In this video we install very bright hatch lights to illuminate the cargo area
Hatch Lights
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Alternative Light bar
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Light Bulbs
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Prying Tool
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Compatible on
2019, 2020, 2021
LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Limited, Adventure, TRD, XLE Hybrid, Limited Hybrid, XSE Hybrid, Prime
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I'm installing these lights this weekend. Always use a pull wire, cord etc. to feed delicate connectors & wires under car trim, (or through drywall & studs in your home). You can use an unfolded wire hanger to access a route, then attach the hanger to a string, reverse the pull & attach the provided loom to the string, folding the wire with the connectors or pins 180 degrees. This stops force being applied to the loom or pulling the connectors off. All the stress is on the string. When handling headliner trim, always wear fresh latex or nitrile disposable gloves & change them often. I don't pull wires in cars very often, but I have done so in buildings for 30 years. Pretty much the same principal.
Tip to thread wire through the black rubber piece: get something flexible yet rigid such as heavy duty weed wacker cord. Tape the weed wacker cord to the new wires. Spray/squirt dishwashing soap on the wires. Thread from inside, up through the tailgate. Slides quite easily with the soap.
Did mine using this incredible guide. Fishing the wire through the rubber hose was a breeze using a piece steel wire and sort of easing it slowly. It was more of a loosing up the rubber hose than pulling on the cord. One extra warning when removing the weather seal: there is some kind of black goo underneath it where you will more likely stain your hand, and probably the roof liner. Also, those blue clips on the side, they are kind of soft, they will bend and let go of the liner while sticking in the wall. To put the liner back, you will need to remove them from the wall using long nose pliers and gently pull the out and putting them back on the liner inserts. When putting back the wall liner, there will be a significant gap. I tried to correct it, gave up, then realized this gap is normal as it is covered when you put the weather strip back in its place.
Dude, spray the rubber boot with soapy water…and the wire. Mine went through in ONE MINUTE. A piece of cake. 🤪
Ran into trouble with the fuses blowing a couple times during install. Replaced and now it's working great
Really helpful video, thanks! I just installed these in my 2023 TRD RAV. Easier than expected! I ran my wires through the rubber hose and grommet on the right; I tried the one on the left, and it was really challenging. But I second everyone who suggested using dish soap. Worked like a charm. I also used a steel fish tape reel. Soaped it up, ran it through the hose, and pulled the wiring harness right back through. I also used it to fish the wiring harness down to the existing light opening. It saved me having to take down the side panel.
GOOD video. Couple ideas: 1. I was able to pull all coverings apart with my bear hands and pop the grommets and reuse them all. Gentle goes a long way. Feed the wires backward--that means the small ends to be fished. Use coat hanger or whatever. Fold over the wires, cover with tape when you pull thru 2. Dave Morton is on the money--spray soap, wd 40 or silicone on the wire to feed through the weather seal. They slide easier. Again, when hooking up the power wires--I was able bend a coat hanger to feed thru the rear cover of the light source and then pull the small ends bach through the car. Always leave a little extra wire behind the light incase you need it in the future. Also, suggest you try all the lights BEFORE you put back any covers incase they do not work. Easier to rework--if you have to. This video did a GREAT job for me to install my lights. Thank you for all of your help. Roy Skaggs, Cincinnati, Ohio
Can you clarify what you mean by "feed the wires backwards"? Do you mean attach them to the coat hanger and push from the inside (bottom) up towards the hatch? That's exactly what. he does in the video right?
@@sygyzy Whichever works best for you.
I have a brand new 2023 RAV4 XSE Hybrid with only 127 miles on it, but when I saw this accessory when researching the car, I bought it when I knew the car was inbound to the dealer. Here is the deal. GREAT PRODUCT. There are two pages of instructions One page is completely comical written in Engrish. The second page has crudely indecipherable comicbook-like instructions, with all copy written in Chinese. The best video installation instruction I found on KZhead is your: “Hatch Light install on Toyota Rav4” on the `Rav4Gen5’ channel. I did not even bother looking at the manufacturer-recommended instructions. Here is what you need to know. The newest 2023 RAV4 Hybrid has some changes that makes the installation a bit of a hard go. You’ll be unable to get the cable through the rubber weather protective conduit tube, as it is bonded to the cable batch. The tube is so flexible, I ran the light cable for the left light outside of and parallel to the conduit tube and the rubber sealed around it on the body of the car and the door, so water should not get it - Great Success! Popping off the panels is easy enough. Don’t be scared. They all pop back together. The thing about the new model car is the black gunky sticky glue that is used on the weather stripping as an extra sealant gets on everything, so if you have a light colored interior, be prepared to be angry when you get it all over the place, cause it will get all over your hands. Get yourself some wireties to secure the cables to the bundled cables in the car’s hatch on the left side. I used gaffing tape on the right side to secure the cable to the car body before putting the panel back in place. The extra wire bundle fits into the car body cavity and is easily concealed. The light system comes with three fuses. I would love to get more fuses. They are so small, I cannot find the model number on them. I burnt out one fuse, but the instructions state you need to have the car off (I think that’s what it says), when installing it, otherwise you’ll blow a fuse… which I did. Refer to my video. For under $40, that’s the best accessory ever.
This upgrade was great. Having pulled all manner of wires and cables in my house, I learned to 'fish' such cables using some 12ga grounding wire as you showed and this video was a really great one for such a project; this took me a total of 1.5 hours, mostly pausing at points on feeding all the cables through the accordion-like grommets that the OEM wire harness's use. The only difference is my XLE Premium, has the OEM trunk lamp with NO switch. Verified the new LED hatch lamps turned on and off. Thank you again for a great video!
Just installed mine, use a small tie and wd40 to get through the boot, its then so quick and easy to pull through.
BIG DISCLAIMER for installing the rear hatch lights on the RAV4 2022 models: they have changed the plugs on the 2022+ RAV4s and the wiring harness/piggy-back plug used on these lighting kits will not work (the new plug is way smaller). I took off the entire trim, installed and routed the entire cable before discovering this, and had to manually re-wire/solder the wiring harness with my own connector to make it work (not particularly hard, but definitely not plug-and-play). Thankfully, they appear to be running the same power, so no issues once the plugs were changed over. Also, unsure if it's new on this 2022 model or not, but the rubber conduit/gasket on the left side was completely taped together from the rubber section all the way down into the cable bundle leading into the headliner, I had to cut into it and re-tape it once the wiring harness was routed through the rubber conduit. If you're looking to install this on a 2022+ model of RAV4, just be aware it likely won't fit if you buy a kit previously made for a 2019-2021 model, unless they update the wiring harness supplied with them!
Thank you for this! I have a 2023 Gas XLE and also noticed the left side rubber grommet/gasket was completely taped up with a tough fabric tape too, I also had to cut it before I could run anything through the grommet. I bought an apparent 2022+ version of the trunk lights and will see if the plugs are updated.
I have a 2022 prime and while the gasket was taped up, the connector on the light fit perfectly for me.
This was the most helpful guide for this install. The grommet was a pain. I had never put my dashcam wire through the grommet, so did both at once. Taped the hatch light one to my dash cam wire which was slimmer and applied lubricant to it which helped. I also have small hands so once I got it through a little bit was able to grab and pull it through. Other than dealing with the wires behind the panels and into the grommet, it wasnt too bad.
I did not take off the lower right panels (not on the hatch). Instead, I just put blue painters and use a small metal "grabber." As for the rest, dialectic grease was nice to get it through the rubber grommets. Love the light now!
This is one of the videos I was waiting for!
Great installation video! Definitely adding these to my wife's RAV4.
Great and useful video. I ordered the lights last week. Thanks for the post.
A little jig-a-loo on the cable would help make it slide through the grommet tube.
Great video bud. Fixing to put a set in my rav4
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for the video I installed mine today as well. You video was very helpful. What kind of cooler do you have
Would have been awesome to be able to have a piggy back connector and the lights the exact size as the access hatch for the rear tail lights as opposed to running wires. Awesome video
thanks
Really useful video. I'm going to take on this project soon. Where can I get one of those window shades you have on the quarter glass ?
They are not offered any more. =(
Can you provide a direct link to the light bar you used before installing these? Your current link hits a bunch of choices but not that one.
How long was the installation process for these lights?
Do you think having dogs in the back those lights will always be getting pressed on? Oh sweet! Just saw they turn off when the door shuts. Why is that?
Has anyone tried disconnecting the washer fluid line that goes through the rubber hose? This looks like it would allow you to remove the rubber hose for a little more flexibility while fishing wire through it.
I like your patience, where can I get the clip removing tool blue 🔵 one. I am from Sydney, Australia
Hi I ordered a tool set from Amazon last week . Try to search as "auto trim removal tool set"
Just installed mine...the rubber conduit was a NIGHTMARE. Otherwise, this video made it simple and easy. Thanks!
I hated that step too. Took way too long.
The trick is to use some dielectric grease on wire before pushing through boot. Will slide through with ease. This is one mod that I love the most. Can’t believe Toyota would not have done this from factory.
@@robeasy13 I am a fan of dielectric grease for water-resisting electrical connections, but I discovered that over time (months to years) it seeps out. It migrates and coats everything with a Vaseline-like slime that gets filled with dirt and dust and is impossible to clean without solvents. The thought of having that stuff near my headliner gives me nightmares. For pulling wires stick with a light coat of soap or silicone spray and you won't be crying later.
I totally agree with it melting away. I try and wipe as much off after install. I’ll have to try your techniques on next install. 🤙🏽
Please give us the link on the lights. Where did you buy it? What are the technical characteristics of lights?
See description
At 11:36 when you take the knob out, how do you put it back in?
I know it's late but I just did the install and this is the only thing I can't fit back in place lol
Not easy to pass the wires
geez you made this simple job so hard for yourself.
Details are for the viewers.
@@Rav4Gen5 ahhh I get it... Good job
It's really not that simple