Ok I've been super busy, but I need to start figuring out how to go about fixing my 1986 diplomat. I original stopped using it as my daily driver after the passenger floor board got wet. So I started the process of replacing the heater core. I made the mistake of leaving the Windows down on the passenger side front and driver rear. The only ones that still go up and down. It's been sitting for about 5 months now, because now when I try to get the window up the turn signals light up. Not sure what I did wrong but this problem wasn't there when I first started trying to fix it. As now we managed to get the rear driver window up but the passenger is still down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Weird thing need help.
- Thread starter bbdadude
- Start date
Oldiron440
Well-Known Member
You could try pulling the door pad and use a junpper wire/wires to run the power window, a good battery or bat charger for power supply. If the motor does not work......if it goes up and down you have other problems going on.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
An idea. Usually when you see lights come on (not full bright but glowing) when operating something else, there is a bad ground connection somewhere. What can happen is, the voltage is trying to find a ground, any ground, and can find one through the light bulbs and make them glow. There's a ground eyelet in behind each kick panel. It can be a good enough ground that the other items that use it work OK but a high load such as a power window, it can have too much resistance.
Another thing that can cause all the windows to not work is either the master switch or the wire harness in the drivers door jamb. If the either power wire breaks, none will work since all the window circuits run through the master switch. Power to the other 3 switches runs through the master. It's like a 3 way switch in your house. Lose one circuit and neither switch will work. This wouldn't have any effect on the signal lights though.
Another thing that can cause all the windows to not work is either the master switch or the wire harness in the drivers door jamb. If the either power wire breaks, none will work since all the window circuits run through the master switch. Power to the other 3 switches runs through the master. It's like a 3 way switch in your house. Lose one circuit and neither switch will work. This wouldn't have any effect on the signal lights though.
Oldiron440
Well-Known Member
I have seen wires break between the post/door jamb and the door.
A break in the wiring (open circuit) can happen, but is not something that happens often on our cars.
The power window system has 1 (one) ground wire for entire system which is located behind the Left Cowl Trim Panel (what I call the Kick Panel – or part that is hard to remove because parking brake petal is in the way). There is a 7/16” head sheet metal screw that has two or three different wires going to the sheet metal of the car.
There is a black 3-way wiring connector a couple of inches away from the ground connection (again, behind the Left Kick Panel).
The black wire on that black 3-way connector goes to the ground screw mentioned above.
The tan wire is the only power feed wire (12 volts) which is tied to the ignition switch.
The red wire (on black 3-way connector) which is powers the door locks. It has 12 volts to it, at all times.
I wonder if the ground wire bolt might be unscrewed and the window ground wire is touching the dash ground wire, maybe?
Attached is pages from my ’86 FSM (Factory Service Manual) – which should be the one you need.
What I would do is first check the ground screw behind the Left Kick Panel, first.
BudW
The power window system has 1 (one) ground wire for entire system which is located behind the Left Cowl Trim Panel (what I call the Kick Panel – or part that is hard to remove because parking brake petal is in the way). There is a 7/16” head sheet metal screw that has two or three different wires going to the sheet metal of the car.
There is a black 3-way wiring connector a couple of inches away from the ground connection (again, behind the Left Kick Panel).
The black wire on that black 3-way connector goes to the ground screw mentioned above.
The tan wire is the only power feed wire (12 volts) which is tied to the ignition switch.
The red wire (on black 3-way connector) which is powers the door locks. It has 12 volts to it, at all times.
I wonder if the ground wire bolt might be unscrewed and the window ground wire is touching the dash ground wire, maybe?
Attached is pages from my ’86 FSM (Factory Service Manual) – which should be the one you need.
What I would do is first check the ground screw behind the Left Kick Panel, first.
BudW
never even thought to try using a battery charger. Good idea
I bought the $50 service manual myself. Never have time to read and not much experience to know where to start looking. I'll have to look at the screw when I get off work
