Ditto.

Solid remarks, thanks for taking time to help others who stop by.

Best kind of feedback, thank you!

Thanks for the followup, I'm glad it helped.

Unfortunately it only fixed it enough that I was able to close the window but that was really the end goal, anyways! I took it back out once the window closed (and then started my car, it's 20f degrees outside, I was cold!) and fully disassembled the switch and then rolled the dice and took the actual switches off so I could access the metal contactors under the switch itself. The drivers side one apparently has a history of sparking when contacted so it creates black carbon build-up. I cleaned everything with IPA and scraped the metal surfaces with a screwdriver tip to clean the really cooked on stuff and... yeah... problem solved! Still would have never gotten anywhere without your help!

Thanks for posting your experience here. I'm sure it will help others.

Thanks.

I know that feeling of frustration, too. Isn't it amazing how much help you can find on the 'net today. It has been great to be part of that, in my small way.

I just bought a used replacement switch assembly for my driver side, 2003 Cadillace Escalade EXT. When the part arrived I discovered that the Lock/Unlock button had been put on upside-down...so the Lock icon on the button "Unlocks" and the Unlock button "Locks". I just need to pull off the button cover and turn it around - BUT I can't seem to be able to remove the button like you did in this video. My Lock/Unlock button cover is very similar but slightly different looking than the one in your video. Do you have a tip on how to remove my style of button?

willistom Well, I have broken my share of plastic clips in my lifetime, and every time I try to do something like this I weigh the risk. I just broke another stupid plastic clip today, working on a little electric motor. My truck is now at the age where function beats form, and I don't care what other people think. So if it works now I would consider the option to keep things simple and live with the slight abnormality. But if you don't want to live with the printing being upside down, I would carefully try to pry it off with a small screwdriver. Parts like that could be glued on, maybe by a previous owner who broke the clip and then mistakenly glued it on upside down, then sold it when he discovered his mistake. Or, perhaps it belongs on the other side, where parts may have reversed patterns. Good luck!

The other thing worth checking is the solder joints, which sometimes come loose. Mine were fine. Sometimes small cracks are hard to find, but easy to resolder.

You're welcome, good luck!

+Joshua Hernandez Good luck, it's a fairly straightforward fix most of the time.

Thank you, I'm glad it helped.

By the way you describe it, your problem may be lack of lubrication of the door that is failing to lock, as opposed to a switch problem. Watch this other video showing how I dealt with a similar problem for the rear door: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rs15htRprr_HgIU.html I would use some kind of silicone paste or lithium grease, I think silicone spray is a poor second choice, as is WD 40.

spelunkerd thanks

Thank you.

You make a good point, LED bulbs can die. In this switch, you can get replacement switches off ebay for $20 plus shipping, so it's not economical to replace only the bulb. Older design switches may have replaceable bulbs, but the new designs have tiny bulbs epoxied into the board, making them difficult to replace. You might find a junk yard switch, but you take the risk that the junk yard bulbs may not work, either. The economics only work out if you can do some of the work yourself. Just remember that LED bulbs are directional, they need to be soldered in the right orientation.

Backyard_Jim Thanks Jim, I'm sure others will also find your thoughts useful.

I know exactly what you mean, it's frustrating to search for unique parts, especially years later when the dealer gives up making them. 3D printing may be the answer for those of us who try to keep these old vehicles going, in some situations. Today I'm looking for an unusual bolt, which is attached to a $700 sensor. the sensor is fine, but dealer won't sell the bolt on it's own. It's off to the junk yard....

This video is one of most helpful I have seen on KZfaq. My 2001 Yukon drivers window switch first became intermittent and later stopped working, so no more drive thru windows. Anyway, took the switch out, blew out the dust, reinstalled following this video and it worked!! Great job on this video

A Transmission pick.

+James Conway Thanks, I'm glad it helped.

These intermittent electrical problems are frustrating, aren't they? No, the window and the mirror switches are mostly not connected, though I suppose a bad ground could cause both to fail at the same time. You get dust, moisture, and corrosion in that switch panel. I had a problem with my window switch intermittently failing, and I took the mechanism apart and lubricated the window slides with silicone paste, and the problem was solved. I was expecting an electrical issue but it was mechanical. When you take these switches apart it's worth while to have a close look at all points where incoming wires are soldered to the board, and resolder the ones you can get to. With all the effort it takes to work on these, I'm not surprised that dealers often just replace the switch.

+C Davis Power window motors are pretty simple, with the direction of movement reversed when current flow is reversed. So, you might try swapping the two wires that feed the window motor that is apparently running backwards. Failing that, I would spend some time rechecking connections, and go over the wiring diagram again carefully. I use Alldata, but bbbindustriesdotcom offered free wiring diagrams for some vehicles at one time -- not sure if they still do.

You might look closely at the solder connections where any wires meet the board. Sometimes the solder joints fail, and re-soldering those joints may solve the problem. Failing that, there is always the option of searching for aftermarket or junkyard parts.

Did you ever find out the problem with your door switch I'm having the same problem and don't know whether it's my drivers side switch or the window motor going out itself. Thanks

Get good at locating less expensive sources of used replacement switches. They are finding their way to eBay now. Obviously, if you are only paying $10-$25 for a $69 part, you might not have a guarantee that it works as well as a new part. But the savings in labor alone is worth it. I personally stay away from purchasing the cheapest parts online. Always bothers me to go to the lowest bidder on electronics. I own two Trail Blazers-- an '04 and an '06. Currently, the '06 needs an engine replacement. So, I am robbing parts to keep the '04 running. I am currently in the middle of changing out the driver's side electric window switch. EZ-PEAZY.

Soldering hint-- lower power is better. Start at lowest/weakest heat settings when soldering near boards and plastic switches. Don't have an adjustable soldering gun? Go buy the little pencil soldering irons. The ones where you have to hold the tip end on the wiring to heat up longer before it draws the solder in is better than melting plastic on the switch or, Heaven forbid, multiple solder points on a circuit board. Ooooh--getting the shakes just thinking about it.

Reliability

+officialYungTEK These systems are very complex, but in the end good technique will show where the problem is. If I can get at the end device I usually start there, to prove the motor works and the lock will close and open with application of power. I usually start by looking for voltage coming from the switch to the device to see if the motor is getting an adequate signal to move. At that stage it's important to do the testing under load with the door lock hooked up since you are really doing a voltage drop test. If the voltage under load is reduced I look for bad connections, especially corroded connections and broken wires and bad ground connections. Pay close attention to the wires inside the rubber boot that protects them as they go around the door jamb. Those wires often become brittle and the repetitive movement around the door is a common point of failure. If voltage is adequate but the lock won't move, you could isolate the lock and apply power from an outside source to see if it will move on it's own, but testing like that should be done with the lock completely disconnected to avoid issues with back voltage, etc. If you get no voltage driving the lock, trace the wires back to the switch and clean debris from there. The switch and associated connectors are a very common point of failure, too. If two doors are a problem then I would pay close attention to the master lock switch on the drivers side. To go beyond that you'll need a wiring diagram, which is surprisingly complicated, especially if you have a security system. I suspect many dealers trace the issue back to the switch and then if they suspect the switch then they swap in a new master switch. In the DIY world, you want to be as sure as possible the switch is the culprit before dropping change to get a new one. Good luck!

Interesting, those are two different circuits. If somebody else has been working on the car, the first thing I would wonder is whether the repair hooked the wrong wires up. If not, then a bad ground would be high on the list of problems that can do that. Bad grounds do screwy things because when searching for a ground some circuits permit backflow of electrons though other devices. The other thing worth considering is whether the switch for both circuits share a controller, in which case you might need a new control board/switch, usually in the drivers side door. In any case, the usual approach is to remove the inner door panel, examine the wires and switches, looking for corrosion or crossed wires or bad connectors. You may find corrosion in the culprit area in which case you clean and probably replace the bad part. If you've been getting significant moisture inside the door, check the window slides and also the drain holes at the bottom, which are designed to allow water that makes its way inside to drip safely away. If you get an alarm from your security system, have the key ready to cancel any code, and you may need to remove the neg pole of the battery until you're ready for testing. These circuits can be complex, so you want to honestly evaluate your skill and tool set before accepting the risk of home repair. Good luck!

Did you figure out how to remove the PCB? Seems like you need to desolder from the pins permanently move to the plastic.

I didn't see any bulb, but I think some of these may have little LEDs. Next time I'm in the vehicle I'll look for lights, they aren't very noticeable if they are there.

OK I just sat inside the vehicle and the switches for the door lock/unlock and for the window controls are lighted. Interestingly, on my vehicle only the rear two window controls are lighted, the front aren't, so my fronts seem to be burned out. The child lock is not lighted, nor is the mirror control. They aren't affected by the dome light controls and they don't go off if I try to manually turn off the headlights. I don't recall an incandescent light bulb, they are probably LED. I'll have to go back to the footage but in my case I don't really care, it's not worth the effort to fix it.

Im changing all my lights to blue led lights. And none of my switches are lit. On either door. If you come across a buld anywhere in there let me know.

Billy BManic looking at the video, it appears that there are clear plastic molded "conduits" that run in between the switches. It looks like there are two bulbs at the base of these "conduits" that, when illuminated, allow the light to travel in the "conduit" ,kinda like fiber optics, to each switch.

James Zurawski Sounds like an oxidized connection or a frayed wire. I would be looking at the wires as they go through the door and also at the connections where the wires interface with the switch. Likely it's at the place where you heard the buzzing sound, if you can localize it. With time the areas where there is movement (wires going through doors) and where there is moisture (rain gets into areas near the door window) are vulnerable. You could go at the switch first to see if you have ground and power to the unit, then trace the bad wire back, following it through the door loom. A wiring diagram would help. BBB automotives offered free wiring diagrams at one time for various cars but I use the dealers manual in electronic form (alldatadiydotcom).

Thanks! I'll start hunting it down.I have a feeling this will take a while.

For part numbers, consult the dealers manual, a parts supplier, or your local OEM dealer with your VIN in hand. Remember that it's the mechanic's responsibility to be sure he is ordering the correct part, and it would be a mistake in logic to just blindly order parts without investigation. I would test to be sure the switch is bad by first electrically isolating the lock and then manually giving the lock power and ground to be sure it works. If not, sometimes a bit of lubrication is all you need.

A change in behavior with position of the door suggests a broken wire near the door jamb. When you open the door you will find a rubber loom that is protecting a group of wires running from the door to the chassis. It may take some work to expose the wires that run through the loom. That area is prone to wire breaks because with time wires become brittle and the repetitive motion eventually causes a break. With all door functions failing at once, it is probably a main power wire or more rarely a ground wire. Find and repair or replace all broken wires. If you have trouble exposing the entire wire, you could look for the power and ground wires at the switch to see if they are getting power and ground. Occasionally it is easier to just run a new wire to supply power, but with a little effort you should be able to find the problem.

That is exactly what it was! Had a stereo installed a couple days earlier so I took it in to them to make sure a wire wasn't shorted out or came lose and that's exactly what they found. Not their doing when they installed the stereo. Tried to pay them for fixing it because when they found the problem I knew it wasn't anything they did but they wouldn't take it. Really great guys at that place. Only took them about 15 minutes to diagnose the problem and fix the wire. Thanks for your help spelunkerd!

I'm glad it worked out, it's a common problem. Your story will help others who find this thread, thanks for telling your story!

Yeah, the official professional approach is to replace the entire switch if it is proven bad, and you can find those online. The tricky decision is to verify the switch is bad, which may require voltage drop testing and back probing connections. I have not removed the board in this switch. If you do it, throw us all a bone by posting a video, ha ha. Thanks for watching.

@@spelunkerd - Turns out the pins are permanently molded into the plastic frame, and then the board is soldered down onto the pins. Fortunately you can access the switch contactors without having to remove the board, however I wanted to replace the burned out lights that are soldered in from the backside. Rather than having to desolder both pin sets, I just drilled through the plastic to access the solder points on the lights. When I was finished replacing the lights I just used some RTV to reseal it, however it's not watertight, so probably isn't necessary.

In that case I usually go to the involved door, remove the inner door panel, and find the window regulator. Then I check for power and ground when the switch is turned on. If there is no power to the window, then as a final test I disconnect the window regulator and see if it will move when I hotwire the regulator with 12V and ground independent of the controls. If it moves, then the problem is in either the switch or the wiring going to the door. Common sites of problems are in the wire loom where the wires go through the door jamb, or in the switch, or in the window regulator itself. You want to think the problem through carefully and work at it one step at a time.

As I recall, none. Grease is likely to attract and hold dust, and the buttons seem to do well without.

One way to quickly find the problem is to feed the window motor directly with power and ground to see if it will move. Then you can at least get the window up while waiting to decide what to do next. If it does move when hot wired, your problem is in the switch or wiring. If you're not sure how to proceed, your main issue is confidence in your skill set. I can't tell you what to do with that, since there is always risk when doing a task that is beyond your normal comfort zone. You don't usually save a lot of money when doing repairs yourself, but it is an unforgettable feeling when you accomplish a task that expands your horizons. On the other hand, if you get a pro to do it the price isn't usually too high. Good luck!

+Ruben Rodriguez Hopefully the switch is just sticking open. I'd try to clean it first, and if that didn't work I'd look at consider getting a replacement switch. I've been told there are inexpensive aftermarket replacement switches on Ebay.

Thanks for the quick response I will do so.

Bulbs are usually no problem though I have no experience with your vehicle. If the lights are LED, make sure they go in with the correct polarity and correct replacement, since there is wide variance in current requirements and overload current. In a typical LED the flat side is the negative anode, and the positive supply side has a longer feeder wire. You may need to solder LED lights to a board, and desolder the old light properly. Messing up the solder could cause more damage to the circuit than just a burnt bulb.

Thanks

The problem is always fixable, though you'll likely need parts. First you need to know where the heat started. Water causes corrosion, then increased resistance, which causes heat. Heat in turn causes solder to melt, which then causes parts to shift and more resistance, ultimately tumbling into smoke, destroyed transistors etc, and often a blown fuse. I'd have a quick look at the connectors to see if they are salvageable, then check for power and ground, probably check the fuse as well if no voltage. In these old trucks the switch is easily available through ebay and amazon, and connectors are available as well. Deoxit spray is helpful if corrosion isn't too bad, clean with isopropyl alcohol after disconnecting power. If the switch isn't too expensive it is probably not worth trying to fix the board, though if you have a microscope and soldering skills it might be a fun exercise. Most general mechanics simply replace the board. Get some dielectric grease and apply it to vulnerable areas to try and prevent water ingress in the future. Good luck!

You could try lubricating the lock mechanism but it's likely the switch. You could send power to the lock mechanism directly, bypassing the switch, to see if the problem persists. Generic switches are available on ebay and elsewhere, for much less money than the OEM device.

+spelunkerd Ok, I'll give that a try when I decide to dive into it. do you know if the generic switches are any good compared to oem? They're like 200 bucks for an oem lol

As far as I know they are fine, and you have the option to return it if not. The other option would be to gamble on a junkyard part.

+spelunkerd I'm looking at my window lock switch thing right now and holy crap the dust! It's gross haha. Unlike yours where you have to pop all the buttons off to get the board out, my board is held in with a few little plastic clips that I bent out of the way. the board falls right out. there is a silicon pad that goes in between the physical buttons and the board a lot like if you took the key fob apart. I'm cleaning the Silicon pad with some rubbing alcohol to get the crud off. I know none of this applies to you but I just felt like sharing lol

It's always nice to hear others' experience. Thanks for contributing to the thread.

One of the diagnostic steps that many skip over is the voltage drop test, designed to find upstream circuit resistance that may be robbing a device of adequate power. I'd do that for both the power and the ground side, and I'd examine the mechanism carefully to look for and lubricate mechanical problems. Another option would be to swap in another lock actuator from a different door, to see if the problem moves to the opposite door. Good luck!

There is a button switch in the door jamb; it's normally pressed in when you close the door. When the door is closed the circuit is open, when the door is open the circuit is closed and the light will turn on. Inspect that switch to see if it still moves. There could be dirt binding it in the pressed-in position. Clean and lubricate it to see if you can get it moving. If you can't get it to move, it's a simple task to replace the switch. Switches like that are easy to find a a junk yard or you could even buy a new one. If the switch seems to be OK, then you may have a shorted wire, most commonly where the wires route through a loom in the door jamb. With age, those wires get stiff and brittle, and with constant movement eventually they fail. You would need to find the fault and fix it. In the meantime, remove the bulb so you don't have a dead battery caused by parasitic draw from the circuit. Good luck!

+spelunkerd thanks really help i replace the battery twice until i find out what was the problem plus i took the car to a repair shop and they want to charge me $400 so i was looking for an easy way to do it my self thank you very much

I'm glad it helped. When the battery dies overnight, it is either a bad battery or "parasitic drain". If you search that term you'll find lots of videos showing how to approach the problem. In this case you have a clue regarding which circuit is the problem; sometimes you don't and it's harder. In this case, if you can live without the door light, the simple temporary solution is to remove the bulb. Fixing the problem properly is often easy, and when you sell the car you don't need to explain why the light doesn't work. Good luck!

+Ken Means Canon Vixia HF10. It's been a great little workhorse for me, still going strong. I use a lavalier mic for most of the audio and Adobe Premier Pro CS4 for post processing. All of my hardware is outdated but still working fine. Thanks for asking.

I believe those LEDs stays on continuously when key is on, but I don't believe they stay on for very long after the key is removed and lights are out. You're describing a condition of parasitic drain, and the commonest source of that are peripheral add on programs like hands free remotes, aftermarket security systems, etc. Workup for parasitic drain is pretty simple. I did a video of that, and there are many others here on the net. Lately I've been using voltage drop across fuses as a screening test to trace down the source.

+spelunkerd the battery was just changed on it because the same issue happened. it was replaced with an old battery that was recharged. it seemed to be working fine but yesterday I took about a hundred miles trip across the state. I woke up this morning and it was dead. it was cold out morning too and I think I might have left the door slightly ajar. not sure if I did though. it starts up and drives fine with a jumpbox. I'll make sure everything is unplugged on the inside and off, but could the alternator be bad too.

If you just left a door ajar, you could assume that and carry on, but it puts you at risk of recurrence if that is not the situation. First step is always to be sure the new battery is good. I would drop by a local autoparts store, remove the new battery and ask them to bench test it for free. Second step is to inspect and clean the connections, and the one that is often overlooked is where the ground cable connects to the engine. A voltage drop test is good to verify those connections. From there you move to searching for parasitic drain, and to do that I use my induction ammeter but if you don't have one of those then a voltage drop test across each fuse can be a useful screen. Remember the engine computer takes about 20 minutes to go into sleep mode, and also remember the hood light will be a source of draw if you leave it open when testing. More details are in the video I did on parasitic drain. Good luck!

+spelunkerd thank you for all your info. I live/work for a family that flips Ford/Chevy trucks and vans. that's where I got the old replacement battery from. It was an old battery replacing an old battery so ill check it like you say. They kinda have people they deal with for parts and repair, but I just wanted to see if it's anything I could do. Me driving is not a high priority for them. When I last changed the battery, the terminals definitely had corrosion. I'll be sure to clean them when I check the battery. thank you again for all your info.

Not sure. Inspect closely and often you can find the little snaps. If you're lucky you'll find them before they break, ha ha.

Thanks, I found that the buttons don't come off , though the whole unit just unsnaps, The buttons push down on a rubber pad which makes contact to the circuit board. Very similar to a TV remote and how they operate. So it appears I need to replace the whole switch. Chevy & ACDelco want $300, found one on Ebay with 60 days guarantee for $50, Amazon had none.. It's a shame, the door and window lock works fine, its just the controls for the 4 windows.. Thanks

Thanks for recording your experience here, I'm sure it will help others.

Interesting. I wonder if there is a missing ground, perhaps the ability to lock when in drive uses a different intact ground.... In any case, I'd study the wiring diagram for more clues, then go to a door lock actuator looking for what seems to be missing (power or ground) at the actuator. Then trace the missing element backwards to the origin. It could be as simple as a broken or corroded wire or connector leading back to body ground. Hopefully the problem is not inside the body control module. You can get free wiring diagrams from BBB industries online, or get them through an online secondary provider like alldatadiy or mitchelldiy. Good luck!

Since this video was posted 5 years ago, prices have fallen to the range that makes it much less expensive to replace the whole switch module with a generic unit. I picked one up last week for just over $20 through Amazon, including shipping. Swapping in a new switch is done pretty much as shown.

EntertainmentHub69, You can still lock a car while the keys are in the ignition

Sorry, it took me a while to realize what you are asking. There is no relay inside the switch, it doesn't draw enough current to justify adding in a relay there.

There is what appears to be a tiny special-purpose latching relay inside the button assembly on mine. It is soldered to the circuit board. I found a schematic online and it handles the "express down" feature for the front left window when you press that button down all the way. If I'm reading it right, then even if the relay fails, you should still be able to operate the window without that feature.

+James Conway This note will be good feedback for others; thanks for leaving it.