drivers side window goes down but not up, switch replacement???

[LMHmedchem]

Hello,

This just started yesterday. I had the window down because it was hot and when I went to put it back up, it didn't do anything. I fiddled with the switch a bit and it did finally go up. Today, I forgot and put the window down again and the same thing happened. I did manage to get it to go up eventually but I will have to remember to not put it down until I get this fixed.

I believe that I had the motor replaced in this window already. I was taking someone to the airport during a snowstorm and put the window down to pay a toll. The window wouldn't go up again and I had to drive home in the snow with my window down. I would be surprised if the motor is going again already, so I guess it is likely the switch.

Is that what others here think as well?

Rockauto has several replacement switches,

DORMAN 901314 {#1L2Z14529BA}, Front Left; 5 Button ($76)
STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS DS1748, Front Left 5 Button ($92)
MOTORCRAFT SW7142 {#1L2Z14529BA}, Front Left 5 Button ($94)

Are there any preferences for parts here? I am generally inclined to pay the extra $18 and get the Motocraft part but I would get the Dorman if folks here have had a good experience and thing it would last a few years.

Leave it to Ford to take the part that will definitely wear out first and make it a 5-component switch that costs $100 to replace instead of 4 single switches that you could replace for $10 each. I have never had any switch wear out other than the drives side window. When this happen on my Caprice, I just took a switch from one of the rear doors and it worked just fine.

Thanks for the advice,

LMHmedchem

 

[Number4]

Well, easiest thing, I suppose, would be to spend $6 for that switch at the wrecker. See if it fixes it. Could be an issue with the motor too.

 

[LMHmedchem]

Well, easiest thing, I suppose, would be to spend $6 for that switch at the wrecker. See if it fixes it. Could be an issue with the motor too.

I hate to spend $90 for a new switch and have it be the motor. I don't think that the motor is all that old, less than three years. Who knows how long you should expect replacement parts to last.

I don't think there is a junkyard around here anymore. There used to be several, but the last one closed a few years ago. The property is just too valuable.

Is there a reliable place online that sells used parts? I would expect a used part to have the drivers side window switch mostly worn out like mine. I guess it just has to work long enough for me to confirm that it's the switch and not the motor.

LMHmedchem

 

[LMHmedchem]

RockAuto gives the part number as 1L2Z14529BA. There are allot of these on ebay in the $20 range that are listed as new parts.

Here is one,
Ford Mercury 1L2Z14529BA Master Electric Power Window Switch Driver Side LH ($19.66, free ship)

Not all of these listing give the 2002 explorer as a compatible vehicle, but the part number is correct. I don't know if there is any reasonable way to know anything about the brand quality for these parts. The parts that are listed as Motocraft go for well over $100, unless they are re-manufactured in which case they go for about $30.

At this point my options seem to be,

New Motocraft part from RockAuto for $94
New Doorman part from RockAuto for $72
Re-manufactured Motocraft part from ebay for $30
New unknown brand part from ebay for $20

At this point, I will likely go with the $20-$30 part because I don't know for sure that the issue is the switch. I guess I could get in there with a DMM and see if the motor is getting power or not. Does the fact that the window goes down but not up suggest if the issue is the switch or the motor?

Is there a preference between the re-manufactured Motocraft part and the new no-name brand part? I hate rolling the dice with parts from a brand I have never tried before.

LMHmedchem

 

[Number4]

I'd have no issue with the Dorman one. The eBay seller has good ratings and a lot of transactions. The ad does say it's aftermarket and not an OE unit.

The "ship to you" wreckers all want $30-$50, I'd go Dorman before paying that.

 

[LMHmedchem]

Well after allot of searching and filtering I found this,

New Ford F250 F350 F450 F550 Master Driver Crew Power Window Switch 1L2Z14529BA ($35, free 2-day ship)

The seller is usaswitchcity and they seem to have good feedback.

This is listed as both an OEM Ford part and new. That seems a bit too good to be true, but we will see when it gets here. Hopefully this fixes the issue. If not, I will be back to ask about replacing the motor.

I will post about the part after I can determine if it's a new Motocraft part or something else.

LMHmedchem

 

[apenland01]

since the passenger side has the same electrical plugs as the drivers side, you could just plug the passenger side in to test if it is indeed the switch or the motor on the drivers side. The plugs in the door are color coded and are the same on both sides, so give that a try to rule out the switch for free.

 

[LMHmedchem]

Well the part from usaswitchcity was a bust. There were scratches all over the switches and dirt and grease between them, so this was very obviously a used part. It also came in bubble wrap with no original packaging to identify it as a Motocraft part. There is a sticker on the back from switch city that says, "warranty void if removed". I suspect that this sticker is covering the part and serial numbers to conceal the fact that it is not Motocraft. There are no other identifying markings on the part.

I find this kind of thing very annoying. If you have a used part to sell, sell it as a used part. If you have brand A to sell, sell it as brand A and don't pretend it's brand B. The seller had a large number of sales with good reviews, so the outcome is surprising. I won't leave feedback until I see how they respond to my complaints, but this is not such a good start.

LMHmedchem

 

[D Hook]

Have you checked for broken wires in the door yet?

 

[LMHmedchem]

Have you checked for broken wires in the door yet?

No, I haven't got in there yet. The reason I went with the switch above is that every vehicle I have ever owned had the drivers side window switch go at some point. I figured that if I could pick up an OEM pat for $35, I would use it even if that wasn't the problem right now. I thought I would take a look at the wires when I replaced the switch, or if replacement didn't fix the issue. I need to fix some broken wires in my door boot as well, so I thought I would do that all at once.

I'm not sure what to make of the fact that the window works intermittently. It always goes down with no problem. Sometimes it goes right back up. Sometimes the switch does nothing. Sometimes if I hold the switch in the up position, it does go up after a few seconds. Sometimes I have to try the switch a few times or wait a bit and try again.

Any insights on what these symptoms suggest? Among the switch, the motor, and the wiring, do these symptoms point to one more than the others? I might think that the function would be missing entirely if there was a broken wire but who knows.

LMHmedchem

 

[swshawaii]

Although faulty power window switches are not uncommon, broken wires in the door jamb cause far more problems, especially with power locks and windows. Don't know if opening the door at different positions and testing the switch would be reliable, but give it a try. The wire bundle is stressed the most with the door closed. Although missing pics, here's a thread that describes the many issues broken door wiring causes.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/rear-passenger-window.297190/#post-2575521

 

[D Hook]

No, I haven't got in there yet. The reason I went with the switch above is that every vehicle I have ever owned had the drivers side window switch go at some point. I figured that if I could pick up an OEM pat for $35, I would use it even if that wasn't the problem right now. I thought I would take a look at the wires when I replaced the switch, or if replacement didn't fix the issue. I need to fix some broken wires in my door boot as well, so I thought I would do that all at once.

I'm not sure what to make of the fact that the window works intermittently. It always goes down with no problem. Sometimes it goes right back up. Sometimes the switch does nothing. Sometimes if I hold the switch in the up position, it does go up after a few seconds. Sometimes I have to try the switch a few times or wait a bit and try again.

Any insights on what these symptoms suggest? Among the switch, the motor, and the wiring, do these symptoms point to one more than the others? I might think that the function would be missing entirely if there was a broken wire but who knows.

LMHmedchem

I would check the wires first. When mine were acting up, I could make the window function by opening the door wide and then activating the window switch. It's very random, making the connection on the wiring loom by just slamming the door or opening the door. That's usually the cause of the intermittent action you're experiencing. The wiring moves around inside the boot, making and breaking the connection each time. Usually the wire is just barely making the connection and functions as it should. Other times, the gap between the ends is just enough to not make the connection.

 

[LMHmedchem]

I would check the wires first. When mine were acting up, I could make the window function by opening the door wide and then activating the window switch.

This appears to be the case with mine as well. When it is not working, it will work if I open the door part way. I know I have some other broken wires in there anyway, so I will try to get in there and fix it this weekend.

I wasn't thinking that the wires connecting the switch and the drivers side window motor would go through the door boot. Why do the wires not just go from the switch directly to the window motor?

LMHmedchem

 

[Number Twelve]

Why do the wires not just go from the switch directly to the window motor?

LMHmedchem

Maybe they do, but the grounds go through the door hinge boot.
I would solder another switch on the board, but I'm an electronics nerd and you probably aren't. I did trace out the switch pod on my '05 Exploder because my nephew got in there and diddled around. There was nothing wrong with the switches and I knew I was checking the right stuff because deciphering spaghetti shaped wads of wires is my day job. Your mileage may vary, but I'm betting on the ground wire being broken.