1990 Toyota Camry LE Driver side window and power locks?

[usfourangels]

I just purchased a 1990 Toyota Camry LE for my daughter and the first time we put the driver side window down it wouldn't go back up. My husband finally got it forced back up, but now we have noticed that the power door locks don't work either. When the door is opened and moved back and forth we noticed that the lights on the window controls go on and off so my husband thinks that it is in the the wiring so I have been looking for a wiring harness for the driver side door and I am not able to find one. Does anyone have and help or advice of what I need to look for? Thank you for any help.

[Mike Gerber]

The loom of wires leading in to the door by the front hinge is usually the problem area. That loom is subjected to a lot of flexing over the years, as the door is constantly opened and closed. Try opening up that loom of wires and looking for frayed or broken wires. If you don't have a wiring diagram, try moving the wires around individually until you find 1 or 2 that are broken as indicated either by feel or by the lights on that panel flickering on and off.

Mike

[jdmccright]

I just replaced the wiring harness for my '92 driver side front door after 198k miles and a nonfunctional rear left window...oddly saw at least 4 broken or nearly broken wires when I dissected the old one but just happenede to maintain contact.

You might be able to get some contact by rolling/pinching the harness at the bend (the part with the rubber boot, nearest the body) betwen your fingers. If that gives you intermittent power while operating the switches, then that's your culprit.

Replacement isn't too hard, just be careful removing the bottom part of the door panel so the metal anchors don't pull out of the fiberboard panel backing.

I found a used replacement at the salvage yard for $50 but inspected underneath the rubber boot before installing it. Sure enough it had fatigued as well but no wire breaks, just broken insulation. I taped up each wire and then wrapped more electrical tape around the portion that sees the most fatigue (for more reinforcement) and slid the boot back in place. Hope this helps!

[usfourangels]

Does anyone know a place to locate and purchase a door wiring harness for a '90 Camry LE? I have called the Toyota dealership and they want over $300.00 and I haven't been able to find one at any salvage yards in my area? I am getting desperate. I read previous advise about others just fixing the wires on their own, but my husband said that the boot is bad and the wires have been repaired so many times that they would just break again so not an option. Any help would be appreciated. Trying to locate this part has become so very frustrating!!!!

[Brian R.]

Perhaps you could adapt a wiring harness from a more recent model that is more easily found. Extra wires/connectors are not a big deal....

[usfourangels]

Originally Posted by Brian R.

Perhaps you could adapt a wiring harness from a more recent model that is more easily found. Extra wires/connectors are not a big deal....

Would you know what year Camry would be similar enough to the 90 Camry that we would be able to use the harness? Or what one would be similar enough? Thank you for replying.

[Mike Gerber]

Do a Google search for "Toyota salvage yards". There are several that specialize in just Toyotas. I believe one was in Texas. Sorry I can't remember the name.

Mike

[Brian R.]

Originally Posted by usfourangels

Would you know what year Camry would be similar enough to the 90 Camry that we would be able to use the harness? Or what one would be similar enough? Thank you for replying.

Sorry, no. I don't do wiring. But if you could get one from a 3rd gen, you can see if the same type of connector is used on each end of the harness. That would be the most important characteristic. I don't believe that the current draw of the motors and lights changed very much.

FWIW, please don't start new threads related to the same topic as an existing thread. I have combined your two threads on this topic.

[somick]

Finding a harness that fits exactly is, of course, the better choice. But if no luck on that I would create one of my own. Put new wires through the old boot and make splices inside the cabin on one side and inside the door on another side. That what I did on my old Chevy years ago and it worked till it got totaled.

Good luck,

Sam

[GSS123]

This company will build you a harness but will need your old one for a model. http://www.agexpress.com/

Call them first to discuss your project. They've done RV's and large farm tractor electrical harnesses for me.

[jdmccright]

As somick suggested, you can replace the broken wires by splicing in new wire pieces. Make the splice lengths abt 4-6" and terminate them well away from the bend site. I would also stagger the splice locations along the harness to prevent it from getting too fat to fit through the rubber boot. Stick with the same gauge and strand number/thickness. Fewer but thicker strands in a same-gauge wire won't hold up as well as those with more and thinner strands. Soldered connections are better than crimped or twisted and shrink tubing is better and cleaner than vinyl electrical tape for insulating the splice sites.

It'll take some patience, but it can be done.

[journier60]

I thank you for your input. I have been searching for a solution to the same problem I am having with my 1990 toyota camry 2.0.LE. There is another problem that I would really like to know how to solve after months and months of trying to find a solution for. The problem is the L.E.S., which is located in the driver side trunk wheel well. Over a year now I have been seeing that many people have had this problem. I have tried to troubleshoot it. I have replaced it with another one from a junkyard. I still have the same light icon in the dash showing up. If I disconnect it, I loose all my lights. I thought I was going to get an answer from this one entry on how to splice this wire with this wire.....but the problem is that my wiring on this unit is not like what is common apparently. So, does anyone know how to help me?

[jdmccright]

As mentioned in an earlier post, if the light is still on after replacing the module, then look for a broken wire in the harness going to the trunk lights. These break from fatigue, especially on a car as old as yours.

[journier60]

Thank you for your help. I have resigned to the fact that there will have to be some very detailed searching out in the wire mess. It is all worth it though.