Caffeine

Wierd one for you guys. I hadn't moved my '96 4runner an inch today, but I was walking outside and saw that my rear window was down. I thought this was pretty wierd, because I never roll it down. Somewhere along the line the window just decided to open itself while the engine was off. And now the stupid thing won't roll back up.

After reading a couple threads on this forum I thought it might be the wiper-blade issue (needing to be reseated), but that doesn't seem to be the case. Can anyone tell me exactly where that sensor is located?

When I press the 'up' button I can hear one single click and then nothing. I took off the panel, and the click is coming from a blue box that's about the size of a pack of cigarettes.

Any ideas?

hupptoy

Make sure that your windows aren't locked (button on drivers door).

Maybe try rolling it up with the key in the reear door?

hupptoy

Caffeine

windows are unlocked, and the key has no effect.

[edit]is there a way to at least close the window until I figure out a fix?

Skrillah

sounds to me like a bad window regulator...can you not force it up by hand?

BajaRunner

hahaha, oh man.. that sounds funny.

So did you try opening it with the key in the tailgate?

Major

This has happened to me twice now. each time I tried everything I could think of and nothing worked. After a few days it just went back up and works fine. Very strange. I think it might be the micro switch that tells the window when to stop going up or down.

GREEN4SKIN'R

Haven't experienced this problem but you know that you can run the motor in either direction by disconnecting the plug(usually within a few inches of the motor) and power the motor directly with a couple of jumper wires(for a temp. fix). You can even do this with a rechargeable battery for a power tool(preferably 12 or 14.4 volts). I have the factory manual, if you know how to use a meter, and any info would help you out as well.

Chainlink

Agreed, I work in Auto glass and it sounds like a bad regulator to me also. Although I have seen the glass fall for other reasons, its rare.

Caffeine

the glass was still in place... it just lowered because my 4runner is a badass. I took apart the back panel and hammered on a bunch of stuff randomly like a confused monkey in captivity. At wits end, I tested it again -- and it WORKED!

I knew right away that this was a gift from god, and I decided not to tempt fate and immediately disconnected the window motor -- never to be connected again. The moral of the story is that back windows are stupid, and so are power windows; the combination of a power back window is pure evil.

Gerdo

The first few months that I had my 2000 4runner I came out about a half dozen times to find my rear window down. I have a keyless entry that has a button for the rear window. I'm guessing that the button would get pushed in my pocket, opening the window. I opened the keyless fob and removed the switch for the rear window. I didn't think I would ever use it or miss it, I was right. Ith window has never been down when I didn't want it down again.

Caffeine

yeah, except my 4runner doesn't have a remote.

jackson

HOLD ON, CAFFEINE....this sounds very similar to my problem on a 96 4Runner.
I would find the rear window mysteriously down, knowing that I didn't put
it down myself. Sometimes, just by closing the back hatch too hard, the
window would roll down, but you couldn't get it to go back up. I took the rear panel apart twice before I solved it.

Long story short: it was the connection between the back hatch and the
main truck body. It's encased in a heavy plastic conduit type of deal, but
by making sure that was firm on the back hatch, it solved the problem.

Rear windows are great, especially if you have a dog!

jackson

SpikeStrip

Have not heard of this happening to a '96, but there's a TSB (EL005-01) about it for '99-'01 4Rs, titled: Unitended Rear Power Window Activation.

Here it is as txt... Sorry it's so long, tried attaching as a .pdf file, but wouldn't work...

FWIW: Drove me crazy till I found this. If you leave the "lock windows" button on, it will not happen. Too expensive to fix, about 350$ in parts, unless you're lucky enough to have an extended warranty.

EDIT:

see pdf below:

SpikeStrip

Here's the pdf:

DOT3

Could you just disable the wireless transmitters to solve the problem and still be able to roll it down with the key or the switch?

SpikeStrip

My understanding is it's faulty software/firmware in the rear window ECM, not the transmitter, that "thinks" it's getting a signal to roll down the window. That's why the TSB tells you to replace the ECM and, then, you'll need a new transponder and that function is not reprogammable in the key fob transmitter, for security reasons.

I found with mine there always seemed to be a pattern of use before I'd come out in the morning and find the rear window down... But now I just automatically press the lock windows button when I exit the car and that has solved the problem on my '99 4wd SR5.... except when I forget to press it! Thankfully, here in L.A. the truck don't see too much rain.

S.