BrokenWindow

Hey gang Im new to the forums here. I too have an 87 that as of last week has a bipolar rear window. One day it goes up and down no problem, the next day nothing, the next day it will go half way down then stop for the entire day....almost exactly like batmans symptoms. When it was working it was working just fine from both the cab button and from inserting the key into the tailgate. As of late it has stopped working randomly at all..


Im not very electrical savy at all, in fact im not very automotive savy either, and so i need to start very basic, and this is what ive tried so far:

1) I did test the motor with a buddys car battery and it goes up and down just fine.

2) I unscrewed and screwed in the "A" bolt many times on the rear deck that activates lever, no luck.

3) I disconnected the rear wiper electrical that is accessible in the rear left of the bed where the fiberglass top meets the top of the bed, to see if it had something to do with the window mechanism not thinking it was retracted or sometihng, and the window still did not work with it disconnected.

4) I then undid the paneling behind the driver seat to get access to the relay module. when i use the window button in the cab the relay does NOT make a click or any other sound. I dont know if that is suggestive for something.

So how should i procede? Recall im a total automotive noob.


1) Should i check the fuse boxes like was suggested earlier? I know where the one in the engine bay is, but where is the 2nd? And which fuse inparticular am i looking for?

2) Should I cut the wires that go into and out of the Deck safety lever, then butt them to each other as to completely rule out (and in the future) a possible broken "A" bolt lever?

3) Should i find a new window/wiper relay and swap it out?

4) Is it possible something came loose somewhere and my untrained eye cant see it? These symptoms happened almost right after i had to get over a median in the road...so perhaps something came loose?

alrighty thanks so much for any tips!

BrokenWindow

PS im currently in north chicagoland batman....do you happen to know of any junk yards around here or up in the kenosha area that might have old 4runners laying around? I cant find a single one around here =(

Batman

i only know racine area, i go to a place called sturtevant auto, but i got lucky when i went and i only found one 4runner, i think theres a pick'n'pull on 41, ive only been there once a few years back... did you check the safety switch behind the paneling? its by the roll bar area on the drivers side. its a little switch that sits right below a bolt that holds the top on, mine was having the same issues as yours, but this was before i found out about that switch, mine didnt have a bolt there, id suggest you look there first... and i think its the third bolt from the back...

BrokenWindow

I gave that yard a call late this summer actually, when i was looking for something else but no dice. Ive had to resort to Ebay for all my parts haha, but thanks still!

and i did check that bolt 3 times screwing it in and out and leaving it at different elevations. I am thinking of bypassing it by butting the wires that come in and out of it though, just to make 100% sure, but before i did that i wanted to get the advice of guys here!

Batman

yea... as for the fuses, theres a box right above the drivers side kick panel... ive looked on my truck and didnt see any fuses for the rear window, just for the wiper... if your truck has a cover for the wiper motor, take that off and see if the switch there is being used at all