My apologies in advance for the length of this post.
I’ve had somewhat sluggish power windows for quite some time now and have been through all the other published fixes. A few months ago, it ratcheted up when my driver window began working intermittently. Sometimes it would go down OK, but not up. Other times up OK but not down. Each time I would have to press sideways on the switch and hope for contact. This intermittent part would suggest a faulty switch. As those of us with the older XJs may know, the switch assembly is 6 independent switches pressed onto several layers of brass sheets to provide common connections for power and ground. It’s like those little push plates that lock emblems on so I didn’t want to force one off and risk fubar’ing the whole thing (I had hoped to swap one of the rear switches). A few places sell the switch assembly but it’s well over $100 and not even chrome like mine. I’ve had no luck finding one at any local yards so I figured I keep looking and keep dealing with it.
A few weeks ago I came across a link to a Youtube video on how to take the switches apart and clean them. The switches didn’t look like could come apart without ruining them. I was wrong (and now hopeful).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX0HnZpG1zc
So I cleaned all the window switches. Having discovered quite a bit of scorching, dirt and old grease (Hey, it’s is an ’88), I figured I was good to go. NOT SO FAST! Windows didn’t work any better, in fact my driver’s side window was worse.
Fast forward to today.
Determined to isolate the gremlin, armed with my trusty multimeter, the schematic, a few Stone IPAs and a Rocky Patel 1992 Vintage, I proceeded to check every wire, every circuit and every switch. I manually jumped the connections in the harness to verify every window works in both directions (several times). Yep! I tested every possible combination of connections on the switches to verify connection and switch operation (several times). Yep!! A bit confused because the components work, I put the switch assembly back in the connector and tried them all again. Dang it!! Driver window is still intermittent!!! <insert Curly Howard bark at the switches>.
So in the mode of having ruled out everything else, I was left with the only possible truth. The contacts imbedded in that funky rubbery molded connector weren’t making good contact. So how do I squeeze them? I ended up using a very small jeweler’s screwdriver inserted between the contact and the “housing” and bent over the split to crimp it a bit more. Had to be careful I didn’t over crimp or break anything off. A pair of fine needlenose would have worked but I didn’t have one. Holy Cow! Success!! Not only did the driver window work now but all windows ran faster. Even my power door locks work better (still need some work but that’s another post).
So when chasing electrical gremlins, don’t rule anything out, have good reference materials (like schematics) and a few good brews never hurt! Cigars are optional. :cheers:
I’ve had somewhat sluggish power windows for quite some time now and have been through all the other published fixes. A few months ago, it ratcheted up when my driver window began working intermittently. Sometimes it would go down OK, but not up. Other times up OK but not down. Each time I would have to press sideways on the switch and hope for contact. This intermittent part would suggest a faulty switch. As those of us with the older XJs may know, the switch assembly is 6 independent switches pressed onto several layers of brass sheets to provide common connections for power and ground. It’s like those little push plates that lock emblems on so I didn’t want to force one off and risk fubar’ing the whole thing (I had hoped to swap one of the rear switches). A few places sell the switch assembly but it’s well over $100 and not even chrome like mine. I’ve had no luck finding one at any local yards so I figured I keep looking and keep dealing with it.
A few weeks ago I came across a link to a Youtube video on how to take the switches apart and clean them. The switches didn’t look like could come apart without ruining them. I was wrong (and now hopeful).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX0HnZpG1zc
So I cleaned all the window switches. Having discovered quite a bit of scorching, dirt and old grease (Hey, it’s is an ’88), I figured I was good to go. NOT SO FAST! Windows didn’t work any better, in fact my driver’s side window was worse.
Fast forward to today.
Determined to isolate the gremlin, armed with my trusty multimeter, the schematic, a few Stone IPAs and a Rocky Patel 1992 Vintage, I proceeded to check every wire, every circuit and every switch. I manually jumped the connections in the harness to verify every window works in both directions (several times). Yep! I tested every possible combination of connections on the switches to verify connection and switch operation (several times). Yep!! A bit confused because the components work, I put the switch assembly back in the connector and tried them all again. Dang it!! Driver window is still intermittent!!! <insert Curly Howard bark at the switches>.
So in the mode of having ruled out everything else, I was left with the only possible truth. The contacts imbedded in that funky rubbery molded connector weren’t making good contact. So how do I squeeze them? I ended up using a very small jeweler’s screwdriver inserted between the contact and the “housing” and bent over the split to crimp it a bit more. Had to be careful I didn’t over crimp or break anything off. A pair of fine needlenose would have worked but I didn’t have one. Holy Cow! Success!! Not only did the driver window work now but all windows ran faster. Even my power door locks work better (still need some work but that’s another post).
So when chasing electrical gremlins, don’t rule anything out, have good reference materials (like schematics) and a few good brews never hurt! Cigars are optional. :cheers:
