I tried to “roll up” the driver side window after leaving the ATM and it didn’t budge. Not even a sound like it was attempting to move. When I depressed the down button, I heard the sound of it attempting to roll further down (it was all the way down). So down was working, but not up.
Reaching a finger into the window gap to wiggle the window did nothing. (Didn’t expect it to with no sound from depressing the button). Banging on the door panel did nothing. Thinking maybe it was a bad switch or connection at the point of the up switch connection, I trieid jiggling the button, and using firmer pressure when depressing. Nothing.
However a gentle but firm whack with my fist on the side of the arm rest where the button is caused it to start working. I’m afraid to roll it down until this is fixed, but if its something I could save a few bucks on by fixing it myself, I would prefer to do so. I don’t have much experience in car repair though, so anything overly complicated is going to have to go to the mechanic anyway.
Anyone know what the most likey culprit is? Is it a bad switch or just a loose wire? 'Cause if its likely just a loose wire, that sounds like something I might be able to fix myself…
If thumping it made it work again, chances are it’s a poor connection to the switch. Getting to the connection may be a matter of prising the switch out of it’s recess, or it may involve removing the door card.
I’m not familiar with the Taurus, we don’t see them over here, but I would try to prise the switch out with a flathead screwdriver, using moderate force but being careful not to break it or the surrounding trim (if the door trim is soft/markable, put a folded piece of corrugated card behind the screwdriver, where you are levering and it should leave less of an impression) and investigate the electrical plug/socket behind. There is usually enough wire to pull it out and have a look.
If it won’t come out or the wire is too short/snagged, start looking all around the door card edges, in recesses, door pockets etc for the screws and clips that fix it to the door. This can involve prising the trim away from the door just far enough to see what the f$*k is holding it now, which can be frustrating to say the least.
If you attempt it yourself, just remember to keep your cool and try not to snap any of the plastic clips as they’re often specific, manufacturer only parts that cost far more than they are worth, and living with a flappy door card is annoying!
The most common causes I run into with this type of malfunction are a faulty switch and broken wiring in the door hinge area. Its responding to a whack right next to the switch suggests that it’s the former.
My information on this model says to remove the door panel to access the switch. Thus, don’t try to pry the switch assembly out of the panel, you’ll likely damage something. Removing the door panel is done by removing several screws and several clips. The screw heads might be obvious, but sometimes they’re hidden behind little trim pieces or camouflaged in the panel. The instructions on the clips are vague and ambiguous – they say to pull the panel outward, which suggests simple push-in clips, but call them two-part pins, which are typically released by pressing a center pin inward then pulling the clip body out. Door panel removal would be easy for someone experienced in doing this, but might be confounding for someone who is not. Once the door panel is off, however, switch replacement should be straightforward and obvious.
In cases where wires are broken in the door hinge area, it’s necessary to get inside the rubber bellows that sheathes the wires running between the car body and the door. Doing a good job of splicing the broken wire(s) and maintaining the integrity of the bellows can be a challenge, and sometimes requires removing the door panel for access. I wouldn’t recommend it to someone with minimal experience. Sometimes this type of failure can be confirmed by keeping the switch depressed while moving the door through its opening arc. If it suddenly starts working at some point, that indicates that the broken wire(s) has made momentary contact from being moved around.
The general rule of thumb for how many clips and screws are holding the door panel is “two more than you expected.”
The last time I had my mitts on a Taurus, IIRC, there was a screw cleverly hidden behind the door handle, and you had to hold the handle in the ‘open’ position to see and get at the screw. I don’t recall any screws hidden under decorative caps or whatnot, but there are a lot of clips and they’re generally obnoxious to deal with.
If you value your sanity and the appearance of your car’s interior, it may be better to call a couple body shops and explain that you’re having window problems and think the problem is with the driver’s switches. You may be lucky and just need a loose plug re-inserted. I know it’s annoying to have to pay someone else to fix a loose plug, but door panels really are a bugger to deal with.
Excellent advice…what is the mania that car mfgs. have about concealing screw heads? Being an engineer, I like exposed screw heads-you know where the damn things are!
If I had my way, cars would look like Walt Disney’s “Nautilus”-with rivet heads and screws everywhere-its a classy, industrial look!
All great advice, with some helpful personal experience. Sounds like theoretically it could be an “easy fix”, but the door panel could give me issues. I would hate to break a clip trying to get it off and just add to the expense when trying to do it myself. Or be left with a floppy panel. Might just have to suck it up and pay the professional.