My power windows worked today - but why?

[Wrecked944]

My power windows worked today. That is odd because my driver side window became intermittent early in the Fall and then stopped altogether. But today it worked just fine. Of course, the only that has changed is that the temperature was almost 60 degrees today (very unusual here in New England). Any ideas?

[kang]

The power window switches are notorious. They fail regularly. I keep a spare switch in the car for this eventuality. It’s trivial to replace them: gently pry the old switch out of the door, unplug the wire connector from the old and plug it into the new, and then press the new switch back into the door.

It sounds like you have a switch with an intermittent connection. Perhaps the warmer temperature brought the two parts that weren’t connecting close enough together to connect.

My suggestion is to replace all the questionable switches. Note that sometimes the passenger window switch on the driver’s door can cause the switch on the passenger’s door to not operate, giving the impression that the passenger door switch is the bad one.

[ExoticHotWheels]

Another problem I ran into was not the switches , but the brushes on the window motor itself. Over time the brushes get a build up of what I call brush soot. It causes the brushes to stick intermediately. They work sometimes. I could hit a good bump and there they go, working.
The way to double check the switches is get you a test light with the built in battery that will show continuity. Disconnect switch wite and do that first. If the switch shows it is getting continuity on both sides. Then it is not the switch.

This is the part most won't like. Take the door panels off. You need a small plastic wedge or wooden to wedge the windo in place. You gonna have to take the entire motor assembly out. Be extremly careful when taking the motor apart. Get you a couple bottles of electrical cleaner. You literally gonna have to gently remove brushes (GENTLY) and either a very small wire brush or a razor blade, maybe both, and clean all four sides of brushes. Clean brush sleeve out and reassemble the motor. Taking time to make sure brushes do not get broken.

Test before putting back in door and do it back and forth for a while. Presto! Like new window motor. It is a tedious job. But, if I can do it, anybody can.

Remember to trouble shoot everything from the switch to the motor first. Still cheaper than a new motor or reconditioned one, which is what you will be doing!

Good Luck!!
Manley

[Gooch1971]

The driver side window on my 98 has never failed to operate; however, it takes twice as long as the passenger side window. Is this a window motor problem, switch problem orpossibly something else?