Stuck Rear Window

[Jonyboy]

I'm finally a proud owner of a maroon 1990 GW (they're kind of hard to find here in Norway..) with a rebuilt engine. Runs like a clock, but I have some problems with the rear window. Some weeks ago it got stuck in the down position while driving on a bumpy mountain road. Then, I hadn't the slightest idea of what could be wrong, but the window suddenly started working a few days later while driving through the city. (I actually became a victim of the "phantom automatic lock" when I happily rushed out of the car to remove the plastic cover on the rear window, forgetting that the door lock on the driver's side has a bad habit of locking itself when the door is closed. So there I was outside my car, happy that my rear window was working again, but kind of confused of the fact that I couldn't get into my Waggy. But that's another story.)

Because the window just started working again, I assume that the problem might be due to some loose wiring. Because a few days later, the window was stuck again... So I removed the access panel and tried to get access to the wiring underneath the glass (while the gate was in horizontal position), somthing that I found more or less impossible.

My problem is that I can't raise the window manually (pull it out), and I have problems with reaching the little round retainer clips that fasten the glass to the regulator arms (?). I can feel a bolt head when I force my hand in and try to reach the lower part of the window, but I can't see the retainer clips that Mike Schierbeek mentions in his posting "Rear Window Switch and More" (under Tech Lib).

Does anyboby have a good advice on how I should Proceed? I guess I have to find a way to remove the glass from the regulator arms.

I've got the Haynes manual, but it's not very detailed on this procedure... Regards, Bjorn Tscherning Hjulstad.

[Stuka]

Welcome to the forum! smile.gif

Maybe wait until it decides to start working again, then lower the gate, and then extend window witht he gate open? (sorry manual gate here)

[FrankenJeep]

The witing usually shorts out where it goes from the tailgate to the body. It gets pinched from opening and closing of the gate. You can access the wiring loom from under the truck, but it is hard to get to the pinch point.

If you have a service manual and a little wiring experience, you might be able to access the wires where the pass from the body and apply 12 volts to the "raise window" wire.

Another option is to try and raise the window from the rear tailgate switch. It uses a separate 12V feed than the front switch, and it may not be shorted.

CAUTION: Both "up" and "down" wires are normally grounded. This allows the rear window keywsitch to operate. (check a wiring diagram if my expanation is fuzzy) DO NOT (repeat DO NOT) apply 12 volts to either wire unless you separate it from the front window switch. If you don't, you'll either blow the fuse on the 12 volt feed or you'll do a little unintended welding.

Hope this helps.

[andy d]

see my post regarding the r/r of those retaining clips. if all the mentioned remedys fail, i suggest 1st jumping out the safety switch. that's common failure. what really helped me was to jump out the rear key operated switch. now the window only works from the dash, but it works every time.

[dgames]

Mine gets stuck from time to time. I think there's some sort of safety switch inside the gate. If you're looking at the back of the jeep, hit the top left portion of the tailgate with your hand while turning the key in the window lock. This is usually enough to get the switch back where it should be. It's a cheap fix as well.

[woodstock]

My tailgate problem was the safety switch, located on the driver's side of the tailgate. The switch lever isn't very heavy duty so it sometimes bends such that the switch won't trip, so you can't raise the window. A few solutions: bend it back a little, replace the whole mechanism, or, what I did, bypass the safety switch. If you bypass the switch, just remember that the window must be down before you close the gate or it'll break. Also, if you put the window up while the tailgate is down, it'll likely go all the way out and crash on the ground. That would definately stink! Aren't these tailgate windows fun?!?

[eugene75]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jonyboy:
[qb]I'm finally a proud owner of a maroon 1990 GW

Does anyboby have a good advice on how I should Proceed?

----------------------------------------------

Based on personal experience this is what you do...

With the window up take off the carpet and metal pannel then do this:

Bypass all of the crappy-old-worn-out-shorting wires by reaching up and to the drive motor and running new leads directly from the motor to the switch in the dash (make sure the routing is good and that the wires are protected as they go out of the tailgate to the frame), then make sure the ground to the frame in the back is good. You won't have the auto stop switch anymore, but just don't try to put it up when the tailgate is down.

Good luck.

-Jim

[ July 10, 2003, 03:13 PM: Message edited by: eugene75 ]

[godzilla]

There is a safety switch located on the driver-side of the tail gate next to the latch.Try spraying a little WD40 and a light rap with a small hammer. Switch is there to stop you from letting the window out if the tailgate is open. If that don't fix it, you'll have to get a new switch.