Topic: Rear Defrost Switch in truck

[gwbaker]

ok cant find this anywhere else probably something simple but im confused, I have a 86 truck with the rear defrost switch, it has a wiring harness hooked up to it and it lights up like its working, but I have a sliding back glass. the switch looks factory like it came with the truck but what would it be hooked up to and controlling......just curious.....thanks for any help

[K.Lund]

Maybe the PO removed the solid rear window and installed a slider?  Or they installed the factory switch to run fog lights or something.  The switch will light up even if nothing is connected to it.

[yotaneck13]

i didnt even kno they put dfrosters in the trucks huh learn somethin new every day i guess

[gwbaker [OP]]

oh so it may have had a defroster in a solid back glass? I didnt know that Thanks....

[Snowtoy]

As mentioned it is likely something the PO was using it to power something else(or planned to), and used the factory switch for the ease of putting a switch in an oem location.  I have done something similar in the past. 

To find out for sure pull the switch and see if it is attached to an oem harness or just has a spliced wire to the oem dash lights, or see if there is a harness end above or below the rear window.

Of all the 80's era pick-ups my friends and families members have had, and the ones that I have restored, I have never seen a defroster in a pick-up's rear window, there really isn't a need for one.  If it is all factory it is the first that most(if any) of us have ever heard of one being in Toyota mini truck. 

[bleakhorizon]

i happen to have  a 85 and a 87 owners manual sitting next to me and interestingly in the section it talks about the rear window defrost it doesnt specifically say its for a 4runner or truck... other more specific switches do...  so maybe a rear window defrost was an option on the pu... wouldnt be hard to do if you had a solid back window....

[axled89]

thet little cab should'nt need defrost if the heater is working.   

[gwbaker [OP]]

I have the manual for the truck and mine says the same thing, that the switch is not specified for the 4 runner, but it looks to be a factory harness, I have pulled it apart and tried to figure out where it went and what it went to, and po i highly doubt would go through the trouble of installing such a switch for other acc. but who knows.....the truck is power everything locks windows even has the factory cassette deck that works perfectly...i dont know if that would matter being all power but it has me really confused.......

[Snowtoy]

With the switch being wired to a factory harness, that only leaves 3 possible options, 1) dealer option, 2) after market install w/oem looking switch/harness, or 3) the interior and wiring harness has been swapped out w/a 4-Runner's.  Anyone know where the 1st gen Runner rear window defroster switch is located? It has been about 5yrs since I restored one, and I can't remember if it is located on the dash or on the center console.

One way to know for sure if the switch actually went to anything would be see if there is another harness or cut wires along the top or bottom of the rear window.

Do you know where the truck was originally sold?

You might try reposting this question in chitchat or the general forum, to get more board members involved.

[85xcab]

My 85 pickup has the switch wired to the factory harness and the wires by the rear window opening. It has a sliding back window that I assume was installed by the PO

[gwbaker [OP]]

yeah mine has the sliding rear window also, probably had a solid one but I cant ever remember seeing a solid back glass  that had a defroster in it.....and the switch is located right where it would be on a 4runner of that year, on the dash....and i have also had the dash apart and I cant see where someone may have tapped into it, looks all factory under there....the only thing I havent looked for is wires around the rear window.....i think it would be really nice to have one if it was offered  but I have tried to find just a solid back glass and the is nearly impossible around here, I have found them on auction sites but im afraid that it would get broke in shipping.....

[boneyard customs]

They have Rear Defrost in 4 Runners too........