Hello All.

I've had my 82 for a little over 4 years.  When I found it both power window switches needed to be replaced.  I found two on Ebay and replaced them.  They worked fine for about six to eight months.  Both failed around the same time.  I put the car away for the winter and replaced them again the next spring.  The next pair lasted about the same.  I thought there was moisture building up and causing the failures.  I moved from Mass to Arizona and thought the switches would last longer.   Now I'm using the car year round and replacing the switches about the same six to eight months. 
Is this unusual?  Nothing has been spilled into the switches and there is minimal moisture inside the corkpit.
 


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Nobody ever waves when I'm driving the Explorer.
K Woody

You might look at the plug the switch uses.  If they're shot, it makes it seem the switch is bad.  I replaced both of them on my '82 and haven't had a problem.  I can't remember where I got the replacements from, but it was one of the big suppliers.  They come with pigtails, so you'll have to cut off the old plugs and solder on the new ones.

Check the plugs, for sure. Also, check the connectors on the motors themselves...they could be corroded, and creating a situation where there is just too many amps going thru the switches. Same thing if the motors are failing, or corroded...too much amperage can burn the contacts on the switches.
Do you actually use both switches about the same amount, or do you use the driver side more, and the pass side rarely?


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks for the good ideas.  I'll check out the pig tails and I have no problem soldering them in line.  I have the driver's door apart and will clean the contacts at the motor.  I can see where a hi resistance connection at ether or both could end up with more current flowing through the switch.  Yesterday I had smoke lofting out of the passenger switch and the sounds of sparking. 

Since I moved to the desert, I put both windows down when getting in the car and as the air conditioner starts working I slowly close both windows.  I leave both windows down about 1 inch when in a parking lot. Back on the east coast I used the passenger window much less.

Black car - Desert - It does get very warm when parked out in the sun.
Thanks for the ideas.
Keith



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Nobody ever waves when I'm driving the Explorer.
K Woody