[Super Bronco]

I thought I had the electric window fixed , but now the window won't come down.

Took motor out and checked it for fuction (with separate 12v source) both clockwise and counterclockwise and works fine.

Neither dash nor rear key switch would bring it down. Took rear switch out and tested it with motor...again it only operated motor one way.
Noticed that wiring insulation is somewhat cracked at the tail gate.

If I can't get the motor to operate down from the dash nor the key, what should I be looking for?

All suggestions considered !! (winter is coming soon!)

 

[El Kabong]

The stuff below is cut & paste from an earlier reply, but it covers a lot of tailgate window stuff. Use what applies to your situation.

Does it make any noise at all? Like the motor's turning, but the window doesn't move? If so, there are torque pins in the motor's drive gear that commonly break & aren't too bad to replace. See the torque pin, Steve83's Tailgate Tech, & Adrianspeeder's links below. If it makes no noise, then it's probably in the electrical system. Fireguy50's wiring diagram is linked below.

To test the electrical system, remove the access panel from inside the tailgate. Run test wires from the battery directly to the window motor connector (Yellow & red wires coming right out of the motor) to confirm that the motor works. To lower the window, it should be positive to red, & negative to yellow. Be ready for the window to move, keep hands & wires clear. Make all the connections but 1, then connect & disconnect the last wire quickly to see if it tries to go the right way. If it tries to go the wrong way, reverse the wires (This also makes it so that you can lower the window & get the tailgate open to continue testing).

A- If it runs & the window moves when wired directly to the battery, perform the following tests:

A.1- With both switches at rest, connect a tester between the positive test wire from the battery & each wire from the tailgate loom at the connector for the motor. Both should read 12v. If they do the ground is good. If they don't, refer to Fireguy50's wiring diagram linked below to trace it down, or tell us what you find.

A.2- Connect the tester between the negative test wire from the battery & each wire from the loom at the connector for the motor. The red wire should read 12v when either switch is in the down position, the yellow wire should read 12v when either switch is in the up position. If they don't, refer to Fireguy50's wiring diagram linked below to trace it down, or tell us what you find.

B- If it runs but doesn't move when wired directly to the battery, in addition to your electrical problem, the torque pins in the drive gear are probably broken too. Run the electrical tests in section "A" above, & see the torque pin, Steve83's Tailgate Tech, & Adrianspeeder's links below for the torque pin replacement.

C- If it doesn't run at all when wired directly to the battery, it sounds like it's time for a new motor. See Steve83's Tailgate Tech link below & use the info for removing & replacing the motor.



Be aware that:

-The tailgate latch switch on the driver's side seems to be a common problem, check it early. Try pushing the driver's side of the tailgate in while holding the button or key switch in the up or down position. If that makes it work, check out Steve83's "How to align a Bronco Tailgate" linked below.

-Ground for the motor connects up front, & at rest runs from there through both switches & both wires to the motor.

-When either switch is operated, 1 side's ground is disconnected & replaced by hot.

-Ground for the motor is not connected to it's case, but supplied through the wires.

-There are seperate 2 power sources & 2 fuses for positive. 1 for each switch.

-The same 2 wires are used throughout for both up & down (Polarity is reversed by the switches).

-When the tailgate is open, you have to close the driver's side latch for the window to operate. Remember to open it before closing the tailgate.



Some good resource links:

Fireguy50's wiring diagram, see post 2. Great color diagram, it makes it much easier to understand what's going on.

Steve83's Tailgate Tech. Great pics & info. Look through the entire section for the portion that applies to your problem.

adrianspeeder's pics (He's doing torque pins for a passenger window, for the tailgate you don't need to drill).

Torque pins, motors, etc.

Steve83's How to align a Bronco Tailgate

Fireguy50's Re-wire your Tailgate window switch (FINISHED) Upgrade diagram using relays.



On my truck there were multiple bad connections, so it was hard to isolate the problem. Someone before me used a ton of crimp connectors :doh0715:. Basically I ended up removing them & soldering all the connections, & eliminating the corroded plug to the motor.

 

[ddd2008]

opc1: i'll be watching this one too... i am having the same problem, window wont go down... i cut the two wires coming off the motor, have 12.4v when key and dash switches are activated both up and down... wiggled the harness behind the taillight and no changes in voltage... peeled back the harness tape and wires look ok, no cracks... checked the safety switch in the tailgate and it is working properly... a wire running directly from battery to the motor wires will power the motor both up and down with no binding... greased up the window mechanism just in case but it didnt help... put wires back together and, u guessed it, window will only go up... besides rewiring everything, any further suggestions???

 

[protechav]

opc1: i'll be watching this one too... i am having the same problem, window wont go down... i cut the two wires coming off the motor, have 12.4v when key and dash switches are activated both up and down... wiggled the harness behind the taillight and no changes in voltage... peeled back the harness tape and wires look ok, no cracks... checked the safety switch in the tailgate and it is working properly... a wire running directly from battery to the motor wires will power the motor both up and down with no binding... greased up the window mechanism just in case but it didnt help... put wires back together and, u guessed it, window will only go up... besides rewiring everything, any further suggestions???

I would say look at the window guides they have alot to do with the window binding and failing to opperate properly, if you need these parts you can go to www.lmctruck.com and search catalog number FD.15 2008 Summer Edition page 35 part number 49-9470 costs about 40.00 to fix if this is the issue that is, but if its not this is a place where you can buy the replacement parts brand new at good prices I love these guys! GOOD LUCK!

 

[Super Bronco]

Hey el kabong, thanks a ton, those links are invaluable. This is what I am going to try:

I am going to find the 2 wires coming from the dash switch, and take them diectly to the motor, bypassing everything else including tailgate switch, and latch switch and anything else that might be in the way. I'll only have control from the dash but thats ok. (my motor works fine both ways with an independant 12v source)

 

[El Kabong]

opc1: i'll be watching this one too... i am having the same problem, window wont go down... i cut the two wires coming off the motor, have 12.4v when key and dash switches are activated both up and down... wiggled the harness behind the taillight and no changes in voltage... peeled back the harness tape and wires look ok, no cracks... checked the safety switch in the tailgate and it is working properly... a wire running directly from battery to the motor wires will power the motor both up and down with no binding... greased up the window mechanism just in case but it didnt help... put wires back together and, u guessed it, window will only go up... besides rewiring everything, any further suggestions???

Have someone help you with the switches & try measuring voltages with the wires connected to the motor. It seems like it might be a weak connection that will carry the small load for the meter, but not enough to run the motor.

On mine there were a ton of different problems, the last of which was a bad connector between the wiring harness & the motor. Like you, at that point I had it so the motor would run when wired directly from the battery, & I had full voltage to the connector from both switches, up or down.

I ended up eliminating that connector entirely & just soldering the wires together. Next time I'll have to deal with getting it apart, & might solder it again, or maybe add a new connector then.

I would say look at the window guides they have alot to do with the window binding and failing to opperate properly, if you need these parts you can go to www.lmctruck.com and search catalog number FD.15 2008 Summer Edition page 35 part number 49-9470 costs about 40.00 to fix if this is the issue that is, but if its not this is a place where you can buy the replacement parts brand new at good prices I love these guys! GOOD LUCK!

Since ddd2008's window works both up & down with no binding when wired directly from the battery, it doesn't seem like the guides would be his immediate problem.

Hey el kabong, thanks a ton, those links are invaluable. This is what I am going to try:

I am going to find the 2 wires coming from the dash switch, and take them diectly to the motor, bypassing everything else including tailgate switch, and latch switch and anything else that might be in the way. I'll only have control from the dash but thats ok. (my motor works fine both ways with an independant 12v source)

It seems like that would make it work if your dash switch tests ok. If the dash switch is bad, it won't work wired either way. Be aware that if you bypass the latch switch, the window will roll up if the tailgate is open or not completely closed. You'll have to be careful to not break the window. It would be better to include the latch switch in the circuit if you can.

As for the key switch, I use mine a lot, & would miss it if it were gone. For me it was worth the trouble to get it working.

 

[Maxson]

Had the same problem a few weeks ago; replaced the dash switch and everything works perfectly.

The way the circuit is wired, if the dash switch is faulty (or disconnected) the rear gate switch wont work either...

 

[KC200787]

If the dash switch is bad, it won't work either way.

I'm not sure about that. Mine would go up completely fine, but I had one hellava time getting it to go down (I have made a few modifications so I have a backup if the switch stops working). I replaced the swtich with a another one, and it goes up and down perfectly every time. (knocks on some wood).

I took the switch apart and it looks like the contacts inside are slightly burnt where the "down" area is

KC

 

[Maxson]

Yes and no....

Of course, the dash switch could have a single faulty contact causing one side to fail, but the circuit would still be intact and the rear switch should work.

In his case, with neither switch working (according to Occam's Razor), would tell me that the dash switch is probably fried / disconnected - which is relatively commonplace.

 

[El Kabong]

If the dash switch is bad, it won't work either way.

I'm not sure about that. Mine would go up completely fine, but I had one hellava time getting it to go down (I have made a few modifications so I have a backup if the switch stops working). I replaced the swtich with a another one, and it goes up and down perfectly every time. (knocks on some wood).

I took the switch apart and it looks like the contacts inside are slightly burnt where the "down" area is

KC

Re-reading that, it's pretty unclear. Sorry 'bought that. :brownbag I meant "won't work wired either way". So that if the dash switch is bad, it wouldn't work as wired from the factory, or it wouldn't work bypassing the tailgate switches like he's planning.

I can see that it could be read as it "won't work up or down", & you're right, a bad dash switch can cause it to work in one direction only. Thanks for the correction, I changed it. :thumbup

The bottom line is that Super Bronco should test & locate the problem before making any changes.

 

[ddd2008]

Have someone help you with the switches & try measuring voltages with the wires connected to the motor. It seems like it might be a weak connection that will carry the small load for the meter, but not enough to run the motor.

On mine there were a ton of different problems, the last of which was a bad connector between the wiring harness & the motor. Like you, at that point I had it so the motor would run when wired directly from the battery, & I had full voltage to the connector from both switches, up or down.

I ended up eliminating that connector entirely & just soldering the wires together. Next time I'll have to deal with getting it apart, & might solder it again, or maybe add a new connector then.


Since ddd2008's window works both up & down with no binding when wired directly from the battery, it doesn't seem like the guides would be his immediate problem.



It seems like that would make it work if your dash switch tests ok. If the dash switch is bad, it won't work wired either way. Be aware that if you bypass the latch switch, the window will roll up if the tailgate is open or not completely closed. You'll have to be careful to not break the window. It would be better to include the latch switch in the circuit if you can.

As for the key switch, I use mine a lot, & would miss it if it were gone. For me it was worth the trouble to get it working.

thanks for the info... i am thinking about replacing the wires at the point where they come into that rear harness and running fresh wires directly to the key switch and then to the motor... dont really need that safety switch anyway, plus it will make it that much easier to retint my back window... hopefully i can try it this weekend and see what happens :beer

 

[choranrn]

i had the same problem and my driverside latch is sort of ganked up and i had to bypass the safety and it works now

 

[protechav]

Since ddd2008's window works both up & down with no binding when wired directly from the battery, it doesn't seem like the guides would be his immediate problem.

well the weight of the window dropping could misalign and cause it to stop on its way down it was a shot in the dark, whats even more weird is my 82 and my 85 dont have any isues with all this

 

[SWBroncoClub]

I copied this from another post that I did earlier. (Thanks Maxon)

It seems like this is a Bronco Sickness. My wife has an 88 XLT, 302 5.0l EFI HO. I started by replacing the two door motors, they were shot. About two months later, the back window stoped working. I then replaced the Dash Switch ($39 by Ford Dealer, only one that had it). That solved the situation for a day or so.
Now, the window hasn't been working for the past three months and I decided I will take it on. I already replaced the motor in my XLT, (the red & white one) so I knew how to change it.
Well to find out there is no electricity making it to the back tailgate. I checked the connector in the front and it is showing voltage. But no voltage on the new motor.
My question would be, could it actually be the Taligate key switch that is bad and that is stoping the voltage from reaching the motor?
This has been such a pain. I have been searching for posts and there are alot but none so far about the key switch.

Looking forward to some suggestions.

I have also looked over the different posts from :

Fireguy50's wiring diagram, see post 2. Great color diagram, it makes it much easier to understand what's going on.

Steve83's Tailgate Tech. Great pics & info. Look through the entire section for the portion that applies to your problem.

adrianspeeder's pics (He's doing torque pins for a passenger window, for the tailgate you don't need to drill).

Torque pins, motors, etc.

Steve83's How to align a Bronco Tailgate

Fireguy50's Re-wire your Tailgate window switch (FINISHED) Upgrade diagram using relays.

and the connected posts.

I took both of the dash switches apart and checked to see if they are burned out or not. They both look fine. The Dash connector shows voltage. Somewhere down the line it is loosing it and finally stops........

I guess I'll keep looking.

 

[Maxson]

Theoretically, if you chase the wires all the way back and through, you should be able to isolate the issue without sending the truck in for service...

 

[KC200787]

So, are you getting voltage back to the connection at the wiring harness? (It's the connection behind the drivers side tail light.) Check that for voltage first. If you're checking it at the motor (with the gate down) then the saftey switch won't let the glass move up/down at all, therefore there won't be any voltage at the motor.

If you don't have voltage at the conn. behind the tail light, most likely there is:
A-A cut in a wire(s) thats not allowing the voltage back there (gonna have to trace the wires).
or
B-THe switch is bad.
C-Possibly a bad ground.

I'm betting on a faulty saftey switch, most people bypass it. A quick test of the motor would be to put power directly to the motor to see if it works. IIRC it is a solid read wire w/yellow tracer, and a solid yellow w/red chaser. Just reverse the voltage to move it the other way.

KC

 

[SWBroncoClub]

Thanks for the Help,
after studying the diagram from steve83, I know that when I test at the dash switch connector, I am receiving 12 v when connected to position 5 and 1. All other combinations show no voltage. I then took out the fuses (12 & 14) one at a time and checked there. Using the side window switches and door lock switch as tester and it shows voltage. Tried the same with the dash switch and nothing.
Looked at the dash switch again and show's no sign of burning, looks brand new (which it was in June).
Now, I just had a small spark in the back of the tailgate when connecting the motor for testing and the dash switch I had in the down position with a piece of tape. Like I said, a small spark then no more. That showed me that somehow and somewhere there was voltage. I will now look at the safety switch and try to just bypass that.

Thanks again. Apprieciate the help......

 

[SWBroncoClub]

Ok, I took the advice and checked the voltage behind the R taillight. It has voltage!!! Both of the Motors receive volt and run. This is the catcher.
I turned the key to on position, taped the switch to down position and received positive feedback in the back. Then I taped the switch to up position and there was no voltage in the back. Untaped and left it in the neutral position and there was voltage.
Now, Keep in mind, the tailgate is opened, would that make a difference?
I want to bypass the security switch but I can not find any picture of it!!! I've looked through all the posts and can not seem to find a pic. .....

I even looked through my bronco book and they don't have it.

But Now I have brought the problem to the back of the vehicle, well, mostly. I guess...... oh that brings me to the question, could it have anything to do with the keyswitch? or is that where the safety switch is?

Thanks again for the tips.

 

[KC200787]

Ok, I took the advice and checked the voltage behind the R taillight. It has voltage!!! Both of the Motors receive volt and run. This is the catcher.
I turned the key to on position, taped the switch to down position and received positive feedback in the back. Then I taped the switch to up position and there was no voltage in the back. Untaped and left it in the neutral position and there was voltage.
Now, Keep in mind, the tailgate is opened, would that make a difference?
I want to bypass the security switch but I can not find any picture of it!!! I've looked through all the posts and can not seem to find a pic. ......

Ok, (on my bronco anyway) there where 3 wires running back to the connection behind the tail-light. One was black (i think it had a white tracer) and the other two where purple w/tracers. This is a little difficult to describe, but the two purple ones are what control the motor. One sends voltage in one position(up/down), and the other grounds it back through the switch. And vice versa for up/down. IIRC the black is for defrost, but don't hold me to it.

Anyway, I would check it this way, put the probes of the multimeter in the two slots that are for the two purple wires w/tracers, then alternate the switch up and down. up/down will be either +12v or -12v depending which way you move the swtich. I'm not sure why you're getting voltage with the switch in neutral. :shrug

I even looked through my bronco book and they don't have it.

But Now I have brought the problem to the back of the vehicle, well, mostly. I guess...... oh that brings me to the question, could it have anything to do with the keyswitch? or is that where the safety switch is?

Thanks again for the tips.

As for the saftey switch, it is located in the drivers-side latch of the tail-gate and it's a pain to get to...My haynes has it labeled on page 12-40 as 'Tailgate window unit sw'. :shrug

As for the keyswitch, I suppose if one is stuck in, then yes, I think it could be a problem, but I don't know much about them other than they are small micro switches that do the same basic function as the dash switch.

KC

 

[Maxson]

So you've checked the voltage six ways; have you checked your grounds are true?

It seems to me that if the switch is verified hot, either your switch is fried, or the ground is not grounding....