a growing nightmare...

[Matt7084]

In the process of removing the door panel, I broke my once perfectly working window switches somehow. Neither of the 2 on the driver side or one on passenger side work at all, the sunroof operates though (atleast the motor does, rest is broken of course) telling me the fuse still works.

Ive pulled the switches regardless. Should I order new switches? And how do you recommend I mark the switches? They seem to be staying in there little pattern, 2 horizontal, 2 vertical, then top horizontal, I dont suppose I can trust them to stay like that...

Also, to further remove the panel I have to have the window down half way, which I cannot do without my window switches, is there a way to manually crank the window down so that I can atleast attempt to repair my broken locking mechanism?

-Matt

[masraum]

Yes, there is a manual window crank. In my '88 there is a hole where the tweeter would be if I had one. You probably do as well, but whether your door panel has the hole or not i don't know, and then of course you also need the tool (an allen wrench, I think, or maybe it's a square drive, never really looked, factory tool kit has it).

Why does the window have to be down to get the panel off?

[RoninLB]

old window switches can be a weak point in operation. Or at least open and clean and grease them.

I'm not sure I completely understand marking the sw ?

Why not write a diagram of the wire colors and the position on the sw, then re-connect after the panel is removed.

[carreradpt]

Matt what year is your car? I have had my door panels off a few times and I don't think it matters where the window is. Like Ron said draw a little diagram of the wires or put a small piece of tape on each with a number and do a diagram. They will not stay where they are if you mess with your door. Then you'll play big guessing game trying to get them in the right order. Don't do that. There is a good technical on doing what you are trying to do. Think it is on pelican here or reenlist. Check it out.

[bell]

if you have a 9.6 or high cordless drill you can use the battery to energize the window motor wires to roll up/roll down......

[Matt7084]

thanks for the help...

i just drew a little map, but on the second window switch, the wires got all mixed up from the force of me pulling off the switch, that might be a guessing game, but thats the least of my troubles now. The color coordination is definitely different on the two switches.

My car is an 86 911 Carrera Coupe.

when the locks are finally fixed and it comes time to fix the windows, should I disconnect the neg. battery connection first? Never done anything with a car's battery before. It is odd that the untouched passenger window does not work now, too. Which of the 3 window switches is the "main" one that most likely broke and knocked out all three?

thanks again - Matt

[makaio]

Along with drawing a diagram, I always take pictures with my digital camera to help me out if I get into trouble later.

[RoninLB]

POWER WINDOW SW.---- JW says,

looking at the back of the switch, with the single terminal at the top, the red wire goes to the top and bottom right, the brown ground goes bottom left, and the two other wires from the motor go on the middle two. if the motor goes the wrong way, swap the middle ones. the right window won't work if the left window switch is bad, or wired wrong

[Matt7084]

Gotcha, thanks.

Biggest problem is that big piece of rubber housing, doesnt look like the type of thing Id want to remove (wouldnt go back on easy at all) yet it doesnt pull back too well to work with the wires.
Anyways, first things first, fix that God forsaken locking mechanism.

-Matt