AustinTaco

I have been bouncing around on here and other sites, and I can't find a definitive answer. My question: Does an 1984 SR5 4runner have the ability to ding or buzz or chime when you leave your headlights on? I have been burned by this too many times and I thought the solution was to put the seatbelt buzzer relay back in.

A little history: When I first owned the truck, back in 1995, I left the headlights on once and jumpstarting it cost me the stock radio. Somehow it got fried on the jumpstart. Well, I never had the door pin in on the driverside, so my guess was that the previous owner took out the door pin to stop the buzzing. I tried once, back then, to rig something up, and I ended up charring the carpet with some burnt wire. Doh!
I bought the truck back last year, and the last owner never messed with the door switch, and it never really bothered me until I left my lights on the other day. That started the search on how to fix it.

Luckily, I now have several FSM's and two parts trucks, so I pulled a switch from one of them and I found the existing connector in mine. Its a Red wire with a white stripe. I connected it, and nothing. No light, no buzzer. I went searching on here, and it was a split decision between the buzzer being on the fuse box or above the brake pedal. I didn't have a black box above the brake cable, but I found an unconnected plug so I went back to the parts truck and found the black box.
I twisted and slid the black box off of the tab its mounted on and disconnected it and reconnected it in my truck. Now, with the box in place, and the door switch, I get a buzzer when I put the key in the ignition and the dome light comes on when I open the door.

I like having the dome light back, but I really want a headlight reminder, so my question for YT gurus......does the 84 4runner have a headlight reminder?

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

My '85 has a headlight reminder, module located in the passenger side kick panel as I recall. Check the BE (Body Electrical) section of the FSM for the exact location.

AustinTaco

Thanks, Roger.

I will double check it tonight and post up for anyone else that goes down this road.

It's amazing how useful having the domelight work when you open the door can be.

edit: Looking at the owner's manual and the FSM, I don't think that a headlight reminder was an option in 84. The wiring schematic doesn't show anything going from the headlight to either the seat belt relay or buzzer or any other sound device.

However, looking around the schematics, it shows that there was a subwoofer option? wow!

XtraSlow_XtraCab

I've been looking for my "long lost" headlight reminder as well (84 xtracab). Its not on MY passenger side kick panel though. Let us know if 84's are supposed to have one buddy! I used to leave my lights on until I put on my big, impressive, overly-priced inclinometer.

Now I just leave the PA system on by accident. Do they make a reminder buzzer for those?

AustinTaco

I don't think the 84's had one. I was re reading my owner's manual and it describes the seatbelt buzzer and the ignition buzzer, but it doesn't mention a headlight buzzer.

Roger,
If you read this and you get a chance, can you look at your 85 FSM wiring diagrams and see if it actually shows the headlights going to an alarm/buzzer. The 1984 does not.

abecedarian

something you may consider, if the truck doesn't have the option for the reminder, is wire a buzzer or 12v door chime in, supplied with + volts from the running lights and which grounds through a pin switch in the door jamb. Then when the door is opened (might need a second pin switch in the door jamb cause power through the buzzer connected to the dome light pin might find it's way to ground through the dome light), if your lights are on, even parking lights, the buzzer will sound when the door is opened.
It'd probably cost you under 10 in parts from Radio Shack.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

The way the dome light is wired is that it has constant 12 volt power one one side and the door switches connect it to ground when the door is opened to make the light turn on.

Yodaforce

I think the cheapest and easiest fix for me is to turn around after exiting the vehicle and look. Just kidding!

AustinTaco

Yeah, but that method has failed me twice. However they were 12 years apart so I should be good for another 12 years!

XtraSlow_XtraCab

I'm curious as to how hard it may be to retrofit one? Can't be too difficult... here's an idea... (custom created by yours truely)

AustinTaco

If I do that, I will have to make the alarm something different. Maybe a recording of the original Knight Rider Kitt telling me that my lights are on.

Actually, I might just try this ....but not the Knight Rider recording.

abecedarian

that's basically what I was suggesting. ...but you can get beepers instead of buzzers from RS too... or just maybe something that zaps you when you shut the door, the key is off, and the lights are on?

but the voice reminder could be funny...
parking lights left on... key goes off... driver's door opens...
"Hey stupid! Turn off the lights!"
... they sell parts to make that sort of thing at Radio Shack too.

With some additional thought, how hard would it be to insert a relay between the lighting wiring and the ignition switch in such a way that turning off the key turns off the lights regardless...?
have to go look at the wiring schematics....