Window Switch Question

Hi guys,

Helping a coworker with a '97 Cherokee, 4-door, power windows. Her rear passenger window was stuck down, wouldn't roll back up. I pulled the door panel, checked the switch and have 12v up and down. Assumed bad motor.

I pulled working lift motor from front door and switched to back door. When plugged into harness motor only turns when pressing switch down, and won't turn when you press up. Question is why won't it go up? I have 12v on both sides of the switch, just reversed polarity. What else could it be? Ground? I'm at a loss. Any help would be...helpful.

Thanks.

Test for 12 volt+ and continuity to ground at the motor wire plug, on both upstream and downstream sides of the switch assembly, and just inside the door hinges on the body wire harness. You can apply 12 volts and ground directly to the correct wires with a battery charger or battery jump box as needed to move the glass.

Thank you for helping Tim.

We got the window up manually when we disconnected the lift motor from the regulator. It's taped up out of the way.

I tested the motor wire plug terminals with a lead on each terminal. Got +12v and -12v when pressing up and down on switch. Should I test it with one lead on a terminal and the other on a nearby ground, like the door itself?

I didn't test for voltage by using the driver-side master switch, only the rear passenger switch. Is that what you meant by testing upstream of the switch assembly?

Some people say the passenger windows all connect through the front passenger door module. I have never had any window troubles beyond broken wires in the drivers door or a faulty drivers door master switch. It just seems odd to me that you have power and ground at the motor wire plug and it won't work right. The window motors are only two wire, so the switch must reverse polarity on the wires for up or down, which makes me suspect wiring or switching issues farther upstream from the window itself.

That's what's baffling me too. Pulled a spare regulator, motor, and switch from a junk yard XJ just in case...but like you I suspect a broken wire. I fixed three wires in her driver-side front door last year...plus replaced her passenger-side front switch (her key fob wasn't working)...and replaced a dead lift motor. It was a pita because there was several issues going on all at once. This looks like it might be another "complex" problem. I'll finally get to look at the car again tomorrow so hopefully something obvious turns up. Thanks for the advice. I'll post a resolution if I figure it out.

Is it just the one window or the 3 passenger windows? If it's the 3 passenger windows, the main switch is the problem. I fixed mine yesterday by following this YouTube video. Worked like a charm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBNIC_2H_JQ

Vernicious said:

Is it just the one window or the 3 passenger windows? If it's the 3 passenger windows, the main switch is the problem. I fixed mine yesterday by following this YouTube video. Worked like a charm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBNIC_2H_JQ

Click to expand...

Thanks, but it is just the rear passenger window, and only when pressing "up" on the switch. At this point it's gotta be a bad wire somewhere, either in driver-side jamb or rear passenger. I looked back into it this week and got the motor to "work", both up and down. I don't think the motor is bad. I had already switched it with a known working motor that mimic'd the "bad motor" behavior once plugged into the rear door. Switches are good, 12v up and down from rear door and master switch. I'm guessing the bad wire has moved enough over the weekend to "work" again. I just gotta find it (I hate working in the driver-side door jamb, so tight).

haolepinoy said:

Thanks, but it is just the rear passenger window, and only when pressing "up" on the switch.

Click to expand...

Got it. I'd suspect the switch... I know it works occasionally, but having the window always working down, but not up indicates more of a switch than a wiring problem. I'm sure there's something in there that will prove me wrong....

My drivers door window switch decided to die today. I'm guessing I did something wrong when I soldered the cracked solders... :banghead:

Thanks God for junkyards (if there's a pick-n-pay near you). I had to solder my driver-side switch too...first thing I ever soldered on a vehicle. My '01 XJ has been like a rolling automotive class. One of the reasons I love it so much despite it giving me near constant grief.

My passenger window won't go up on my '01. The passenger control allows me to lower it but the drivers side controls won't allow the passenger window to go up or down. I just noticed that the backlighting for the passenger window switch goes out when I use the driver side door control up. I tested all four windows and all of the lights stay on when using the drivers door master controls except that passenger one during the up cycle. The window is still stuck down and can only be lowered further from only the passenger control. Front passenger door if that matters.

I guess I'll have to take it to a shop and have it fixed. I can't find any useful info on this site.

Veehawk said:

I guess I'll have to take it to a shop and have it fixed. I can't find any useful info on this site.

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This has been debated to death on this site. If you can't find useful info, you probably aren't looking hard enough. :anon:

Typically, it's wiring in the door, or the switch itself. I'm having window issues as well. Have pulled the door apart and rewired several pieces.

Vernicious said:

This has been debated to death on this site. If you can't find useful info, you probably aren't looking hard enough. :anon:

Typically, it's wiring in the door, or the switch itself. I'm having window issues as well. Have pulled the door apart and rewired several pieces.

Click to expand...

I should rephrase my last statement since after rereading it I've realized that it sounded out of line. I've googled my window issues, searched many youtube videos, and read through dozens of forum posts which lead me to this specific post. I'm lacking in electrical skills and am trying to provide any form of useful info for anyone on the other end of the keyboard to be able to help me with this issue.

I can't figure out why the passenger window switch backlighting goes out when trying to use the driver door master switch in the up mode of travel. To me that is some form of troubleshooting answer and the car is trying to let me know something. Sadly, I can't find that answer. The passenger window will go down only with the passenger window control and the driver control is dead for that window. I've read that the windows are all slaved through the driver control so my guess would be the driver switch is bad causing the passenger one not to work. Then why would the passenger siwtch allow the window to go down? It just doesn't make any sense to me as I lack electrical skills.

I've pulled the rubber boots back, checked the wire bundles and shook them around in various ways, removed the driver kick panel and tried jumping the tan and yellow wires on the 3 pin connector in case it was the driver window lockout button going bad as other youtubers mentioned and nadda. Since the window wouldn't go up from jumping it there my next guess is to remove the passenger door panel and jumper the motor itself to temporarily get my window up until I get this fixed. Tornado watches and severe thunderstorms all week long have me a bit peeved about this so having my new vehicle sit in a garage with a bad open window during heavy rain makes me a bit irritable. My apologies for the tone of the post earlier.

You need to follow the basic electrical gremlin tests. Trace wires for continuity. in the case of this door, I would hotwire from battery to window motor and see if the motor will push the window up.

I took the passenger door panel off and hot wired the motor to the battery to get my window up so I can at least pull it out of the garage and drive it now. I've also noticed that only when I try to use my driver side master control for the front passenger window not only does it not work for up or down but immediately after using that specific window switch all of the back-lighting on the driver door flickers for about 5-7 seconds before staying illuminated. Not only that but trying to use the driver door up for the front passenger window the passenger side window switch darkens still while depressing that switch for the up direction. The auto window down for the driver door never worked so I'm guessing this driver door control box is dirty and just needs to be taken apart and meticulously cleaned as my next step as a non electrician. Not to mention while it's apart inspecting the solder points for cracks. I haven't burned the house down yet so all is well!