KTJO 4×4 Power Folding Mirrors For The 5th Gen 4Runner – Install & Review

Have you ever been up against a dirt or rock wall and had to pull your mirrors in? Maybe the trail became narrow, full of branches, and you wish your arms were long enough to fold both mirrors in instantly? What about those tight parking spots, or city parking in general? If you’ve ever walked out and found one of your side mirrors busted, it’s not a fun way to start the day.

Power folding mirrors are the perfect solution for these situations. Getting outside of your 4Runner to push your mirrors in is always inconvenient. Adding power folding mirrors solves this problem with the press of a button.

KTJO 4×4’s switch and wiring have an OEM fit and finish inside the 4Runner. The only visible difference is a new button on your mirror control switch, which retains the OEM look and feel. Additionally, you have the option to wire in an optional harness that allows the mirrors to fold and unfold automatically whenever the vehicle is locked or unlocked.

The power-folding mirrors add a classy touch that can be used both on and off-road.

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• KTJO 4×4 Power Folding Mirrors Kit: Check Price

ABS & Metal Options

When I refer to the construction, I am referring to the material the actuator is made of. The actuator arm is pretty much the heart of the mirror. These KTJO mirrors are available in two kit options: one made of ABS plastic and the other of metal. That is the only difference between the two.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is commonly used in the automotive industry, where tough, durable, and lightweight plastics are needed. It is known for its strength and ease of fabrication. This type of plastic can be found all over your 4Runner. You can find “ABS” stamped into many of the plastics used, and you shouldn’t worry about this material having issues or breaking down as power folding mirror actuators.

ABS is a strong plastic, and your original mirror arms are also made of ABS. This kit option also minimizes added weight. The only difference between the two kits is the actuator arm construction, and the weights between the two are negligible. I didn’t have a scale to go low enough for the weight, but if I were to guess, the difference is about a half pound.

In general, metals are heavier but stronger than plastic. For mirrors, it could be overkill. This kit is slightly heavier, but also pretty beefy.

The metal kit runs about $50 more than the plastic version. If the slightly heavier weight is no big deal and you want an actuator arm that can withstand anything, then metal might be the right choice for you. Otherwise, the ABS kit should be just fine.

Installation

Allow yourself a decent amount of time, at least an hour per mirror (including wiring). The process involves disassembling the door and completely disassembling the mirror. Once you complete one mirror, you will be able to install the kit on the other mirror much faster.

Tools Required:

• Philips screwdriver
• Various flathead screwdrivers
• 19mm
• 10mm
• Ratchet
• Pliers
• C-Clamp
• Trim removal tool

Step 1. Roll Windows Down

This will greatly help with pulling the mirror off the door and reinstalling the door panel later.

Step 2. Disconnect The Battery

For your safety and your rig, disconnect the battery since you will be working with a lot of wiring.

Step 3. Disassemble Door

There are three plastic covers over your door panel screws. Remove the caps and screws using your Philips-head screwdriver accordingly.

Remove Side Mirror Cover

There is also a plastic cap over the mirror mounting location that can be easily removed by pulling up from the forward end of the plastic.

Remove Door Panel

With all of this removed, you can now lift the door panel from the speaker area. Here you will find a lip that makes it easy to pull up on, allowing the clips to separate from the door.

Disconnect Door Wire Harness

The bottom outer end of the door will have your door light. Go ahead and disconnect the wire harness now to avoid trouble when pulling the door panel later.

Now you can lift the door panel by grabbing the inner door handle. Doing so should allow you to hold the panel separately from the door. While holding the panel, disconnect the window and door lock control harness.

Unhook Door Handle Cables

Next, unhook the door handle cables. The cables can be separated by pushing the white and green clips out of their place and then manipulating the cable ball end out of its slot. The door panel should now be free of obstruction.

Step 4. Remove The Mirror

This will be the harness that makes its connection closest to the mirror. It needs to be disassembled to feed the wiring through for breaking down the mirror.

Disconnect Connector Within Wire Harness

To do this, disconnect and separate the wire connections within the connector. This can be done either before or after removing the mirror. I did this step after, thinking it would be easier, but it wasn’t.

The connector has small clips on the inside and small tabs on the exterior. Using a small, flathead screwdriver, carefully push the internal wire connections in and pull them out.

Remove Side Mirror

Remove the red electrical tape from the mirror harness on the door side. Once complete, remove the three 10mm nuts from the mirror studs.

From here, the mirror can easily be removed by pulling gently from the exterior side of the door and pressing down on the one clip on the inside. Then, guide the wiring through the door frame. I had AVS vents that stuck to the base of the mirror that required a bit more finesse, trying my best not to rip them off completely.

In this case, take your time during removal to separate the bottom portion of the vent from the mirror base.

Step 5. Mirror Disassembly

Remove the painted plastic portion of the mirror by pulling up the lip with a decent amount of force to release the clips.

Remove Rubber Gasket

Now, remove the rubber mounting gasket from the base of where the mirror mounts to the door. There is one small grommet that holds the gasket in place. The rest of the gasket presses into place, so it should be free after removing the grommet.

Remove Plastic Trim

On the backside, where the remainder of the forward-facing plastic trim is located, there are two screws and several clips. Once free, you will need to disconnect your puddle light (if equipped).

Remove Turn Signal (If Applicable)

If equipped, the mirror turn signal is held in by two plastic tabs, which can be easily removed using a flathead screwdriver or simply by waiting until the mirror glass is removed and pinching the tabs together.

Remove Lower Plastic Cover

The last plastic cover is located near the base of the mirror at the bottom, where the hinge point is. To remove it, I found it easiest to grab the mirror from its base and then pull it away.

Disconnect Wire Harnesses

Depending on your 4Runner’s trim level, the wiring inside the mirror will vary. Essentially, disconnect all the wire harnesses so you can re-run the main wire harness through the new actuator arm. I had the following:

• Mirror heater
• Puddle Light
• Mirror Signal
• Mirror Signal in Glass

The mirror motor wiring will be the end of the wire run and cannot be disconnected.

Remove Mirror Glass

I found this to be the easiest way to remove the mirror. From the backside of the glass, four clips hold the glass to the mirror motor. Use your flatheadriver to gently pry back one of the exposed clips, then pull the glass out from the front.

The remainder of the clips should release easily once one of them is undone.

Remove Mirror Adjustment Motor

The remaining screws hold the mirror adjustment motor and the arm to the mirror frame.

Once removed, pull the wiring through and out of the mirror frame.

Use A Clamp To Remove the Actuator Arm Plate

This part was a little tricky. Using a 19mm socket and a clamp, I was able to press the cammed plate against the spring. Then, using a ratchet, rotate the plate until the cam is free from the base of the mirror arm.

Next, release the clamp. This can take a couple of attempts to align everything correctly. Once the plate and spring come out, the arm should be free from the mirror base.

Remove Last Two Screws

Lastly, two screws were blocked by the mirror base. Remove those two screws, then slide the mirror arm out of the plastic guides.

The mirror arm should be free from the remaining mirror components.

Step 6. Reassemble Mirror With KTJO 4×4 Actuator

Whether you opted for metal or plastic, the installation will be the same. The new actuator arm had all the new hardware pre-installed in the locations, so you’ll need to uninstall all of it first.

Reinstall Top Mounting Screws

Slide the new actuator arm into the plastic grooves so that the new screw holes line up. Run the mirror motor and associated wiring through the center hole of the frame. Once all are lined up, install all four screws.

Reinstall Lower Mount Screws

At the base of the actuator arm, there will be two more screws that need to be installed. The three screw locations that are recessed in the arm will be inserted into the base of the mirror, where you had used the clamp earlier.

The design of the screw locations and the arm will align perfectly with the mirror base for an exact fit. You will know when it’s in place correctly once it feels locked in. Go ahead and install the three screws now. These screws will be the ones included in a small baggie within the kit.

Install New Wire Harness

The included harness in the kit breaks down into sections, which makes installation easy. The section that connects to the actuator in the arm will have a rubber seal at the end. Ensure you use the shorter of the two harnesses for the driver’s side and the longer one for the passenger side.

Connect these now and run the main mirror harness through the center hole in the actuator arm. Follow the main harness and push the new actuator harness through with it.

Route New Wire Harness

Pull enough wiring through the hole to provide a better working space for the rest of the installation.

The mirror signal, if equipped, should just clip in relatively gently. The mirror glass must align with the clips on the mirror motor. Press the mirror firmly in the center to allow all four clips to engage. Do not use excessive force for obvious reasons!

With both items installed, reconnect the associated wiring for the signal and the mirror.

Reconnect All Wire Harnesses

Before installing the large forward-facing plastic section on the back of the mirror, reconnect the harness for your puddle light (if equipped). Afterwards, press the clips into place, then install the two screws at the top of the plastic cover.

Next, ensure that your wire harnesses are routed through and are relatively taut. This will ensure you have enough wire to reconnect the main mirror harness.

Reinstall Lower Mirror Plastic

Install the bottom mirror base plastic cap. It will only clip in correctly if the wires are properly positioned in the groove provided.

Next, install the painted top portion of the mirror; it should clip in quickly with gentle pressure.

Route Wires Through Door Mount

Lastly, run the harnesses through the grooves in the base of the mirror where it mounts to the door. Insert the wires through the rubber and plastic mounting gasket, and press the gasket firmly into place against the mirror.

Reinstall Rubber Gasket

With the wires in their groove and the gasket sitting flush, install the small plastic grommet in the corner. You are now ready to install the mirror on the door.

Step 7. Mirror Installation

Now that you have your mirror rebuilt, place it up to the door mounting location and run the wires through the center hole. Once everything has been installed, guide the mirror mounting studs through the door.

There is also one plastic clip that helps hold the mirror to the door. Don’t forget to reinstall the nuts for the mirror mounting studs.

Press the previously removed internal connectors back into their grooves in the larger connector for the mirror harness. If you don’t have enough slack in the wire, you may need to adjust by pulling the mirror off again and removing plastic covers to access the harness and make your adjustment.

Step 8. Route Actuator Wiring To the Interior

This is done by running the small actuator harness through the door’s rubber wire channel.

Two 10mm bolts hold the wire bundle flush to the door. Remove these bolts to gain easy access to the door channel/passage.

Feed the actuator harness into the door channel and grab it from the other side by pulling off the rubber end where it connects to the vehicle frame.

Doing this will make it easier to push the wiring through into the cabin near the lower fuse box. Removing the lower left kick panel plastic will also help in retrieving the harness.

Once the harness has been pushed through, pull the remainder of the wiring and try to organize it as best as possible.

Step 9. Install Door Lock Control Harness (Optional)

This harness allows the mirrors to fold and unfold when you unlock and lock the vehicle.

I say this is optional because it’s not required to have normal function over your mirrors. If you want the mirrors to move only when you press the button on the switch, then leave the harness disconnected and tuck it away somewhere.

You can also install this harness and manually turn off this feature by pressing the “Fold” button on the switch before leaving the vehicle. If you don’t want to worry about manually disabling this feature, then leave it disconnected.

If you opt out of running this harness, tighten down the harness bundle that was loosened with the two 10mm bolts, and reinstall the rubber channel to the vehicle frame.

Installing The Harness

While the rubber channel is still disconnected and the harness is unbolted, run the wiring through the same area where the actuator wiring was routed. You might have to get creative. I was able to fish the wiring through with two skinny zip ties.

Once pulled through the channel, run the wiring all the way to where the door actually locks to the vehicle’s frame. Here you will find a recessed connector in the door that is an exact fit for the door lock control harness. Pull out the original connector and insert it into the female end of the new harness. Then, insert the male end of the new harness into the original connection point for the door lock control.

When finished, tighten down the harness bundle that was loosened with the two 10mm bolts, and reinstall the rubber channel to the vehicle frame.

Step 10. Install New Switch & Wire Harness

There is quite a bit going on with all the connections and wires. The above photo should clear up any confusion.

Start by removing the small section of the dash panel that is to the left of the steering wheel. It can be easily removed by prying with light to moderate force, grabbing from the steering wheel side, and pulling outward.

A couple of softer-style clips hold the panel in place. Remove the wire connection and then the old switch from the two clips on either side of the base.

Install the new switch by sliding it into place. Next, connect the factory wire harness to the female side of the kit harness and the kit’s male connection to the new switch. After installing the switch harness, organize the excess wire as best you can.

Step 11. Connect The Control Box & Organize The Wiring

Plug the control box into the harness that ends in one connection. Then, try to organize the wiring the best you can. The control box can be mounted with the double-sided 3M tape included with the kit.

Step 12. Connect Add A Fuse

This add-a-fuse can go to any ACC-powered circuit on your fuse panel. If you are unsure, you can check by using a multimeter and turning the key to the ACC position. I ended up going with the “OBD 7.5A” circuit.

With an add-a-fuse, the top fuse is for the original circuit protection. The bottom fuse is where the wire runs to the new circuit. This means that whatever fuse you replace in your fuse panel needs to be placed in the “Original Circuit” location on the tap. My fuse tap came with two 10-amp fuses already installed.

If the fuse is rated too low, then you might pre-maturely blow a fuse. And if it was too high, you might damage the circuit. 

Step 13. Run Passenger Side Harness

Run the longer bundled wire harness for the passenger side mirror actuator to the other side of the cabin by using the small passage to the right of the gas pedal. Pull out the plastic cover to remove it. This can be done on both sides of the lower console to route the wiring through.

From here, you would repeat the same steps you completed on the driver’s side, using the door channel, all the way up to the mirror.

The only difference for the passenger side would be that you don’t have to run a door lock control harness.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I am very pleased with the kit; from the construction of the product to how integrated and plug-and-play everything is, it fits the bill. I have a genuine appreciation for kits that offer new features with an OEM look, especially those that don’t require wire splicing. This kit, in particular, is fantastic.

I’ve had people clip my mirrors in parking lots, tree branches press them in, and even almost smashed one on a dirt wall. All of these scenarios are now easily avoidable.

Personally, I would rather have control over the mirrors with just the press of a button on the dashboard. I ran them without the door lock control harness for a bit, and to me, it’s about everything I wanted. I have now connected the harness and been testing the unlock/lock functionality.

The function is pretty fancy and is one step further on the path to total convenience. If your 4Runner is your daily driver and you frequently find yourself in tight parking spaces, take the extra time to connect this harness.

If you are in the market for adding some modern tech to your ride and want added convenience, the KTJO 4×4 power folding mirror kit is a great buy.