lackryaa

Hi,

Have an odd problem with window (passenger rear) of 2005 impala.

Rolled down one day and wouldn't go back up. Neither switch works.

Took motor out and it works on a 12 v battery charger both up and down.

Tested the wire leads that go into the motor for voltage (12.1 for down and 11.23 for up. Both are approximates using both switches).

Plugged it back in after getting the window slide to the top position, used the switch to try down and up. Still won't go up.

I am getting voltage at the wire where it plugs to the motor. The motor works when I use a 12 v battery charger.

I don't understand what the problem is here.

In case I need window regulator replacement and may try looking at salvage yards is there a compatibility list available? I looked at car-parts.com and there are other makes included in the list (all gm but still will they work?)

Thanks

in2pro

Can you try a switch from the other side of the vehicle? not sure if it will work or not, but at least that might eliminate the down portion of the switch being bad...
might want to also clean and lubricate the track while you have access to it all...

lackryaa

neither switch activates the motor in the up position (master at the drivers control and the rear passenger side switch). No sound at all.

Other windows work fine. window lock is not activated

in2pro

How about moving the suspect motor to another window location and the known good to the suspect window... that should tell you if its the motor or the switches....

in2pro

looks like RockAuto has the regulator with motor for about ~$50

lackryaa

UPDATE:

I moved the motor to the left rear side plug and motor operates fine. Moved the switch from right side to left side and switch also works just fine.

So there must be a broken wire somewhere. I used a voltmeter to find which wire operates on the master switch (it's purple and green which should be ground right?)

How can I find which wire is broken? A resistance test didn't do anything (maybe I'm putting the probes in the wrong places?)

But it doesn't make sense that the purple/green master switch circuit would operate in down mode but not up mode????

Need some help here, very much a newbie at diagnosing circuitry problems.

I saw a wiring diagram for the window switches somewhere, I'm off to see if I can find it again

lackryaa

Anybody have any additional information that could help?

I went out and got a haynes manual and now have a diagram of the window switch circuits.

I did continuity test for master switch for right rear window in up position light green and dark blue (worked fine got maybe 14-20 ohms). then tried testing dark blue to brown (Didn't work). Realized motor was unplugged so plugged it in. Had my mom turn electrical systems on (no probes in any of the switch wires with switch not plugged in) and had her press the up button to make sure it wouldn't work because the right rear door switch has been removed. She turned the key off and then all of a sudden there was this loud click-click-click-click noise and the gauges were flickering up with the sound. The clicks lasted about 20 times.

Now I'm a littly wary of trying to do anything further. WTH caused that clicking? scared the S%!% out of me!

in2pro

The first place to start looking for damaged cables/wiring is where the harness passes through the door to the body of the vehicle...check both sides of the wires at the pass through points....

lackryaa

I did check the wires in the door on the rear passenger side and also in the front driver's side door. Couldn't find anything obviously broken. So I put the boot back over it.

What I would like to do is have a way to check for continuity for all the wires that way I don't have to guess. Problem is, I'm scared ****less from what I can only guess was a short that caused the clicking noises and flickering gauges. Now the battery has been run down to 4.4 volts (don't know if there is a short, a draw, or from me having the door open a lot pulling and installing panels and motors etc.)

If there is another forum that can answer these questions please let me know, not knocking on you but don't seem to be getting much help here and I need to fix this as soon as possible.

For now I have just put the motor back in, stuck wires in there and used the battery charger to force the motor to put the window up. I left motor plug out so we won't accidentally roll the window down. Don't think this will cause any problems (taped off the connector)

in2pro

A very low battery could have caused the clicking and fluctuating gauges...
For troubleshooting purposes and doing continuity checks you may want to disconnect the battery to prevent run down.. 4.4 volts is very low and the battery may not recover from that.