4Runner Auto Up/Down Windows

So I actually scored a pretty cheap master window switch from an 01 Sequoia on eBay. I was hoping that I could just swap the switch tops (not the internals) to allow light for passenger auto switch. I discovered that the switch is completely different internally. There are pressure contact switches that activate the windows instead of the sliders in the 4runner. It also uses SMD LEDs instead of regular 3mm diodes.

If someone wanted to do this swap you could probably make it work with the sequoia switches, but you would need both driver and passenger switches as well as a good wiring diagram. The sequoia master has 2 more contacts than the master on the 4runner.

 

So what was the point of getting one from a sequoia if you already had them from the 4Runner?

 

The 4runner one only illuminates the driver "AUTO" letters in the master. The Sequoia illuminates both the driver and passenger "AUTO" letters.

 

Gotcha. So you're going to switch them out?

 

Couldn't you just solder a jumper from the driver's side LED to a new LED for the passenger's side?

 

If you reread my post, you can see that it's not possible. I wanted to take the black plastic switch top (the piece that holds all the switches) and swap that to the 4runner one to allow light to pass through. They are a completely different shape though.

If you got the driver switch, passenger switch, and window motors from a sequoia, you could probably make it work. It would be the same as doing it with the 4runner parts. I just don't have a wiring diagram for a sequoia. The window motors may even be the same as the 4runner ones, but I don't really have a way to check

 

That's what I'm planning on doing now, but I will have to cut a hole in the black plastic below the switch. I will also add a piece of clear acrylic to "guide" the light up to the switch, just like the driver side.

 

Yeah that might be easier! Good luck

 

So I got it done.

I cut a hole that matched the driver one, then cut a piece of acrylic on the laser cutter at work that matched as well. I painted the outside black to help keep the light from bouncing around below the switch. That got superglued in place. Then the hard part was cramming an LED in there for the passenger switch. Toyota decided to put a capacitor right where the LED would go. There was less than 4mm of clearance above the switch slider btw. I was able to bend the capacitor just enough and wedge the LED next to it. I also added some electrical tape to keep the LED leads from hitting one of the pins sticking out of the board. I finished it by epoxying the LED to the switch slider to keep it from moving around.


hole cut with acrylic piece inserted


acrylic piece in place


here you can see the red LEDs through the acrylic


how I jumped the LED wires over to the passenger side


installed

 

I'm curious, does everyone elses window switches illuminate all the time when the truck is on? Or is it tied to the illumination circuit (running lights/head lights). Mine are always on when the truck is running but I can't remember what it was like before I swapped over to the 4runner stuff.

 

So I have power windows already, but of course only the drivers side one is 'auto'. Will I have to do all the wiring in order to have the drivers side passenger switch work as 'auto;' or can I just swap a switch in?

Basically, I don't want to screw with the wiring or swap motors.

Also, I believe mine only lights up when the lights are on, but I'll update this when I know for sure.

 

Yes you'll have to do the wiring. The tacomas aren't wired for passenger auto, these also allow the windows to auto up which the tacomas can't do either. So just swapping a switch won't do anything.

 

From my understanding, the auto "brain" for the passenger window is in the passenger switch, not the master. The master switch on the driver side controls the passenger window through the extra "B" plug on the master. You can see this in the wiring diagram.

Also, this requires the 4runner window motors since they have "pinch" detectors built in. When they sense extra resistance via higher amperage, they automatically reverse. This keeps them from cutting your arm off if left in the window. Without the 4runner motors, your window will roll up and then back down about 4" and never close.

 

Okay thanks, a bit too involved for my tastes but cool mod and nice writeup!

 

I've been thinking about doing this in my 2009 AC. I definitely dont have pinch detectors built in, haha. tested that out....twice to be sure. I don't want to swap out the motors if I don't have to. I work for the transportation authority in philly. specifically the signals and switches for trains. for our switches we have something called an overload relay. this cuts the power to the switch when it senses a higher than normal current (when theres an obstruction). just like whats in the 4runner motors im sure. im wondering/hoping as Im sitting here in my PJs drinking coffee, if theres a seperate overload relay for purchase so I dont have to swap the motors.

So thats for the auto up portion. Now, about the auto down for passenger side. did you find that the tacoma passenger switch was able to auto down? I'm going back and re-reading but don't follow when you say passenger window brain is in the switch not the master. to clarify, you're talking about the brain being in the switch on the passenger door? not the "master" on the drivers door? if thats the case, wouldn't the passenger already have auto down? I never tried that

 

So the overload relay is actually what the auto down switch in the 95-00 uses. It might actually be more like a solenoid, but it works the same way as you are describing. As you can see from the first post, the switches are miles apart in circuitry. I believe 01-04 tacomas use a circuit board style switch like the 4runner, but I have never actually opened one up. The 4runner switch has the "auto" function built into the switch; meaning it will tell the motor to go all the way down or up until something tells it to stop.

I first installed the 4runner master leaving my stock passenger switch in place. No the tacoma passenger switch will not auto up or down. The function for the auto up/down is built into the passenger switch of the 4runner and not in the master. This means the brain is in the passenger switch and it communicates with the master via the 4 wires mentioned in the first post. 2 of these wires relate to the auto feature. The stock tacoma switch (at least in my 99) was just a simple momentary dual throw switch with no circuit board. The 4runner switch has a very obvious relay built in and is much larger below the trim piece.

You an accomplish this functionality with your stock switches by using a DEI 530T unit, but I wanted to keep everything as stock as possible.


EDIT: For a 2nd gen I suggest looking at other toyota/lexus vehicles that share the same switch. This is how I discovered that this mod was possible. Toyota used the same switches in many different vehicles and they usually just had a different wiring scheme.

I have a 2002 sequoia auto up/down switch and it is more advanced than the 4runner one. It uses touch contacts for the up and down of each switch and I believe there is a separate ECU for the window controls located somewhere else in the vehicle.

 

I was looking into the sequoia. Guy near my house has one and the switches are auto. I didn't delve into them anymore than that though. I saw that DEI 530T after I commented. I think that's the easiest way to go. Thanks for the quick reply!

 

LX470 and GX470 also have all 4 doors auto up/down... just perhaps another option to look at...

 

Would love this. But this mod is beyond my comfort level.

 

Very very interesting. Thanks for putting this out there for us!