Sigh...Power Windows and Door Locks

I am tired of fixing my xj's, but that is besides the point.

On my 88 xj 4 door with power windows and door locks I was rolling a window down and it started then stopped in mid stream. I figured it was just a fuse and checked it, not the fuse. I went to unlock my doors and now they don't work either. I tried all the switches on every door but nothing happens. I checked all fuses and they are good. I am confused on this one. I would figure the driver switch would break and the other ones would work. I thought maybe it could be a relay or something, but I can't find an ounce of information on relays for power windows or door locks. Does anyone have a clue as to where I should start on this? My windows are half way down and there is suppossed to be plenty of rain tonight. sigh....

skierbri10 said:

I am tired of fixing my xj's, but that is besides the point.

On my 88 xj 4 door with power windows and door locks I was rolling a window down and it started then stopped in mid stream. I figured it was just a fuse and checked it, not the fuse. I went to unlock my doors and now they don't work either. I tried all the switches on every door but nothing happens. I checked all fuses and they are good. I am confused on this one. I would figure the driver switch would break and the other ones would work. I thought maybe it could be a relay or something, but I can't find an ounce of information on relays for power windows or door locks. Does anyone have a clue as to where I should start on this? My windows are half way down and there is suppossed to be plenty of rain tonight. sigh....

Click to expand...

Hey Skierbri10,

I've got an 88 XJ too and I'm doing the mod that adds relays so that the rear pass door locks get the full 12V for open/lock. Age adds resistance to the wiring and the rears got like 7-8V.

But anyways, in my quest to finally fix these locks I may have stumbled onto something to help you! In each kickpanel there's two relays I'm not sure if they control the locks or windows but you could try unplugging them and reconnecting them to see if that solves your prob.

If that doesn't work take out the driver's side switch and check the connector in the back might be corroded. Clean and replug. Then do the same for the others.

btw - I think, the way they work is that if one switch is bad then they all stop working since they're all connected in series.

Good Luck.

Thx, Phil

DIGITRUCK said:

Hey Skierbri10,

I've got an 88 XJ too and I'm doing the mod that adds relays so that the rear pass door locks get the full 12V for open/lock. Age adds resistance to the wiring and the rears got like 7-8V.

But anyways, in my quest to finally fix these locks I may have stumbled onto something to help you! In each kickpanel there's two relays I'm not sure if they control the locks or windows but you could try unplugging them and reconnecting them to see if that solves your prob.

If that doesn't work take out the driver's side switch and check the connector in the back might be corroded. Clean and replug. Then do the same for the others.

btw - I think, the way they work is that if one switch is bad then they all stop working since they're all connected in series.

Good Luck.

Thx, Phil

Click to expand...

Hmmm....Thanks for the info. I will check that Friday. I also noticed that my power mirrors aren't working. I figure it has to been a power problem. Does anyone know if there is one power source for all these things? I tried everything else electric and these three things all died at the same time.

There are two relays in the passenger kickpanel, those are for the locks.

Here is the writeup on adding extra relays to boost the power to the rear and passenger doors. This does not sound like you immediate problem but maybe a future upgrade
http://southeasternxj.com/tech/tech_locks.htm

Here is a mode for the windows
http://www.jeepinjoe.com/html/power_window_switch.html

I am not sure of your problem but I would say it is a power supply problem. As of what I know they do not share a power source so I do not know why they all dies at the say time. You need to investigate, pull of the driver door panel and start from there, is there power at the master control switch? If not then move to the plug shown in the second link. If there is not power there I would just run a new line to the battery like the second writeup shows.

Katarn

skierbri10 said:

Hmmm....Thanks for the info. I will check that Friday. I also noticed that my power mirrors aren't working. I figure it has to been a power problem. Does anyone know if there is one power source for all these things? I tried everything else electric and these three things all died at the same time.

Click to expand...

I think theres also a fuseable link or breaker thats common to all those.

langer1 said:

I think theres also a fuseable link or breaker thats common to all those.

Click to expand...

Hmmm....I wonder where. I cant find it in the FSM.

I have a 95 country and had pretty much the same problem. Gremlins doing all kinds of wierd stuff to my locks, windows and mirrors. I ended up pulling all of the seats and carpet out to find that the main wire harness for the doors that runs from the drivers side to the passenger side had slid down the floor pan and shorted out. The whole harness was all melted together, it had been wet from the winter snow melting off my boots and the wet carpet. So I spliced the harness and lengthenged it to run under the front seat through a garden hose under the carpet to fix my major problems. Hope yours isn't fried, but worth looking at.

langer1 said:

I think theres also a fuseable link or breaker thats common to all those.

Click to expand...

I know of no fuseable link, I have been working on that area for awhile.

Katarn

Arcing can cause a buildup of carbon that can act as an insulator. I've seen the connector that plugs into the back of the switch (although I don't have power mirrors) arc, as well as something in the harness that passes out of the driver's door (never found out where). Corrosion is going to build up on the connectors, or on contacts, unevenly, so you can end up with only a small area of metal actually conducting - a better setup for arcing.

Given that it quit while rolling the window up, it was operating an inductive load, which can present a back emf that will promote arcing if a connection is broken while its field is operating (try unplugging a vacuum from the wall while running).

Given all this, and after seeing the cheesy way they designed the connector block, I'd start with checking the connector on the back of the driver's door switch block. It may be the + line pin on the connector. Check voltages there, and clean and reconnect and see.

-Skip

Well, I took off the switch and it checked okay. Then I followed the wire harness down to under the dash. I wiggled the harnes a little bit and voila everything is back to working. I haven't gone in and actually found out what was wrong, no time. For now it is working okay.

skierbri10 said:

Well, I took off the switch and it checked okay. Then I followed the wire harness down to under the dash. I wiggled the harnes a little bit and voila everything is back to working. I haven't gone in and actually found out what was wrong, no time. For now it is working okay.

Click to expand...

There is a circuit breaker (silver can) in the fusebox. It is pretty common where the wiring runs under the carpet (passenger or drivers feet) to rub through and short out on the floor sheetmetal. Pulling up the carpet to look can confirm this.


Mike R