[Bronco Newbie]

I'm a new Bronco owner, and new to this site. I've had some problems with the tailgate window since the day I bought it. I've heard this is common and was hoping you all could help me diagnose the problem...

Orginally, the key didn't work, but the switch in the cab did...
Then, the window started to stick when it was wet/damp from morning dew or a recent rain, or when it was cold outside...
Now it is not working at all...

Is this an issue with the switch? window alignment? wiring? motor? All of the above?!?

Sound familiar to anyone?

Thanks for the help. I'm sure I'll be on this site a lot as I work to turn this stock Bronco (with some issues) into a true ride!

...not sure if this will show up on my signature or not, but it's a '95 XLT 5.8L

 

[Cocoyam]

Could be a bad window motor. Open the gate up and unbolt the cover and try getting to the motor.....unplug it and if you have a jump box....try jumping the motor to see if it works. If it doesn't----->bad motor.

 

[Bronco Newbie]

Could be a bad window motor. Open the gate up and unbolt the cover and try getting to the motor.....unplug it and if you have a jump box....try jumping the motor to see if it works. If it doesn't----->bad motor.

Is it possible to get the tailgate down with the window up?

 

[spaustin889]

search the thred...there are TONS...i mean TONS of how to's on this

from how to get inside the motor...to rewiring the console swithc, replacing the motor, troubleshootting...you name it

click the "search this forum" box at the top right, and then type in what you are looking for

 

[WheelinElvis]

it IS possible to get the t-gate down with the window up...but youll have to roll down the window from the inside... which fawking sucks if youre not a midget.

what youre going to do is this:
-climb into the back of your bronco
-get a phillips head screwdriver- and take off all the screws on the access panel
-after you take the panel off- start unbolting the motor
(there are three bolts in a triangle around it. one of them is a pain in the ass to get too...heads up)
-after you get the bolts out- brace the window arm because its going to fall once you take off the motor
-take off the motor (leave it wired up)
-ease the window down
-hope out and pop the t-gate
-and have fun finding your problem...

ace

 

[smileybry]

i had a similar problem, it was just with the key though. over time the wiring gets brittle and eventually breaks from folding over and over again as you open/close the tailgate. i spliced in a new wire and was good to go... i'm going to redo all the wires to the tailgate eventually.

you got some options on getting it open with the window up...one being to do it manually by taking the access panel off the tailgate from the inside and rolling it down manually. like everyones saying do a search.

You can also take the top off (so the window is out of that track, and carefully lower the tailgate, with some friends supporting the window so it doesn break, an fixe the wire

 

[Bronco Newbie]

it IS possible to get the t-gate down with the window up...but youll have to roll down the window from the inside... which fawking sucks if youre not a midget.

what youre going to do is this:
-climb into the back of your bronco
-get a phillips head screwdriver- and take off all the screws on the access panel
-after you take the panel off- start unbolting the motor
(there are three bolts in a triangle around it. one of them is a pain in the ass to get too...heads up)
-after you get the bolts out- brace the window arm because its going to fall once you take off the motor
-take off the motor (leave it wired up)
-ease the window down
-hope out and pop the t-gate
-and have fun finding your problem...

ace

Thanks ace.
I'm not the most mechanical person in the world, but this definitely sounds do-able. Finding the problem is going to be the fun part.

I was hoping this problem would have sounded familiar to someone and they would have know exactly what the problem was.:scratchhe
Wishfull thinking, I know.:banghead

 

[WheelinElvis]

well- since your key isnt working- but the in-cab switch is
AND your window stick after you get mist weather...
it would lead me to believe that you have some corroded wires. the ones going from the key actuator to the motor might be crapped. and the ones to the power source to the motor might be on their way out.
best way to find out if to get in there and look...
ace

 

[11jdsummerfield]

much easier way to open the window. Open the tailgate with the window down, close the latch on the driver side of the tailgate with a screwdriver or something just like it would do when you close the tailgate. Then, just use the switch in the cab to open the window. As long as that clasp is closed the window will open.

 

[BigSteve77]

If you want to get the window down quick and easy. This is what I did. If the Motor is still good which more than likely it is. Just take the back panel off and you will exspose the wire clip too the motor. Run a hot wire from your battery and a ground from your batt. Insert the wires into the female end of the clip. One wire to each side. The motor connections are reversed pols. So hook them up to make the window go down. There is a wire digram on one of threads on this board.To make the window go down the red/y wire is hot, the yellow/r wire is neg. Once you do this the window will go down. After you get it down you can open the tailgate and change the tailgate window switch and wire harness.

 

[WheelinElvis]

oh hell yeah- i forgot your window still rolls down!
if you want to roll it down with the t-gate down- do what summerfield said.
just roll it down with your in-cab switch.
pop the t-gate
then press the clasps on the side of the t-gate
(i dont remember which one you press- i just fawk with them until i get it right)
then press the in-cab switch and roll it out
ITS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE SOMEONE OUT THERE TO HOLD THE WINDOW AS IT ROLLS OUT. IVE HEARD OF WINDOWS FALLING...NO GOOD!
ace

 

[11jdsummerfield]

mine our metal not plastic. And it's the driver side.

 

[Bronco Newbie]

It does, to ALL of us.We do; we're just tired of retyping it. That's what the search is up there for. All the info you need is already waiting for you. :deal You just have to put forth a LITTLE effort. opc1:

Understandable. Thanks for the help guys. I'll continue to dig around on here for some previous posts.

 

[Johnny316]

Thanks for your answer about bypassing the swich. I was able to move the window now. I'm going to guess now that there is a short somewhere. I'm gust going to do some more searching to find out how to just keep it bypassed. Thanks again

 

[96broncoman]

The place where the wires that continually get folded when you open/close the tailgate could be the spot where the wires are broken. For me it was where the wires pass by the gas tank, but for most people its where the tailgate folds.

 

[nuthingButProblems]

I ended up cutting out the key switch and running new wire from the incab switch back to the regulator motor( i was still finding green copper up past the b piller) i also ran a relay from my alarm/keyless entry so when i hold down my fob button it rolls down the rear window

 

[Johnny316]

You was right also there is 3 cracked wires in that harness from the tailgate. Looks kinda tuff to fix that since there isn't much room. I just gonna cut out the 3 wires and rewire them.

 

[Johnny316]

I don't see the easy way to discontect the harness. What is the best way to splice the wires I need to fix. I there a certain connector I should be using. I did try to fix one of the wires that looked the worse I tried using the regular butt end conectors but they dont bend for where the wires are sitting.

 

[Johnny316]

Just wanted to let you guys know I used Posi-Lock connectors and now my window is working with both switches the key one and the dash one inside.

 

[amraam840]

Friggin' sweet! I didn't know the window rolled down w/key. Even if my 91 doesn't have that option, I'm going to wire it in! I have to replace everything in the rear gate so I'll have the whole thing open to do that. Actually I should just buy a new (used) gate from a scrapyard out west. But I'll replace the wiring involved in that window...