Power window switch issue

Darth Plasma · Mar 9, 2020

Hi everyone, I fixed my broken drivers side window motor yesterday, and after getting it all back together I was testing it and the switch just stopped working in the down position. The window will only roll up, not down, but both directions for the passengers side does work. The switch feels kind of “gummy” pressing it down to try and roll it down. Verified I had power everywhere. Any way to take these switches apart and clean them or bypass it so I can roll the window down in the meantime?

Snoots · Mar 9, 2020

They can be taken apart and cleaned. Put a tiny touch of di-electric grease on the contacts before re-assembling.
Often the connector to the switch itself is the culprit so don't forget to clean that as well.

Darth Plasma · Mar 9, 2020

Snoots said:
They can be taken apart and cleaned. Put a tiny touch of di-electric grease on the contacts before re-assembling.
Often the connector to the switch itself is the culprit so don't forget to clean that as well.

Is it just the plastic clips that hold it together?

Snoots · Mar 9, 2020

Yes. Be very careful because they are brittle like a Saltine cracker. I've found a heat gun is very helpful.
Just heat them slowly and to the point where you can still touch them and I used eyeglass screwdrivers to hold them apart.

Darth Plasma · Mar 9, 2020

Snoots said:
Yes. Be very careful because they are brittle like a Saltine cracker. I've found a heat gun is very helpful.
Just heat them slowly and to the point where you can still touch them and I used eyeglass screwdrivers to hold them apart.

Thanks for the tip Snoots

idahovette · Mar 9, 2020

That ole Roger, he knows his stuff!!!!!

Darth Plasma · Mar 9, 2020

I'm just wondering if there's a way to bypass the switch on the switch terminals or connector so I can roll down the window if I can't get it working (while waiting for a new one). It's getting warmer and warmer everyday up here in PA and I just love the music that comes from underneath my truck

C10MixMaster · Mar 9, 2020

Darth Plasma said:
Hi everyone, I fixed my broken drivers side window motor yesterday, and after getting it all back together I was testing it and the switch just stopped working in the down position. The window will only roll up, not down, but both directions for the passengers side does work. The switch feels kind of “gummy” pressing it down to try and roll it down. Verified I had power everywhere. Any way to take these switches apart and clean them or bypass it so I can roll the window down in the meantime?

take a can of wd40 hose down the switch and get as much in it as you can then work the switch back and forth several times. you would be amazed how often this brings back a dead switch.. can do this with the switch still in the door.

Snoots · Mar 9, 2020

idahovette said:
That ole Roger, he knows his stuff!!!!!

Been there, broke plenty of $hit enough times.

Swore, cussed, kicked my own ass...if I can save anybody the headache, my job is done.
Plenty of people here have saved me a lot of headaches.

Snoots · Mar 9, 2020

C10MixMaster said:
take a can of wd40 hose down the switch and get as much in it as you can then wok the switch back and forth several times. you would be amazed how often this brings back a dead switch.. can do this with the switch still in the door.

This should be enough . . .

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Backfoot100 · Mar 9, 2020

Snoots said:
They can be taken apart and cleaned. Put a tiny touch of di-electric grease on the contacts before re-assembling.
Often the connector to the switch itself is the culprit so don't forget to clean that as well.

+1
Just did this on the drivers side 4 position switch of my Sub.

Snoots said:
Yes. Be very careful because they are brittle like a Saltine cracker. I've found a heat gun is very helpful.
Just heat them slowly and to the point where you can still touch them and I used eyeglass screwdrivers to hold them apart.

I first tried spraying good with an electronic parts cleaner before trying to take it apart but that didn't do squat. It was a definitely a bit of a beeotch to get it apart but use some patience. It'll come. I also dismantled and cleaned all the contacts in my parts cleaner before reassembly. Made them look like brand new, I used No-Ox on the contacts before reassembling but at the very least, use some dielectric grease as Snoots pointed out.

Matt69olds · Mar 9, 2020

Check the wiring inside the door conduit. Opening/closing the doors a few thousand times flexes the wires, eventually they get brittle and break.

chengny · Mar 10, 2020

Darth Plasma said:
I'm just wondering if there's a way to bypass the switch on the switch terminals or connector so I can roll down the window if I can't get it working (while waiting for a new one). It's getting warmer and warmer everyday up here in PA and I just love the music that comes from underneath my truck

At the connector terminals, to roll window down, use two jumpers and connect:

PNK to DK BLU and BRN to BLK

If that tries to drive the window up, reverse the jumpers:

PNK to BRN and DK BLU to BLK

The schematics are unclear on exactly which polarity causes the motor to rotate in which direction.

Darth Plasma · Mar 10, 2020

Matt69olds said:
Check the wiring inside the door conduit. Opening/closing the doors a few thousand times flexes the wires, eventually they get brittle and break.

Definitely didn't think of that. I assumed the wiring is ok since it worked 30 seconds before it quit working and the switch felt gummy. I'll give it a look

chengny said:
At the connector terminals, to roll window down, use two jumpers and connect:

PNK to DK BLU and BRN to BLK

If that tries to drive the window up, reverse the jumpers:

PNK to BRN and DK BLU to BLK

The schematics are unclear on exactly which polarity causes the motor to rotate in which direction.

I'll give this a try! Thanks!

Darth Plasma · Mar 10, 2020

Well I tore the switch apart and ended up breaking it, so I decided to keep tearing it apart and all the contacts are clean so :33:

. I'm gonna try and use a jumper and if that works I'll order a new switch

Power window switch issue

Darth Plasma

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