'96 door on a '99 truck: Wiring Does Not Match

[RoofRack]

My driver side rear door of my 1999 4Runner was dented in an accident, so I bought a matching door off a '96 4Runner on Craigslist. Swapped out the paneling and it fits perfectly.

Only issue is the wiring is not the same. '99 has 9 wires, '96 has only 5 (maybe 6).

Anyone had any experience with mating these up? Can I make the wiring work, or do I have to replace all the stuff inside the door?

Happy Monday, and thanks for taking a look!

-M

 

[rallypoint_1]

You can't use the loom from the other door??

 

[Tyler James Inc]

Swapping out the wiring would be the way to go, in my opinion. Keep it '99 [emoji1360]

 

[RoofRack]

You can't use the loom from the other door??

I am going to disassemble the old door and find out. I'm guessing that all the the wiring is different. It was with the window switch. I 'switched' that already. I bet I'll have to switch out the window regulator and lock actuator as well.

I'm assuming everything will be straightforward and easy like everything else on the truck.

-M

 

[JayRolla]

Ive learned having the older 4runner to stick with 96-98 parts. Hopefully you can swap the wiring harness's.

 

[TheDurk]

Not just the wiring, but the Rear door ECU is not compatible. Setup changed totally in '99. Communication with the front for windows, wireless locking, defrost, was all changed to run over a multiplex bus wire. In fact, the wireless locking receiver was not in the liftgate before '99.

So yeah, transfer all the wiring and ECU from your '99 to the new gate. No way around it.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

Not just the wiring, but the Rear door ECU is not compatible. Setup changed totally in '99. Communication with the front for windows, wireless locking, defrost, was all changed to run over a multiplex bus wire. In fact, the wireless locking receiver was not in the liftgate before '99.

So yeah, transfer all the wiring and ECU from your '99 to the new gate. No way around it.

Good info, but the OP says "My driver side rear door of my 1999 4Runner was dented in an accident"

Different door, my friend

 

[TheDurk]

Good info, but the OP says "My driver side rear door of my 1999 4Runner was dented in an accident"

Different door, my friend

OOPS. There I go answering the question I am used to instead of the one that was asked.

Door lock Plug D26 is identical and should plug up.(2 wires) Window switch has different plugs but same 5 wires. Then 2 extra wires in '99 are for the factory alarm system that did not exist in '96 and go to a door unlock detection switch that would not exist on the '96 door from the factory (may have been added at dealer or port). Those are the light green wire and a white-black wire.

If you don't have the factory alarm, you can forget about them. If you do, all that needs to come over from the '99 door, and that may mean the door lock mechanism. Can't tell from the wiring diagrams.

Are you trying to connect at the plug in the pillar, or inside the door?

 

[RoofRack]

OOPS. There I go answering the question I am used to instead of the one that was asked.

Door lock Plug D26 is identical and should plug up.(2 wires) Window switch has different plugs but same 5 wires. Then 2 extra wires in '99 are for the factory alarm system that did not exist in '96 and go to a door unlock detection switch that would not exist on the '96 door from the factory (may have been added at dealer or port). Those are the light green wire and a white-black wire.

If you don't have the factory alarm, you can forget about them. If you do, all that needs to come over from the '99 door, and that may mean the door lock mechanism. Can't tell from the wiring diagrams.

Are you trying to connect at the plug in the pillar, or inside the door?

Good info! Thanks!

I had hoped that I'd just bolt the 96 door onto the 99 truck and plug it in, but the main connector at the B-Pillar is different. At this point I know that the window switch is different too.

I pulled all the stuff out of the original 99 door: window regulator, window switch, wire harness, door lock mechanism. It was all easy to get off.

I will swap them into the 96 door. Hoping all the mounting is the same. Then I'll have a 96 door with all 99 mechanical and electronics inside it.

What do you guys recommend for replacing the plastic seal around the door? I destroyed the one on the 99 and I expect the same to happen when I try to the toe one off the 96.

-M

 

[popsmckracken]

My driver side rear door of my 1999 4Runner was dented in an accident, so I bought a matching door off a '96 4Runner on Craigslist. Swapped out the paneling and it fits perfectly.

Only issue is the wiring is not the same. '99 has 9 wires, '96 has only 5 (maybe 6).

Anyone had any experience with mating these up? Can I make the wiring work, or do I have to replace all the stuff inside the door?

Happy Monday, and thanks for taking a look!

-M

I had the exact opposite problem..a 99 hatch on my 96. They ARE different. I'm in the process of taking the old harness out and patching it in to the new door.

 

[RoofRack]

Final Report

TL/DR: If you switch doors between model years you might also have to switch the wire harness, but you won't have to swap any hardware except the window switch.


So the only difference between the 1996 door and the 1999 door is the window up/down switch. I'm guessing it has something to do with the gang switch on the driver door.

The window regulator, lock and speaker are all the same.

So I took the wiring off the 1999 door that was dented, removed the same from the 1996 door and replaced it with the 1999 wiring + the 1999 window switch.

Everything works!!!

 

[gamefreakgc]

Good info! Thanks!

I had hoped that I'd just bolt the 96 door onto the 99 truck and plug it in, but the main connector at the B-Pillar is different. At this point I know that the window switch is different too.

I pulled all the stuff out of the original 99 door: window regulator, window switch, wire harness, door lock mechanism. It was all easy to get off.

I will swap them into the 96 door. Hoping all the mounting is the same. Then I'll have a 96 door with all 99 mechanical and electronics inside it.

What do you guys recommend for replacing the plastic seal around the door? I destroyed the one on the 99 and I expect the same to happen when I try to the toe one off the 96.

-M

It's just a simple moisture barrier, water does get in the door sometimes. Not an end of the world thing unless you live in a very wet climate.