HumperHoles

I know there's lots written up about this rear window, but i can't find anything like my problem.

my problem is that the center console back window switch hasn't worked since i bought it. the previous owner ran a wire from the battery back to the window motor. to get the window to go up or down, i have to connect some wires behind my driver's seat...this is getting annoying.

would this mean that the console switch just went bad at some point?

1987 4runner. 4 cyl. fuel injected.

thanks for any help.

ben

kiyobrown

Could be the switch or the relay, since it sounds like they bypassed all of it in order to wire it straight to the battery. Also, there is a sensor built into the wiper arm hat would prevent the window from working. It senses if the wiper arm is down and shuts off the ability for the switch to work.

HumperHoles

yeah, the wiper doesn't work and it doesn't look like it has worked for about a decade.

BlackBox

I fought with my rear window for about a year. Seriously. Not knowing much about wiring, it took me a heck of a long time to figure out how to understand 4crawler's instructions.

That said, if your window goes up and down, then you at least know that your motor works, the back door lock relay is working and either your wiper is bypassed or it's seating just fine.

The first thing I would do is check the cover-top bolt relay. This is where most of us have problems. I jumpered the wires, bypassing this relay. I'd recommend that anyone who plans to remove their shell do this because it's easy to screw up this connection when you take the shell on and off.

To jumper the cover-top relay: Climb into the back of your runner, pull the interior trim pieces on the rear driver's side. You'll need to remove the top piece (that covers the bolts for the shell) and then remove the long panel near the wheel well. Find the wires that go to a small black relay just under the lip of the bed. Remove the screws that hold the relay, pull the connector out, grab a few inches of 10-6 gauge wire and your soldering iron and connect those wires together with the extra wire. (I don't have a pic of mine, but I can post one if you need it.) Don't forget to cover any bare wire.

Reconnect your original switch to the wires that come from under your seat by following your wiring diagram and try her out.