Legacy power windows

[RedRat]

Hey guys,

 

I've got a 91 Legacy and the rear power windows have decided to poop out. Last week I noticed that the rear drivers side window decided not to work. I blew it off. But today I had a passenger in the back coming home from Mt. Baker lower passenger side window and now it wont go back up. It will continue to roll down, just not up. This is not good, as the window is 3/4 of the way down tonight. Any ideas? Added info: the switches on the drivers control panel don't work for either of the rear windows. Only the rear passenger switch works, and only going up. thanks,

-redrat

[nipper]

If you are really caareful, you can take the switches apart and clean the contacts, usually that solves the problem.

 

nipper

[RedRat]

If you are really caareful, you can take the switches apart and clean the contacts, usually that solves the problem.

 

nipper

 

Okay, I figure you take the door panels off and remove the switch housing and clean with contact cleaner and a rag. Do the symptoms sound like dirty switches? Think there is a bad ground?

[nipper]

SOunds like dirty switches to me. Actually an emery board may work better then contact cleaner depending upon how burnt they are.

 

I dont remeber if there are little springs in the switches (prbbly are) so proceed carefully.

 

 

nipper

[RedRat]

SOunds like dirty switches to me. Actually an emery board may work better then contact cleaner depending upon how burnt they are.

 

I dont remeber if there are little springs in the switches (prbbly are) so proceed carefully.

 

 

nipper

 

Ok, so I cleaned all the switches on all 4 doors and all the windows work now!

All lubed up the slider bar with white lithium.

Some advice about taking apart the switches: when working on the drivers door switches, be really carefull not to push the "lock windows" switch while it is taken apart. There are two springs there, and one is tiny and it flies like a bat out of hell. It is a real bear to get the thing back together.

 

Thanks nipper for the advice!

 

-RedRat

[subyfreak]

I would also check the wiring connectors under the kick panel on the front drivers side. My 92 had lots of green crap on the connectors in this area. After cleaning and reconnecting a few wires the windows go up and down much quicker.

[northgeorgiaroo]

I know this is an old thread, but I just found it when my mom and dad's 91 legacy wagon developed power window problems yesterday.

 

Inspired by Nipper's suggestion and the parents' need, I tackled the job on my 90 legacy wagon. (I live in GA, they live in CO, so the best I could do was figure out how to do it, then tell my dad.)

 

Rear power windows hadn't worked since I bought it, and I had been putting it off. Now, I don't know why. Took me 20 minutes.

 

Here's the instructions I sent my dad (should work on any first generation legacy):

 

1: Underneath the inside door handle is a plastic cover: remove this by prying with a screwdriver directly above the fulcrum of the lock switch. Pull the door release up to get it all the way out.

 

2. Near the top of the "grab" handle on the door, there is a hole that is filled in with a foam plug. Dig the plug out, then unscrew the big phillips-head screw down at the bottom.

 

3. Near the bottom of the plastic part of the door panel, there is a plastic access cap. Remove the cap and take out the large phillips head screw in there.

 

4. Starting at one of the bottom corners, pop out all of the "doofus clips" that hold the door panel on. A little finger pressure is all that should be required. Once you have popped out the doofus clips up to about 4/5 of the way up the sides of the panel, it should lift off the door with direct upward pressure, releasing the pressure clips that hold it into the door frame over the top of the panel.

 

5.while holding the panel, look behind it to see where the wires connect to the window switch. Squeeze the release right where it connects to the switch, and the wire connector should come loose. The door panel should be completely free now, so take it inside where little pieces won't go flying into the grass, never to be seen again.

 

6.Pry the switch housing out of the door panel with a thin screwdriver or knife blade. You should be able to slide a very thin screwdriver blade between the white plastic bottom of the switch and the black plastic housing, prying it out.once you get it out, two metal pieces shaped like extra-wide "V"s should come out.

 

7. The bottoms of these are probably burned, shorting out the switch. File them lightly with an emery board until they are nice and shiny. Give the contacts on the white plastic part of the switch similar treatment, then put the "V" pieces back into the white part of the switch. They have ears on them at the bottom of the V, so if they don't fall right into place, turn them around or switch them. Pop the white plastic thingy back into the switch housing until it clicks into place. Repeat to get switch into panel.

 

8. Back at the car, reconnect the switch, put the key in the ignition and test the switch before you put the door panel back on. If it works -- and it should -- you're done! Put the window all the way up, so you won't accidentally hang up part of the door panel on it, then hook the panel over the top of the door frame and reassemble!

 

If it doesn't work, get out the multimeter and check for voltage getting to the switch, and check the switch for continuity in all three positions (open, window down, and window up).There are six pins, and I don't know which is which, but trial and error should get you there to tell if the switch is too fried to save (it is such a simple switch, this seems very unlikely).

 

 

Have fun!