# bad window switch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [May 5, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666 "2012-05-05T15:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/1 "2012-05-05T15:22:25Z")
'03 Cavalier coupe -Power window stopped going up this afternoon. It goes down fine. I jumped the window motor from the car battery and got it to go up. Does that mean the switch is bad? Theres only one switch in the center console for the windows and the right and left windows operate off one plug/unit so I couldnt swap sides. ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/2 "2012-05-07T17:47:07Z")
> [@kteller exhaust](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/kteller-exhaust/49478/12): > > '03 Cavalier coupe > > -Power window stopped going up this afternoon. It goes down fine. > > I jumped the window motor from the car battery and got it to go up. > > Does that mean the switch is bad? Theres only one switch in the center console for the windows and the right and left windows operate off one plug/unit so I couldnt swap sides. ohm out the contacts to see if they only work one way ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/3 "2012-05-07T17:47:55Z")
Probably the switch - I had the same exact thing happen. Replaced the switch and it swung both ways again, just like you do :lol ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/4 "2012-05-07T18:10:55Z")
> [@CATURDAY](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caturday/17848/359): > > ohm out the contacts to see if they only work one way I didnt think of that and the car isnt here right now (not mine). Ill see if I get a chance to try that out at some point during the week. Still thinking its a switch though since the motor functions when jumped. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/5 "2012-05-07T18:22:47Z")
Are you jumping it to the contacts right below the switch? ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/6 "2012-05-07T18:27:37Z")
No. The switch is in the center console. I ran a piece of wire from the battery directly to the contact on the window motor itself and grounded it with another wire to the bracket holding the motor in place. ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/7 "2012-05-07T18:31:17Z")
Is the console dirty ? If so its Prolly shit in the switch or a broken wire ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/8 "2012-05-07T18:40:51Z")
car is actually pretty clean inside and I popped the switch panel out and it wasnt dirty or anything ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/9 "2012-05-07T18:49:44Z")
It could be a broken wire as well - I had that happen in my car too lol. It snapped right inside the boot between the door and the body of the car. ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/10 "2012-05-07T18:51:39Z")
the other side just had a bad motor replaced when it was in the body shop because it didnt work at all. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/11 "2012-05-07T18:55:25Z")
It happens. I just did a motor on an f-body the other day. ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/12 "2012-05-07T19:02:33Z")
typical GM garbage. I cant count how many window motors Ive changed on Cavaliers, Sunfires and Grand Am’s back in the day. Wheel bearings all the time on all those shitboxes too. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/13 "2012-05-07T19:04:04Z")
All cars have their problems. I’d rather change a window motor than a drivetrain motor 😉 ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/14 "2012-05-07T19:10:32Z")
Yeah cause fords 3 valve motors are doing great , wheel bearings as well , rear ends , calipers , transfer cases lol Ford isn’t that good either . ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/15 "2012-05-07T19:24:30Z")
I used to work on a ton of Cavaliers and Grand Am’s where I used to work because we fixed wrecks and sold them and those issues were real common. My motor is fine with 107k on it. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/16 "2012-05-07T19:32:05Z")
Yea because you don’t tow or haul anything with it :lol ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/17 "2012-05-07T19:38:54Z")
> [@FS: 87-93 Mustang BBK O/R H pipe](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-87-93-mustang-bbk-o-r-h-pipe/49257/4): > > Yea because you don’t tow or haul anything with it :lol ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@Alpine](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/18 "2012-05-07T19:39:14Z")
OK one time for what, 5 miles? :rofl ---
**Author:** ![PJB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pjb/32/6389_2.png) [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/19 "2012-05-07T19:52:52Z")
probably 15 miles. Rexford thru Schenectady to Rotterdam ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 10:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666/20 "2012-05-10T10:12:18Z")
> [@91 Beretta nut and bolt nightmare](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/91-beretta-nut-and-bolt-nightmare/49501/9): > > typical GM garbage. I cant count how many window motors Ive changed on Cavaliers, Sunfires and Grand Am’s back in the day. Wheel bearings all the time on all those shitboxes too. clean the damn knuckle out when you replace them and apply antisieze and never have a problem again [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/bad-window-switch/263666.md?page=2)