We swapped out the cluster in my sons '85 from the base cluster to the SR5. Everything works fine, but we noticed that the 4x4 and rear door/tailgate light does not light up. It's not a huge deal, but we would like for them to work. I put brand new 74 bulbs and the small bulb holders in the spots they go in.

Anyone have any ideas or info about if these normally work when you swap out the clusters?

 

Mine worked just fine. Perhaps the "printed circuit" located on the back of the cluster has dirty contacts where the plugs insert. I'd simply try pulling the plugs out and try using windex and a clean rag. Also clean the areas around the corresponding bulbs you are having trouble with. Where the "socket" quarter turns into the housing.

Then go back and double check that you are inserting the plugs correctly. Its very easy to put them in cock eyed and not notice it.

Also, if the SR5 cluster came out of a 2WD pickup truck, then the "4WD" and "REAR DOOR" indicators may be blacked out. There's usually a small black block or sticker or something that could be blocking out the indication from the rays of light.

 

I'll try cleaning the contact areas. They looked pretty clean, but I'll try it. They are not blocked off, I could see them when I shinned a flash light through them from the back. I'll have to see if I can find the e-mail from the guy I got it from; he told me what it came out of, but I forgot what he said.

Thanks.

 

Were there bulbs in the 4x4 and tailgate holes? I know when I switched my clusters certain bulbs were missing because of 4runner/pickup and different options.

 

No, there were no bulbs in those two holes. But they were not blocked out either. You can see them light up when you shine a light through the back.

 

I put in a 1989 4Runner SR5 cluster in my 1988 22R 2wd pickup. I did what you did. Removed all the idiot light bulbs and shined a light from behind to see if it had the same idiot lights as my old cluster that I needed. Then I put working bulbs in the holes I needed.

The SR5 cluster worked fine in my pickup. My old cluster had a back door indicator - even had a bulb in it - but of course I never saw that one light up on my pickup. My old cluster did not have a 4WD indicator, but the SR5 did.

If you remove the bulb holders you might put an ohm meter on the 2 little contacts to rule that out as the problem.

 

Put the bulbs in from your old cluster and you should be good to go.

 

They won't fit. They were the bigger #94 bulbs/sockets, the SR5 cluster has the smaller #74 bulbs/sockets for all the indicator lights on the sides.

 

Really? Most curious... I don't recall such a problem with my conversion...

Bust out the test light!

 

different sized bulbs? i dont recall there being different sized bulbs on my standard or sr5 cluster.

I've done this on two trucks. Got some pics?

 

Yeah, the one I have has a few different size bulbs. In the third picture, you can see the difference in the bulbs I have pulled out. Upi can kind of see the differences in the bulb holders/sockets too. I got the back door light to work by cleaning the contacts and playing around with it some. The 4WD still wouldn't work though. I noticed that the area of the printed circuit card was not connected. I looks like it has dashed lines where it should be connected. I tested it out by connecting them with a small piece of wire, and it worked. 4WD light on in 4WD and off when in 2WD. Now my question is should I just solder that wire in there, or is there suppose to be a diode, resistor or something else in there? I've been looking at some pictures of other clusters on the net, but can't find any clear enough to tell what is there.

Thanks for all help.

 

The problem is you have a Jimmy Carter SR5 cluster....

I used a 110 miles per hour cluster - because I know it can.....

My original cluster had one size bulbs. The SR5 had 2 - just like your picture.

 

So, does anyone think it would hurt anything to solder that wire in place like that?

I wonder what is suppose to go there?

 

Anyone?

 

Well... its copper so it should solder, right? Just don't get the plastic around it. I'm not saying I've done this before, but in all reality it SHOULD work. Its basically a flexible motherboard, and people weld crap onto those.

For precautionary reasons, just try soldering something onto your old cluster circuit. If you screw it up, just go get another one from a local junkyard and ease it into your pocket.

 

My son's friend has a same generation truck with the same cluster. He pulled the cluster on it and we looked at the area I'm wanting to solder a wire at. I turns out that it is just a simple piece of wire soldered into and connecting those holes. The only difference it his is soldered on the inside where ours will be on the outside.

Thanks for the tips and info.

 

I soldered the wire on there and everything works fine.