Need help on electrical problem with window
dylanborns
09-17-2010, 02:32 PM
I'm having an issue with the power windows on my car. The problem is the passenger side front and rear windows will roll down but not roll up. Through testing with a test light, I've found that I DO have power at both motors. I've also done these tests:
-Replaced the drivers side power button mechanism.
-Tested and found power at the window motor wiring harness on both front and back. When I use any of the buttons and try to roll the window up, my test light lights up, so I know there is power there.
-I've held the button "UP" and wiggled the wiring harness at the drivers and passengers door to see if I have a loose or cut wire. Nothing.
-I've run jumpers from the battery straight to the window motor wiring harness, and the window WILL roll up.
So I know I have power at the motor, and that the motor isn't bad. I have bought a multi-meter, and have tried to find a tutorial on the net on what I need to check and where to do that, but can't find anything specifically for my issue. I'm assuming its in the switch area of the front passenger door, but I don't know how to test the switch. If someone could explain to me how to use the DMM, I'd appreciate it. Its a '91 toyota camry.
-Replaced the drivers side power button mechanism.
-Tested and found power at the window motor wiring harness on both front and back. When I use any of the buttons and try to roll the window up, my test light lights up, so I know there is power there.
-I've held the button "UP" and wiggled the wiring harness at the drivers and passengers door to see if I have a loose or cut wire. Nothing.
-I've run jumpers from the battery straight to the window motor wiring harness, and the window WILL roll up.
So I know I have power at the motor, and that the motor isn't bad. I have bought a multi-meter, and have tried to find a tutorial on the net on what I need to check and where to do that, but can't find anything specifically for my issue. I'm assuming its in the switch area of the front passenger door, but I don't know how to test the switch. If someone could explain to me how to use the DMM, I'd appreciate it. Its a '91 toyota camry.
Airjer_
09-17-2010, 08:34 PM
sounds like you have bad switches on the passenger side. With the switch in the up position see if there is power on both wires going to the motor. If there is than the switch is not ground in the up position. If you hold the switch in the down position there will be power on one wire and the other wire will be ground. To confirm you can run a jumper wire from ground to the wire that had power to it in the down position. When you push the switch up that wire will now be ground and if there is power on the other wire the window should go up.
dylanborns
09-18-2010, 03:28 PM
Ok, heres what I did today. I tested both wires at the motor in the "Up" position. Only the green lights up the tester, so I don't think its the switch. I'm thinking I'm having an issue with the green with tracer, which I believe is the ground.
-I have five wires at the switch; Green (up), green w/ tracer (grnd?), red (down), red w/ tracer, (?), and blue (constant power)
-I tested at the switch, past the switch, at the plug that hooks the switch harness to the motor harness, and just past the motor harness at the motor. I have 12v everywhere.
-I used the rear pass. switch and plugged the harness into it and no change
-I plugged everything back together. I then shoved a jumper into the BACK of the switch plug at the green terminal. I put another jumper into the BACK of the plug at the green w/ tracer terminal. I then touched the green terminal on the motor with the jumper from the back of the switch (in the green terminal), touched the other jumper (from the green w/ tracer) to the red terminal on the motor and operated the switch. The window went up.
So I'm thinking that if the green w/ tracer is the ground, then I must have an issue with that ground wire somewhere. I was thinking it could be a problem with the ground in the switch, but like I said, I tried a different switch and had the same problem. I did all the same tests at the pass., rear window with the same outcome. Had to use the jumpers and the window went up.
Any ideas?
-I have five wires at the switch; Green (up), green w/ tracer (grnd?), red (down), red w/ tracer, (?), and blue (constant power)
-I tested at the switch, past the switch, at the plug that hooks the switch harness to the motor harness, and just past the motor harness at the motor. I have 12v everywhere.
-I used the rear pass. switch and plugged the harness into it and no change
-I plugged everything back together. I then shoved a jumper into the BACK of the switch plug at the green terminal. I put another jumper into the BACK of the plug at the green w/ tracer terminal. I then touched the green terminal on the motor with the jumper from the back of the switch (in the green terminal), touched the other jumper (from the green w/ tracer) to the red terminal on the motor and operated the switch. The window went up.
So I'm thinking that if the green w/ tracer is the ground, then I must have an issue with that ground wire somewhere. I was thinking it could be a problem with the ground in the switch, but like I said, I tried a different switch and had the same problem. I did all the same tests at the pass., rear window with the same outcome. Had to use the jumpers and the window went up.
Any ideas?
Airjer_
09-18-2010, 05:44 PM
look for the red and green wires on the passenger front switch. These are the two wires that supply power and ground to the window motor. When the switch is in the up position the green wire will have power and the red wire will be ground. With the switch in the down position the red wire will have power and the green wire will be ground. All the switch does is switch power and ground to those two wires depending on if you want the window to go up or down.
Check those two wires with a test light. If you have power on those two wires with the switch in the up position than the switch bad. there should be one wire with power and one wire with ground with the switch in either position. The power and ground wires will swap with the switch in the opposite position.
Check those two wires with a test light. If you have power on those two wires with the switch in the up position than the switch bad. there should be one wire with power and one wire with ground with the switch in either position. The power and ground wires will swap with the switch in the opposite position.
dylanborns
09-18-2010, 07:21 PM
Hey Airjer, thanks for the second reply. I had checked the red/ green plug like you had mentioned, and it does NOT have power showing on the test light on both wires when moving the switch up or down. It is correct-
"Up" on the switch, power on green wire, none on red.
"Down" on switch, power on red wire, none on green. Keep giving me suggestions; I know a little about electricity, but not enough in this case. After all I've tested, I'm thinking it has something to do with the green w/tr, which I think is the ground for the switch. I'm not 100% sure on that because I can't find any info in my Chilton manuals' electrical schematic. The only reason I'm saying that is because I know power going in has to have power going out to ground. When I hooked the jumper up to the green of the motor, and the green switch terminal, I tried the 3 other wired terminals in the back of the switch, (I knew the blue is constant hot, and the red is down), and the only one that got the window to go up was putting a jumper on the green w/tr and touching that to the red terminal on the motor. So that has to be ground. Is there a way, with a multi meter, to test to see if that green w/tr is open or shorting somewhere? If that wire is frayed or open somewhere between the drivers side and pass side, it wouldn't work.....? If I tested for continuity and put a probe on the green w/tr at the drivers side and same on pass. side, that would tell me if its open somewhere maybe? Thanks for your time!
"Up" on the switch, power on green wire, none on red.
"Down" on switch, power on red wire, none on green. Keep giving me suggestions; I know a little about electricity, but not enough in this case. After all I've tested, I'm thinking it has something to do with the green w/tr, which I think is the ground for the switch. I'm not 100% sure on that because I can't find any info in my Chilton manuals' electrical schematic. The only reason I'm saying that is because I know power going in has to have power going out to ground. When I hooked the jumper up to the green of the motor, and the green switch terminal, I tried the 3 other wired terminals in the back of the switch, (I knew the blue is constant hot, and the red is down), and the only one that got the window to go up was putting a jumper on the green w/tr and touching that to the red terminal on the motor. So that has to be ground. Is there a way, with a multi meter, to test to see if that green w/tr is open or shorting somewhere? If that wire is frayed or open somewhere between the drivers side and pass side, it wouldn't work.....? If I tested for continuity and put a probe on the green w/tr at the drivers side and same on pass. side, that would tell me if its open somewhere maybe? Thanks for your time!
Airjer_
09-19-2010, 12:00 PM
backprobe the red and green wires with your multi-meter set to dc volts. What do you get for numbers.
The green with tracer is the common ground. If it where bad how would the window go down?
The green with tracer is the common ground. If it where bad how would the window go down?
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