Valance replacement

[shoota]

Hey guys! First time poster here, good to meet you all.
I've got a couple question to pick your guru brains with. I bought a new valance to replace my cracked one and I'm wondering if you have any tips on how to install it. I was looking at it and the bolts are in pretty hard to reach places.

The second question concerns the rear dome light. It comes on when in the 'On' position but not when in the 'Door' position. Have any idea what the casue of that might be? Also, is there supposed to be lights that light up the rear license plate area? Cause mine is dark and I can't remember there ever being a light there.

Thanks!

 

[Dezert4Runner]

It's actually easier to take off the whole front bumper to get to the nuts for the valence. Just make sure to unclip your blinker connectors first.

Don't know about rear cargo light situation.

The license plate has 2 separate lights. I don't know the bulb model, but any auto parts store should have a guide to look it up. If new bulbs don't do the trick, you've got bigger fish to fry.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

It may be easier to take off the whole bumper but it can still be done by leaving the bumper on there.

I just did it on my 01 and im not sure if its the same but ya gotta take your grill out and you will see all the screws that that hold it on. there are 2 right above your fog lights, (if you have them) and then there are also 3 more behind your flares that are attached to the valence besides that the others are pretty easy to get to.

with your dome light does you key ring come on when you open the door?

 

[shoota]

Thanks guys, I'll look into taking the bumper off too.

As for the key ring light.. are you referring to the green circle light around the ignition?

 

[GottaBeTRD]

yeah that one

 

[TheDurk]

I definitely recommend taking the whole bumper off. It takes three minutes once you find the bolts. I just did mine, and many of the the valence to bumper screws were rusted solid; it would have been almost impossible to get the valence off with it on the truck. It wasn't easy with it off.

 

[shoota]

yeah that one

Nope it doesn't come on with the hatch open. It only comes on when the driver's side door is open. So what does that mean?

 

[GottaBeTRD]

oh sorry i thought it was your regular dome light not the hatch. I didn't see the "rear" part. I would just check your switch, i think this is common for a lot of people on here.

for me it wasn't hard taking just the valence off, now that i know were all the bolts are, i could do it in 15 minutes but my stuff wasn't rusted at all so i may have got lucky.

 

[JPPET]

You're talking about the hatch light, right?
Mine was doing that too...When you open the hatch, it indicates on the dash(same light that indicate open doors)?
If not, then could be just a broken wire on the wire harness(since you said that the license plate lights are off too), or the trunk latch. On the hatch, the switch for turn the light on is inside the latch, its not like the switch on the doors. In my 4Runner, I removed the latch, and opened it the problem was a broken wire on the switch. I just welded it again, reassembled everything and the light works as its supposed to =)
To open the latch, it gives you a really good job to open it. I think that's easier for you to buy another one from a junkyard or from the dealer.
Yes, the license plate area it's supposed to illuminate, there's two lights. As I said, could be a broken wire on the hatch wire harness or just a burned bulb.

 

[shoota]

Seems like to me the switch inside the latch is probably bad. Anyone got a guide on how to take it apart or should I just leave it be since I didn't even notice it?