Empty Button Under Stereo Controls?

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Joined
Feb 19, 2012
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Location
Dallas, TX
Okay, I have searched but I can't find anything, I probably just suck as searching. My question is, what factory option would go in the place of the blank button under the stereo controls? It's empty on my LX and my buddy's LC, what was it for??

Also, speaking of empty buttons, what went it place of the empty button control on the steering wheel? Did they really just do that for symmetry?
 
I remember a discussion about someone who discovered it has lights under the cover plate. So the button is set up for off dim and brighter on
Cruisers that "use" that button. IIRC it might be a 2nd row seat heater switch or something related to 2nd row climate control for cruisers without controls in the back.
 
Hmmm... Okay. So this would be different than the rear a/c power button in this same location? Of the 4 positions for buttons, I currently have:

1. Rear Defrost
2. Rear A/C Power
3. Side View Mirror Heating
4. [EMPTY]

So this heater switch would only be on off? This seems weird if there is already a button there to control the rear a/c power. Id post a picture but apparently I haven't posted enough to be able to have more than 3 photos uploaded. If anybody has this mystery button, could you upload a photo of your center dash area?


Also, someone must know about this blank control button on the right side of the steering wheel?
 
I remember a discussion about someone who discovered it has lights under the cover plate. So the button is set up for off dim and brighter on
Cruisers that "use" that button. IIRC it might be a 2nd row seat heater switch or something related to 2nd row climate control for cruisers without controls in the back.
No idea what it might be used for...my '01 LX has the 2nd row seat heater switch in the third position over from the far left.

It's used to control rear heat on and off in 100s without rear AC
OK, and the 3rd switch over controls rear heat in a hundy with rear a/c, at least in my '01.

Hmmm... Okay. So this would be different than the rear a/c power button in this same location? Of the 4 positions for buttons, I currently have:

1. Rear Defrost
2. Rear A/C Power
3. Side View Mirror Heating
4. [EMPTY]

So this heater switch would only be on off? This seems weird if there is already a button there to control the rear a/c power. Id post a picture but apparently I haven't posted enough to be able to have more than 3 photos uploaded. If anybody has this mystery button, could you upload a photo of your center dash area?


Also, someone must know about this blank control button on the right side of the steering wheel?
The rear heater switch is simply off or on.

My 4 switches from left to right...

1. Mirror defrost
2. Blank...no switch.
3. Rear Heat...off or on
4. Rear window defrost.


So this heater switch would only be on/off**
Correct.

My blank does have an illumination LED installed, but no function (glows when on) LED...though there is a place on the board to stick one.

So, on my '01 it's pre- wired for something, but damned if I know what. Probably makes no difference as a stand-alone switch will not mount if the panel blank cover is removed.

hth

Steve
 
Those 4 switches are mounted directly on the control-PCB, so it's not easy to utilize an unused one for an alternative purpose. You would have to cut some pcb-traces and solder in a relay or something. The 4 switches are:
1 - rear window defog - on/off - with control-light
2 - rear heater fan (2nd row) - low/hi/off - with lo/hi light
3 - rear a/c control
4 - side mirror defog - on/off - with control light
- All are back-lit when lights are on
- #1 and 4 have a timer - switches off after 15 ? mins
- #2 has a duplicate switch on the rear of the centre console (for back-seaters) together with a temp-control (controls water-flow in the under-left-front-seat mounted heater core)
Afaik, all the switches and indicator lights are there on the pcb whether you have the switch-button or just a blank.

Pics from a my 2000

IMG39276cs.webp


IMG39235cs.webp
 
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Pics from a my 7/2004. (Yeah, the 2 first ones are kinda upside down)

IMG39297cs.webp


IMG39298cs.webp


IMG35998cs.webp
 
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I was hoping it was something magical like on the FJ Cruiser... a blank button with wires connected to the back. I think the "real" button was $20. You'd take a credit card (same one you ordered the button with) and pry out the old blank, move wires to new button, pop in and POOF! Rear locker.
 
That seems silly that Toyota would put 4 button places when only 3 can be used at any one time. If you have rear ac controls, then you get the rear AC Power button. If you don't have rear ac controls, then you get the heater button. Either way you can't get both so they just should have used the same spot for both. Or made custom buttons available :)




Has anybody any information on the steering wheel blank buttons?
 
That seems silly that Toyota would put 4 button places when only 3 can be used at any one time. If you have rear ac controls, then you get the rear AC Power button. If you don't have rear ac controls, then you get the heater button. Either way you can't get both so they just should have used the same spot for both. Or made custom buttons available :)




Has anybody any information on the steering wheel blank buttons?
IIRC, there are markets where both were fitted. At least when I ordered directly from TMC, I could specify any option individually.

Right thumb buttons on st.wheel are for telephone link. Left thumb for radio controls. I saw in some thread somewhere that someone replaced the blanks with the real buttons, and got it working. Might have been a 120 series tho.
 
My blank is the ejection switch. :flipoff2:
 
IIRC, there are markets where both were fitted. At least when I ordered directly from TMC, I could specify any option individually.

Right thumb buttons on st.wheel are for telephone link. Left thumb for radio controls. I saw in some thread somewhere that someone replaced the blanks with the real buttons, and got it working. Might have been a 120 series tho.

I would be very interested to see said thread if you can find it :clap:
 
That solved my question.
I wanted to use that empty spot for rear work light, but after reading this it can't be utilised.
 
I wanted to use that empty spot for rear work light, but after reading this it can't be utilised.
I think it can be used. It's just too much work to modify the pcb and get the right parts.
 
So I will leave it alone and will put a switch in the sunglass holder.
 
 
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