Thaddeus

Yo,

There's something funny about my passenger side window switch.

Although the thing looks right, it operates exactly the opposite to the way it's labeled, and opposite from the way the driver's side switch functions.

I knew the P/O had been in there, and I always assumed he'd just plugged the switch in to the harness backwards or something. So when I had the center console out last week, I thought I'd be able to set things to rights.

No dice. There's only one way to plug the switch into the harness.

So what's up? Is there a passenger switch that functions differently from the driver's switch? Is something messed up elsewhere in the harness? Is my car possessed?

Advice appreciated... even though the window works, this is one of those detaiils that will ultimately drive me batty if not corrected...

rixter

uhhh
pop the switch out of the console and turn it around

Mike LaBranche

I'd say pull the switch; remove the cover of the switch which toggles the up/down. Inside are two metal oddly shaped lengths with contacts underneath, just resting in the pivot hole. Reverse them after you clean the contact patches. Replace cover, reinstall switch. That should work.

Thaddeus

Why would that make a difference?

Mike LaBranche

How they're aligned determines which contact is closed when you toggle the switch forward for up.

Thaddeus

Cool. Thanks for the tip. I actually pulled the switch apart last week, the metal things fell out, I stuck them back in. Of course, by luck I must have put them back in the same way they came out... the wrong way.

Of course, if they had been in the right way to begin with and I'd dropped/replaced them, I would have screwed them up.

Thanks for the tip.

Mike LaBranche

Nothing to it. Also, since you have a working switch (drivers), you can compare the two to see how they're put together. They should be identical when assembled.

Silver79

It is true that the plug is keyed to go in only one way, but when I received a replacement switch it came without the keyed plastic part. I transferred the plastic one from the old switch. Of course I got the wiring wrong at first and the exact same thing happened as you described. If you look at the wiring in the plastic plug there are tabs on the connectors that release each wire from the plug when pressed with a small screwdriver. Just thought I'd pass this along.

smshirk

My guess is rixter's right. I had the same thing happen after circuit city put new speakers in the doors of a 911 several years ago.

Thaddeus

Well, dammitall, I took the switch out and tried reversing the little metal tabs. Broke the little plastic loop on the switch cover. It did not fix it. So I tried turning the switch around and reversing the cover (pointless after the breakage, but still)... the switch wouldn't operate at all, there are plastic bumps on the underside of the switch cover that engage the metal tabs, if you turn the cover around they don't engage. So the wiring must be jacked at the plug, and I'm out some bread.

Like the man says, if it ain't broke, fix it until it is... consarn it.

Jim bailey - 928 International

Replacement switches come without the plastic block so it is likely that the wires were pushed into the wrong slots.

Thaddeus

(sourly)

Expensive lesson...

(sighs)

Jim bailey - 928 International

simple to fix the metal terminals have a small locking ear which when depressed allows the terminal and wire to be pulled out of the plastic block you can try pluging in the other window switch block it is the same just red or green as I recall. Then push the wires back into the correct slots.........

John Struthers

Jim,
First reply "no block on replacement switch" ain't necessarily so, the one I got from you guy's was either for a later model, for another Porsche or just the wrong terminal block.
I just swapped blocks as you suggested in the second reply.
There are also two types of switches, apparently, the ones' with the little springs and ball bearings, and the 'finger/spring blade' types. I thought initally that one type was for the sunroof/rear wiper, and the other type for the l/r door windows but when I finally pulled all four switches it was a mix in relation to function.

Ian928

You are sure the terminals are not misplaced on the electric motor inside the door?