Loaded up the 4runner with demo lumber, dry wall and tile. A big heavy box of tile seemed to have shifted putting a fair bit of weight against the tailgate.

Now the window is stuck. The motor runs, latches are good, all electronics are behaving. Regulator arms and the window tracks are greased. What gives? My guess is that something got bent, or better yet, possibly popped loose.

Can't get regulator arms to horizontal! It's real stuck. You can get the gears going and move the window maybe half a foot up and down. The window won't sink all the way into the tailgate or raise to the point at which the arms are horizontal if you apply some pressure either down or pulling it up. Re: stuck.

I'd take the whole tailgate off, but I can't get the main wire harness that connects to the rest of the vehicle disconnected. Can't see a thing in there! Can't fit two hands in there! There's a piece of housing that has two screws on the outside of the tailgate, but I can't get under it. I feel like I'd break it if I popped it off.

I'm a bit amateur, but I sure like swearing and having a good go at it. Might save a buck or two.

 

Post some photos of the rear window mechanism and some of us with a lot of time sunk into fixing them should see the problem. Are any of the gear teeth broken? If the arms are bent, should be an easy fix. Not sure what trim you're talking about with 2 screws you can't get under, photos will really help solve this.

 

If it took a good hit something is bent

I wonder if it Popped the regulator off the Motor enough for the Motor to rotate now it will only go so far till the safety stops it

Pictures !!

 

Here are some pics. The 2nd one is that housing I mentioned that carries the wiring harness to the front of the truck. I'm uploading a short video, so I'll post the You Tube link to it soon. Help appreciated!

 

Here's the video:
Sorry that my video taking skills aren't quite up to scratch...

 

I shouldn't move at all with the motor installed. what happens when you apply power to the motor? with the gate open you will need to manually close both latches.

 

You can hear the motor running, but the window doesn't move.

 

looks like what I thought The impact knocked the motor loose from the Regulator.or the regulator out of the track

The Regulator is under tension .this needs to be held in place with something as things are assembled

The only time the regulator should move is when the motor is energized when all the safeties are closed

I am at a loss as how to describe it without pulling a hatch apart .

It would take a few minutes in person to figure out

 

either the motor is trashed or the teeth are missing from the regulator or both. pull up on the glass while you actuate the motor and see if you can get the glass up far enough to disconnect the regulator and remove it for inspection.

 

Now that's it's light out, I can see the tailgate got bent. Where the tail gate had pressure on it was near the lock cylinder from the inside.

I've tried pulling on the glass while running the motor, but it doesn't engage. Still stuck.

You can see in the 2nd pic that the tailgate doesn't seal to the bottom when fully latched.

Might need whole new tailgate...

 

Still can't figure out how to disconnect main wiring harness, in particular, I don't know what to do with that housing - anybody seen this?

 

I've never completely removed one of these tailgates, good luck!

 

It has been a few years but I think the plug for the hatch harness is behind the left tail light

 

Follow up: akwheeler and wyoming9, you were both right. Motor gear was stripped, and not even spinning, even though the motor was. In other words, mangled. Took the regulator arm assembly out of the rear tail gate and greased it up. Found window motor at pick n pull (widow motors of same vintage will work!) and Bob's your uncle. Pretty intuitive to take apart and put back together, but I still hate Toyota for these terrible rear windows.

Oh, and I'm embarrassed to say that the 'bent' tail gate was not bent - it was put back together incorrectly.

Thanks for the help!

NEW PROBLEM: you know the plastic roller piece sitting on the end of one of the regulator arms that rolls along the track? It's busted !! Holy moly, how am I gonna find one?? The local junkyards don't have any of these generation 4runners right now. Any leads appreciated. Racking my brain for some DIY cheese, but it's a tricky one.

 

Call one of the Toyota yards with an online store. Try Yotayard in Denver or Toyota Foolish in NC. Both sell on eBay and will have spare parts for the tailgate.

 

Will do! All other replies, re: 'NEW PROBLEM', please move on over to this thread: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116.../#post52387495

 

Yota Jim (s). Yotayard is his ex wife Nancy..

 

Oops, forgot about that. It sounded very messy. I visited Yotayard in 2012 and found great parts, but the prices seem to have climbed drastically. Yep, call Yota Jim's!

 

I have the electrical system of that roll-up rear window system figured out.
However, a window that relies on electricity on an otherwise simple and robust truck, with the weight and bulk of that mechanism and glass inside the tailgate, that could get you stuck if you have an electrical engine compartment fire while camping in the back is one stupid idea.. I want to convert mine to simple flip-up polycarbonate/tough glass like on the Jeep Wrangler, other trucks and after-market after truck cap.