96 4Runner door switch replacement

[Duane]

Well my interior light is intermittent if it will turn on with either front door being opened on my 96 or it comes onhalf as bright as normal. Has anyone ever had success servicing these switches or are they a replace deal? How involved is the process of removal and re-installation?

 

[brian2sun]

I replaced mine last year, I think they get corroded inside and stop making a good connection. Not worth repairing IMO, I got all 4 out of a crashed '00 for ~$8. Take the screw out and pull the switch out, cut the wire, splice the new one on and screw it back down. The rear ones have less slack in the wire so they are a bit harder to splice.

 

[97kurt]

I just did one on my rear door, the oem one got crushed. I think the new "jamb" switch is about $12 and any parts store can get them. I got mine off rockauto.com. To replace the rear ones you have to pop the trim off to get to the wire clip, but otherwise its one bolt and your done.

 

[Duane]

Well I went and bought 2 new OEM Courtesy Switches
P/N 84231-12080
Just took 15 minutes roughly to do the 2 front doors.
Needed a small pocket sized flat screwdriver for depressing the connection clips, a 1/4 inch drive ratchet and a 10 mm 6 point socket.
- with hands pry the trim out on the pillar between the front and back door on the inside, approx 3 clips need to release starting from the top down. This allows enough room to get at the connection clip.
- depress clip retainer with small screwdriver and pull out connector
- pry up rubber cover on switch to find the 10 mm fastener and remove it. Pull out switch assembly and about 4 inches of wire follows quite easily.
- put new switch back in curling wire back into opening to plug back into connector
- install 10 mm fastener again and tighten, push rubber dust cover back over unit.
- plug wire connector back into socket until you hear the click that it is in all the way
- push plastic trim back in from the bottom up making sure all 3 clips go back in properly.
Done and works like a charm