Can someone please help me on how the dome lights for my '05 4Runner should work?

I had an installer put in an alarm and a drop-down video screen for the rear passengers. The video screen took the place of the main dome light, but has an integrated light.

I'm pretty sure the interior lights aren't working right now.

Specifically, the front dome lights just above the rear-view mirror never come on except when I turn the maplights on manually.

In my wife's Sequoia, the front dome lights by the rear-view mirror come on when the door opens, etc. That is, they come on when the middle dome light comes on. If you turn the switch on the middle dome light to "off" then the front dome lights don't come either.

I'm pretty sure this is the way the 4Runner's supposed to work, too, but I took the 4Runner straight from the dealer to the stereo installer, so I can't swear to it. But, I'm pretty sure that's how my '04 4Runner worked.

Can someone verify this for me?

Thanks!

On the '06 I have, the map lights near the mirror do not come on when the door is opened. Only the light in the center and cargo light come on when the doors are opened. I was surpised at this myself, but it does not bother me.

You will find instructions for a mod on this site that changes this.

The map lights (ones above the front seats) does not turn on by themselves, only manually. My Camry and Tacoma doesn't turn on with the doors either. However, on our old 1990 Toyota truck, there was a switch to set them to turn on when the doors are opened in additional to the manual switches. I don't know why Toyota took that feature away from their newer models. I think the feature is back on Lexus models.

I appreciate the help from you all. I guess I was nuts thinking they worked differently. In the Sequoia they come on when you open the door, and they're on/off/door switch is actually the switch on the middle dome light -- it controls both middle and front. But... I stand corrected. Thanks again!