99-01 Remote windows mod
04-06-13, 08:42 PM
#1
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
99-01 Remote windows mod
Sharing my latest mod with y'all.
Background: If you don't know the 99-01 ES300 has auto up/down front windows as well as express open/close sunroof. The nice thing about these features is they can be controlled by electronics easily, many newer cars let you open/close the auto windows via the remote. On our old ES300 all you can do is turn the key in the door...hold unlock and the windows/sunroof open, hold lock and the windows/sunroof open. Limited usability but that got me thinking...
If you have the right electronics to control it, you could turn unlock pulses into simulated key turns. Well there is a very simple device to do this sort of stuff, called a TR-7 smart relay made by PAC. These things are useful for alarm installers, they need to translate inputs and outputs all the time. If we take an input (say door lock pulses) and turn that into an output (say a ground timer for the key cylinder input) we could control the window function remotely...
All of the locking and window functions are controlled by the body ECU, or "Integration Relay" in Toyota speak, which is located behind the fuse box. We just need to tap a few wires right there and we can do this. So you will need 2 PAC TR-7 units, and some Scotchlok wire taps, or soldering supplies or whatever you like to tap wires with.
So let's get on with it:
Remove the trim panel below the steering wheel, fairly simple, consult your service manual or figure it out. You will need to remove this metal panel too, 4 bolts.
This will expose the area we need to work (disregard the scotchlok taps you see already, I had started on this project when I installed the power folding mirrors.)
If you follow the wires going under the fuse box in front, there is an orange plug going into the Integration relay underneath facing up. You want to umplug that to make it easier to identify the wires you are going to tap.
Unpack your TR-7s. You need to program them. You just need 12v power to do this, can be done off the car if you have a power supply, or you can actually program them installed in the car after you finish the wiring. instructions are included with the units, but I will tell you which options to use in the Appendix. At this point you need to designate the "opening TR-7" and the "closing TR-7" doesn't matter which is which just keep them straight.
Tap the following wires from the Integration Relay plug as such:
Closing TR-7 Green wire-->Blue/Red wire, pin 12
Closing TR-7 White wire-->Blue/White wire, pin 18
Opening TR-7 Green wire-->Blue wire, pin 11
Opening TR-7 White wire-->Red/Green wire pin 19
Now you need to power the TR-7s, any battery(constant) power will do, I found the front of the fuse box down low has a plug with a Blue/White wire that has 12v and a Black wire with ground. That would be
Both TR-7 Red wire-->Blue/White
Both TR-7 Black wire-->Black
You are done wiring! Don't put anything together yet, you want program the TR-7s if you haven't yet (see Appendix) and then test. Don't forget to plug the Integration Relay back in, nothing works without that.
Once you have it working pat yourself on the back, and get to reassembling
Make sure to neaten up the wiring, electrical tape is nice. You need to tape up all the unused wires from the TR-7s.
I like to also cover the units with some foam to prevent rattles later, then I stuff them up in some space up in the dash
So there you have it...if you used my programming method, pressing the unlock button on the remote 3 times within 5 sec will open the front windows and sunroof. On the other side, pressing the lock button 2 times within 5 sec will close the front windows and roof. See the action here:
Now combine with the folding mirrors for full sweetness ha
Now you may see a big flaw here, no rear windows... unfortunately since they are "normal" windows from the factory we can't control them. Not that I am not working on that...it will just take some time and needs a bit more equipment...
Appendix: So the basic programming follow the instructions. If you do it off the car it is pretty easy, you can apply the 12v in programming mode, and do your trigger wire. If you do it on the car, like if you want to change an option later, you can do that too, unplug the TR-7 (do one at a time) and put it in programming mode and plug it back in. For the opening TR-7, use the remote unlock button on the key as your trigger and watch the LED. For the closing TR-7 use the lock button on the door as your trigger.
You want to program Option 15 for step 1 for both units. For step 2 you want to program 2 pulses for the opening unit, and 3 pulses for the closing unit. For step 3 you want to program 14 sec output timer. Keep in mind that means 0-1-4 in the programming progression. Once you do it a couple of times you'll get the hang of it. You can of course deviate from what I did here on step 2, if you want just 1 lock pulse to close the windows just program it for 1 on that step and every time you lock the car the windows will close, same as with the unlock it is up to you!
There is also a slightly more expensive version of this TR-7 the PRO that you plug USB to your computer and simply program it from a GUI on your PC rather than pulsing wires and watching the LED. If I had known those existed I probably would have used those, but this way is a bit more pain but cheaper and the unit is smaller so there you go.
Background: If you don't know the 99-01 ES300 has auto up/down front windows as well as express open/close sunroof. The nice thing about these features is they can be controlled by electronics easily, many newer cars let you open/close the auto windows via the remote. On our old ES300 all you can do is turn the key in the door...hold unlock and the windows/sunroof open, hold lock and the windows/sunroof open. Limited usability but that got me thinking...
If you have the right electronics to control it, you could turn unlock pulses into simulated key turns. Well there is a very simple device to do this sort of stuff, called a TR-7 smart relay made by PAC. These things are useful for alarm installers, they need to translate inputs and outputs all the time. If we take an input (say door lock pulses) and turn that into an output (say a ground timer for the key cylinder input) we could control the window function remotely...
All of the locking and window functions are controlled by the body ECU, or "Integration Relay" in Toyota speak, which is located behind the fuse box. We just need to tap a few wires right there and we can do this. So you will need 2 PAC TR-7 units, and some Scotchlok wire taps, or soldering supplies or whatever you like to tap wires with.
So let's get on with it:
Remove the trim panel below the steering wheel, fairly simple, consult your service manual or figure it out. You will need to remove this metal panel too, 4 bolts.
This will expose the area we need to work (disregard the scotchlok taps you see already, I had started on this project when I installed the power folding mirrors.)
If you follow the wires going under the fuse box in front, there is an orange plug going into the Integration relay underneath facing up. You want to umplug that to make it easier to identify the wires you are going to tap.
Unpack your TR-7s. You need to program them. You just need 12v power to do this, can be done off the car if you have a power supply, or you can actually program them installed in the car after you finish the wiring. instructions are included with the units, but I will tell you which options to use in the Appendix. At this point you need to designate the "opening TR-7" and the "closing TR-7" doesn't matter which is which just keep them straight.
Tap the following wires from the Integration Relay plug as such:
Closing TR-7 Green wire-->Blue/Red wire, pin 12
Closing TR-7 White wire-->Blue/White wire, pin 18
Opening TR-7 Green wire-->Blue wire, pin 11
Opening TR-7 White wire-->Red/Green wire pin 19
Now you need to power the TR-7s, any battery(constant) power will do, I found the front of the fuse box down low has a plug with a Blue/White wire that has 12v and a Black wire with ground. That would be
Both TR-7 Red wire-->Blue/White
Both TR-7 Black wire-->Black
You are done wiring! Don't put anything together yet, you want program the TR-7s if you haven't yet (see Appendix) and then test. Don't forget to plug the Integration Relay back in, nothing works without that.
Once you have it working pat yourself on the back, and get to reassembling
Make sure to neaten up the wiring, electrical tape is nice. You need to tape up all the unused wires from the TR-7s.
I like to also cover the units with some foam to prevent rattles later, then I stuff them up in some space up in the dash
So there you have it...if you used my programming method, pressing the unlock button on the remote 3 times within 5 sec will open the front windows and sunroof. On the other side, pressing the lock button 2 times within 5 sec will close the front windows and roof. See the action here:
Now combine with the folding mirrors for full sweetness ha
Now you may see a big flaw here, no rear windows... unfortunately since they are "normal" windows from the factory we can't control them. Not that I am not working on that...it will just take some time and needs a bit more equipment...
Appendix: So the basic programming follow the instructions. If you do it off the car it is pretty easy, you can apply the 12v in programming mode, and do your trigger wire. If you do it on the car, like if you want to change an option later, you can do that too, unplug the TR-7 (do one at a time) and put it in programming mode and plug it back in. For the opening TR-7, use the remote unlock button on the key as your trigger and watch the LED. For the closing TR-7 use the lock button on the door as your trigger.
You want to program Option 15 for step 1 for both units. For step 2 you want to program 2 pulses for the opening unit, and 3 pulses for the closing unit. For step 3 you want to program 14 sec output timer. Keep in mind that means 0-1-4 in the programming progression. Once you do it a couple of times you'll get the hang of it. You can of course deviate from what I did here on step 2, if you want just 1 lock pulse to close the windows just program it for 1 on that step and every time you lock the car the windows will close, same as with the unlock it is up to you!
There is also a slightly more expensive version of this TR-7 the PRO that you plug USB to your computer and simply program it from a GUI on your PC rather than pulsing wires and watching the LED. If I had known those existed I probably would have used those, but this way is a bit more pain but cheaper and the unit is smaller so there you go.
04-06-13, 09:35 PM
#3
Forum Administrator
iTrader: (2)
Great writeup!
04-06-13, 10:16 PM
#4
Wow, have I told you that you are awesome?! I love these electrical mods, thank you for sharing.
So to get this straight, your current method will only work if you have automatic up/down function? My 98 only has Automatic Down on the driver side, but going up is manually controlled. Would that be an issue, if I wanted to do this?
So to get this straight, your current method will only work if you have automatic up/down function? My 98 only has Automatic Down on the driver side, but going up is manually controlled. Would that be an issue, if I wanted to do this?
04-07-13, 03:35 PM
#5
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Yeah that is correct, only the auto up/down style windows can be controlled. So your situation all around would be the same as my rear windows. It can still be done it just takes more work. You have to turn your windows into auto windows, you can use an alarm installer product, a DEI 530T window automation module, It can turn normal windows into auto up/down. The plus side is it has inputs you can use to open and close the windows. I will install one of these in the future to automate the rear windows so they can open close with the fronts via this mod.
04-07-13, 04:13 PM
#6
Yeah that is correct, only the auto up/down style windows can be controlled. So your situation all around would be the same as my rear windows. It can still be done it just takes more work. You have to turn your windows into auto windows, you can use an alarm installer product, a DEI 530T window automation module, It can turn normal windows into auto up/down. The plus side is it has inputs you can use to open and close the windows. I will install one of these in the future to automate the rear windows so they can open close with the fronts via this mod.
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04-08-13, 08:28 PM
#8
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
^^The question is, can you turn the key in the door cylinder and hold it to open or close the sunroof? that would tell you if the functionality is there and you can do this mod to a 97 for sunroof only.
04-14-13, 07:22 PM
#12
Lead Lap
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