Dome light and outside door handle

[TominMO]

I have two questions about things I need to address on my T4:
1a. My dome light has a hole in the clear plastic cover, no idea why, looks like someone stabbed it with a screwdriver or something. What other model dome light covers will work?
1b. Alternatively, can we fit an upgraded dome light (bigger, brighter and with map lights) into Tercels? Maybe an 80s Camry dome light?
2. My outside driver's door handle is non-functional. Apparently not hooked up to the mechanism inside. PO mentioned something about a plastic piece in the door being broken. I can open the door with the inner handle. What's the fix for this, and is this a common issue? Also, can the internal mechanisms for the outer driver's door handle be swapped with a good one from one of the other doors?

[dlb]

1a) no idea
1b) there are aftermarket LEDs that fit both the front and rear tercel dome lights. here's the thread on them:

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6993

2) unfortunately, most parts from each door are not interchangeable with the others. some of the plastic clips that hold the metal arms in place may be interchangeable though, and it sounds like that might be what you need. it's easy enough to remove the inner door trim to inspect it, especially since the door still opens from the inside. i have had to remove the panels from doors that wouldn't open at all and they are a bit difficult but still possible. just slide a rag in behind the plastic window crank and work it back and forth until the metal clip pops out. every thing else is fastened with philips screws. then give the panel a sharp tug at one corner and work your way around until it's free and can be lifted out. you'll see your problem with the exterior door latch then.

[TominMO]

Thanks David!

[Petros]

all models of Tercel and Corolla, MR2 and perhaps others, use the same dome light assembly, only difference might be color of the base, but the lens in all the same. I think if too high a wattage bulb is installed (in an attempt to get more light) will cause the lense to get heat damaged in the center if the door is left open (like when cleaning the car, or doing other maintenance), and than it breaks out. the leases are easy to find in wrecking yards, might even still get it from Toyota. I solved both issues by installing an LED array, a kit is available from Autozone for $17, or likely you can find it on ebay for less. You both get a lot more light and lower bulb temp so you will not damage your new dome light lens.

the door handle fix is easy if you have the correct clip, I think you can get them from toyota, or a wrecking yard from any older toyota model, you can also pull one off one of the rear passanger door handles since they do not get used as much. The push rod end makes a 90 deg bend to join to the next part and the plastic clip just holds it in place (it does not take any loads from the handle mechanism, it just holds it in place). The problem is common in that the old plastic gets brittle and falls apart, so used ones are not always better (sometimes you get lucky, but I do not know why some of the clips turn to dust, and others are still strong and flexible after 30 years). Even if it looks good, once you pop it off the connection it breaks. I once used some stainless steel wire to hold the linkage in place by wrapping it around the joint in a figure eight and tied it off, worth a try. I did it on a rear door that does not get used as much so I was not as worry about wear or chaffing.

You can pop the inner door panel off a rear door and see if you can get one of the clips off the rear door to use on the drivers door, lubricate it well with Armor-all and silicone spray before you attempt to remove it, to keep from breaking it. Be careful as you might end up having to replace two of them, but the wire trick works, might be able to make it work with a small nylon tie-wrap or zip-tie too.

[TominMO]

OK, I understand what you mean by the 90-degree plastic clip; I am familiar with them. When I get into the door (maybe tmw), I will check out what the problem is. I hope it is just that simple.

[TominMO]

Pulled the driver's door panel a while ago. Door handle issue is not the 90-degree plastic part. The back of the actual handle itself has an obvious broken-off black plastic section in the middle. This must be where the metal piece was screwed onto. I looked at all the door handles, and they seem to be the same. Probably I could cannibalize a good handle from say the right rear and install it @ the driver's door. But I would prefer not to do that, of course. Gonna check the JYs, see if I get lucky.

[TominMO]

Update: went to my fave JY today, no Tercels to be found. Checked other early Toyota cars but none had door handles like the Tercel. I had my old handle with me, and looked at similar ones throughout the yard. I pulled three: '87 MR2, '84 Toyota pickup, '94 Mazda Protege (Ford Aspire handle is the same). Long story short, I ended up using the Toyota pickup's. It had theads for whatever length screw I wanted to use. It is not perfect, since there is a gap under the door handle (gap presently covered w/duct tape inside and out--doesn't look too bad--no, really). Intended using the Protege one but it had short studs instead of a threaded hole, and I was having trouble getting a nut on them. I had to drill new holes just to the outside of the existing holes, and widen the center to fit the handle's working parts, but it works. I used the plastic threaded 90-degree fitting from the MR2, but I think the original Tercel one would have worked. Both the Protege and Toyota p/u handles needed these mods. Looks pretty stock actually, and the JY has tons of appropriate Proteges and Aspires. The Protege/Aspire handles were obviously built to be used as both driver and passenger handles, so you could take a pass. one if you wanted.

So 80s Toyota pickups (don't know exact year range), 90-94 Protege and also 94-97 Ford Aspire (identical handles to the Protege's).

[Petros]

all of the '83-86 Tercel, andthe '87-88 wagons, use the same handle, and it is unique to the Tercel. I might have an extra one somewhere, and they show up regularly around here at the locak JY. So I can find you the correct handle, sounds like you do have to replaced it.

Did you locate a dome light cover? I have found several extras I have over the weekend in a box of Tercel parts, so can send you one of those, even the whole light assembly if you need it.

Here is the thread on upgrading to the LED dome light, I bought the Autozone kit for $17, but you can likely find something similar for much less on ebay or Amazon.

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... ht+#p59863

This is what the kit looks like:

[TominMO]

Thanks Petros for the dome light cover offer. I'm gonna try Auto Zone for that LED light setup, then see about whether I want to use a cover with it or not (is that even possible?).

Also thanks for letting me know that Tercel door handles are unique to them. Saves me some looking for gen1 Forerunners/vans, as someone else had speculated might work. I am still fiddling with the '84 Toyota truck handle, but I know how to do it now, I think. I actually preferred the Protege/Aspire handle, and probably could have made it work but was tired of fiddling with it, and switched to the Toy handle. I don't want to take your spare handle if they are hard to come by; I would rather adapt something that is plentiful.

Just did a search on "radio", because I'm thinking about replacing the Panasonic radio that some PO installed. In my experience Pioneers get the best FM reception, and the talk-radio channel I want doesn't come in on this radio (it does on my two Pioneers, in other cars). Are there radio wiring harness adaptors available so I don't have to chop up the existing wiring harness (as I strongly suspect has been already done on this car)?

EDIT: Answered my own question on radio wiring harness adaptors. This page shows two different Metra ones for an '86 Tercel. I guess I will have to look at mine to see which one is right.
http://www.carid.com/1986-toyota-tercel ... tallation/

[Petros]

The forerunner handle is the same as the truck. I have not inspected the van close enough to know, if I see one I will take a look at it (there are a few of those around here). and I can see if I can find you one at the local JY, the Tercels seem to be fairly plentiful around here and regularly show up at the JYs.

[TominMO]

OK, thanks Petros. I'm thinking I will also need whatever hardware comes with the handle to attach it to the threaded rod.

[ARCHINSTL]

I used the Metra harness for AM radio - not OE radio. I found it at the Circuit City on South Lindbergh (not all stocked it back in '06 - Gee, I wonder why...).
I installed an ancient SONY pullout - it matches the one in my '88 Dodge/Mitsu pickup, so if one dies...
See https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... dio#p51699
Tom M.

[TominMO]

Here is a good Amazon page on LED dome lights, including SMD types, which I never heard of. Tmw I will go out and measure the lengths of all the dome lights/hatch lights in my three cars, and try out various lights on this page, or one of the later pages:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_sabc? ... me%20light

[TURTCEL]

Those dome light covers get hot where the bulb heats it up in that specific location. Over time the plastic becomes brittle and breaks out. Highly unlikely a screwdriver was the culprit.

Peace