power window switches

[OswaldtheBold]

My 97 Legacy L Wagon has begun having intermittent window problems, which I think are in the switches, maybe dirty contacts. (Front pass.switch makes window go down but not up, but drivers switch for front pass. wiondow works both ways. Rear pass switch works both ways, but drivers switch for rear pass. window only goes up)

Can the contacts be cleaned and how do I remove the switch panels? Do I have to remove door panels first?

I did a search, but most references are for older or newer models and I can't tell if they are the same as my 97.

[ionic]

Yes, your switch contacts are dirty. You need to take the door panel off then remove the plastic panel that surrounds the switches from the door panel. Unscrew the the switch unit from the plastic panel to make it easier to work on, then take out the several screws that hold the switch units in place. The plastic toggle switches pull off, but be careful taking out the metal contacts that are below the toggle switches, because they're very tiny. Clean them off really good to remove the carbon deposits left by arcing. There are a bunch of small pieces, but other than making sure you keep track of them all and put all the screws back in the right holes, it's a straightforward job.

[OswaldtheBold]

Yes, your switch contacts are dirty. You need to take the door panel off then remove the plastic panel that surrounds the switches from the door panel. Unscrew the the switch unit from the plastic panel to make it easier to work on, then take out the several screws that hold the switch units in place. The plastic toggle switches pull off, but be careful taking out the metal contacts that are below the toggle switches, because they're very tiny. Clean them off really good to remove the carbon deposits left by arcing. There are a bunch of small pieces, but other than making sure you keep track of them all and put all the screws back in the right holes, it's a straightforward job.

 

Thanks. Any tricks to getting the door panel off without screwing it up? (I do have the small tweeters on the front doors by the mirrors). Also, any trick to removing the plastic panel around the switches after the door is off?

[johnceggleston]

tweeters are a friction fit, just go slow and be careful.

 

the door panel has 2 screws, one inside the door openr space (with plastic button cover) and one below the pull handle in the middle of the door (circular cover).

 

across the bottom of the door are snaps (on the back side) use a long screw driver/ prybar and work your way around. these are pretty durable, not delicate. once the panel is loose, the switch is obvious, it just snaps out.

 

Thanks. Any tricks to getting the door panel off without screwing it up? (I do have the small tweeters on the front doors by the mirrors). Also, any trick to removing the plastic panel around the switches after the door is off?

[lmdew]

If cleaning does not work, let me know I have spare switch panels. I'm in the Springs. Lmdew@hotmail.com

[n3ckf]

Does anyone know what the color code for the wires on a power window switch for the Loyale is? (this is the right hand passenger side door so theres only one switch).

 

My switch has self destructed but i want to figure out how to use the wires to manually raise the window (if that will work). It should be possible to just jumper the correct wires.

 

so i was able to get this to work...

 

Turns out what the switch does, is short the CENTER wires (which are YELLOW and YELLOW RED) to the wires on either side. (so its a 2 pole, 2 position switch). In order to operate it "manually" i used 2 pairs of needlenose (with electrical tape to keep them from "shorting" to each other in parallel.

 

Shorting the two center pins to the upper side pins moves the window one way, to the lower side pins moves the window the other way.

 

Note there are only 5 wires to the switch:

 

One pair: RED * Black/Orange*

Middle (center contact): Yellow and Yellow-Red

Other side (only one wire) = Black/white (with an orange band painted on it)

 

There's no 6th wire on the 2nd set of contacts because that contact is connected inside the switch to the contact diagonally opposite (other side, other end of the switch).

 

The switch has 2 contacts which are "rockers" inside it. They either connect the center pole(s) to the "UP" or "Down" side of the switch.

 

I was able to get my window to go up on the first try by jumpering the switch contacts.

(I believe the side with the one wire is the one you want to jumper to center to get the window to go up). It looks like the way the motor works is you're just reversing the voltage 12Volts between the two sides of the motor in one direction makes it go up, the other direction makes it go down.

 

Obviously remove the jumper when you get to the end you're looking for...

 

I did find a source for a new switch, and now i have time to wait for it (with the window safely up).