Fixing 97+ Window Lock Switch for Dummies. - Page 4

sasquachYJ · 08-11-2009, 08:46 PM

did this fix today, and it went great! all my windows work and my girlfriend will stop complaining. Also all the green lights still light up. thanks for the write up saved me some money. thanks again

**COLOUXJ** · 08-17-2009, 02:27 AM

just did this fix today very easy and cheap. i could only find 18 gauge wire at radioshack, will this cause problems or will that gauge allow enough current to pass through?

**cruizin54** · 09-15-2009, 07:51 PM

The size of the wire is important. It will more than likely supply enough current but it will get hot doing so. It can get hot enough to melt and/or start a fire. Go to a hardware store or a big chain home center like Home Depot or Lowes. They'll have the wire. If they don't have 16, get 14. If you have to change size, always go larger - never go smaller.

**COLOUXJ** · 09-15-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruizin54

The size of the wire is important. It will more than likely supply enough current but it will get hot doing so. It can get hot enough to melt and/or start a fire. Go to a hardware store or a big chain home center like Home Depot or Lowes. They'll have the wire. If they don't have 16, get 14. If you have to change size, always go larger - never go smaller.

thats what i was thinking, i am going to switch out the wire as soon as i could, i never have more than one passenger in the jeep with me so it should be ok till atleast this weekend

scubasteve90xj · 11-26-2009, 12:48 AM

I currently have two 98 XJ's. the second I bought yesterday and the passenger side windows would not role down, but the LEDs were lit on all windows switches.

So, I got out the test light and checked the wire leaving the DDM for the up/down on both windows. the weird thing was that they were all getting power as they should. so I checked the PDM and the brown/wh was getting 12V on up and down from the drivers switch.
since the motor acts as a conductor when power is applied, I came to a conclusion that there was a broken wire.
sure enough I took off the kick panel and found the same results on the brown/wt wire on the door side of the connector (this told me the break was between there and the DDM. so I pulled all the wires out and there were several wires with cracks and the pass side wires were completely broken in two.

I have not figured out how to post pics on here but I took a few if your interested in it, send me a PM with your email and I'll send them over...

that beings me to the next point. has anyone tried to open the DDM and clean the window lock switch?
in diagnosing my newest 98, I took apart the DDM and the PDM several times and cleaned the contacts for the window switchs I didn't pull open the window lock switch because it was functioning, but it appears to have a clip that could be opened and cleaned.

scubasteve90xj · 11-26-2009, 01:23 AM

Window Switch

Don't loose the loose parts.

continued below

JBassXJ · 11-26-2009, 01:26 AM

That's a great write-up! I wish I looked those parts up when I first tackled my own window! Good stuff!

I'm just glad that thread is still helpin' people out, can't take no credit though, just took some pics.

RickGmi · 11-28-2009, 09:54 PM

You can accomplish the same thing with a paper clip in the Driver side kick panel, there is a factory connector there

AZ Jeff · 11-29-2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scubasteve90xj

.

that beings me to the next point. has anyone tried to open the DDM and clean the window lock switch?
in diagnosing my newest 98, I took apart the DDM and the PDM several times and cleaned the contacts for the window switchs I didn't pull open the window lock switch because it was functioning, but it appears to have a clip that could be opened and cleaned.

Yes, the DDM can be disassembled, and even the lock switch can be disassembled and "rebuilt". It is NOT a task for someone not familiar with small electro-mechanical assemblies, but it is "doable".

I did this overhaul of my DDM twice--the second time to fix the crack in a solder joint I missed the first time I did it. Disassembly the second time was much faster/easier, since I knew how it came apart.

scubasteve90xj · 11-29-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ Jeff

Yes, the DDM can be disassembled, and even the lock switch can be disassembled and "rebuilt". It is NOT a task for someone not familiar with small electro-mechanical assemblies, but it is "doable".

I did this overhaul of my DDM twice--the second time to fix the crack in a solder joint I missed the first time I did it. Disassembly the second time was much faster/easier, since I knew how it came apart.

I posted pics above, here they are continued...

I also took the time to clean the contacts on the window switches.

after cleaning

_litz · 11-30-2009, 02:14 PM

Excellent series of pictures ... I'll add a few to this as well ...

1) clean ALL contacts with an electronics cleaner (this includes the slide switch for selecting the mirrors), except for the pressure pads for the mirror direction.
2) re-'goop' the mirror select switch with a few small dollops of dielectric grease (like used on spark plugs) in the same quantity and manner as was on there previously.
3) clean each contact of EACH window switch similarly, then apply one tiny dollop of dielectric grease to each ... stubborn dirty contacts should be cleaned with fine grain paper, not cardboard or wax coated paper ... and NEVER a screwdriver blade. You are polishing a coated contact (brass or gold over a base metal) and a blade will ruin the coating.

(trust someone who's fixed pinball machines - which are loaded with switch contacts - for 15 years)

4) clean each rocker arm in a manner similar to 3)

- _litz

scubasteve90xj · 12-01-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _litz

Excellent series of pictures ... I'll add a few to this as well ...

1) clean ALL contacts with an electronics cleaner (this includes the slide switch for selecting the mirrors), except for the pressure pads for the mirror direction.
2) re-'goop' the mirror select switch with a few small dollops of dielectric grease (like used on spark plugs) in the same quantity and manner as was on there previously.
3) clean each contact of EACH window switch similarly, then apply one tiny dollop of dielectric grease to each ... stubborn dirty contacts should be cleaned with fine grain paper, not cardboard or wax coated paper ... and NEVER a screwdriver blade. You are polishing a coated contact (brass or gold over a base metal) and a blade will ruin the coating.

(trust someone who's fixed pinball machines - which are loaded with switch contacts - for 15 years)

4) clean each rocker arm in a manner similar to 3)

- _litz

Thanks for the input! I never thought to put dielectric grease back on the contacts for protection. for the record, I only used the screw driver to point at the contacts, I actually used a small cloth with contact cleaner... but that is a good point. Glad I didn't get out the sand paper

ShaneO · 04-04-2010, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sasquachYJ

did this fix today, and it went great! all my windows work and my girlfriend will stop complaining. Also all the green lights still light up. thanks for the write up saved me some money. thanks again

+1 on this - great write up, free fix, no more complaining wife.

lilnapsak · 04-04-2010, 01:21 PM

i did this about 6 months ago... the other day my door was smokeing like crazy, took the panel off only to find the wire caught fire? anyone else have this problem? i dont wanna rewire it to have it catch fire again...

yikes · 07-03-2010, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilnapsak

i did this about 6 months ago... the other day my door was smokeing like crazy, took the panel off only to find the wire caught fire? anyone else have this problem? i dont wanna rewire it to have it catch fire again...

Did you ever find out what was smoking ? I did this today and had ZERO problems.