Thank you for the video!
Ultimate camping mod- rear window up / down and hatch pop with ignition off!
- Thread starter nytosc
- Start date
Thank you for the video!
RovinRambler
New member
This mod is sweet!
This is a great product. I have lived in my converted 4runner for about two years now. Every time i cook or need to regulate the temperature inside the vehicle i had to turn the car on to adjust the windows. I emailed Jesse and within a week the kit was in my post office box! The directions are straight forward and easy to read. But i was nervous about tapping the wrong wires so i reached out and was totally walked through the process and which wires i needed to work with. Ive had it for a few days now and it works like a dream. I purchased the flush button style and im very happen with the outcome and sleekness of the design. Thanks Jesse!
This is a great product. I have lived in my converted 4runner for about two years now. Every time i cook or need to regulate the temperature inside the vehicle i had to turn the car on to adjust the windows. I emailed Jesse and within a week the kit was in my post office box! The directions are straight forward and easy to read. But i was nervous about tapping the wrong wires so i reached out and was totally walked through the process and which wires i needed to work with. Ive had it for a few days now and it works like a dream. I purchased the flush button style and im very happen with the outcome and sleekness of the design. Thanks Jesse!
gringo8251
New member
[MENTION=165350]nytosc[/MENTION] wire version with the black button available?
kaitlyn2004
New member
Anyone here found a nice clean solution/method for using this with the newer smart key systems? I THINK just throwing it in an aluminum foil bag would work or something like that, but wanted to make sure there is a workable solution before I go ahead and order+install 
Anyone here found a nice clean solution/method for using this with the newer smart key systems? I THINK just throwing it in an aluminum foil bag would work or something like that, but wanted to make sure there is a workable solution before I go ahead and order+install
Unfortunately that would not work- the system does need to see the key near the vehicle, just not inside the vehicle. Its a pain for the smart key system, but keeping your key in your pocket is pretty awesome and for most a worthwhile trade.
kaitlyn2004
New member
Oh wait... so that's actually a little different than I originally understood.
Say I am at a campsite, sleeping in the car (2020 smart key system). The ONLY way the button to unlock the rear hatch would work is if the key was OUTSIDE the car, like in that surf lockbox thing?
ElectroBoy
Banned
If I had a smart key 4Runner this is what I want:
1. I want to sleep in back with all doors and hatch locked (manually?) for my safety. With the alarm off.
2. I want to be able to unlock and open a rear door without setting off the alarm, get out, close door, P, open door, get back in, lock the door (manually?).
3. I want to do the same as in step #2 but with the back hatch.
Questions;
1. Can this be done with the discrete push button product or with the remote control product?
2. Can it be done with the smart key inside the vehicle?
Or only if the smart key is left in the exterior lockbox?
Please explain.
Kaitlyn,
That is correct (per my understanding)- just the nature of the smart key system unfortunately. Someone else did discuss disabling the smart key system but I dont recall the conclusion to that.
1. You can lock the vehicle while in the back, but because the smart key system is sensing the key right in the hitch, if someone pressed the window down button it would unlock the vehicle.
2. With key in hitch area, vehicle alarm will not go off
3. Same
1. Unfortunately there isnt a way around the smart key system that I am aware of
2. if the key is inside, vehicle will not allow itself to lock keys inside. One option (but it doesnt use the kit) is to put key in a faraday cage pouch and manually lock vehicle. I dont know what that does with the alarm system though
My 4R did not have the smart key system so the only experience I have with it is from customer installs as well as from my daily driver that has it (but is not a 4R).
kaitlyn2004
New member
Hmm, I have already definitely done this? Slept in the back of my 4runner, key by my side, lock the doors with the fob. Unlock with fob as well. Never tried another method (reaching over to driver lock control too far)
Kaitlyn,
Good to know- it was my assumption that you couldnt lock key in car, but perhaps it is different with a key inside vehicle using the key fob. If you have two keys, you could test by putting one inside the vehicle, another far away from the vehicle and placing it inside. Then, walk to back press the window up on the outside and see what happens. Also you could try with key in your pocket.
kaitlyn2004
New member
Do you want me to test anything specific with the 2020/remote start key to verify how it may/may not work with your system (whether wired or wireless)?
Kaitlyn,
I realize my previous message wasnt the most clear. The only testing I would suggest is to take your keys and throw them inside the car. Close it up and use the rear buttons to see if vehicle locks or unlocks. When doing this, I would suggest having your spares handy, but far from vehicle where the vehicle doesnt pick them up.
Next, try the same thing with a set of keys in the hitch, and a set of keys inside the vehicle. I'd be curious what happens.
I realize my previous message wasnt the most clear. The only testing I would suggest is to take your keys and throw them inside the car. Close it up and use the rear buttons to see if vehicle locks or unlocks. When doing this, I would suggest having your spares handy, but far from vehicle where the vehicle doesnt pick them up.
Next, try the same thing with a set of keys in the hitch, and a set of keys inside the vehicle. I'd be curious what happens.
kaitlyn2004
New member
With 2nd key not nearby, the car won't lock or unlock using the buttons on the hatch (Forgot to check, but wonder if I locked it if the button would unlock...)
With the 2nd key nearby, the car will unlock and window roll-down, but won't lock.
In the above situations, the locking causing the long beep with driver screen display "Key detected in vehicle"
thank you Kaitlyn! In reading this, it does appear there is no way around having to keep a set of keys nearby the car without having a set inside for vehicles with the smart key system.
kaitlyn2004
New member
Yeah... really sad! More than anything I want to be able to unlock the hatch from inside.. window control/etc. just a bonus.
Obviously there are security systems at play, but does this mean there is no way that the hatch can be unlocked from a button/slider? Whether electronically or mechanically?
Even as a two-step process... since I can still unlock with the fob in the car, I just don't have any latch or pull or anything to get the back hatch unclicked
ElectroBoy
Banned
[MENTION=165350]nytosc[/MENTION], will the hatch pop button function on the 2020+ model years? Is [MENTION=569635]kaitlyn2004[/MENTION] the first to attempt this mod on a 2020?
Maybe a brute force method will work, that is, a manual latch disengage. I believe that’s the reason for the little panel cover on the bottom of my hatch door. Pop off the cover and you have access to the area around the latching mechanism. I haven’t done this but you’d have to cut through the plastic dust covering, attach a string to the release lever and fish it back through a hole in the cover. Googling around the forum I see others have done this. This link is the only one I’ve seen that has photos, although not so clear.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/1609636-post54.html
Rear Hatch Mod (no electric)(open from inside)
Attachments
Kaitlyn,
For smart key system equipped trucks, the kit as is will allow you to provided the keys are outside the vehicle. The caveat here is that with the keys outside the vehicle, you can lock it, but if someone pressed on the rear door hatch they could in theory unlock the vehicle.
Another test that may be of interest would be take 1 fob and put it in the hitch. lock car and keep other fob far away. Now go to drive side door with the smart key system and try to open the front door.
If it doesnt work, maybe something of interest to you would be a defeat switch where you can press a switch and defeat the rear door handle button when camping inside the vehicle- you would put keys in surf lock, get inside the vehicle then press a button that disables the rear door handle from working from the outside. You can now operate the kit (window up / down lock / unlock and hatch pop) while no one from the outside can do so. Just a thought but this may be of interest to you. If so, happy to design something at cost. Just let me know.
The kit does work, but you have to keep the keys outside of the vehicle as noted above. Unfortunately the smart key system is as smart as it sounds and wont let you lock keys inside vehicle with rear exterior buttons.
Similar threads
