putting in a third row seat

[katzy2]

I would like to install a third row seat in my 2000 trooper, Does anyone know the best place to get one and some ideas on installation?? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Can e-mail me at [e-mail]

Thanks, Katzy

[BigSwede]

Chances are it isn't the dash switch, but the SOTF actuator. I have heard of this happening fairly frequently. Here is a post I saved from another board on how to fix:

Thanks to those of you who responded to my query about my 99 Trooper which wouldn't go into 4WD while the engine was running, but would occasionally come up in 4WD if the SOTF button was pushed before starting the truck. I'm going to go through how we found the problem because sure as heck someone else is going to run into this problem someday.

The hints as to the existence of the SOTF vacuum switch mechanism and attendant website URLs proved invaluable. A friend with vast experience trouble-shooting such problems and I used his MightyVac to isolate the problem in one of the two vacuum switches on the SOTF assembly on the front axle. In short, the switch was not pulling enough air to coax the system into 4WD.

We carefully tried to bring the switch back to spec (after pulling the assembly off the truck.) This requires first removing a small shield (Two 14mm bolts.) You then can use a 10mm socket to remove the plate holding the two vacuum switches (looks just like top picture in URL mentioned on PlanetIsuzu.) It took a while to trace the hoses attached to understand the logic of how the SOTF system works. We pulled the suspect switch off the plate (Phillips screw at back of plate.) Using the MightyVac and a couple wires, we used the truck's battery to actuate the solenoid with vacuum on it to see if it passed air properly. When it didn't we knew we were close to the bad part. Another check on that theory was to start the truck and use the MightyVac (a hand-held unit with a gauge on it and a handle that you squeeze to pull air out of hoses, bleed brake systems, etc. Gotta get one!) to put a vacuum on the hose that leads from the the suspect vacuum switch to the diaphram on the axle. Instant 4WD!

Dealers being closed on Saturday, we tried a NAPA and another local auto store but no luck on the Denso part. Part #8-97101858-1 is what I read on the part. There's another number I took to be a manufacturer's number: 08480U-2201. It was bit smudgy but those are close.

It took some judicious use of very small wire and eventually a good hosing with carb cleaner, but we got the part's logic to work with the good ol' MightyVac and the actuation of the switch via truck battery. Its resistance also measured at the noted 42 ohms (by PlanetIsuzu.com), so we knew that it was ok electrically.

We put it all back together and my TOD switch now works like a champ, every time.

Of course, my dealer said this would be a $600 repair requiring replacement of the ECU, so you know I'm glad that with my friend Nick's help, we sorted this in a few hours in my driveway.

The moral to this story, btw, is to exercise that TOD switch frequently to keep those solenoids from getting cruddy. I tend to only use 4WD when I 'need' it and thus it was the 4WD solenoid that crudded up on me.

Thanks to those who put us on the right path.

Craig