'98 SR5 Rear Dome light
- Thread starter tjcl0201
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maxthebird
New member
If you are referring to the rear dome light (the one above the hatch opening), when the switch is set to off, the light is off at all times; when set to on, the light will be on at all times; when set to door, it will only light when the hatch is open. Sounds like your switch is bad either at the light or on the hatch . Here is a link to another thread that addresses this issue.
Rear Hatch Light Switch??? On/Off/Door Hope this helps.
Rear Hatch Light Switch??? On/Off/Door Hope this helps.
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RodrickHeffley
Member
I would check to make sure that the "door ajar" light on the cluster is on when the door is open. If it's not, you more than likely have a bad latch sensor, but in my case I replaced that and the issue persisted.
pluton
Senior Member
Both of the dome switches in my '97 worked flawlessly in 2013, but since about 2020 the 'door' position *on both switches* is a bit flaky. Try, when the door is open, working the switch back and forth many times, fast and slow. If it works intermittently, that suggests perhaps some corrosion or wear on the contacts. I haven't dismantled mine to investigate...yet.
phattyduck
Elite Member
Yup, for the rear hatch, it can be the light itself (corroded position of the switch), the hatch latch (positions switch is inside the latch mechanism) or hatch wiring.
Check the door ajar indicator first (cluster) to verify hatch wiring and latch switch, then go from there. Do the rest of the functions in the hatch work? (window, wiper, defroster, license plate lights)
-Charlie
The wire bundle for the rear hatch will overtime have wires that pull apart. I had the same thing happen to me. Check out this video from Timmy to see what Im on about. Rear Hatch Wiring Repair (3rd Gen 4runner) - YouTube
After I fixed all the wires in the bundle that broke, I could lock my rear hatch with the remote key fob and all my door locks worked better. After all of that, my rear hatch light stopped working completely. I found the switch in the door latch, with the wire corroded off. Beyond repair since its molded in with epoxy. It wont trigger the "door open" idiot light on the dash since that wire broke.
Good luck
I will check to see if the light in the cluster works. I have not investigated yet cuz I wasn't sure where I should start.
My glove box light also isn't working. All 3 of the tiny bulbs...glove box and both climate control bulbs were burned out. Replaced both climate control bulbs and they work fine. Glove box isn't. Ugh.
This is my only vehicle and I'd like to keep it in good shape if I can.
Well, the light does not come on in the instrument cluster when the rear hatch is open.
The rest of the stuff on the hatch works. The rear wiper and wiper fluid. The window rolls up and down.
License plate lights also work. Had to replace a bulb but they both work.
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