left rear window doesn't work

[firefoot0315]

Today on my way home from my *new job that I'm pretty jazzed about--but I digress* I went to roll down the windows to catch the cool outflow breeze from the distant storms, and my left rear window wouldn't roll down. I tried the rear passenger button too and that didn't work, so I'm thinking fuse. No big deal. Went to change the fuse tonight, can't find it. Am I blind and dumb, or does the 1994 STS not have fuses for the windows? Or am I looking at bigger problems? When I first got the car a year ago that window worked sporadically, but that went away within a few days and hasn't presented since. I chalked it up to breaking in after a 4 year stint in storage.

[Cadillac Jim]

Looking at the schematic in the 1997 FSM, pages 8A-120-0 and -1, There is a single Windows circuit breaker in the LH Maxifuse block. Looking at the schematic, if neither switch works for just one window but the rest are fine, then the problem is one of the switches, a jamming window glass, or the power window motor.

There is a troubleshooting chart for only one power window inoperative that is labeled Chart #7 on pages 8A-120-13 and -14. Looking through it, the instructions are to check the wiring around both switches and the motor until you find the problem. Fixes include cleaning contacts for the connectors to the switches and motor, and fixing ground wires and power lines, and replacing the switches and the motor.

The quickest check is to put a test lamp across the motor terminals on the connector and see if it lights when you use any of the switches. If it does, the problem is the motor or a jamming window. You can do something quickly by seeing if another window that works slows when you press the UP or DOWN switch for the LR window while it is moving; if it does, the window (or motor) is jammed, but if it doesn't then you need to use the test lamp to decide whether it's the motor or the wiring.

[firefoot0315]

Did the quick diagnosis. Took a few times because the other windows are pretty robust, but the driver's window does slow when I hit the rear window switch. Any way to diagnose jammed glass? I am assuming it's the motor because I would think jammed glass would get progressively worse every time. I tried beating on it with the switch engaged to see if it jarred loose. Primitive I know, but figured it was worth a shot. Didn't work.

If it does turn out to be a bad motor, I have them priced at rockauto.com (http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php). Any idea what the difference is between the Delco motor and everything else, other than brand name and $100?

[Cadillac Jim]

If your driver's window slows when you hit the switch for the LR window, then the LR window motor is getting power, and is drawing power. That's a good sign that the problem isn't electrical or a problem with the motor, leaving a sticking glass the most likely culprit.

The LR window is the one that is least used and thus is the most likely to stick. If you aren't comfortable with minor body work like popping off the door panel and loosening the window glass from inside by prying at it a little, ask a detailing shop or a body shop how to free up a sticking LR window.

[KHE]

I would hold the window switch in the down position and slam the door. 90% of the time, that gets the window motor working again.

[firefoot0315]

Well I tried KHE's trick and it didn't work. Lucky for me I just got a job at a Toyota dealership, so I should be able to get some advice and/or help getting the window freed, although I like to think I'm at least competent enough to take off a door panel. The big question I have is what to do once the door panel is off? Jimmy the window a little until it moves, or is there a trick to it?

[CaddyFan777]

My 97 Deville, I Just got had a LR window that didn't work either. I ended up having to replace both swithes (drivers and LR) Think mine was just a freak coincedence. I too searched high and low for fuses, seemed odd to me not to have small fuses for those, but I'm not an engineer.

Got both my switches from a boneyard. Its working great now.

[rockfangd]

Ok hope this helps.

On my 96 Deville My rear windows wouldnt work with any switch. I mistakingly replaced the driver master switch only to find that it made nothing any better. I then removed the rear switches and voila they were both badly corroded. I replaced both switches and now all is fine. If i kept messing with the individual window switch without using the maste switch I could get it to go back up by rapidly moving the switch.

ood luck

[coolnesss]

Sometimes the switch is just corroded as one of the posters observed - and I've fixed that problem many times with a shot of WD-40 into the switch while manipulating the little lever a bunch - sometimes this will clear the corrosion. It's a good thing to do anyway to all switches once in a great while.

[scott y]

Seems to me that the switches in the '94 cars took a backseat(lol) in the quality dept. Alps switches made in japan seem to develop little green "coldspots" in the soldered connections...I've either replaced(with boneyard stock if avail.) or carefully scraped away the corrosion and reterminated with asmall piece of copper or very light gauge wire. Experiments like that can work. Just keep checking continuity in the switch...

[firefoot0315]

Well I rented a car for a roadtrip this weekend and came back to find the window working after 5 days of inactivity. Sounds like it could be corrosion. I'll take a look at that.

[rockfangd]

Seems to me that the switches in the '94 cars took a backseat(lol) in the quality dept. Alps switches made in japan seem to develop little green "coldspots" in the soldered connections...I've either replaced(with boneyard stock if avail.) or carefully scraped away the corrosion and reterminated with asmall piece of copper or very light gauge wire. Experiments like that can work. Just keep checking continuity in the switch...

Well appearantly they took a backseat in 96 also