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Thread: ELECTRIC (power) WINDOWS information....

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    ELECTRIC (power) WINDOWS information....

    ..just started driving an '86 with electric windows,,and of course the passenger side has become non-responsive with the window open

    ...I've tried the 3 circuit breakers near the fuse box,,but they seem fine.......all fuses seem allright too.
    .........the driver-side window works fine,,,,but not the passenger side.............................any clues?........thanx..............m

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    Re: ELECTRIC WINDOWS information....

    In an emergency, you can raise the window by pulling the passenger door switch & jumping 12vdc to the blue wire with red stripe and the blue wire with the white stripe. If nothing happens, reverse the polarity and try again. If the window doesn't budge (and it's not jammed), then it's got a bad motor or a bad connection between the motor and the passenger door switch.

    When you're ready to troubleshoot, just remember that both windows run off the same relay, breaker & fuse (so if one window works it's not one of these components). In my experience, a bad switch is the most likely culprit. As you can see in the diagram below, each switch has 2 normally closed contacts when not being operated. If one of these contacts in either switch fails to complete the circuit the window will not operate (regardless of which switch you try). To check switches all you need is an ohm meter. Pull the passenger door switch, then without disturbing the switch position check for continuity between the spade that normally connects to the red wire with blue stripe & the spade associated with the blue wire with the red strip........there should be continuity. If that checks out okay then check for continuity between the spade associated with the green wire with the blue stripe & the blue wire with the white stripe. Again, there should be continuity, if not then the switch is bad.

    If the passenger switch and the motor tested good, then it's likely the driver's door switch or perhaps a busted wire in one of the door jams. Tim


  3. 04-06-2012, 12:00 PM


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    Re: ELECTRIC WINDOWS information....

    hmm,,,12v to the switchwires did -nothing-,
    ,,but the motor worked fine when I applied 12v directly to it,,so at least I got the window closed

    ....was a bit puzzled that a brand-new()replacement passenger side switch (came with the van*) didn't work either,, ,,but from your information I guess that points to the driver-side switch being the issue.

    ...that's all the time/patience I had to investigate the situation for the time being,,,
    ....if the switch is 'bad' is there a way to service it,,,or do I join the switch goosechase?




    *..the van was previously owned by a retired,obsessive-compulsive instructor of toyota mechanics

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    Re: ELECTRIC WINDOWS information....

    I've never tried to get a new switch, I just always got them out of my parts vans or at the salvage yard. Sometimes switches can be taken apart and contacts can be cleaned/bent to make them work, but IMO this is just a temporary fix. I haven't tried to do this with a van power window switch so I don't even know if it's possible. If one switch is good you could bypass the other and make it a "one switch window". You can also do this for troubleshooting. Just take the harness off the D/S switch and jump the red wire with blue stripe, the green wire with blue stripe, and the white wire with black stripe together. If the window now works off the P/S switch then your problem is a bad D/S switch.

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    Re: ELECTRIC WINDOWS information....

    ....was thinking/wondering that.
    ......taking my time before mustering my electronic trouble-shooting brain

    ...usually avoid vans with electric windows altogether,or change-out the doors,
    ,,but this mint van was too sweet a deal----now I pay th'price

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    Re: ELECTRIC WINDOWS information....

    I was troubleshooting power windows today and found a flaw in the schematic posted above. I had given you advice based on that schematic and that's why your window wouldn't come up by jumping those wires. That schematic had the blue wire with the white stripe marked as solid blue (incorrect). To prevent any further confusion I went back and edited the schematic and my post to reflect the correct information. Sorry about the bad advice...... . Tim

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    Re: ELECTRIC WINDOWS information....

    ...oh mannnn,,I'm pretty embarrased t'say that I wasn't yet familiar with the forward control button on the driver's side,,,and that it cut's out the power to the passenger window

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    Re: ELECTRIC WINDOWS information....

    Yeah, they were thinking child safety even back then . Of course these vans were some of the 1st vehicles to do that. I remember working at the dealer (when these vans were new) and having jobs come in........Complaint= "sliding door or rear door won't open from the inside" Repair= "disengaged child lock" . Glad it was an easy fix . Tim

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    Passenger side electric window hack?

    I have an 89 LE and the passenger window has always gone down with the window control on the passenger door, but sometimes has needed the driver door side window switch to go back up.
    put it down today and nothing will make it go back up.
    I can certainly get a meter ( don't have one) but does anyone know which wires in either the passenger door or the drivers side door I would have to bridge to get the window to go back up?
    would love to just take the switch out and put a wire in to get the window up for a few days, until I can dive in and figure out the problem.Thanks!

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    Hi Chester,

    Here's a thread that has the information you seek: http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...WS-information

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    Quote Originally Posted by timsrv View Post
    Hi Chester,

    Here's a thread that has the information you seek: http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/s...WS-information
    Totally stupid question. How do I get 12 volt dc power to those 2 leads to get my passenger window up?
    i tried to take apart the driver side switch to clean the contacts and now I am in the market for another drivers side switch. I could not actually get it apart, but at least one of the contact pieces fell out. So feels like it's toast.

    i am thinking of driving 110 miles to pick up a couple of doors with manual windows. Since I killed my switch on the drivers door and I think I have a bad switch on the passenger door, I am thinking I know how to replace the doors and I will never have to worry about power windows again.....

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    Yes, power windows suck. Both of my daily driver's have crank windows. Didn't think much of it until I had a van with power window problems & now I value the "upgrade" of manual windows. I went through the same experience with my driver's window switch assy. The problem is the push button for the "lock-out" feature doesn't come apart (must be glued or something). You pretty much have to break the thing to get it apart.

    I have a lawn mower battery I use with test leads for stuff like this, but you could also rig up some wires from the van's battery. If you go direct to the motor leads, just momentarily connect power. If the window doesn't move, reverse polarity and it should go the other way. If it doesn't move either direction when power is applied directly to the motor leads, then you have a failed motor. Tim

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    My inclination is to stuff a paper clip in between the two wires in the female connector and run a long wire from the plus side of my battery ( all I have is household wire from electrical sockets). This may be horrifying but I don't really do electric.....
    My set up would have no way to "reverse polarity" so I think I may not be grasping the fine points of "applying 12 volt dc" to the leads in question.
    At this point the passenger window doesn't work, so I am also willing to cut off the female connector on the passenger side window switch in order to get the window back up. Van looks "great" with a trash bag covering the rolled down passenger window in my driveway.
    Plus , like I said, drivers side switch is toast (rattles inside) after my ineffectual ministrations. Can I still get passenger window up with toasted switch on driver' side?

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    Just use 12V on the leads called out on the other thread. These are the leads to the motor. Reversing polarity simply means switching the position of the wires from your power source. If you don't trust the colors as called out in that other thread pull the entire door panel, cut the wires coming from the motor & put 12V directly to these. If the window fails to travel the direction you want, then reverse the positive & negative wires from the battery and try again. If nothing happens either way then the motor is shot. tim

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    SUCCESS! Got the window up by running 2 wires from the battery ( one from the ground and one from the hot) to the connector at the passenger door switch --blue wire with red stripe and blue wire with white stripe.

    Good to know my passenger window motor is good, and since the window is up, I am less worried about having a moldy Pacific NW Van.

    Not being electrically inclined I previously did not run a wire from the ground, just one wire from the hot. Surprised I did not blow the motor
    Any idea if the switches are available new?
    Or if any switches from a 4 runner , corolla or similar vintage may work?


    Thanks for your quick reply


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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    I fixed your picture. Glad you got it figured out. Sorry you had to take the door panel off. I checked into possible substitutions about 2 years ago & found the van window switches to be unique to the van. Perhaps something could be hacked into the arm rest, but don't think you'll find an exact fit. At that time I was told new parts were NLA, but don't take my word for it. I've been able to get several things that I was previously told were NLA, but that happens less & less these days. Tim

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    I've had problems with the power windows on my older Toyota's- 91' Landcruiser and 85' Celica GTS, unfortunately I never had them fixed and just rolled with it. But what I did notice is that even on those vehicles when I would open the window on a rainy day the water would always fall right into the switches... I just came to the conclusion that that was the cause of the switch to fail. But I really don't know if that's a valid cause.

    My Townace had power windows and I just keep a small rag over the switches on rainy days just in case my assumption is right.... Call me over cautious!!

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    Can't find switches so I am looking at replacing my doors with doors that have manual windows. Some of the doors I am looking at don't have mirrors still on them. Has anyone replaced the mirrors? Moved them from one van to another? How hard is it? Can I wire my electric mirrors into manual doors if I move the wiring harness?
    thanks for any replies.

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    All you need are the window mechanisms and the interior door panels. If you can find some nice doors for cheap in the right color, then maybe. Just seems like swapping entire doors would be overkill (unless your's are smashed up or something). Swapping mirrors isn't hard. Tim

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    Re: Passenger side electric window hack?

    Digging around on ebay I found a new window switch from china for $8.99 that says it fits a 1987 Cressida passenger door. It looks identical to the switch I pulled out of my passenger side, except it appears the body housing is slightly longer so it may not fit in the case but it looks like it will plug in. Any idea if this would work?
    As to replacing the doors, I don't care if they are the right color, I just want to roll up and down my windows without jumping a switch from the battery. As you remember my van was "totaled" in an accident last year- the rear bumper is cocked at an angle. Use is more important than looks at this point.

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