for $26. I recommend going to a junkyard for a pig tail for the switch, makes things a lot simpler.

 

I have the full door harnesses (and master switch) so all I really have to do is connect the two OEM harnesses together and provide 12v and theoretically I should have power windows and mirrors. Still gotta figure out how I'm gonna do that though. What gauge wires did you use? Did you use any fuses or relays?

 

18 Gauge. From this link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J7XI8PK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No relays, just used a fuse tap for the acc/12v fuse. I think I used 20A. If you've got everything that hooks up like stock, it should be easy. Although the stock connectors may not exist on the passenger side so just extend the wires.