🛠️ Member Build Eod Guy's Ride

[mountaindesert]

My apologies, I don't know all the differences between trim levels. With the opener switch being right there, it shouldn't be too hard to install an additional switch. The important question would be where to mount it and how to protect it from accidental activation.

Just thinking out loud, if I were to do this, I think I'd mount a momentary switch in the cubby where the jack is located (easily accessed and protected from accidental activation). Another location might be in the area where the manual unlock panel is, remove the trim panel, hard mount a momentary switch that could be reached through the open access panel and with panel cover in place, it would be protected from accidental activation.

Yes, that's what I was thinking as well for your latter suggestion.

There's a removable piece of plastic trim on the inside of the tailgate as an emergency in case someone got locked in.

I removed that trim piece already. However, I'm trying to come up with some manual switch that makes it easy to open from the inside.


When I find a way to do this I'll post the results

 

[EOD Guy]

Yes, but the 1958 doesn't have an automatic hatch so i can't use a key fob for that

I got curious as I didn't know exactly how the manual unlock worked.......... took off the access panel, turned the screw and the little white arm dropped down.......... then what? The owner's manual wasn't clear (to me anyways). I took off the entire trim panel to figure it out.

Once the white arm drops, you will see a silver tab/arm, push the tab to the right. It would be fairly easy to make a tab extension with a piece tubing squished flat on one end (not completely closed, but just enough for a tight slip over the tab) When camping, you could install the extension and when not needed easily removable.

 

[EOD Guy]

Yes, but the 1958 doesn't have an automatic hatch so i can't use a key fob for that

Question, as I do not know........ Does the 1958 fob unlock the rear hatch? Or how do you unlock the rear hatch?

 

[TumaloCruzer]

Question, as I do not know........ Does the 1958 fob unlock the rear hatch? Or how do you unlock the rear hatch?

When I unlock the vehicle by fob or door handle touch, the hatch is also unlocked. Also if I have the fob on me, the hatch unlocks when attempting to lift manually.

 

[EOD Guy]

When I unlock the vehicle by fob or door handle touch, the hatch is also unlocked. Also if I have the fob on me, the hatch unlocks when attempting to lift manually.

Thanks for helping me understand...... so if you unlock the doors with the fob, the rear hatch is unlocked but still physically latched and you have to press a button on the hatch to unlatch and manually raise the hatch. Do I have that correct? or is it a manual release?

I guess what i'm not understanding is ..... if you push the unlock on the fob and don't open the rear hatch, there is a mechanical latch that must be operated in order to open the hatch.

 

[TumaloCruzer]

I guess what i'm not understanding is ..... if you push the unlock on the fob and don't open the rear hatch, there is a mechanical latch that must be operated in order to open the hatch.

That’s right, unlocking with the fob unlocks all doors (I have mine set to one press unlocks all instead of requiring a second press) including the hatch. Then I’d have to manually press the button under the hatch handle and lift to open. Alternatively, if the fob is in my pocket, pressing the hatch button will unlock.

 

[BigMF]

I got curious as I didn't know exactly how the manual unlock worked.......... took off the access panel, turned the screw and the little white arm dropped down.......... then what? The owner's manual wasn't clear (to me anyways). I took off the entire trim panel to figure it out.

Once the white arm drops, you will see a silver tab/arm, push the tab to the right. It would be fairly easy to make a tab extension with a piece tubing squished flat on one end (not completely closed, but just enough for a tight slip over the tab) When camping, you could install the extension and when not needed easily removable.

Great! Now I need to be sure to have a Phillips head screwdriver with me at all times in case I get kidnapped and thrown into my own "trunk" and need to break out! Probably need a trim removal tool as well as I wouldn't want to scratch the trim during a kidnapping.

 

[mountaindesert]

I got curious as I didn't know exactly how the manual unlock worked.......... took off the access panel, turned the screw and the little white arm dropped down.......... then what? The owner's manual wasn't clear (to me anyways). I took off the entire trim panel to figure it out.

Once the white arm drops, you will see a silver tab/arm, push the tab to the right. It would be fairly easy to make a tab extension with a piece tubing squished flat on one end (not completely closed, but just enough for a tight slip over the tab) When camping, you could install the extension and when not needed easily removable.

Wow! You are incredibly helpful. Thank you!!

I'd like to figure out a way where I don't need a screwdriver and I can somehow MacGyver a mechanical solution on the interior so I can get out whenever I'm sleeping and car camping...

 

[mountaindesert]

Great! Now I need to be sure to have a Phillips head screwdriver with me at all times in case I get kidnapped and thrown into my own "trunk" and need to break out! Probably need a trim removal tool as well as I wouldn't want to scratch the trim during a kidnapping.

Lmao follow EOD's instruction above. I'm going to try to figure out a way to make a mechanical solution so I don't need a screwdriver on me at all times and I can simply turn something with my hand to make it work.

 

[mountaindesert]

That’s right, unlocking with the fob unlocks all doors (I have mine set to one press unlocks all instead of requiring a second press) including the hatch. Then I’d have to manually press the button under the hatch handle and lift to open. Alternatively, if the fob is in my pocket, pressing the hatch button will unlock.

Silly question but I think asking you would be quicker than searching for it in the manual.

How do you program your key fob to unlock all doors and the tailgate with one press?

 

[EOD Guy]

I think it's in the infotainment settings under vehicle, but not sure..... I have a high end Dianostic computer that lets me program, reprogram all kinds of things just like the dealer.

 

[EOD Guy]

Great! Now I need to be sure to have a Phillips head screwdriver with me at all times in case I get kidnapped and thrown into my own "trunk" and need to break out! Probably need a trim removal tool as well as I wouldn't want to scratch the trim during a kidnapping.

Ha! Toyota was thinking of you...... they included one in the lug wrench kit.......LOL

Once you get out, you can beat the brakes off your kidnappers with the lug wrench...... just say'in

 

[EOD Guy]

Silly question but I think asking you would be quicker than searching for it in the manual.

How do you program your key fob to unlock all doors and the tailgate with one press?

So the doors are unlocked and you press the open button on the rear hatch...... that button is an electrical switch?

If it is an electrical switch, adding a sister switch would be very easy.

If not, you could probably just leave the white cover thing or remove the white cover thing. I'm thinking a piece of 3/8 dia of brake tubing (flattened on one end and cut to a 2"-3" length would work. You can buy brake tubing at any parts store.

 

[mountaindesert]

So the doors are unlocked and you press the open button on the rear hatch...... that button is an electrical switch?

If it is an electrical switch, adding a sister switch would be very easy.

If not, you could probably just leave the white cover thing or remove the white cover thing. I'm thinking a piece of 3/8 dia of brake tubing (flattened on one end and cut to a 2"-3" length would work. You can buy brake tubing at any parts store.

"So the doors are unlocked and you press the open button on the rear hatch...... that button is an electrical switch?"

Yes that's correct.

 

[EOD Guy]

Looks like it would be a simple fab to sister a second switch

 

[ultane]

Looks like it would be a simple fab to sister a second switch

View attachment 9589
View attachment 9590

I wish that I could do that kind of sh*t!!!

 

[mountaindesert]

Looks like it would be a simple fab to sister a second switch

View attachment 9589
View attachment 9590

I think I have a different definition of "simple"

But I sure would love to figure something out but I could implement.

 

[EOD Guy]

The tube extension will not work. With the trim panel on and the access door off, there isn't enough room for the handle to stick out, nor is there enough room for it to engage the lever.

By simple I mean, splicing into the trigger wires for the door lock (one will be hot at all times the other leads to the lock), adding lengths of wire (to where ever you want the switch to be mounted) connecting those wires to the switch.

I may see what's required to add a sister switch. The goal would be to tap into the wires inside the cargo area vs the hatch. Tapping into the hatch would require longer wires fished up and through the hatch-to-body grommet etc......... I have an electronic tracer and may be able to locate the wires, hopefully in the battery side panel, which is easily accessible and be a good location to mount a protected sister switch.

My front door anti lock out magnetic switch (pass any metal object 1/4" from it and it unlocks the driver's door) the trigger wire for it was buried way deep and took forever to find. But it works well.

 

[EOD Guy]

Follow up........ It's not a simple process to tap into the locking mechanism wires. I mean it is, but the two trim levels are so different concerning the rear hatch locking mechanism electronics. I'll have to put a lot more thought and study into this.

I do know that if you haven't tried to manually unlock the rear hatch from the inside, you SHOULD practice before you need to actually do it. There is absolutely no land marks and very, very awkward to use the Phillips screwdriver to turn the white thing 1/4 turn counter clockwise. Then trying to guess where the little metal tab is was very, very difficult.

I did manage to remove the entire rear tray while the door was shut and locked, which allowed me to see what I was doing and it popped open 1st try....... I removed the little white thing entirely, should I ever have to manually unlock the hatch in the future.

The back story.......... if you disconnect the locking mech connector you have to initialize the rear door opener. Super simple except IF the lock, got locked, while you were pushing it shut during the initialization process (fob was in my pocket and something in my pocket depressed the button) there was no auto movement while it draws it tight and locks, it just locks and nothing worked, except for the damned beep, beeeeeeeeeeeep sound. So I managed to get it manually unlocked and tried again, same result. Manually unlocked it a 2nd time, tried again with the same results. Manually unlocked it a 3rd time, this time I disconnected the neg battery cable, waited 5 minutes, reconnected and this time it completed the initialization process. All works as it should.

 

[mountaindesert]

Follow up........ It's not a simple process to tap into the locking mechanism wires. I mean it is, but the two trim levels are so different concerning the rear hatch locking mechanism electronics. I'll have to put a lot more thought and study into this.

I do know that if you haven't tried to manually unlock the rear hatch from the inside, you SHOULD practice before you need to actually do it. There is absolutely no land marks and very, very awkward to use the Phillips screwdriver to turn the white thing 1/4 turn counter clockwise. Then trying to guess where the little metal tab is was very, very difficult.

I did manage to remove the entire rear tray while the door was shut and locked, which allowed me to see what I was doing and it popped open 1st try....... I removed the little white thing entirely, should I ever have to manually unlock the hatch in the future.

The back story.......... if you disconnect the locking mech connector you have to initialize the rear door opener. Super simple except IF the lock, got locked, while you were pushing it shut during the initialization process (fob was in my pocket and something in my pocket depressed the button) there was no auto movement while it draws it tight and locks, it just locks and nothing worked, except for the damned beep, beeeeeeeeeeeep sound. So I managed to get it manually unlocked and tried again, same result. Manually unlocked it a 2nd time, tried again with the same results. Manually unlocked it a 3rd time, this time I disconnected the neg battery cable, waited 5 minutes, reconnected and this time it completed the initialization process. All works as it should.

Wow that's amazing. I'm so glad we're having this discussion because it's such an unnatural and awkward mechanism.


That's a great idea to remove the white thing. I'll do the same in the near future.


I also put a phone accordion holder thingy Amazon.com

On the black plastic trim part so that I could simply squish it in when I'm not using it and pull it out when I need it.

I could use this accordion phone thingy to remove the black piece of trim when I want to open the hatch from the inside without much trouble.

However, figuring out how to open it manually without tools will be the next challenge.

Also figuring out what I could put on that mechanical opener while also being able to put the plastic trim part back on. Will be interesting to figure out.