Removing lower dash (under steering wheel) to install switch

Im trying to wire my light bar to a mictuning switch to fill the blank plate on the lower dash. I only see 2 x 10mm bolts at the bottom of this dash panel, is it safe to pull on the top and does it just pop out? Having trouble finding a guide on this and dont want to make it any harder than it needs to be

Also pushing the new wires through the firewall rubber hole, is there any good tricks when it comes to this? Should I wish a thin rod through first and tape to pull back through?

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...lush-for-3rd-gens.406964/page-7#post-11711409

Post #134. Step 5

I just took a razor and put two slices into the interior boot (like a V) of the wheel well, then pushed my pinky all the way through to make sure I could get the wire through, then pushed the wire through and pulled from the engine.

 

I went through this yesterday. The steps posted above are spot on.

Yes you should use a fish of some sort to get your wires through the firewall.

When reinstalling, you might should remove the door sill plate and reinstall it with the lower left kick plate at the same time. Makes it much easier.

 

You don't need to remove the lower dash, I was able to do it with all pieces in place. You just have to reach up under the dash and pop out the switch plate blanks. One of them is a Top/Bottom fastener, the other is a Left/Right Fastener. Pop them both out to leave yourself room to work on the nearby wires.

I did not want to mess with the airbag at all so I didnt pull it.

 

Airbag is static to everything else. You dont do anything with it.

 

Easy way to fish through the grommet after you slice a little hole is to use a zip tie, and tape the end with the square about an inch or so off your wire, tight. Then use the pointy end to fish it through.

I've taken that lower panel off a dozen times, once you get those 3 bolts just yank it, starting from the left. The airbag stays there and is fine, just make sure to get the little ridges lined up above it when re-installing

 

If you are going to remove the lower panel, there is a 3rd bolt behind the kick panel on the left side.

 

The above link helped a ton, thanks for linking this

Only problem I have now is my mictuning switch appears to be lit all the time. It is working properly and turns the light bar on when depressed, I did not hook up red 2 at all as linking it to the dash lights is not a huge concern at the moment. Any idea why it would be lit even when the truck is off? I have a baja designs light and I cut off the stock switch the wiring harness came with. I have the green wire on the mictuning switch attached to the yellow or "load" wire. The red 1 connected to the red or "power" wire and black to black or "ground"

 

The stock switch on the harness lit up when it was on and the light went out when it was off, I am thinking the ground is correct no doubt about it, should I swap the "load" and "power" wires or the green and red 1 on the switch side?

 

You need to tap into a wire that is only on when the ignition is on. For a more legit setup, tap into one that is only lit when the headlights are on so it illuminates and matches the other switches

 

I didnt run the red 2 yet which would be the dimmer backlight in the switch. I swapped the red 1 and green wires and now it is functioning properly, switch is dark when off and lit when on. I may dig in there again later on to hook up the red 2 to a dash light.

 

Make sure to test the wires with the headlights on and off, so you can tap into one that engages with the lights so the letters arent on all the time, just with the lights like the rest of them. You can just tap into another switch with an inline fuse

 

It was trial and error with mine, first time I connected the wires the switch was on all the time, then swapped some wires and it only turned on when my lights were on.