I have two issues that may be related. First off, I bought a replacement key fob on ebay, but I can't seem to get my truck into program mode. As you probably know, doing that requires a special sequence that includes opening and closing the driver door... on to the second problem.

At some point after failing to get the truck into program mode, I noticed that my driver door was not triggering the dome light. Assuming it was a bad door switch, I swapped the driver door switch with a known working switch from the rear passenger door. The known working switch from the rear passenger door did not fix the problem in the driver door, and the former driver door switch worked fine in the rear passenger door.

The dome light works with all doors other than the driver door, and I haven't noticed anything unusual with the "door ajar" light.

Any ideas? Seems like whatever is wrong with the driver door dome light activation may also be preventing the truck from going into program mode. Is there some kind of control unit? I'm pretty sure the truck knows the difference between the driver door being opened and the other doors being opened, so I assume there has to be a control unit somewhere that deciphers that.

Also, and this may be unrelated, the rear wiper suddenly stopped working.


Thanks,
Mark

 

The 'brain' is built into the Combination Switch (Gauge cluster in Toyota speak). There are separate inputs for ground signals from each front door, and the rear doors together. Since switch is good, you have either a lack of continuity from the door switch to the cluster, or a defect IN the cluster. No other possibilities. I'm not clear as to what you mean about the 'Door Ajar" light. If that comes on, but dome does not, defect is in the cluster.

Since you don't bother to tell us model and year, I can't be any more help than that.

 

It's a 2001 4Runner SR5.

So the "combination switch" is the entire gauge cluster, like where the speedo, etc. is? Is there a removable part in the cluster?

The "door ajar" light I was referring to is the little indicator in the gauge cluster that lights up when you open the door.

 

Or is the combination switch this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/00-05-Toyota...FWGzQe&vxp=mtr

 

Yes, the combination switch is the whole cluster. The part is combination plate, which is a circuit board that does many things, is super expensive new, and often NLA. A junkyard cluster is your best bet if that is the issue.

I know what the door ajar light is. I didn't understand what 'haven't noticed anything unusual' meant. Does it come on with the driver door or not?

Here is the EWD, now that I know model and year:

http://tacoma.site40.net/4Runner_96-...emci/023il.pdf

You could check continuity between the wire to the driver door switch and the blck wire at Pin 9 on plug C27 on the cluster. c27 is a white 2-row 20 pin plug. With the lock clip on top, looking at the harness plug, pin 9 is one short of the far right on the top row. You could also apply ground directly to the cluster pin, and see if the dome light comes on.

 

Thanks for the info. My Haynes manual didn't have the wiring diagram.

Here is some more info. Now the headlights don't go off anymore when I turn off the truck. (killed my battery last night).

And the rear wiper doesn't work. (the washer fluid and defroster do, and I already tried rolling the window all the way down and then all the way up)

All these problems started at around the same time, although I can't be sure exactly when each one started. Could they be related?

All fuses are fine.

I did cycle the driver door power lock switch and the ignition key a LOT while trying to get the truck into program mode to program a new key fob. Any chance that burned something out in the "brain?" I'm assuming that the driver door switch issue is related to the inability to enter program mode, but the I don't know about the headlight issue and rear wiper issue.

The door ajar light does not come on when the driver door opens, but it does come on when any other door opens.

Thanks,
mark

 

What about the "body ECU" show on the wiring diagram?

 

That's the connection to the power lock brain. But if the dome light does not work, then it is not likely the source of the problem. That's the 'brain'on the back of the aux. fuse panel.

 

The good news is that I got my dome light, head lights, door switch, etc. working! I completely forgot that the previous owner had rigged up a little switch to deactivate the dome light for some reason. It it just a little roller switch way down by the door pillar that deactivates the driver door switch. I must have bumped it while I was cleaning the carpets last weekend.

The bad news is that I still can't get the truck into program mode to add my new key fob. I was hoping that fixing the door switch would do the trick, but still no luck.

- Mark