Perhaps the Dumbest Question Ever... What is the Best Way to Remove Wiper Switch? (1 Viewer)

[Green Bean]

Okay, here goes. I need to replace our wiper switch. I've tried sqeezing my hand back there but I suspect something has to be removed to get better access. Those of you who have done this, I sure would appreciate if you would share the best way. I hate to go about removing the instrument cluster if that's not the ticket. Same with the heater.

Thanks.

 

[mattressking]

Remove knob with small JIS/philips driver, it is a small set screw. Reach hand around and hold switch housing, simultaneously hold housing while using small needle nose / circlip pliers or similar to insert into two round holes. Rotate to remove/break free. Once its loose, you can remove the outer nut and pull the switch out from behind the dash and disconnect the plug(s).

 

[Green Bean]

Remove knob with small JIS/philips driver. Reach hand around and hold switch housing, simultaneously hold housing while using small needle nose or similar to insert into two round holes. Rotate to remove/break free. Once its loose, you can remove the outer nut and pull the switch out from behind the dash and disconnect the plug(s).

Thanks. I will give that a try for sure. I wasn't sure if there is enough room for my hand to fit in back to get to the nut. It is extremely tight.

 

[mattressking]

Thanks. I will give that a try for sure. I wasn't sure if there is enough room for my hand to fit in back to get to the nut. It is extremely tight.

The 'nut' is on the front! You have to remove the knob, but when you pull the knob out to turn switch on, you can see the two holes, that is the 'nut'. I believe Toyota even calls it a 'bolt or nut'. It threads in from the front into the housing on the backside.

 

[Engineer8000]

Removing the gauge cluster gives pretty good access to the wiper switch. Disconnect the battery first though.

 

[Mark Jennings]

If you remove the Ashtray, sometimes you can get back there, to pull it out and disconnect after the bezel nut removed. It’s tight....I have had my daughter get in there and hold it/push it through....she has tiny hands...and sometimes, that’s what it takes.

 

[Green Bean]

Removing the gauge cluster gives pretty good access to the wiper switch. Disconnect the battery first though.

Thanks everyone. I got successfully got the old switch out and the new one installed. I did not remove the instrument cluster primarily because hooking the speedo cable up is a pain given the tight quarters. Thankfully the wiper switch has just enough room to squeeze a hand in back and the harness had enough slack to make the connection with the switch out. As a bonus: everything works. Now, if I can only get the brake light to work...

 

[mattressking]

Thanks everyone. I got successfully got the old switch out and the new one installed. I did not remove the instrument cluster primarily because hooking the speedo cable up is a pain given the tight quarters. Thankfully the wiper switch has just enough room to squeeze a hand in back and the harness had enough slack to make the connection with the switch out. As a bonus: everything works. Now, if I can only get the brake light to work...

Check power into the switch. Brake light gets the same feed direct off the fuse. Make sure fuse/switch and +12v feed is good

 

[brian]

fyi, not dumbest ever.....not.even.close.