86 C10 Power Window Problem

[Chris' 86]

The passenger door window switch will go up but not down. At first, I figured it was the switch, but I put a new switch on it and it is doing the same thing. I can roll it down with the driver-side switch, so it isn't that big of deal. But I would like to make it work eventually. Anyone have any ideas?

Chris

[bowtiemanchevyman]

Originally Posted by Chris' 86

The passenger door window switch will go up but not down. At first, I figured it was the switch, but I put a new switch on it and it is doing the same thing. I can roll it down with the driver-side switch, so it isn't that big of deal. But I would like to make it work eventually. Anyone have any ideas?

Chris

if it work from the driver seat then its got to be the switch. just cause its new dont make it work right sorry. it took me three of them to get one that work. if it works from the driver seat the wiring and motor are fine the only thing left is the switch

[tucsonjwt]

Wiggle the switch in the harness connector and see it that helps. You may have a bad harness connector which makes intermittent/no contact. The short harness with connector end is still available. I have read about people replacing the connector contacts but I would never try that.

[pontgta]

If i remember corectly the the passenger switch goes through the drivers... If that makes sense. I would make sure all conections on both switches are good first. If that turns up good, then believe it or not it will be the drivers switch that you will have to replace

[bowtiemanchevyman]

Originally Posted by pontgta

If i remember corectly the the passenger switch goes through the drivers... If that makes sense. I would make sure all conections on both switches are good first. If that turns up good, then believe it or not it will be the drivers switch that you will have to replace

NO!!! if it work on the driver side then the drive side switch is fine if it was bad then nothing will work. all the power goes through it, if its bad nothing with work at all on both sides. i think it is the switch on the right side. the switch is not working, its not sending power to the motor. just the switch on the driver side is doing all the work.

[tucsonjwt]

All I can say is I went through every part on these old power windows trying to get to the source of the problem. I think we all instinctively replace switches since that seems to be the most obvious and cheapest solution to the problem. On my windows, I ended up needing only one switch of the total of 4 switches (two door locks, two power window locks). However, I went through a lot of switches to get there, and I still have a some perfectly good switches in the shed leftover if anybody needs them. The problem for me was just handling the connectors would alter the contact orientation enough to cause the window to temporarily operate, and I incorrectly thought that the new switch corrected the problem. So, I thought I had bad switches and kept replacing them.
So, I would fiddle with the connections before replacing switches. The connectors on the ends of the harnesses are configured at a 90 degree angle, so when you push the switches back into the door panel the connectors get a bit of extra stress which causes the contacts to fail sometimes (my unscientific opiinion.)

[bowtiemanchevyman]

go to your libary and get a wiring diagram off alldata and it will show you how thing work and you can test your switch with a volt meter and see where you have power and ground working. that all i can tell you with out being there

[pontgta]

Originally Posted by Chris' 86

The passenger door window switch will go up but not down. At first, I figured it was the switch, but I put a new switch on it and it is doing the same thing. I can roll it down with the driver-side switch, so it isn't that big of deal. But I would like to make it work eventually. Anyone have any ideas?

Chris

looking closey at your original post ...You stated that it will go up with the switch(pass side) but not down.

Take a quick reading at the switch. you should have 12 volts somewhere on the switch. then either up or down should make another wire become energized. If you do have 12v then, you should porbably go to my next unplug the window motor and verify voltage at the motor. Very simple wiring ...the wiries just switch polarity meaning +12v and -12v...Cant't remember the color code.. but plug the meter into the window motor plug...push the switch up and the meter should display either around 12v...then press down and should display around -12 volts..(i might have this backwards, but does not mater you should see the same either - or +).
I had a friend of mines Saturn, and he was getting around 7 volts... coming out of the switch....needless to say we replaced the switch, and then we got 12 volts... Every motor is different, so i would assume you need at least 10v. Anything less than that will either not work, or very slow.

[bowtiemanchevyman]

the way the switch works is that it send power down ether of the two wires coming from the motor and the other side becomes ground so if it not working one way. you have five wires on the switch. two of them go to the motor they are the bigger ones. then you have two wire that come from the drivers side, they are power and ground depending on which way you push the switch. then there is a power wire for the right side. the ground goes all the way back through the driver side switch. so if it work from the driver side both ways and one way on the right side it has to be the switch. it took me three different switch befor i found one that work both way. one work up then just down then i finally got one that work both and i didnt pay for the other two. so it has to be the switch. sorry