Coming home from work yesterday I discovered that my power windows had stopped working. Grrrrrr. I tried the driver's side switches...nothing. I noticed that the entire control panel would slide back and forth. When I moved it the lights on the switches would light up some.

I figured it was a loose connection. So I took the door panel off today and noticed that the connector for the windows and door locks had what looked like a burnt connector for the Red/Yellow Stripe wire (I have some crappy pictures of it if anyone is interested). I assume that is the main power wire. That probably sucks and means that the switch is fried inside somewhere.

So I started testing to see if I was getting any current there. I was. So I wiped some of the burnt-ness off of the connector and plug it back up to the switch and voila! the windows work again.

It really doesn't make me feel any better because it's probably just a matter of time until it happens again and actually does fry something. Any thoughts or ideas about what could have caused that in the first place?

 

I have heard of this happening if the windows had accidentally been left down during a rain storm. If that didnt happen well I guess its just a manufacturing defect hopefully it doesnt torch your truck one day.

 

if the connection had become loose due to just old age, or vibration or something, it could become slightly separated and created an electrical arc which most likely burnt up your wires. burnt up wires dont conduct very well, thus your problem. i see that kind of thing happen all the time on electronics. be it motherboards, amplifiers, mixers, etc. very common in most all electronics. best thing to do is cut out the burnt stuff totally, and rewire that section. consider soldering for a more solid connection.

of course that is just one possible cause, but IMO i see it being the culprit.

 

My master switch does the same thing, but no burnt wires. The lock button dosent work at all, the back windows and the drivers window work on the switch. The passenger window works when it wants to either on master switch or its own switch. Neither of the back windows work through their own switch. I have taken door panels off and found nothing of interest. Because the lights blink when it slides back and forth or a bump is hit I figured it was the switch and I would replace it. Been looking for one for over a month now with no luck. If you find one, let me know where please.

 

Thanks for those replies guys. It makes sense that it could have been water or the loose control panel. In the mornings when I head to work I usually crack the windows and sometimes drips of condensation will hit there around the switches.

If I were to replace the burnt connector, where can you find a replacement that will fit back in the plug correctly? I wouldn't think I would need to replace the entire plug. Just that one burnt connector that fits into it.

Here's a crappy picture of the plug:

 

Coming home from work today I rolled down my windows (mostly) and they just stopped. Wouldn't respond to anything. "Oh well," I think. "It's only 30 minutes to get home." And then it starts pouring. PERFECT!

Anyway I get home and take the door panel off again and unplug the switch. Plug it back in and it all works fine again. Surely the master switch must be going bad right? How expensive are these suckers?

 

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