Window Control, Driver's Side

[Guest Sue Bell]

Well, my 4-button control for windows finally quit working altogether, after being a little flaky for the last couple of years. How do I get the side mirror control button off, and what can I expect to find when I remove the window control? Is it repairable by replacing or cleaning contacts? I'd be interested in hearing some stories of experience with this.

Sue Bell

[Guest BobFitz]

Get a can of DeOxit 5% and clean the contacts first. It is a bit expensive but worth it IMO. Required in any Italian car toolbox.

Bob

[Guest Sue Bell]

Thanks Bob, I tried another contact spray that didn't help, but I still need to get the mirror knob off. I won't really know until tomorrow when I get to take things apart, but I am all for fixing the problem with as little effort as possible. Is it possible it's a fuse? I will let you all know how I make out. Thanks!

Sue

[Guest Sue Bell]

Oh duh, nevermind, when in doubt, pull! I am going to run it by my mechanic on the way home today to see what he thinks. ~ Sue

[Digger914]

Thanks Bob, I tried another contact spray that didn't help, but I still need to get the mirror knob off. I won't really know until tomorrow when I get to take things apart, but I am all for fixing the problem with as little effort as possible. Is it possible it's a fuse? I will let you all know how I make out. Thanks!

Sue

Pull straight out and the mirror knob should slide off easy. If your plastic switch trim is still unbroken at the latch, push the lower lip of the back edge gently towards the front before lifting to remove.

If all 4 windows stopped working at the same time check your fuses first, Be careful with the panel below the dash, comes off easy, but the twist lock recepticles like to pop off and dissapear into the dash frame if you don't have the twist locks lined up when you put it back on. These little things are pictured in the TC parts book, but they don't have a part number, was used on mid 80's Chrysler part no longer available from Chrysler, still available from manufacturer minimum quantity order 1,000, stopped looking for a low quantity source when I found an old Lancer.

[Guest Sue Bell]

Thanks Digger, mechanic analysis says the fuses are okay and the control switch itself is fairly uncorroded and intact. The guess at this point is a frayed wire somewhere along the harness, probably in the flex tubing between the door and the dash (which explains why it's been flaky in the past) and I will probably have to wiggle one wire at a time and hopefully find the break. If I can't locate it, I guess it's time to fix the AC and do a little Positive/Negative wire magic to put the windows up for now. Not looking forward to forking out the money for the AC, but with rainy season and extreme heat on the near horizon, at least it's an option. I will let you know how the saga turns out! ~ Sue

PS - the AC must have a leak because it won't hold a charge, but also the vents on the center dash won't work, nothing blows out. They did briefly after I had the engine redone (overheating) a couple years ago, but they stopped again shortly after.

[Guest BobFitz]

PS - the AC must have a leak because it won't hold a charge, but also the vents on the center dash won't work, nothing blows out. They did briefly after I had the engine redone (overheating) a couple years ago, but they stopped again shortly after.

A/C vent problem is usually an unplugged vacuum hose going to selector switch. Mine was under hood going through firewall- small (1/8" app.) diameter hard and flex hose.

Bob

[Digger914]

Thanks Digger, mechanic analysis says the fuses are okay and the control switch itself is fairly uncorroded and intact. The guess at this point is a frayed wire somewhere along the harness, probably in the flex tubing between the door and the dash (which explains why it's been flaky in the past) and I will probably have to wiggle one wire at a time and hopefully find the break. If I can't locate it, I guess it's time to fix the AC and do a little Positive/Negative wire magic to put the windows up for now. Not looking forward to forking out the money for the AC, but with rainy season and extreme heat on the near horizon, at least it's an option. I will let you know how the saga turns out! ~ Sue

PS - the AC must have a leak because it won't hold a charge, but also the vents on the center dash won't work, nothing blows out. They did briefly after I had the engine redone (overheating) a couple years ago, but they stopped again shortly after.

I'm with Bob on the vacuum line under the hood. The little hose is a fun one to find, when mine slipped loose it touched the exhaust and melted away leaving a short spud sticking out of the firewall, was pretty well hidden by air duct and hoses. Had several feet of rubber tubing for window washers in my tool box that worked great for repair.

With cans of dye filled refrigerant sold at most parts stores, AC leaks are a lot easier to find than they were years ago and if your AC has been converted to 134a you can add it to your system, put a black light / party light / UV bulb into a trouble light and find the leak yourself. Small leaks that use up a can a year might not be good for the environment, but they aren't worth the cost of fixing if you can't do it yourself.

My experience with flexed door wires in southern cars is that they don't fray, they flat out clean break. The insulation gets hard and cracks, then instead of flexing over several inches that becomes a focused flex point. Because the parking break is always in the way there is no easy fix trick for the drivers side, but finding is always the same, from inside the door pull one wire at a time, the broken wires pull through, good ones don't. There is barley enough room to crimp connect a repair wire without pulling the parking brake, cutting a good wire and using it to pull two replacement wires will save you a couple hours under the dash. This is a one shot deal, bend, twist, tape and pull one end while you push the other. A little dish soap on the wires to be pulled helps them slide through the boot.