Sure it could be several things, but the most likely is simply a bad switch.

Hi John,

Is there a definitive way to check? I'm trying to do this myself and avoid the $$ of taking it into the dealer.

Thanks!

It can be a bad switch or a broken wire most often in the door boot where the wires get flexed ever time the door is opened. To make matters more interesting, it is possible for the metal wire to break inside its insulating sleeve without the insulation parting. During the early phase of such a break, it may exhibit intermittent circuit. Try this: Hold the switch down while swinging the door back and forth (slowly). If the broken ends of the wire temporarily meet, the window motor may momentarily operate.

Service manuals do describe procedures for testing the switch, but these may not differentiate between a bad switch and a broken wire. The window switches are snap acting blades. A broken blade will affect the feel of the rocker button. If the rocker button feels normal when operated, chances are the snap blade is ok. With the vehicle in a quiet place, put your ear next the switch and operate the rocker buttons and listen for the sanp blades. All should snap to and fro in a decided crisp manner.

The most common modes of failure are:
1. Broken snap blade
2. Welded contacts
3. Misalignemnt due to parts shift and the blade will not toggle in one direction. The alignments of the blade fulcurm in relation to the contacts and the location of the push pin on the blade is very critical. A shift of .005 to .010 inch of the fulcurm can stop the toggle action.
4. In rare cases, debris between the contacts.

The switch assembly can be removed and tested with a continuity light or Volt-Ohm-Meter. It unplugs from the wiring harness via a multi-pin commector. However, you will have to have the pin-out diagram to make sense of it.

sounds like a bad switch to me.

Pull the switch and take a look, I'll bet you can see the problem.

It has been a few days, so what happened? Did you find the problem?

Hi guys,

It definitely was a bad switch -- now replaced and working fine.

Thank you so much for the help!

Have same issue with my rear passenger window in my 05 chevy impala.... Just changed the window motor and regulator but will not raise up. Swapped driver side with passenger and still no response on the passenger side but the one from the passenger side worked on the driver side, any suggestions.

This post was edited by dadd6y on Sat, Jul 5, 14 at 16:00

You mentioned the motor and regulator, what about the switch?

2002 ford explorer. passenger front door problem.

passenger switch works down only.
master switch when install new will work for an hour and then will stop. tried that 3 times. the other 3 windows working ok with any switch.
direct power from battery to the wires at center of the door around the motor and up and down works fine by switching the wires.
ideas????
help please.

I have 1998 acura Integra when I put the new motor in the window rolled up and thats it. Researching i hard wired the switch reversing the wires and the window rolled down but only with the passenger switch. So it will either only roll up or down but not with the master switch. Is it the master switch?

Hey guys I have a 2008 Dodge Avenger the power windows on the passenger side would go down for a while but not up the driver side door used to roll it up but now none of the buttons will roll it back up please I am in desperate need of help

Ryan: Your problem could be broken wires or a bad switch module, often the driver's console. The usual diagnostics may not detect broken wires in the door boot, but appear as a bad switch. The switch has to be disconnected from the wiring harness to test the switch alone. If power is not getting to the switch, broken wire(s) in the door boot is suspect. And one other thing, there should be a lock-out switch on the driver's console that disables the window switches at the rear windows. Make sure the rear switches are not locked out when testing these.

However, there is another automation bug in the ointment in later model cars which have the express-up or express-down option. Thus bug shows up in cold weather when the window seals stiffen.

If you have the express option, check your wiring diagram. Very likely, the window regulator motors are controlled through a control module. (This module is another item that can fail.) With the express option, the end of travel has to be detected to automatically shut off the motor. While this feature was being developed, it was discovered that not only must the regulator motor shut off at the end of travel, it must also stop and any mid-point under certain conditions. If a pet or child should stick his head though an open window, or an arm or finger ride on top of the glass, that presence must be detected and the motor shut off. I am not familiar how different systems work, but it seems that some work by measuring the motor load simply by measuring current. If the motor load exceeds a certain level, or after starting experiences a sudden load increase, it shuts off. Unfortunately, cold, stiff window seals may cause shut off.

On my 1998 Jeep, I have a simple express-down only and the express part fails when the window seals are cold, but the regular manual operation remains. The express function returns when the seals warm or become less sticky.

One way to test is to put the vehicle in a warm space and wait for the doors to warm up. If normal operation returns after the doors attain, say, 40 F, most likely the problem is stiff or sticky seals. If the problem persists with warmed doors and you are not handy with a volt-ohm meter and reading circuit diagrams, then its time to get professional help.

Thank you jemdandy I'm going to try that putting in a warm space but also I replace the switch on the window and when I push the button down I can hear the motor click making the noise trying to roll the window down but when I used the button to roll the window up there is no noise or anything

FWIW

I’ve an ‘03 Ranger. Drivers window occasionally ceases to function. If it is part way up I can pull up on it while actuating the switch and the window then functions properly.

What if it’s all the way down? Well one day I noticed a hole in the bottom of the door. Drain hole? Nope. It’s right under the window channel. I can push up on the window with a rod while actuating the switch and up it goes.

The hole was obviously punched thru by a previous owner. Looks like it was drilled then enlarged with a punch. I carry a rod under the seat. Been 2-3 years since the last malfunction.

=======================

Other components have stopped and each time they get fixed by merely disconnecting and reconnecting the switch wires. Presumably a contact resistance builds up so I try to scratch the contacts; maybe lube them too.

Just got both motors fixed on my 96 firebird and two days later the drivers side will go down and not all the way up it maxes out about 2 inches away from veing fully closed what is the problem?

Please feel free to pm me on facebook for a answer this is my fb profile

Had a similar problem on my Elantra. Window would power down, but not power up. Few months ago I took the motor off and hand pushed it up, but then a passenger lowered it down again yesterday. Had the idea this morning to pull the switch off the back seat window armrest unit (just carefully pulled off the switchplate cover and then unclicked the switch from the wire connector using fingers) and tried it out on the front window. It works great!

Which means the the old front switch has a short somewhere (from kids yanking on it). I'll buy a new switch online in the coming days and simply plug it into the back one that is without (as I'd rather have the back missing than the front until I order the part).

I recommend trying this (use switch from back seat) before replacing the motor or other parts etc because if it is just the switch, replacing the motor won't help (plus the cost involved). Best of luck.

I have a 99 olds aurora and the back window rolls down but not up, I took the door panel off and tested the continuity with a fluke meter and then switched the switch with the other passenger door and still no success I tried the button while slowly closing the door as was suggested to someone else the master window control for the rear driver window doesn't work at all, I unplugged the battery for an hour thinking its just the computer needing to reset but again no luck, I just want the window up to protect from rain and for security purposes. Is there a way to bypass the switch or hardware the moter? I took the switch apart and tried bridging the contacts also with no luck. Please help

I have a 98 Monte Carlo window goes down but not up could it be a bad switch if neither switch is working

I have a 2000 olds Intrigue and so far 3 of the 4 windows have failed from cable failure. At least one had been replaced before by a previous owner. You can see the failure if you remove the door panel and probably feel a loose, disconnected or broken cable. These days it seems that the best deal is to replace the motor with the broken regulator.

Have a new quirk to throw at you. '88 Monte Carlo SS. Window goes down but won't go up. Unplugged motor and test light shows power to motor on up and down leads, so assumed switch ok. Replaced motor. New motor still will not run on up command from switch, even with motor out. What am I missing?

I have a 2000 Ford F-150. My driver window (windows are power) has no problem going up and down. My passanger side goes up from my drivers switch but when i try and hit the down button it seams like its dead. But the passanger side switch will roll it up and down. Also my lock and unlock (power) on driver and passanger doors wont work. They make the sound so you know there working but the lock wont work. Anyone have any suggestions to help me out?

My window would go down but not up. When I pushed the switch to go down I could hear the motor working - but heard nothing when the switch was pushed to go down. Since my window stuck in the open position I hard wired and reversed the wires going into the motor. I then pushed the switch to go down and the window went up.

what kind of car?

I don't think the problem comes from the motor, there are several reasons, to ensure it, you should take your car to maintenance store.

Hi my chev spark 2008 the drivers side window goes down perfectly when I up it , no click nothing, but it goes down without a problem, what seems to be the problem here

Lot of questions, but no answers , not much help here