Better power window and door lock switches?

[bennylava]

Well that's it, I give up on these factory style power window and door lock switches. I've made several attempts to use them over the past 8 years. With one attempt even resulting in me getting to use some original GM parts that were NOS.

Suffice to say, those didn't work out either. Didn't even last 2 years. Neither did any of various brands of replacements. They all lasted a year or two and then died or started to malfunction. I've come to the conclusion that like the fuel gauge system and several other things that we don't like, these switches were never very good. So I'll be replacing them with something else. Not going to waste my time trying to use them anymore.

So what's a good replacement that will work well? Something that has a much higher durability and longevity? Hopefully something that will fit well enough in the factory door holes, and won't look too awful out of place. Something long lasting and durable.

[Sabaka454]

You can rewire the system with relays so that the switches only control the operation of the relays, but it sounds like you have something else going on.

[Pontiac1976]

I have to agree Sabaka454

You can rewire the system with relays so that the switches only control the operation of the relays, but it sounds like you have something else going on.

sound like a on off ground or weak ground in the truck system.

[bennylava]

No it's the switches. They always somehow come apart from the inside. It's not just me pressing too hard either. I hardly ever use the passenger side door, but my friends do. They've had the same problems, the switches sort of breaking from the inside and not working anymore. Or malfunctioning.

Think about how easy these switches are to sort of press inwards, in a direction they were never meant to be pressed. It's just a poor switch design, there's a reason they don't use it anymore. It goes beyond mere styling.

[Pontiac1976]

OK then take a look a the 88-93 style in the junk yard. You would have to take the switches and connector and the plates inner and outer off the door panel then you be able set them up on your panel if you like them. If not you could go a little newer style.
side tip: on the old switches move North & South or West & East should not be pressed down. Should only move 1/8" to 1/4" to make the contact more then that contacts wearing out pushed to hard opened up to much hard pressure on them to long.

[Pontiac1976]

The 2000-2017 GM are still made very close the same way but smaller as my 2017 Cruze LT RS HB. power window's power locks. If you tear them apart the set so close. They have not change the working of them style switches.

[bennylava]

I found some that wouldn't really look out of place in these old trucks. But for the price, I hope they're bullet proof:

https://www.a1electric.com/Merchant2...Code=SK3-99021

[cadillac_al]

Don't Chevy trucks use the same power window switches as Cadillac? Of all the Chevy trucks I have owned, none have had power windows. The Cadillac switches are pretty heavy duty and I have never had to replace one in all my 70's Caddys. I would be surprised if GM used something different in the trucks but they look the same to me in pics.

[bennylava]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

Don't Chevy trucks use the same power window switches as Cadillac? Of all the Chevy trucks I have owned, none have had power windows. The Cadillac switches are pretty heavy duty and I have never had to replace one in all my 70's Caddys. I would be surprised if GM used something different in the trucks but they look the same to me in pics.

I've taken them apart a few times in an effort to understand what keeps going wrong. I've noticed several things:

1. The bendy parts inside, bend too far. Now proper contact is no longer made. Tried of taking them apart to bend them back.

2. The copper in there turns green, and proper contact is no longer made.

3. The chrome flakes off. Looks pretty terrible when I've got the rest of the truck looking pretty good, for the most part.

4. This could be related to number one, but it may not be. The part you press, the switch lever itself, somehow manages to get pressed too far into the rest of the switch. It's not supposed to go in there at all, they're just up or down switches. But through normal use, and the way that the switch is shaped, the tendency is for people to slightly press them inwards when they use them. Not intentionally of course, it seems to just happen and I've noticed it over time as I observed these problems in an attempt to fix them. This finally wears them out inside, as it was not meant to be pushed in repeatedly. And then, proper contact is no longer made. Switch flakes out and quits working half the time.

[cadillac_al]

They don't sound like 70's Cadillac switches then. I have never seen the chrome peel off them. I haven't rode in an 80's Caddy for a while, maybe the 80's switches got cheaper. Good luck on the search.

[Pontiac1976]

GM Cars / Trucks , Caddys fall in hear
around 81 in the truck switch the plastic chrome switches.
around 78 most cars switch to plastic chrome switches.
around 87-92 small cars had some plastic black or inner panels colors

as said bennylava

I've taken them apart a few times in an effort to understand what keeps going wrong. I've noticed several things:

1. The bendy parts inside, bend too far. Now proper contact is no longer made. Tried of taking them apart to bend them back.

2. The copper in there turns green, and proper contact is no longer made.

3. The chrome flakes off. Looks pretty terrible when I've got the rest of the truck looking pretty good, for the most part.

4. This could be related to number one, but it may not be. The part you press, the switch lever itself, somehow manages to get pressed too far into the rest of the switch. It's not supposed to go in there at all, they're just up or down switches. But through normal use, and the way that the switch is shaped, the tendency is for people to slightly press them inwards when they use them. Not intentionally of course, it seems to just happen and I've noticed it over time as I observed these problems in an attempt to fix them. This finally wears them out inside, as it was not meant to be pushed in repeatedly. And then, proper contact is no longer made. Switch flakes out and quits working half the time.

This more true with the later years and the Dorman aftermarket replacments. But If you try to be more careful and genially pressing the button they last longer time Gm made them to last 3-5 years on average because the average would by a new car ( they made more money selling car then parts). If you had kid played with windows or some moved the window few min or turned the car off truned the key to acc to get the window up put a heavy load on the switches wear them out much faster. The best tip any of the switches in the do the relays because the way they where wired in the day and still be careful and genially pressing the button and they will last a lot longer. Same goes servicing the motor if you ask most people how time a year they change there oil back in the day most one a year maybe 2 a year maybe some did the 4 times they should have did min.6 times year the would have been less wear on the motors cam and lifters just to because the metal and oil back then was not the best. In the med 80 -90's oil cam metal in proved big time as long as you used the proper sa oils as a lot of chepper oil would not be sa approved or may be sa approved break down to fast med 70's to early 80 cam in for cheap oils does not matter what oil as long as you change the oil when viscosity breaks as soon a you can. If the switches look like the bottom is to open stretched the copper red look or to black it a short working to hard may wear out sooner then later if you clean then shorting for years it may be ok last few more years if there's wear marks in the copper it not going to last long same goes for light sockets and bulbs hotter the bulb run the more damage to the socket, bad bulb cracked bulbs overly dim bulbs, bad grounds connection over heated wires or bulbs in some cases not replacing burnt bulbs for years.

[bennylava]

I'm just gonna find better quality switches. There seems to be a ton of them out there to choose from, and they nearly all look better designed than the factory ones. My buddy put aftermarket switches in his F150 cause it didn't have any. They've been there for 10 years and they still feel very solid.