Toyota Nation Forum banner

DIY - Changing out Head Light - Wiper - Turn Signal Switch (Enhancements)

7K views 19 replies 6 participants last post by  guapoman2000 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello Good People!:laugh:

I need to provide a very good DIY on the same subject by PERKINS who has done a super job back in July 2012 to document switching out a Wiper -Turn Signal Assembly and without further delay, here is this Thread:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...01-diy-changing-wiper-turn-signal-switch.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, I just performed an ALL Nighter of sorts and decided that I just could not stand a stiff feeling HEAD LIGHT Switch. Meaning that when you try to activate the Head Lights the switch feels really hard to turn.

Many look for ways to keep their beloved Camry's on a shoe string budget so, if you are one of them great you are at the right place here as well. However, before you rush out to the Salvage Yard you need to consider where your 3rd and perhaps 4th Generation Camry was assembled.

Why? Because I have bitten several times with Toyota using different connectors. Since my 1992 Camry XLE was made and assembled overseas in Japan, I have experienced that purchasing mirrors for example from a Salvage yard and without knowing where the donor Camry was made, you run the chance of finding out that the connectors for Power Mirrors are different between one Camry made in Japan versus one made and assembled in USA. Try splicing and replacing connectors on a pig tail harness for mirrors that are super short already!!!

Now comes the best part!:crying:

Following PERKINS DIY from his thread, I went off and grabbed a nice Head Light Switch - Wiper - Turn Signal combination assembly from a 1995 Camry made in the USA. I noticed the VIN saying it was a 4T instead of a JT. Anyway, I followed PERKINS instructions and by the time I came to install the assembly back the Ring Coupler that this salvage yard unit came didn't allow the Airbag Ring Module to fit. I tried to used the Original Ring Coupler but, it was a totally different design and it was a different outside diameter!:crying:

Needless to say, I had to go back and re-think things out carefully and this took the entire night. I really just needed a newer Head Light Switch so, I proceeded to cannibalize the switch from the Salvage yard unit. It required cutting off the Head Light switch completely off and splicing it to the Original Unit that came with my Camry.

Additionally, there were signs that things were NOT correct between the two units. One example was the Cruise / Horn connector was totally different (Pin-Outs were reversed and the nylon mold connector was different on the Salvage Yard unit).

SUMMARY:
1. Make sure you find a Camry that has the identical UNIT you are looking for and yes, this means you may need to take out the Head Light - Wiper - Turn Signal Assembly out to study it carefully.

2. You will be required to be proficient in splicing, cutting and most importantly, Soldering.

3. You will need to follow the very important instructions on the Airbag Unit when reinstalling, namely turning the Airbag Ring Electronics package once on the Ring Coupler a few times per the label before you situate the steering wheel and secure it.

4. You will need to be neat and have lots of lighting and make sure you keep all screws, bolts and interior covers in a safe place and organized.

5. The Salvage yard UNIT came with a Head Light Switch that exhibited two identical "WHITE WIRES" and one "RED" while my Original UNIT Head Light Switch harness was properly Color Coded with one Silver insulation, one White and one Red. Of course, I had already cut the harness completely from the donor (Salvage Yard UNIT) but, I guessed which went to where correctly the first time! Thank goodness! Therefore, another tip is to carefully break away thick outer carrier insulation and look to see if you have a adequate Color Coded insulation of wires before cutting. This way you can label the wires in case they come like from that 1995 Camry LE made in the USA.

6. One super important tip when re-installing the Airbag Ring Electronics package, make sure you have connected the Cruise/Horn connector at the rear of housing Assembly otherwise you will have to remove all in order to connect!:wink:

A few pictures:




HERE IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT TIP - YOU NEED TO USE HOOK TOOL TO REMOVE THE ONE TOR BOLT IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE AIRBAG!
































I hope this maybe useful to those that still have their GEN-3 Camry's!:grin:
 
See less See more
18
#2 ·
Hello again good people,

As you might imagine, didn't get any sleep and for safety I turned ON the Engine from the front passenger side and I am relieved to report that the Airbag didn't deploy and the Airbag Light came ON momentarily on the DASH Cluster and then OFF (Nominal).

Drove the car to my Park N Ride about 4 miles away and all systems a GO!

Amazing! Now I have a super smooth Head Light Switch! ;)
 
#14 ·
Hello good people!

A significant update on some issues that developed with my 1992 Camry's Clock Spring Reel Assembly as a result of not being careful when re-installing everything back such as the Clock Spring inner hub adapter!

Since this is more of a Clock Spring Reel Assembly, I decided to document my efforts on the FIX over to a different thread known as "Clock Spring"

Here:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...7-2001/738146-clockspring-2.html#post11891090
 
#15 ·
did you have to use a steering wheel puller tool to remove the wheel?

There's a 2001 Solara SLE V6 in the junkyard here....not sure if I want to grab the turn signal stalk as it has the fog light switch on it....doubt my Camry is pre-wired though.
 
#18 ·
Hum..... I never have thought it that way. You can't have enough parts for a car older than 25 years old and that's what I have! It's any special tools that I may not use after a DIY that I feel this way. Some tools are getting harder to find. Sure, you can rent / borrow some tools from the Auto Parts Store but, not all tools are there.

I end up jimmy rigging my own tools from standard tools I have laying around and most times they work flawlessly!:grin:

Well, hope you don't buy too many parts so, you don't feel you are wasting your hard earned $$$ and to me it is keeping your Car (the one that takes you and brings you back) in top shape and ready for your at all times unless of course the dreaded Big Kick happens!:|
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top