1996 Jeep Cherokee Classic

I've had it with these windows! They work sometimes and sometimes they don't.

Some sort of bypass wire comes through the drivers door (not the window lock bypass that I've seen here). Wires have nicks and cuts and cracks. The right rear motor went out so a 2X4 inside the door holds that window up. Now the drivers door window motor appears to be going.

So soon I'll be able to open only 2 windows.....oh did I mention the A/C doesn't work because of the evaporator core. Luckily it's not to hot out

The question I have then, is, will mechanical window mechanisms of the same year fit into the doors without modification?

Sheesh, window motors, door latches, Hood latch.....surprised many of these have failed in my vehicle with less than 125,000 miles on it.

 

I've never tried swapping mechanical regulators for the power setup, but I'd put money on it being a direct swap. Except for drilling a hole in the door panel for the crank.
I'm pretty certain neither AMC nor Chrysler kept two sets of door shells on hand...that would cost money..

 

I just wonder how hard it would be to get the parts. How many Cherokees were sold without power windows back in the day. These were higher end vehicles. The Laredo package came with power windows. Not sure about other packages. I'd do it too but haven't seen a cherokee in the scrap yard with a manual window set up.

 

The amount of work needed to swap to manual windows (including different interior door panels) You could rewire yours and fix any of the mechanical problems.

 

That's true, would need different door panels.

Cost of 4 new motor/regs and wiring harness, then, how many hours to install?

Do they sell just a wiring harness for the driver door, that seems to be where all the problems are.

Maybe switching is radical but I'm so tired of my wife coming in telling me they arn't working again.

 

Usually the problem starts in between the driver's door and body. In that rubber sleeve (or boot, I think it called.) The wire insulation becomes brittle and break or crack. The driver's door (the master of the door & window switches) get the most use, naturally. I'm sure they make the harnesses. But finding one without going through a dealership. Might be hard. I my self pulled off the driver's door interior panel. With the switch hanging loose, I went through it the a volt meter. Checking in coming power, both sides of the switch (the switches go bad also) when activated. power going out the to appropriate door or window. If no power check under the kick panel. That will tell you if its in the switch, or in the wiring. Or if it works on one side of the boot, but not the other. Electrical problem solving, I start at the problem (no power), working back wards till I find power. That tells me where the problem is. Hope this helps you. But it is the cheapest way to find out where the problem lies. And what is necessary to remedy the problem.

 

Solved:

After hours of messing with this I finally figured it out.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT:
The two connectors on the window motor supply power and ground. In the case of the driver's window, the blue wire supplies power and the white wire supplies ground to make the window go down and opposite to make window go up (If I remember correctly)

The switches push into two thin copper plates, one is power, and one is ground, these plates separated by a piece of paper for insulation.

The problem I couldn't figure out was why the blue wire would always have power (varying) when attempting to put the window up when it should be a ground. This would not allow the window to go up.

Finally, I found that the insulated paper between the two copper plates had a small piece missing by the upper edge. When pushing the switch up the pressure would push the 2 plates together causing the ground plate to no longer be a ground.

Here is another thread that has pictures of the problem parts.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/1996-master-control-power-window-lock-switch-82203/

I'm no expert and don't like electrical problems and certainly not intermittent ones. If someone sees some errors in my thinking feel free to chime in.