Power Window electrical help

buzzcut1580 · Aug 27, 2007

My passanger side window does not work with its switch on the driver side.

I swapped switches and it still does not work.

Oddly enough if somone is putting the passanger side window up and down with the passanger side switch, and i hit the passanger side switch on the drivers side, i can stop it.

Anyone have any idea what is wrong with my car?

Thank you for your time.

buzzcut1580 · Aug 28, 2007

I dont know if this adds any information, or is related, but i also noticed that around the same time my cigarette lighter by the shifter stopped working.

n0v8or · Aug 29, 2007

You have the symptons of a bad switch. In the "rest" position, the master switch has a set of contacts that pass power to the passenger side switch. The passenger side switch, in it's "rest" position, has a set of closed contacts that connect the window motor to the master switch. This arrangement permits either switch to operate the motor, but if both are pressed at the same time, the motor will stop.

If you can both raise and lower the passenger window with the passenger switch, that suggests to me all 4 contact sets in the passenger switch are good. That leaves on of the contacts in the master switch as the most likely cause.

Can you explain what you mean by "swapped switches"? Did you actually try a known good master switch in place of the original?

I cannot think of any reason the 12V power outlet failure would be related unless a fuse has blown that is common to both the power window and power point circuits.

Stus99GT · Aug 29, 2007

I have the same problem with my 1994. I swapped the switch (meaning the actually button you push) on the drivers side and it still didn't work. It's weird because every once and a while it will work correctly.

buzzcut1580 · Aug 29, 2007

wow, thank you so much for the reply!

By swapped the switch, all i did was take a push button that i knew worked and plugged it into the driver side passanger window switch.

I guess its the piece that you plug it into that needs to be replaced then huh?

Thanks again

n0v8or · Aug 29, 2007

Now I think I understand why your switch swap test failed.

The power window switch has 4 sets of contacts. In the center ("rest") position, contact set 1 is closed and connects one side of the motor to one side of the battery (let's call it "battery minus"). Contact set 3 is also closed and connects the other side of the motor to battery minus as well. Contact sets 2 and 4 are open (effectively disconnected). So, both wires to the motor are connected to the same point (battery minus); therefore the motor does not operate.

When you push the UP end of the switch, contact set 3 and 4 are not affected. Contact set 1 opens and contact set 2 closes, connecting that end of the motor to "battery plus". There is now a complete circuit, starting at battery plus, through closed contact set 2, through the motor, through closed contact set 3, and finally to battery minus. The motor runs in one direction.

Similarly, when you push the DOWN end of the switch, contact set 3 opens and contact set 4 closes. There is now a complete circuit, starting at battery plus, through closed contact set 4, through the motor (in the opposite direction relative to before), through closed contact set 1, and finally to battery minus. The motor spins in the opposite direction.

To substitute a "known good" switch, you need 2 switches. For example, if contact set 3 is bad (or the wire to it is broken), and you substitute or parallel a switch for contact set 2, nothing will happen when uyou operate the test switch, so you would assume the factory switch must not be the problem. But this might be a wrong conclusion.

I hope I didn't make this more complicated than necessary. I wish I had a way to make a drawing in the message box.

If you had a broken wire or socket, both windows should have a similar problem. Just one bad window suggests a bad contact or runner (wire) wiithin the switch.

Stus99GT · Aug 29, 2007

n0v8or said:
Now I think I understand why your switch swap test failed.

The power window switch has 4 sets of contacts. In the center ("rest") position, contact set 1 is closed and connects one side of the motor to one side of the battery (let's call it "battery minus"). Contact set 3 is also closed and connects the other side of the motor to battery minus as well. Contact sets 2 and 4 are open (effectively disconnected). So, both wires to the motor are connected to the same point (battery minus); therefore the motor does not operate.

When you push the UP end of the switch, contact set 3 and 4 are not affected. Contact set 1 opens and contact set 2 closes, connecting that end of the motor to "battery plus". There is now a complete circuit, starting at battery plus, through closed contact set 2, through the motor, through closed contact set 3, and finally to battery minus. The motor runs in one direction.

Similarly, when you push the DOWN end of the switch, contact set 3 opens and contact set 4 closes. There is now a complete circuit, starting at battery plus, through closed contact set 4, through the motor (in the opposite direction relative to before), through closed contact set 1, and finally to battery minus. The motor spins in the opposite direction.

To substitute a "known good" switch, you need 2 switches. For example, if contact set 3 is bad (or the wire to it is broken), and you substitute or parallel a switch for contact set 2, nothing will happen when uyou operate the test switch, so you would assume the factory switch must not be the problem. But this might be a wrong conclusion.

I hope I didn't make this more complicated than necessary. I wish I had a way to make a drawing in the message box.

If you had a broken wire or socket, both windows should have a similar problem. Just one bad window suggests a bad contact or runner (wire) wiithin the switch.

I'm sorry, you lost me!

GT-03 · Aug 29, 2007

From my experience in fixing power windows switches, many times it is the switch that WORKS that is bad. The switch that appears to work, has failed in its ability to share control with the other switch. In other words, the switch that works is not able to play well with others.

buzzcut1580 · Oct 19, 2007

For Whatever reason my window has been working fine for like the past month and i did not do anything to it. Weird. Maybe the switch got wet from rain and had to dry off or something, like a cell phone. Or maybe there is some kind of a short. Oh well, As long as it works, i wont worry about fixing it for now haha.

n0v8or · Oct 19, 2007

The best kind of problem is the one that goes away by itself.

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