Ok. So ive had this thing for a month now. And the read window works mint from inside and out. This morning was the first really cold morning weve had up here (norther vermont) and i go to roll the window down from the inside and nothing happens. so i go out to use my key in the tail gate and it works fine. so then i go back to the inside and the button will roll the window up, but not down. so recap:

inside button: up bot not down
out side key: fine both ways

whats going on here? do I need a new button? ill tear into it later when i get home (im at work) and see if i can see whats up.

Thanks in advance

Caleb

 

It might be a bad wire on the switch, or the switch it's self.

Sounds like it was working fine till this AM, so one would think it's not the switch. But electrical things all have demons inside them, so who knows?

 

Probably a bad contact. or a bad wire somewhere.

 

Frozen window...?

 

make sure you didn't accidently hit the window lock button.

 

I had the exact same scenario not more than 2 weeks ago.. Dirty switch contacts.. years of coffee spills and cookie crumbs finally got to it.. Took it apart, used a damp piece of shop towel, slapped it back together, works mint

 

thanks. it still works when i want it to go up so this is what i was thinking too. ill take it apart later when i have time and put some electric grease on it.

 

just make sure to do it inside, or where the switch is warm.. the 20 year old plastic is very brittle when cold.. its pretty difficult to get the switch open, because there are 4 tabs you need to pry open at the same time..

 

before I forget..
If the switch contacts aren't dirty, its possible that there is a problem with your window relay. My relay was pooched, and it would only allow the window to go up with the key, but not down.. I changed the relay, and it worked perfectly..

 

where is said relay located? Is it under the hood or back by the window?

Thanks.
Caleb

 

X2. I just used a can of WD-40 and soaked the switch (with it out of the rig). I can't beleive how much brown crap came out of it!

Works just fine now.

 

if you have a first gen 4runner, it is behind the door card for the drivers side rear passenger.. that vinyl covered panel.. two screws in the seat belt retractor for the driver, and the rest is just push clips to hold the door card in.. If its an SR5, there may be more screws (I don't know, I don't have SR5 luxury)

If you have a 2nd gen, i believe its in the rear cargo area, behind the left side plastic skins..

 

its a 1st jen SR5. I havent had time to do this yet. ITs effing cold and snowing out and the garage has other stuff in it. ill get around to it eventully. haha.

 

take the switch out and jump the contacts. see if it works like that.

idr the exact colors of the wires, but i can tell you hot to figure it out.

there are 5 wires in a straight like. the one in the middle is the power. so with the key on, thats the one you will want to use. there are 4 more wires. 2 of them are either the same color OR have the same color pin stripe on them. those 2 wires are for illumination. the last 2 wires are your up and down. jump the powe wire (with key on) to those and see if it works. if it does, than the switch is for sure the problem.

 

Sounds like the contacts. I had a similar problem with my pas front window. Cleaned up the contacts and it worked like new money.

 

SO when summer came around the window started working again....works fine every time. then today, it was really hot and the window wont go down again. Now that it warm i can start pulling things apart.

Why is the temperature effecting this?

 

Possibly moisture. In the winter, likely you are using the heater? The truck warms up from that, and then gets cold again. Condensation.......possibly.

 

My 4runners rear window does that sometimes on and off...I just deal with it...gonna troubleshoot it one of these days.

 

Wait sooo... Window works fine both ways with key. But the switch inside only goes up? Well its not likely its the relay if the key works both ways. The prob is in the inside switch prob. Like people have been saying try cleaning it. They get gunk and food all in those switches. If it is starting to not work randomly but work sometimes then stop then work then stop... it sounds like the tailgate latch lock switch. Do you hear clicking when trying the switches whether its working or not?<-- thats the relay energizing.

 

When I hit the switch "up" i can watch my volt meter go down (trucks off) but when i hit "down" dosent move. Ive been so busy I havent had time to tinker with it. Hopefully friday or this weekend i can get to it. It also started working again this morning.