Power Windows and Door Locks--Permanent Fix!
- Thread starter slcfj62
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Did anyone ever determine if this fix works on the series 80? I have read every post I can find about the windows and it seems like this may be an answer to actually fix the issue in the 80 as well. As it has been said repeatedly if you replace/clean/lube runs, motor, regulator etc they work better but nothing seems to be the "fix". anyone tried this or determined if it will work for our 80s??????
- Thread starter
- #103
If you can email me a pdf file of the schematic for the power windows/door locks for an FJ80, I can tell you whether this mod will help or not. wiredwagon at comcast dot net.
Thank you! This was this first thing I did to my recently acquired '90 FJ62. Worked the first time, so I can't say enough about your easy to follow directions. What a difference!
I have a 90 fj62 with 160K in pretty much pristine condition. I am the original owner and my 2 kids tell me that the Cruiser was always the favorite. With that said, my granddaughter broke the master window lock switch. As you know the 3 non driver windows are locked, fortunately in the up (closed) position. The driver window as well as the power door locks for all the doors continued to operate.
I finally got around to replacing the power winder master control switch with an after market replacement. When I installed it, everything worked great, EXCEPT THE PASSENGER WINDOW! There was no problem with this window before the switch was broken, but it has been broken about 9 months.
When I plugged in the new module the passenger window would not operate at all. When I tried to operate it locally, it went up about 1/4 inch to the fully closed position. (it was whistling a little in te 9 months and my wife refused to ride in it any more until I got it fixed). After this slight movement, the window will not operate at all either locally or at the master switch.
My dilemma is what to do next. Since the window used to work well before the switch broke, I am somewhat suspect about the replacment switch.
I was able take apart the old broken switch and could jumper across the the master lock switch contacts.
So my plan would be to try the modifed original power switch to see if the passenger window would now operate. If it does, then the After market switch is bad. If it doesn't, then I would do the diode fix ON JUST THE PASSENGER WINDOW>
Do this plan make sense?
By the way this is a great thread, and I appreciate the work that has been put into it.
I finally got around to replacing the power winder master control switch with an after market replacement. When I installed it, everything worked great, EXCEPT THE PASSENGER WINDOW! There was no problem with this window before the switch was broken, but it has been broken about 9 months.
When I plugged in the new module the passenger window would not operate at all. When I tried to operate it locally, it went up about 1/4 inch to the fully closed position. (it was whistling a little in te 9 months and my wife refused to ride in it any more until I got it fixed). After this slight movement, the window will not operate at all either locally or at the master switch.
My dilemma is what to do next. Since the window used to work well before the switch broke, I am somewhat suspect about the replacment switch.
I was able take apart the old broken switch and could jumper across the the master lock switch contacts.
So my plan would be to try the modifed original power switch to see if the passenger window would now operate. If it does, then the After market switch is bad. If it doesn't, then I would do the diode fix ON JUST THE PASSENGER WINDOW>
Do this plan make sense?
By the way this is a great thread, and I appreciate the work that has been put into it.
- Thread starter
- #106
Unless your granddaughter whacked it or something, she probably didn't break the window lock switch. Those things commonly break. I didn't know there was an aftermarket replacement for the master switch panel. Where did you find that?
Your plan sounds like a good one--jumper across the window lock switch in your old switch panel to verify that the aftermarket switch is bad. If you do the power window relay mod, then the lock switch doesn't matter anymore since each of the passenger windows will now be grounded at the door instead of back through the window lock switch. Then you can return the after market switch and glue the lock button back in the hole in the master panel for appearance reasons.
Your plan sounds like a good one--jumper across the window lock switch in your old switch panel to verify that the aftermarket switch is bad. If you do the power window relay mod, then the lock switch doesn't matter anymore since each of the passenger windows will now be grounded at the door instead of back through the window lock switch. Then you can return the after market switch and glue the lock button back in the hole in the master panel for appearance reasons.
There is an aftermarket master window switch for FJ62's for $85 at this site:
Toyota Land Cruiser 1989-1990 Window Master Control Switch
It is also advertised on ebay. I thought about buying it to replace my switch but the picture looks brown and I want a grey one. I've been interested in hearing how it works and the quality of construction since the cheapest I've found from a Toyota dealer is about $285 plus shipping for a new one.
Toyota Land Cruiser 1989-1990 Window Master Control Switch
It is also advertised on ebay. I thought about buying it to replace my switch but the picture looks brown and I want a grey one. I've been interested in hearing how it works and the quality of construction since the cheapest I've found from a Toyota dealer is about $285 plus shipping for a new one.
- Thread starter
- #108
Wow, that looks just like the OEM switch bank. Thanks for posting that.
Sorry for the delay, but I finally got around working on the switch between tornadoes this weekend. The place I got my switch was at Specter Off Road.
Specter Off-Road Land Cruiser Parts - Page 130 Land Cruiser 60, 62 & 80 Series Doors
It cost me $175, so I wish I had seen the post from Rookie earlier! It appears to be identical to the one Rookie posted. Specter Off Road has a lot FJ parts, many used, but as you see, they are pricey. The after market switch itself is not identical to the OEM by appearance, but it is so close that if you did not put the two side by side, it would be almost impossible to tell.
As for my issue: The after market switch I got did work for 6 of its 7 functions. The Master door lock; the driver window (Both up and down and auto); the master window lock; and the two rear windows worked perfectly. However the passenger window did not operate at all. This left me with a problem in that I did not know if the after market switch was bad or if I had a problem with the passenger window mechanical mechanism.
Bottom line is that the after market master switch was bad. I know this because; I was able to jumper across the window lock switch from my original master control switch and all the non driver windows operated from both the driver position as well as locally. (As has been pointed out The non driver windows cannot be prevented by the driver from being operated locally), . As to why the after market switch is not working, I cannot tell if the passenger window power lines or connectors are bad or if the connectors for the master lock switch is just inadequate to allow the driving of the passenger window which is substantially larger than the rear windows. Having taken apart the original OEM master control power switch, the master window lock portion is marginally designed. I found this to be surprising because the rest of the FJ 62 so robust.
As for now, my immediate problem is to come up with a robust method of permanently closing the master window lock switch. Simply soldering something across the terminals will not hack it. It also takes the skills and patience of a watch maker to disassemble and reassemble the master window switch. You don’t want to repeatedly take it apart. I am going to have to try to find a mechanical means of closing this contact comparable in durability to the rest of the contacts on the switch.
I will let you know how I make out with Specter Off Road on the non operative after market switch.
Specter Off-Road Land Cruiser Parts - Page 130 Land Cruiser 60, 62 & 80 Series Doors
It cost me $175, so I wish I had seen the post from Rookie earlier! It appears to be identical to the one Rookie posted. Specter Off Road has a lot FJ parts, many used, but as you see, they are pricey. The after market switch itself is not identical to the OEM by appearance, but it is so close that if you did not put the two side by side, it would be almost impossible to tell.
As for my issue: The after market switch I got did work for 6 of its 7 functions. The Master door lock; the driver window (Both up and down and auto); the master window lock; and the two rear windows worked perfectly. However the passenger window did not operate at all. This left me with a problem in that I did not know if the after market switch was bad or if I had a problem with the passenger window mechanical mechanism.
Bottom line is that the after market master switch was bad. I know this because; I was able to jumper across the window lock switch from my original master control switch and all the non driver windows operated from both the driver position as well as locally. (As has been pointed out The non driver windows cannot be prevented by the driver from being operated locally), . As to why the after market switch is not working, I cannot tell if the passenger window power lines or connectors are bad or if the connectors for the master lock switch is just inadequate to allow the driving of the passenger window which is substantially larger than the rear windows. Having taken apart the original OEM master control power switch, the master window lock portion is marginally designed. I found this to be surprising because the rest of the FJ 62 so robust.
As for now, my immediate problem is to come up with a robust method of permanently closing the master window lock switch. Simply soldering something across the terminals will not hack it. It also takes the skills and patience of a watch maker to disassemble and reassemble the master window switch. You don’t want to repeatedly take it apart. I am going to have to try to find a mechanical means of closing this contact comparable in durability to the rest of the contacts on the switch.
I will let you know how I make out with Specter Off Road on the non operative after market switch.
- Thread starter
- #110
If you are planning on doing the power window mod, you don't need to worry about jumpering the window lock switch--it is completely bypassed. My suggestion to jumper it was just to verify your new master switch is bad.
To be clear, if I reuse the original OEM Master panel, and I do not jumper the switch, I will not be able to operate the rear windows unless I do the bypass fix on both of them also. If I use the new after market switch that will not operate the passenger window but every thing else works, then only the passenger window fix would be required. However, If I am paying $175 for a new part, it somehow does not seem quite right that I still have to do a jury rig!
I will probably decide on the course of action after I talk to Specter Off Road tomrrow. The possibility exists that even if they send me a new after market power window control, the contacts on for the master window lock feature will also not be hefty enough to allow enough current to move the passenger window. So it boils down to: Is it easier to jumper the lock switch on the OEM? or, Do the bypass fix on the passenger door. Make sense?
I will probably decide on the course of action after I talk to Specter Off Road tomrrow. The possibility exists that even if they send me a new after market power window control, the contacts on for the master window lock feature will also not be hefty enough to allow enough current to move the passenger window. So it boils down to: Is it easier to jumper the lock switch on the OEM? or, Do the bypass fix on the passenger door. Make sense?
- Thread starter
- #112
If your windows were working satisfactorily before the lock switch broke, then the easiest thing to do would be to jumper the switch. You only need to do the relay mod if your windows are not working to your satisfaction. Typically, the driver window goes up and down fine, but the other 3 windows are much slower and/or stick partway up and down. New window channel rubber will help with the sticking, and will increase the speed somewhat. Adding the relay mod will make the rest of your windows just as fast as the drivers window. On my rig, all four windows are 4 seconds down and 5 seconds up.
But if you are happy with your windows as they are (once you jumper the window lock switch), then there is no need to do the relay mod at all.
But if you are happy with your windows as they are (once you jumper the window lock switch), then there is no need to do the relay mod at all.
I just reread the window mod instructions (still haven't taken the time to do it), and I have a thought (didn't see an answer when I double checked so bear with me): what if a larger power feed (say 14AWG) were brought straight in from an auxiliary fuse box (like one of yours) to the relays so that the motors could get full voltage and the necessary wattage they need, plus a 14AWG feed for the ground directly to a good central ground point on the body (as opposed to grounding to the door and having to pass through the hinges).
Would this work?
Would this work?
- Thread starter
- #114
If you do the power window relay mod, absolutely. Using the stock wiring not so much. The stock wiring works like this: when the key is turned on, 12 Volts is supplied to the 30 A POWER Circuit Breaker. Then the 12 volts is fed from the 30 A CB to each door. When you roll any of the windows up or down from the drivers Master Panel, the 12 volts for that window motor is supplied from the power feed at the drivers door through the skinny wires to the door of the switch you pushed. So even if you supplied a new and larger gauge 12 volt supply wire to each door, you would only see an improvement when you used the switches at each door, and not from the Master Panel. For the stock wiring, the return ground always goes back through the drivers door.
Installing the relay mod changes this. The power feed at each door is now always used for the window motor in that door (regardless of whether you push the Master Panel switch or the door switch), and the ground is either at the door or right inside the door. Supplying each door with a 12 volt larger gauge wire in conjunction with the relays would provide maximum power to the window motor. However, the improvement is so good with just the relays, that I would try that first, and then if you still feel the window motors are starved for voltage run the additional larger gauge wire
I have experimented with grounding at the door vs feeding a ground wire through the door grommet to the ground point under the dash, and have discovered virtually no difference in up and down time for the window. So, the ground through the door hinge is pretty good, even though it seems like it wouldn't be. It is tough going getting the ground wire from the window motor to the vehicle ground points. I think it would be much easier to ground to the door and then if that is not satisfactory, add a flexible ground strap between the door and the door frame on the hinge side of the door.
Doing it with the relay mod is precisely what I was thinking. I'm planning on using 14AWG wire as it is when I get around to doing it, since I've already got tons of that (alot even tightly twisted for a "single" power/ground lead that'd be easy to feed through the grommets using some wire lube). Plus since I know for a fact that it'll handle more current than 16AWG wire, I'd just go ahead and do it rather than just see if 16AWG would be sufficient. I'm lazy and would rather just do it once 
It's definitely going to be a multi-pronged approach for me. I'd love to track down that #27 style felt from JC Whitney if I can, and then lube the entire mechanism as best I can too. I think the combination of a slightly beefed up relay mod, lubing the mechanism, and new felt would make a world of difference in my barely functioning windows. The bonding wire idea you suggested for the doors would be great too. If the grommets are just too tight for two 14AWG wires to be squeezed through, this will be the way I go while just grounding the relays to the doors, just for the sake of knowing for a fact that I have a strong ground provided.
It's definitely going to be a multi-pronged approach for me. I'd love to track down that #27 style felt from JC Whitney if I can, and then lube the entire mechanism as best I can too. I think the combination of a slightly beefed up relay mod, lubing the mechanism, and new felt would make a world of difference in my barely functioning windows. The bonding wire idea you suggested for the doors would be great too. If the grommets are just too tight for two 14AWG wires to be squeezed through, this will be the way I go while just grounding the relays to the doors, just for the sake of knowing for a fact that I have a strong ground provided.
Great thread this one.
Will do the relay fix for power windows on my HJ61 (24V) as well.
However, when i bought the car, the LH rear door had some after market switch. But window went up and down. RH rear switch fried with some smoke (scaring my 9 year old daughter). So bought 2 new ones.
The RH rear is now ok. LH rear, substituting the after market s*** switch, the window will not go down. Fiddling with the wires I can get it either only up (with stock wire configuration), or only down.
Any suggestions were to look? Thanks.
Will do the relay fix for power windows on my HJ61 (24V) as well.
However, when i bought the car, the LH rear door had some after market switch. But window went up and down. RH rear switch fried with some smoke (scaring my 9 year old daughter). So bought 2 new ones.
The RH rear is now ok. LH rear, substituting the after market s*** switch, the window will not go down. Fiddling with the wires I can get it either only up (with stock wire configuration), or only down.
Any suggestions were to look? Thanks.
Stared at Erik's problem this afternoon but that didn't help either. Very strange.
Even more strange was that I fried my passenger window switch on the way back home. Crappy stuff.
So I'll just post a pic of our rigs on the drive way to cheer everyone up.
Very strange.Even more strange was that I fried my passenger window switch on the way back home. Crappy stuff.
So I'll just post a pic of our rigs on the drive way to cheer everyone up.
Apart from replacing six pistons..... Nobody any clue what is ahppening with my window bug? 
- Thread starter
- #119
You will need to isolate the problem. A good starting point is to disconnect the window motor and apply battery voltage to it directly. One polarity is up, and reversing the polarity is down. If the motor is OK, then you know you have a problem with the switches or wires.
Current pricing on relays from Autotoys.com (heavy duty option):
Products ordered
SKU Product Item price Quantity Total
SKU_319 **RELAY 30 /50 AMP SPDT RELAY - WITH HARNESS #319
Options: gauge of wire harness: Heavy DUTY (14 GAUGE)
$4.60 8 $36.80
Subtotal: $36.80
Shipping (includes our handling fees) : $12.88
Total: $49.68
Products ordered
SKU Product Item price Quantity Total
SKU_319 **RELAY 30 /50 AMP SPDT RELAY - WITH HARNESS #319
Options: gauge of wire harness: Heavy DUTY (14 GAUGE)
$4.60 8 $36.80
Subtotal: $36.80
Shipping (includes our handling fees) : $12.88
Total: $49.68
