Electric Windows On Strike

bleachii · 11-16-2015, 10:54 AM

Hello All,

I started my '79 for the first time in 6+ months of sitting in my garage under car cover. Both power windows fail to work. The switches on the driver side and the switch on the passenger side were all tested and behaved the same.

I hoped the issue was related to the fuse which says #21 in the glove box manual but shows as #1 (closest to the cabin) in the fuse box itself. This is a 25a fuse and it looked good. Replaced it with new anyway but did not achieve desired result.

Power mirrors work. Power sunroof works.

I feel like it is still be related to the fuse or possibly another central component in the electrical chain especially since all 3 windows switches are not working.

2 questions:

1. Where would I look to read about out how the windows system works if I didn't ask everyone here?

2. Can someone shed light on what else I need to investigate?

I ask the first question in an effort to do my own homework prior to asking to be spoon fed the answer. I searched the forums here and I see some talk about a relay but that's on an '87. Sounded like maybe there were some changes from '79 to '87.

Here is a photo showing the windows in the 'up' position as I know you's guys like the photos

Thanks.

icemann427 · 01:23 PM

Do you have a light tester? If so, check both sides of that fuse holder. If both sides are hot, pull out the switch for the driver's side window and check the plugs with the tester where the wires plug into the switch and see if the top plug is hot (at least it is the top one on my 87'). You can check the other plugs, too, just to see if another one is hot. If the fuses are hot, and nothing is hot at the switch, you have a problem inline. If it is hot at the driver's side switch but nothing works, try replacing the driver's side switch with the passenger side switch. Before you do that, make sure you know where each and every wire goes. Take a few pictures, even. With making that switch, if it then works, you know your driver's side window switch has gone bad. FYI, the driver's side window switch gives power to the passenger side switch, so if the driver's side switch is bad, it probably won't give power to the passenger side. If you think you have an inline problem, get an extra wire and run it from the top pole on your driver's side switch directly to the fuse holder. See if it works, then. If that works, you know for sure you have an inline problem and you need to start digging. Or...Just make a new run with a new wire.

bleachii · 11-16-2015, 03:53 PM

Thank you. I will try what you have suggested.

bleachii · 11-28-2015, 09:42 PM

This problem is solved. I purchased the 'light tester' recommended by The Icemann and tested the top and bottom of the fuse associated with the windows switches. It's the fuse closest to the driver in my '79. No light. Tested other fuses and there was light so my tester was good. This meant looking 'upstream' for the next failure point. The wires looked good so I started poking around looking for a relay. The fuse box cover documents the relays inside and sure enough the 3rd relay from the cockpit/driver is related to the windows switches.

Removed the relay and used another known good relay to see if the windows would work. Light tester displayed a light and the windows worked. Window switch relay looked fine upon removal. Cleaned the window switch relay with some CRC contact cleaner and dipped the prongs in some dialectric grease and reinstalled. Windows operational again. Fuse and relay circled in red.