4Runners.org - Retrofitting a 99 Center Roof Console
By: Bob_98SR5
Last Update: August 6, 2006
Application: 1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5

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Parts
99 to 02 Center Roof Console

Tools
Serrated blade for cutting headliner
Philips screwdriver
Flat head screwdriver
Soldering Gun
Rosin Core solder
Sponge
Water
Wire stripper
Wire cutter
Heat shrink tubing
Heat gun (not blow dryer)
Dremel tool with cutting and sanding bits
Self-tapping screws
Male/female connectors
18 or 20 gauge wire

Optional
SEM Castella #15223
SEM Plastic Adhesion paint
Painter's tape

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Summary
After the 98 cupholder, the most useless thing in my 98 4Runner is the so-called garage remote holder. Maybe in Japan, they have credit card-sized garage door openers, but at least here in the US, we got bricks for openers! Also, having owned a 99 before, I longed for the same in my 98.

The advantage of the 99-02 style center roof consoles is that it actually holds something. It's made for sunglasses or a US garage door opener. Also, I can fit my ipod Nano in there as well. Whatever you need to safely tuck away, its fairly roomy to put things in.
Keep in mind that you need to buy the right one! On ebay, take a look at the pictures very carefully. If you have a power moonroof in your 98, make sure it has a single cut out for the moonroof switch. I purchased a non-moonroof unit and decided I could work my magic to get it to fit, but alas, no dice.

Also, keep this in mind when you attempt this project: You can go two routes. If you have the electrical diagrams for both the 98 and 99 4runners and are skilled at matching wires with a multimeter, I imagine you can use the 99's integrate tilt up/tilt down and slide in/slide out moonroof control. But if you are like me and not an expert (but no putz either), try the method I will describe below. It takes some additional work, but I found it alot easier than matching wires.


Step 1: Removing the Existing Mirror and Moonroof Control Parts
To remove the moonroof assembly, open the garage remote hatch and remove the single screw. Pull the assembly downwards. Do NOT detach the harness. It's very difficult to remove anyways. Just leave it dangling for now.


You'll need to remove these two assemblies. Open hatch (G) and remove screw. Remove trim piece (T) and snap off cover.


Remove screw (S) and pull down. Leave the harness attached and keep screw (S) because we'll reuse it

To remove the vanity light/rear view mirror assembly, remove the trim piece, pull off the vanity mirror cover and then remove the four screws. Save the bottom two screws. The mirror is attached to this piece and will come off with it. On the backside, remove the power harness.


You'll need to remove these two assemblies. Open hatch (G) and remove screw Remove trim piece (T) and snap off cover. Keep bottom two screws (S) for reuse later.


Remove this power wire harness

Unhook the yellowish harness from the back of this piece. Remove the moonroof switches by unscrewing the two brass screws that keep it attached to the garage door holder piece. Set those screws aside for later use.


Unhook this yellow harness from this back piece. Do not unhook the harness from each other!


Remove 98 moonroof controls by unscrewing screws (S)

Step 2: Cutting the Headliner
The 99 center roof console is substantially longer. Unfortunately, I did not take precise measurements of how long of a cut you need to take, but as you can see from this picture, just lift up the console to the roof and mark some cut points. I did take a picture of the cut hole, so at least now you can visualize how long of a cut you need to make:


Cut towards the back. This will allow the 99 console to sit flush with the headliner.

Step 3: Prepping the 99 Center Roof Console
Begin by unhooking the blue harness from the metal hanger support. Next, unscrew the three screws securing the 99 moonroof switch from the back of the center roof console. You will notice that the 99 moonroof tilt and slide are integrated into one switch. You will also notice that once you remove the 99 moonroof control unit, you will see that there are two blank holes. Ah ha!


Unhook the blue harness (H) from the silver support tab


These are the two holes you will see when you remove the 99 moonroof control unit.

And as you can see in the pics below, everything fits quite nicely, thank you very much:


Here's a test fit of the 98 moonroof controls into the 99 unit. All holes line up!



Niiiice!


Step 4: Enabling the Light Wiring
Having ditched the 99's wiring harness and using the existing 98 moonroof controls, we need to do several things to make this work. First, we need to extend the very short 98 power wire. Second, from the 99's we need to extend and create a ground point. Third, we need to create and extend the wires (above) and devise a way so that both ends can plug into each other. Sounds a little confusing, but take a look below.I extended the power wire by about 8 inches and put a female end on it. I had to extend it a little further, hence the white shrink tubing in the middle. For the negative wire, I created a new wire by putting a ring connector on one end and a female end on the other. I then used a Dremel tool to grind the paint off my ground point and then secured the ring end with a self-tapping metal screw:


Here's the power wire extended. Sorry for the blurry picture.


I've also created a ground wire with a female end too. For wiring jobs, always solder and shrink tube!

On the 99 lights end, I soldered extension lines from the light wires, crimped male connectors at each end and shrink tubed the ends. Once connected, they will enable you to turn on the dome lights.


Black/Red is positive and grey/red is negative. Extend these lines and add male connectors



Here they are connected.

Step 5: Dremel'ing A New Switch Hole
Because we are using the 98 controls, we have to cut out a 2nd hole in the opaque cover. Begin by lining up the opaque cover on the 98 moonroof console. Tape it up so it doesn't move. Next, flip it and outline the hole with a sharpie pen. Then go to town on the opaque cover. Use a tapered sanding attachment to sand down the edges and create nice, rounded ends.


Taped onto old 98 console unit

You'll have to deal with the old switch markings on the opaque glass or figure out a way to safely remove it. If you find a solution that doesn't mar the finish, please write me with the solution


Marked for cutting


Step 6: Installing the Console
Begin by screwing in the 99 mirror with the screws from the two 98 mirror screws. If you have an additional screw that fits in your bin o' screws, that would make it more secure. But I found that two is more than adequate if diagonal from each other. Next, insert the console by inserting the long tabs up and over the metal supports near the window. Slightly push it up and then secure the unit with the large screw that hopefully was provided to you.


Install the rear view mirror


Secure the console with the single screw

And here's two shots of the installed unit. As you can see, the "wow" factor will underwhelm you like the cupholder mod---and your friends, wife, girlfriend, etc. will probably not even notice or care!


Side view with lights on


Front view with lights on

Optional Step: Painting
My unit that I bought from ebay was a grey/blue color. Thus, I had to paint it. When you paint plastic, make sure you do the following:

a) Clean off any oil, grime, etc. I cleaned my unit with Simple Green and then gave it a light washing with mild dishwashing soap and water.
b) Use plastic adhesion spray. Follow the directions
c) Use the correct paint. Use paint that is made for plastics.
d) Let dry in a non-dusty environment.

Of note, for a 98 4Runner with the Tan interior, the plastic consoles can be 95% matched with SEM Castella #15223. I'd say that its a wee bit lighter than the factory color, but its a pretty darn close match. Take a gander below:



The 98 is on the left and the painted 99 is on the right