[Hinesss]

hello i am new to the malibu forum & im not sure if this thread was posted already but i have a problem. my driver side rear power window rolls down but not up.
i was thinking about buying a replacement regulator for the window, is that a good idea? if i have to change it, how to?
is there an alternate way to handle this problem?


your imput would be greatly appreciated

 

[Starship]

Re: power window issue

The motor runs to lower the window so it's probably not the motor or window regulator. I'd pull the door panel first and see what part of the guide mechanism is broken.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Re: power window issue

It could simply be a contact on the switch. The way the circuit works is when all switches are at rest both wires to the motor are grounded. When the switch is moved to up or down it energizes one wire or the other, making the motor spin one direction or the other. If it makes contact going down but doesn't make contact to go up, inspect the switch. I've actually taken various switches apart, cleaned them, and put them back together. If you do, be careful to watch for little pieces of metal, springs, and balls. Plus watch for how they're installed! The switch housing will be plastic, and likely so will the actuator.

If the window moves freely then the regulator is probably not the issue. Just for regular maintenance you may want to get some pure silicone spray and spray the inside of the felt guides. Over time they get dirty and wear down, causing the window to drag and the motor to draw more current. The extra current can damage a switch. The regulator has a balancing spring to counteract the weight of the window to some degree, but the added drag from the channel guides takes its toll over time. If you choose to do it I'd suggest you do all four windows.

If you need to roll the window up in an emergency, take the switch out, unplug it, and put +12V to one motor lead and Ground to the other. If it sounds like it's groaning then switch the leads and see if it goes up. Plug the wire back into the switch and don't roll it down again until you fix it.

 

[NukeLR]

Re: power window issue

1998 Chevy Malibu with power windows. Passenger side front window has been troublesome going up after rolling down. Now it is stuck in full down position. Doesn't matter whether I use the master switch on driver's door or the switch on the passenger door. Yes, I checked to window lock-out switch.

I figured it was the motor, so I bought a new motor, but before installing/mounting it, I hooked it up to the motor plug in the door. It too would go down, but not up....using either the driver's door or passenger door switch.

I'm not an auto electrical expert, but the wires seem ok using continuity. Wasn't comfortable jumping power straight to motor.

So my question, If one switch goes bad, will it cause both switches not to work? If not, any ideas what to check next? Trying to avoid unraveling wiring harnesses, etc.

Thanks for any help!

 

[MalibuKen]

Re: power window issue

So my question, If one switch goes bad, will it cause both switches not to work?

IIRC, the switches are "daisy chained"; one is master and passes power to the other switch only when it is in the neutral position.......to keep two people from trying to make it go in opposite directions at the same time.

I don't know which is the master......but I'm sure several folks here DO. One of them will be along shortly.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Re: power window issue

Both are effectively "master" because they're in series. They're like Xmas lights - one goes out and the whole chain goes out.

Driver's switch sends power to the UP or DN set of contacts in the passenger's switch. It does this by moving that wire inside the driver's switch from ground to power and the motor moves. But it won't if the ground is not provided by the driver's switch or the passenger's switch. Either one (or both) not providing ground will stop the motor from turning and the window from moving.

What you want to do is unplug the motor from the passenger's switch and then put ground to one lead and power to the other (the wires going to the motor, not the switch). If it seems to want to make the window move further down, reverse the connections and it should move up. If it doesn't then you'll need professional help since you say you aren't that good at electrical.

I could fix it if you were nearby. I've taken the switches apart before, fixed 'em, and reassembled 'em. Worked good for a long time!

 

[NukeLR]

Re: power window issue

What you want to do is unplug the motor from the passenger's switch and then put ground to one lead and power to the other (the wires going to the motor, not the switch). If it seems to want to make the window move further down, reverse the connections and it should move up. If it doesn't then you'll need professional help since you say you aren't that good at electrical.

I could fix it if you were nearby. I've taken the switches apart before, fixed 'em, and reassembled 'em. Worked good for a long time!

@DrivenDaily. Actually you're not that far from me. I'm just up the river on the IN side! C'mon over!

Seriously...just so I understand, I should ground one lead coming off the motor, and for the other lead connect to power off the battery? I thought about trying that but was erroneously thinking that they were both power and the motor was grounded through mounting points. I'll try your suggestion.

Great forum. I'm amazed I got GREAT answers so fast! Just bought the malibu a month or so ago for the step-daughter. One owner car with 144K but very well cared for. I like the way the malibu is put together and am hoping it provides some reliable transportation.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Check for a PM. We'll see about meeting up and I'll show you some things you can use in the future.

 

[MalibuKen]

Re: power window issue

Both are effectively "master" because they're in series.

Guess my comment was poorly worded.......
The question IS: Which switch can fail and cause them BOTH not to work.
Only one will do that, the first one in the series.
From your answer, I think that is the one on the drivers door, right ??

Hmmmm.......now that I think about it more.......if one provides the power and the other provides the ground.......then maybe either failing could take out both. I guess I need to see the schematic.

 

[RalphP]

For my 2000, it was the driver's side that quit. The local U-Pull-It carries them new (!!) for $60 for the driver's side switch panel, so I put a new one in. I figured it was worth the $60 to not have to play around with it *grins*

RwP

 

[NukeLR]

Thanks for all the help! I hope it's the passenger side since it's about half the price. Although the driver's side certainly gets used more.
I may look at trying to clean the passenger side switch tonight...although i envision looking for tiny parts in the carpet before I'm done.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Re: power window issue

Guess my comment was poorly worded.......
The question IS: Which switch can fail and cause them BOTH not to work.
Only one will do that, the first one in the series.
From your answer, I think that is the one on the drivers door, right ??

Hmmmm.......now that I think about it more.......if one provides the power and the other provides the ground.......then maybe either failing could take out both. I guess I need to see the schematic.

It's a weird thing how it works. The driver's is the master, but only because it duplicates the operation of the other three doors. When considering the electrical value of either switch to determine if it's a master or slave, then they're both equal. If either one fails the window will not move, and one contact can fail, keeping the window from moving in that direction, while the other contact can be just fine and allow operation in the other direction.

The ground path from the passenger motor is through the passenger switch, then through the driver switch, then to ground. The power path from the passenger motor is one of the following:

When passenger operates window: through the passenger switch to +12V​

When driver operates window: through the passenger switch, to the driver switch, then to +12V​

The passenger switch does not directly supply the ground; it has to go through the driver switch.

On Gen7, power for the front passenger is provided directly to the switch. The rear doors are provided power through the lockout switch on the driver's panel and then to each switch.

The rear doors function the same as the front passenger except for the source of power. If either one of them OR either of the driver switches fail, that window will not move in that direction.

When switches are at rest all contacts are at ground potential. When a switch is moved to operate a window, one contact loses ground and then goes to +12V. The other contact continues to provide the ground path.

 

[G8erB8]

On my 2005, this is the window switch circuit board. The lower left switch is the drivers window. The yellow clip activates the auto down button. This image shown the left rear window switch taken apart. The far right switch is the passenger lockout toggle switch.

Each switch rocks two metal "W's" inside the switch. One way connects power up, the other connects power down. This way, there cannot be power both directions. On the left upper, and right lower W's you can see the black spots where the switches had been arching. I wasn't even having issues with this switch at the time. Only my front two switches were acting up, but I took the back apart for pictures.

Closer in. And you can see on the switch up top how the cover actually clips on to the lower switch housing.

The prongs are what actually rock the W's back and forth. I think wear on the prongs may be a factor too.

With the W's out, you can see how much carbon had built up. And like I said, this switch was still working fine.

On my fronts, I cleaned the carbon out, bent the W's in a bit, and put some bulb grease in and they worked for about 5 months. They just started giving me trouble again though so I'll have to pull them apart again and see what's up.

I have a few more pics if anyone is interested in the disassembly.

 

[MalibuKen]

and put some bulb grease in and they worked for about 5 months. They just started giving me trouble again

"Bulb grease" is NOT intended to be used on switch contacts.

That may be a contributor to the present problem.

 

[G8erB8]

Didn't work too good on my turn signal bulbs either!

 

[MalibuKen]

Didn't work too good on my turn signal bulbs either!

Well that's one application where di-electric grease IS recommended.

That means one or more of:

Contacts were badly corroded already
Contacts didn't have enough spring tension
The problem actually was something else.....like a loose wire or bad bulb.
Sometimes the only fix for a flaky bulb socket is a new one.

It is intended to keep moisture and dirt out of a pressure contact connection.......like a pin connector or bulb socket......where the contact pressure is enough to force ALL of the grease out of the actual contact point and then kind of seal it from the environment, without conducting current in the process.

 

[G8erB8]

I think the bouncing headlights made the bulb arch and heated up the socket. When I replaced the bulb I put bulb grease in, but the clips on the socket were weakened by the heat. So again, bouncing headlights, arching bulb, bulb grease heated up and dried out..

Yep, I need new sockets.

 

[NukeLR]

I bought a new passenger side switch. Still no go. Got mad and smacked the passenger window switch on the driver's door. Window works now, even better than before. Guess it was a dirty switch on the driver's side all along. Good call on cleaning the contacts.

Amazing what a good whack can fix sometimes.

 

[MalibuDani]

Omg...this same thing happened to my 05 classic yesterday. My mechanic originally thought it was the motor but it wasnt. I showed him this forum and he checked and cleaned my switch and now my window works fine! Thanks Driven Daily for the switch idea!

 

[cutter]

I had a problem with my driver side window. Window would go up and down with hand assist and by itself at certain points. I changed the regulator and same problem. Changed motor and that solved the problem. They say it's called weak motor. Old motor worked but was weak. Hope this helps you all.