Hey guys I need some help. My passenger side window will not go down. The other day it just stopped working. The passenger side switch will not move it nor will the driver's side switch (for the pass. window). I thought I heard something rattling around in the driver's side door panel but I'm not sure. Where should I start looking for this problem? The driver's side window DOES work. Thanks again.

Alex

 

What year car?

Have you tried swapping out (or rebuilding) the switches, or is it definetly the window mechanism?
It's not to hard to pull the door card off and see if the mechanism has slipped of of the track.

FWIW nothing should rattle in the door at all. A screw or bolt may have worked itself loose as well. Best of luck!

 

Most likely the problem is with the switches. The circuits are very different between the early (pre 85.5) and late cars, so it is important that you specify the year of your car.

If you have any early car, the problem is most likely with the switch for the passenger window that is in the driver's door - this switch has to pass current through to the switch in the passenger door. I haven't looked at the diagram for the newer cars, so I'm not sure if the situation is simmilar or not.

The switches are repairable. Usually, all that's required is to bend one of the contact springs out a little so it makes better contact. The trick is not to bend it out too much. I'll post some pictures of the early switches in a couple of hours after I get home.

 

It's an '83.

 

Does the panel come all the way off or is there an easier way to get to the window switches?

 

The window switches are in a plastic surround, a wide flat screwdriver should allow you access underneath so you can pull the switch and surround free of the doors. Dont lose the metal clips in the door, they are a PITS (remove door card) to retreive unless you get lucky and are able to retract them with a telescoping magnet (Ok, I know this for a reason After the surround pulls free from the door, you can unplug the swithch from there.

If you need a step by step on the rebuild let me know- I have it here somewhere.

 

The switches in the door should pop out pretty easilly - just get under the trim with a screw driver or butter knife. Once the holder is out, you can pop the individual switches out from the back, as in this pic:



Unplug the switch from the harness (you may need to pry it gently with a screwdriver. Make sure the key is out incase you short across a hot pin)

Once the switch is out, you can pop the plastic face off by gently prying from the back. You'll need to do this from each side.



Once the switch is open, take each contact out and gently bend the curved spring out (orange arrow in the pic below). It doesn't take much - you just want to make sure that when the switch is in the "neutral" position, you get contact between the center pin and the other contact. To check your work, take a small screwdriver or nail head and press on the center of the contact to seat it fully (just like the pins in the cap will do once it's snapped together) You should have firm contact on the side with the curved spring (orange arrow), and an open contact of the other (blue arrow). If you gently rock the screwdriver toward the open contact, you should see it close and the other one open.



Note when they go back together, the contacts should be opposite one another - just like in the pic.

On the back of the switch the pins are numbered 1 - 5. When the switch is in neutral, pins 1 - 4 and 2 - 5 should be connected by the sprung contacts.

PM me if you need a circuit diagram. I have a .pdf of it I can send you.

 

Thanks a bunch jpk!!!!

 

That's no fun without the ball bearings and springs found in the late switches!

 

Yes!! Thank You

 

If neither switch works I will put money on it not being the switch. It is a pretty simple setup. Switch, motor, regulator.
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Matt H, what do you suspect to be the problem then?

 

I have a few spare rebuilt switches for the asking.

 

If both windows aren't working (driver's down, passenger's up) and the fuse is not blown....is it most likely to be the relay? This is on an '86 951. Any easy diagnostic to run to make sure?, those window relays are over $40.

 

Dan .. i was just going through similar probs with my windows. I got lucky and it turned out only to be dirty (and picky) switches. But i found this on clarks-garage that gives a way to test the relay:

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/elect-20.htm

basically it shows you how to jumper it to test bw if its the relay or something in your wiring

Good luck