Power window has ups but no downs

[81cutlass]

I've never been able to get my passenger door power window switch to work in the down direction on my 2+2.

The drivers side switch controls the passenger window fine, up and down.

Passenger side switch will make the passenger window go up only. No down.

I have power to the passenger switch and I tested 4 different switches I have in my parts bin and all have the same result. Up, no down. I checked continuity between the power pin on the switch and the brown (down) and blue (up) pins in the down and up directions and all switches work like they should.

I can jump the power pin on the harness switch connector to the brown or blue wires going to the motor and ground the other wire to the door and the window goes up and down.

The switches all work and the wiring seems right but I can't figure out why it won't roll down with the passenger switch but is fine on the drivers switch.

Any thoughts?

I can't rationalize through the diagram how this is possible.

 

[Roadwarrior88]

Ground the dark blue/white stripe wire at pin a of the passenger switch, then press the passenger switch down, if the window goes down, then check the driver's side master switch, most likely the master switch isn't making contact to ground in the rest position.

 

[69hurstolds]

I'll just leave this here. It may help you narrow it down. It's from the 1987 Cutlass CSM, but same circuit. I think there's likely a dirty contact somewhere or loose connection. JMO. I'm not a wire-biter, so I'm of little use in that department.

 

[81cutlass]

Ground the dark blue/white stripe wire at pin a of the passenger switch, then press the passenger switch down, if the window goes down, then check the driver's side master switch, most likely the master switch isn't making contact to ground in the rest position.

That's it, that's the check I needed but couldn't come up with. I have essentially done with with wires instead of the switch, but same result. I need to check continuity from the blue/white wire to ground, which from your suggestion it better have ground. If it doesn't, its in the drivers side switch.

Only odd part is that the drivers power window switch is brand new as of 3 years ago and the passenger window up has never worked, so I assume it is in the wiring.

I'll poke at it tonight and see if I find anything.

 

[81cutlass]

Well the blue wire going back to the drivers side had no ground so the new switch I had gotten ~3 years ago must have been bad from day 1. I fiddled with it a bit and I couldn't get it working. It would hit ground if I just barely pushed off center in one direction so something must be fugged inside the switch.

I'll throw the $10 into a new switch next rock auto order I make and see if that solves it.

 

[69hurstolds]

If it didn't have ground when you checked it, it shouldn't have operated your window. But since it did, I'm suspecting whatever it is would be intermittent and very likely either in the switch or maybe a break in the wire somewhere? But at least you found the likely culprit. Did you check the pins for corrosion/loose fit?? The question is, which switch is it? One or both? They both have to be making good contact for the ground to work properly.

 

[81cutlass]

The door harness plug itself has ground, but the pin on the drivers switch for the passenger window doesn't have ground in neutral position. I was able to get the passenger window to roll down with the passenger door switch if I barely pushed the drivers side, passenger switch down like 1/16".

The contact inside the drivers side, passenger window switch doesn't make contact to ground when it's not being pressed. Thats why the drivers side switch will roll down the passenger window (since it makes contact to ground when I push it) but it doesn't make contact otherwise (when it should).

 

[69hurstolds]

Well, there's always the last resort if sh*t ain't working...