Hi everyone

I have a 1996 jeep grand cherokee limited 4.0 engine, 2wd.


Issue: I am having an issue with the power windows and its not consistent. last check no window will roll up or down except for the drivers rear window. a week or so before that for two weeks every window worked except for the drivers side window, before that only the drivers side window would work.

I ended up taking it to a mechanic shop cause i just can't work outside in the heat, a new master door switch which i was told by mechanics was the problem was not the problem. I got a new switch and it still had the same problem.

talked to the mechanic today and was told the following.

the problem was not a wiring/short problem but all the switches need to be replaced. He said when hooked up to his switch (not sure how or what he has) every window rolls up and down. they all have power going to them and one needs to have the regulator replaced.

so the question is:

Is it normal for multiple switches to go bad at once? I mean it appears they are only 20 buckish at autozone for dorman replacements, about the same on amazon. Since I already have a new master switch ready that can be installed I'd just need those 3 switches. Not sure how hard they are to replace but they don't appear to be difficult. its more the regulator I am concerned about as I need to get this fixed as quick as possible.

But if he says there is power going to each door and he could get them to roll up and down that means the wiring is good right? Not sure if the window with the regulator that needs to be replaced was done in place or manually somehow. Also if its not a front window I might not get it replaced right away and if I don't does a bad regulator effect the other windows?

Thanks

Ryan

 

If there's a pick and pull yard close by, I'd see if they had some you could grab and try. I had a bad switch and it caused two windows to stop working. Might be something to consider.

 

It's got to be in the door bundle wiring. Wires can be broken inside the insulation and make contact or not make contact depending on how they were flexed last. My 2000 WJ had that problem where if the driver's door was open, nothing worked, but if you closed it, everything worked. Broken main power wire.

 

alright, spoke to hte mechanic shop today.

they said there is power going to the switchs and with their switch they was able to roll up and down the windows.

but i need new switches.

i already have a master switch and that one did or made no difference to the windows.

so trying to get switches for the other three doors but all i can find are replacements for the rear doors nothing listed for the front right door. are all these switches the same?

also having problems locating a regulator for the rear right, i can find the front ones all day but nothing for the rears but i only have one thats bad which is odd considering when the passenger windows worked both of them worked just fine until they stopped.

any help would be appreciated. hopefully i can get some later so i can do the order tonight and get the parts to the mechanic.

ryan

 

The most common window failure problem is broken wiring in the door jamb boot, as-shown in this reply. That link also shows disassembly, cleaning and lubrication of the master window / door switch.

 

the mechanic said thats not the case. there is power going to every place. Personally I think i'll get new switches and they'll install them and it still won't work and we'll be back at the wiring but until that point he's going to maintain its not a short or broken wire because when they tested each spot it had power and they could get the windows to go up and down with their switch, not sure what they consider a switch sounds like some kind of all around one.

 

IMO, it is very unlikely for a window, other than the driver's window, to stop working because of a bad door switch.

The other three windows have TWO switches to independently operate each switch. BOTH switches would have to fail for no movement on those three windows.

The only caveat is that the driver's switch also has a master disable window lock switch, that is designed to knock out the other switches.

 

well I already have a new master switch (expensive on this year too) and when i hooked it up it did nothing different. but the mechanic said there was power going to the switches, the two rear ones are cheap, about 20 bucks each, the front passenger i have to look for right now its cheapest i see is 130 ish.

i am over my head looking at electrical wiring as I don't know what I am doing nor have the proper tools to figure it out.

I've seen that thread before, from what I can see there is no broken wires but if its broken inside the wiring I wouldn't be able to see it.

I don't know how to go about testing the wires, if its a power issue I am not sure which wires to be checking.

I don't think the mechanic will look for anything else unless the switches are replaced, then its clear its not what he says.
Ryan

 

The switches are EASY to test for good / bad using an Ohm meter, part of every multimeter. The window switches are very robust, as shown in my linked images, so bad / broken switches are unlikely.

Sliding the boot back in each door jamb reveals the broken wires, not broken inside, but visibly broken. This is a very common problem.

Good luck w/ resolving the problem.

FWIW, this vehicle is ideal for DIY owners. Every single problem can be owner-repaired, unlike new vehicles that are dealership service vehicles. The age of these vehicles means parts are worn out. In my case, mechanic repairs get waaay too expensive for my blood. In my case, "shotgun" repair attempts are waaay too frustrating to me.

 

ok

well the drivers rear window goes up and down right now, so i guess that should rule out the master lock part being bad.

also i have a new master switch that i have in the jeep its not installed but when i hooked it up (couldn't find my bits for those odd stared screws) it made no difference.

personally i am thinking the mechanic either didn't want or have time to really check out the electrical. i asked them to have the windows rolled down at the last minute when i pick up the vehicle when they are done doing the rear main seal and oil pan gasket. told him one of the switches will take a few weeks to come in and i don't' want or can't be without the vehicle for that long.

obviously the rear drivers switch is good since the window goes up and down via the master switch and its switch. it seems odd that before the passenger windows stopped working they both went up and down with both the master and their switches and then both stopped at the same time.

I think its going to be up to me to dig into and see where the issue is, hopefully I can get the support I need here.

so what happens if i disconnect all the switches except for the master switch?

One of my problems is I can not get the boot to slide back to expose more than maybe an inch or two of wiring, if i could take it off it might make it easier but I found no way to remove it completely.

Are they any links or something I can look at to see how to use the multi meter to test the switch? I can test the wiring with these as well?

When it comes to electrical stuff I am very dumb so to speak I don't understand most of it, especially the wiring diagrams they look like gibberish to me.

So not even sure where to begin or what I need to do it. I mean i don't do this stuff so other than a multi meter I had gotten to test the battery and alternator (with pictures and info I can get stuff done).

If I throw out everything the mechanic said about there being power to the switches and test the stuff myself. Cause maybe someone can comment but its not common or is there like a master switch a shop would have for various makes and models of vehicles?

If I can be shown an easy and step by step preferably with pictures how to test the wires i'll be good.

I guess the first thing to do is test for power going to the master switch, right? Cause thats where all the power runs through first if I am correct. Then it would be to test the right front and right rear.

But lets say I have power going to the master switch what would still cause the old switch and new one not to be able to roll down the window?

So If you could point me to the right place to look and check and learn who to test the wires and if known which wire's i need to check.

as always your help is greatly appreciated.

ryan

 

If you've go power TO the switches, do you have a good GROUND?

 

nINE TIMES OUT OF TEN IT'S THE WIRING. Just like Dave said. That's what was wrong with my 93 was the ground wires were broken. I had to cut my boots off to get enough room to repair.

 

Hello everyone,

I hope to have my jeep back monday or tuesday from the mechanic for the other work.

while he said I had power going to everything and all the switches was bad he failed to remember the new master switch is sitting in the jeep and me telling him it made no difference to the windows.

so i know there is a short or something in the over head console because you can move it and it would kill not only the dash but the windows as well when it was working (if could be the problem or at least part of the problem).

again my ability with this stuff is very limited and to be honest all those wire diagrams just confuse me more than anything else, pictures and such is a better help to me if at all possible, i've not yet found anything i can understand on this online.

so here's a couple of questions ( i want to forget what the mechanic says and start over).

what in the over head console would have that effect? which wires should i concentrate on and more importantly how do i test a wire to see if its good?

what wires (color is possible) would i test on the various doors to determine if there is power.

and this might be a clue. last time i checked only the rear drivers door went down/up via the master switch and door switch no other window would go up or down via any switch, so I assume that means its getting power? would that mean its getting enough power? as assume it is what do i test from there. My thinking is (and not sure what would cause the drivers window not to work) that power goes to the master switch then goes from there to the other passenger doors. how can i test the passenger door for power? I am thinking if tested it probably wouldn't so power so there's an issue between the master switch to it.

I'm hoping to gain some new knowledge out of this so I hope you call can bare with me. I have a cheap multi meter (somewhere) but I have no real knowledge on how to test a wire for power or even how to use a multi meter. I've only used one to test a battery with the engine off and on to make sure its right.

thank you all for your help

ryan

 

Hello everyone

Got my jeep back yesterday, Replaced the tension pulley today, never can tell if they really are bad or not. The old one feels good but put the new one on got it adjusted right and its running smooth and without the noise.

So now I can roll up and down both drivers side windows. Why not sure but its done that in the past and does not always last so keeping the front window down so I can use my Jeep for money making issues.

I am not sure if this will indicate anything or not but the mirror control on the switch does not work the passenger side either but does the drivers side.

Could the short in the over head console be the cause of this window issue? I know from the past when everything was working if you mess with the over head console you kill all the dash gauges, and windows and then if you moved it so the dash worked again the windows would work.

As I stated I am dumb when it comes to this electrical stuff (it always bothers me) but it seems for the most part the mechanic don't really want to mess with it either.

My problem is the wiring diagrams make no sense to me.

I don't know how to test a wire to see if its good or not.

I don't see anything broken but it could be broken inside the casing too.

I don't know where the grounds are for things to check.

If I can get some help and maybe this would be more help than normal I want to learn and figure this out. I have the jeep running so this stuff can happen little by little.

I guess the first thing is to check for power going to the master switch (this should have power since I've always had at least one window that worked from the master switch) and the passenger door, and the grounds.

But I don't know how to check, which wires I should be testing nor how to test them, or the location of the grounds I should be checking.

If someone is willing to take the time and show and explain it to me, hopefully with videos or pictures I would greatly really appreciate it.

Also not sure if this would effect any of this but supposedly my auto delay rely is bad, it does click under the dash some times and unless I disconnect the battery my lights will turn on at night for 30 seconds or so and turn off and the process repeats itself all night. I have access to the dash, most of it is apart right now but I can't find the rely and have not found pictures for a 96 grand cherokee on where its located under the dash.

thank you all

ryan

 

Do you want some help? Do you have a multimeter handy?