Intermittent Tempermental Power Windows

[Ruby Ru]

Here's my dilemma: 98 legacy outback wagon

 

When using independent windows switches:

 

Driver side rolls up and down fine.

 

Passenger side rolls down but not up.

 

Rear Driver side rolls up and down fine.

 

Rear passenger side rolls up and down fine.

 

When using master window controls (driver):

 

Passenger side rolls up and down fine.

 

Rear Driver side rolls down but not up.

 

Rear Passenger side rolls up and down fine.

 

WTF man!?

[flight_of_pain]

pull the switch assembly apart and clean all the contacts. Some people have good luck hosing them out with contact cleaner without actually taking the switch assy apart. Then work the switches for a while to clean them.

[Ruby Ru]

pull the switch assembly apart and clean all the contacts. Some people have good luck hosing them out with contact cleaner without actually taking the switch assy apart. Then work the switches for a while to clean them.

 

Cool man, thanks! Any good cleaners to recommend? I heard switch assemblies can be a pain when you take them apart meaning springs and bearings flying everywhere which really doesn't sound like a bunch of fun.

 

Another peculiar side note (if it helps) is the rear driver side window struggles to roll up (rolls up slowly) when control from the driver's master control but rolls up w/ ease from the individual.

 

And all my windows (minus driver side) at one point have had this problem:

 

Windows will roll down fine but will need to push up on the control immediately after pushing down to get the circuit to catch but will roll up fine after it catches. (if that makes any sense)

 

An example would be if the window is already rolled down half way and you want to roll it up you would have to press the window switch quickly down and quickly up in a one-two motion to engage the window to roll up. Almost as if you are jumping a circuit or something. like the up doesn't have power until you first start to roll the window down but once it catches it rolls up fine which leads me to believe its not a motor issue. Plus it happens randomly to all my windows (minus the driver side).

 

i know that's a lot of info. thanks for reading.

 

Nick

Edited November 3, 2010 by Ruby Ru

[Olnick]

Hi Nick (from another Nick!) You really ought to post technical questions like this in the New Gen Forum. You'll get more responses and it'll be more accessible to folks in the future.

[mwatt]

the erratic window operation you describe is a master control problem, but slow "up" operation of the REAR windows (with doors closed) can be improved (not much, but somewhat) by lubricating the rear window surround weatherstrips with silicon. If you soak an old cloth with silicon spray and wipe it on the weatherstrips, the glass won't "bind" quite as much as it glides up against them.

[Allpar Mod]

CRC makes a contact cleaner which is available at Radio Shack, Wal Mart in the automotive, and other outlets. It's in a short red can. Make sure it is the fast drying type that leaves no residue.

 

There are electrical contact cleaners that are formulated differently like for electric motor armatures and to degrease. These will destroy plastics. Never buy these types for small electronic applications. I've seen what they can do. If you're buying contact cleaner at a supplier like Graingers, which some of us can do, it's easy to get the wrong type of spray.