My $5 mod in 5 mins.

[Bugser]

$5 Mod in 5

If anybody purchased one and they don't have the wiring, let me know....I'll buy it off you since all the ones under $10 come from China and is a 2-4 week wait.

 

[GripT4R]

I bought mine on ebay for $9 from kentucky, it shipped the next day, and showed up in 4 days.

 

[aabottom]

Thanks OP, great post. I'll be diggin' into this $5-$10 mod.

Turning the lights on during day time rain makes the NAV screen and dash lights disappear. I hope this fixes that issue.

 

[Arnezie]

If anybody purchased one and they don't have the wiring, let me know....I'll buy it off you since all the ones under $10 come from China and is a 2-4 week wait.

I have one and no wiring.

 

[Compromised4Runner]

I’ll try and post up the terminal repair part numbers for those who might need to order them for Toyota if the wiring is not fully there.

Looking forward to the write up. I suspect my 2018 base sr5 will need this. Tried to pry it open with a peny and finger nail, but no luck. Will try again with a flat head or plastic pry.

 

[aabottom]

I popped up the dummy plastic piece. I just used a screw driver. A credit card was not stiff enough. At the bottom there is a blue connector with 3 wires: blue, red, and white. Since I at least have wires, I suspect the sensor ought to work.

So I'm buying an Automatic Light Control Sensor 89121-50020.

I just punched 89121-50020 into ebay and bought the cheapest offer: $6.83, free shipping- it's from China. I may be cheap, but I'm patient.

EDIT 2019-07-06 Finally got the pic to load. The dummy plastic piece, at the bottom there is a blue connector with 3 wires: blue, red, and white. This is from a 2016 SR5 Premium.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

I popped up the dummy plastic piece. I just used a screw driver. A credit card was not stiff enough. At the bottom there is a blue connector with 3 wires: blue, red, and white. Since I a least have wires, I suspect the sensor ought to work.

So I'm buying an Automatic Light Control Sensor 89121-50020.

I just punched 89121-50020 into ebay and bought the cheapest offer: $6.83, free shipping- it's from China. I may be cheap, but I'm patient.

For 8 bucks you could have it in 2 days.. just sayin

 

[jrandom]

I believe you are correct in that the premiums are fully wired to accept the sensor. The base trim models are only partially wired. I have a base SR5 and the plug was on the underside of the dummy plug for the sensor, but the wiring is dead ended at the large white connector in the dash behind the instrument cluster. I had to add three wires from that connector to a connector on the main body ECU. This was on my vehicle, but if you have a non premium and you plug the sensor in and get no dimming based on ambient light, then that is most likely why. I’ll try and post up the terminal repair part numbers for those who might need to order them for Toyota if the wiring is not fully there.

Either way, for a $5-10 sensor it’s a good mod, and a wonder why it’s not stock.

Man I wish you had the same year truck as mine

 

[gp55445]

For 8 bucks you could have it in 2 days.. just sayin

Link? Thx

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Link? Thx

This is the one I bought, it shipped from Kentucky, not sure why the listing is saying Hong Kong now

89121-50020 Automatic Light Control Sensor For Toyota Camry Tundra Sienna Lexus 735632536107 | eBay

 

[aabottom]

Thanks for the link. I didn't see one in the USA less than about $12. Mine is due in about Jul 24. I can wait.

 

[jrandom]

Lol yeah, it would make things much simpler! I'm actually surprised your 4R doesn't have the connector on the dummy plug. You could add the connector, but in order to do that you would have to pull the entire dash panel to feed the wire and connector. You can't feed the connector up under the dash because the hole where the solar sensor sits is completely encapsulated below by the defrost air ducts. No way to access it through the radio opening either. I learned that the hard way on another project.

LOL of course! No way it would be simple right

 

[aabottom]

The connector and wires.

Well, I'm trying to post a picture of the dummy plug with its blue connector and blue, red, and white wires. But the pic is not displaying.

So here is the link.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/members/aabottom-albums-4runner-16-a-picture55694-autolitesensordummy600.html

 

[Bugser]

I have one and no wiring.

PM'd you back

Bob

 

[SnowYeti]

Love this mod, thank you for posting it.

Here is my setup.

Running Morimoto LEDs for both low and high. Then if course the DRLs where the high beams and pretty obnoxious.

I then did the Switch Back mod for the running lights, great mod. Bright white running lights are so much better than the stock DRL

Then I did the DRL delete mod to eliminate the high beam issue. But then I had to use the brightness adjustment every time at night.

With this mod I don’t have to touch the brightness at all anymore. I just switch between two setting, daytime running lights and headlights. Clean, simple, easy, and overall so much better in every way. This mod was the cherry on the top.

 

[ElectroBoy]

... I just hope these cheap solar sensors last, because getting it back out of the dash if it gets stuck is going to require going from the underside (I put one in my rig too...

Yeah. I was worried about that too. The clip-in tabs for the dummy plug are totally different than the light sensor tabs. It will require dash disassembly to remove a failed unit. Better test it with a flashlight before snapping it into place.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

The connector and wires.

Well, I'm trying to post a picture of the dummy plug with its blue connector and blue, red, and white wires. But the pic is not displaying.

So here is the link.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/members/aabottom-albums-4runner-16-a-picture55694-autolitesensordummy600.html

Here is a pic of my dummy plug with the wires plugged in. Excuse my hairy ape hand

And here is a side by side of the sensor on the left with the dummy

 

[nimby]

Here is a pic of my dummy plug with the wires plugged in. Excuse my hairy ape hand

Bro,

You need one of these more than you do that sensor.

 

[ColoradoToyota]

I just hope these cheap solar sensors last, because getting it back out of the dash if it gets stuck is going to require going from the underside (I put one in my rig too. I was going to go with the OEM, but when I saw the price of the OEM sensor I choked on my morning coffee).

I suppose if it doesn't last you're simply back where you started - with a dummy plug that probably just isn't worth the trouble to remove this time around?

 

[Moodster]

Thanks for this! Ive got a '16 SR5 and I had the wiring?