91 4Runner Rear Window Problem

Is tailgate completely shut? There is a switch that is pressed when it is completely shut (on the drivers side of the gate). Or it could be binding in the track - try silicon spray in the track on both sides. There is a fancy relay circuit that controles the electricity to the door - that would be next area to check.

When you want to raise it you have to either press the button on the console or turn the key in the back 20 or 30 times to get it to finally go back up. I don't think the window motor is bad since it will go down every time.

Window motor! It has a worm gear setup and it wears out, especially if the rear window runs went a long time without lube. It works great going down because it has help from gravity. Try lubing the window runs with some silicone spray first, but it may be too late.

Hey MDT- Although mine's working fine (96 model, though I doubt it's much different,) I want to nip this in the bud before it becomes an issue... where *exactly* do I need to spray the silicone and how often should it be lubed? My Haynes manual goes over replacing the glass and has a nice exploded view but doesn't say anything about lubing the tracks- think I'll have to take the liftgate apart for that? ;)

Also, would this make any difference in how sluggish it might raise and lower the glass in below freezing weather or will I just have to settle for using the whole tailgate? TIA Dee

Clean and lube up the rubber tracks, anywhere the glass makes contact (pull the access panel off to get to the inner workings and the other parts can be accessed with the glass down).

You may also have a bad "up" relay, its fairly inexpensive and easy to replace:

Dee, get after it ASAP. Just take the can of silicone spray, available at the dealership or parts house and spray the window runs itself, this is the black rubber groove tghe window slides in. Roll the rear window down, wash the run with silicone, keep it away from the paint, wont hurt it, just a bugger to clean off. I use a rag to preven overspray. When you get to the bottom, let it continue spraying, this will give it extra to run into the window run inside the door. Do this to every window run on the rig. Oh, spray all the door seals too, this will soak up the silicone, keep the seals soft, fat and friction free agaisnt all the pait and it keeps the rubber nice and black looking besides

I am not so sure that it is the relay. I can hear it clicking when I turn the key in the tailgate when I am trying to get the window up. It will raise eventually if I turn the key to raise it up about 20 or 30 times and once it starts it goes all the way up.

Any other ideas that I should check for? Would the window go down if the tailgate closed switch is bad or faulty? When the tailgate is partially open and you try to raise the window the taligate beeps a warning signal.

Thanks for the posts so far. Not sure what to do now.

I know on my 96 the window will raise and lower whether the tailgate is open or closed. I got worried about the glass rattling when I'd slam the tailgate shut with the window down, so if I accidentally forgot to raise it before opening the hatch, I'd just raise it (either way works) with the hatch not fully shut. Scared to death I'll slam it with the window down and shatter the glass inside the door, which would be a PITA to replace (for me anyway, I don't like glass repairs much, too much clean-up.) They might have done things differently on the older ones though, or mine might just be an exception. Dee

When the tailgate is partially open and you try to raise the window the taligate beeps a warning signal.

When you want to raise it you have to either press the button on the console or turn the key in the back 20 or 30 times to get it to finally go back up. I don't think the window motor is bad since it will go down every time.

am i correct, that when you use the console button the window goes up ok, and it's just the key that requires 20 or 30 iterations to get it to work? if so, then i have the same problem. i have an '89 runner, and a little while ago, the window quit working completely with the key, but worked perfectly with the console button. i tore it apart to lube it and check out what was going on. there's a little plug that goes on the end of the lock in the back that works as the switch when you turn the key. after a bunch of years the plug finally fell off and the key quit working. after i finally got the plug back on (not a trivial task unless you take the motor and glass out and i was too lazy to do that), the key now works in the down position and works poorly (takes a couple of iterations like you say) to get the window up - but the console button works fine. i attribute it to the switch being very worn. i don't feel like ripping it apart again, nor do i want to pay a dealer, so i'm just living with it. generally, i find that it's not too much of a pain, usually every time i want to put the window up, i'm inside anyway.

mike

I think I know what is wrong. It is the same thing that happened to my 92

4Runner. The gear on the motor that drives the window up and down is worn. What happens, is due to the bad design of the rear window (why do you think Toyota doesn't use it any more??) water will get in. It washes away any grease on the gears, and rust settles in. It will go down okay, because gravity is on its side. You will have to replace the motor in the tailgate. I found one a few years ago on Ebay for a good price. One tip, the window motor for the front doors is the same in some models around the same years. THe only difference is the connector, which is easy enough to fix. Just match it up.

the key in the tailgate when I am trying to get the window up. It will raise eventually if I turn the key to raise it up about 20 or 30 times and once it starts it goes all the way up.

tailgate closed switch is bad or faulty? When the tailgate is partially open and you try to raise the window the taligate beeps a warning signal.