since i went into the mud hole a while back that was up to my license plate, i noticed my rear dome light is not working properly. when i open the rear door, it does not come on. when i turn it to on, it comes on.
i am not good with the electrical diagnostics so please help me diagnose this issue.
anyone know where the switch for the door is located?

 

does it work for all the other doors

 

elton i am referring to the REAR cargo light. from what i remeber it only comes on when the rear is oppened

 

mine only works with the front and rear doors

 

hmmm maybe i am just going nuts....ill go check it out as its dark now!

 

nope, im sane! on the light itself it says on/off/door. works when in the ON pos but not when in the DOOR poss

 

when it means by doors is the front and rear if you want light in the cargo area you have to turn it on ur self

 

no, it has worked before. i have gone outside in the past and noticed the light on after shutting the rear hatch. open and shut again and it goes off! (EDIT: to make sure were on the same page, i am talking about the rear light in the REAR cargo space, not the one to the rear of the sunroof.)
maybe its different from the 99 to the 98.
anyone with a 99 out there to verify this please? i might check myself into the looney bin anyways!

elton, do you have a rear light with those switches above the inside of the lift gate?

even if it is not supposed to light up with just the rear hatch open, it still dosnt with the doors open

 

ya mine says door/off/on

 

elton, checked on the other board and another 98 works like mine is supposed to. wonder what gives?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...threadid=22364

 

ok i feel pretty stupid now my cargo light does comes on when i open the rear hatch

 

I had the same issue, as have others:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/where-rear-liftgate-lamp-switch-11076/

 

FIXED!!!

some wd40 to the handle area on the gate. open it up and press the handle a few times, then get a rag handy and liberally spray wd40 in there and squeeze it several more times. make sure it is in the door mode and mine worked once as i was doing it. next day i went out and it works EVERYTIME like a charm now. i guess i got some mud/dirt in there and it got stuck. hope this helps and ask me if you have some ?'s