1995 Jeep Cherokee Electrical Short in Passenger windows

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brad.preslar@gmail.com - 03 Feb 2007 03:59 GMT

I have a short in the switches somewhere in the power windows.

If I disconnect the switches on the drivers side to the power windows
on the passenger side, (front and rear), all works fine, except the
windows on the passenger side will not work.

If connected, the 10 amp red fuse in the fuse box blows, connected to
the radio, interior lights and the power locks. I've disassembled the
passenger doors to check the wires, and all appear ok. Could it be
the power window motor? I can also duplicate the short if I press the
drivers side lock button to the right or left slightly, anything but
straight up and down will also blow the same fuse.

any ideas?

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Comboverfish - 03 Feb 2007 05:05 GMT

On Feb 2, 9:59 pm, "brad.pres...@gmail.com" <brad.pres...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> I have a short in the switches somewhere in the power windows.
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> any ideas?

My best guess is that you are blowing the 10 amp fuse soley from a
short in the driver's power lock switch (or circuit) and it has
nothing to do with your power windows. This 10 amp fuse operates a
number of interior lights, the power lock switches, and the radio
memory feed. You stated that wiggling the lock switch causes a blown
fuse. I would suspect the switch itself, unless you have the entire
switch housing out of the door when performing this test; then you may
be inadvertently wiggling the harness as well, possibly touching two
bare wires in the door harness together. FYI, the power windows use a
big circuit breaker something like 30 amps, and all of the related
window motor wiring is 12 - 14 gauge. This 10 amp fuse circuit is
wired with skinny 20 gauge (pink!) wiring.

You can make better headway with the following method...

Find a sealed beam headlight, wire two 16 gauge leads to the filament
terminals (either low or high beam will be sufficient), then crimp two
terminals to the ends of the wires that will fit into the fusebox in
place of the 10 amp fuse that is blowing. Make sure the terminals
don't touch each other in the fuse box, or the test will be invalid
and you may smoke an actively shorting circuit if left in that
condition for too long. Turn off all interior lights if possible, (or
remove the bulbs you can't turn off) and turn off the radio. The
headlight bulb may glow dimly even if there is no short if there are
any legitimate loads drawing current on that circuit. Conversely, it
will nearly *blind* you if a short is present! This is a great method
for safely loading a circuit with ~5 amps of current at 12 volts and
gives quite a warning signal when you find the short. Now carefully
wiggle the switch without disturbing the harness. If the lamp lights
up, then replace the switch. Also inspect the harness connector for
any signs of burning/melting and repair as necessary. If you don't
find a short there, then start wiggling partial sections of the door
harness (panel removed) until you light the lamp.

I'm convinced that the problem is in the switch or door wiring. Don't
overlook right where the wire harness goes through the door into the
kickpanel. Open and close the door to flex that area and wiggle the
protective boot by hand to test that area.

Toyota MDT in MO

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Scott Dorsey - 03 Feb 2007 15:38 GMT

>I have a short in the switches somewhere in the power windows.
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
>any ideas?

It is more apt to be the switch than the motor, but it could be the
motor, sure. The ohmmeter will tell you the truth.
--scott

Signature

"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

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Comboverfish - 03 Feb 2007 17:39 GMT

> brad.pres...@gmail.com <brad.pres...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >I have a short in the switches somewhere in the power windows.
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> motor, sure. The ohmmeter will tell you the truth.
> --scott

It's not very likely to be the window motor if'n the window motor
isn't on that fuse.

Toyota MDT in MO

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brad.preslar@gmail.com - 03 Feb 2007 20:59 GMT

Thanks for the help...that headlight trick worked great...much better
than trial and error blowing fuses.

The bundle of wires that runs to the driver's side door was rubbing
against the metal inside the rubber tube from kick panel to door,
exposing the wires to each other and bare metal. The plastic has
scraped off 3 wires, causing the short.

Fixed the wires, fixed the short. Could have saved myself some money
and time, I replaced the driver's side switch set a few months
ago...didnt' fix the problem. Took both passenger door panels off
last night before posting this.

Thanks again...may your fish stay combed.

-B

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Comboverfish - 03 Feb 2007 21:20 GMT

On Feb 3, 2:59 pm, "brad.pres...@gmail.com" <brad.pres...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Thanks for the help...that headlight trick worked great...much better
> than trial and error blowing fuses.

Yup, that method is the proverbial bomb-diggity.

> The bundle of wires that runs to the driver's side door was rubbing
> against the metal inside the rubber tube from kick panel to door,
> exposing the wires to each other and bare metal. The plastic has
> scraped off 3 wires, causing the short.

If you hadn't mentioned the part about wiggling the lock switch I
would have directed you to the door hinge area first.

> Fixed the wires, fixed the short. Could have saved myself some money
> and time, I replaced the driver's side switch set a few months
> ago...didnt' fix the problem. Took both passenger door panels off
> last night before posting this.

You've proven more learning ability than many working mechanics. Good
job!

> Thanks again...may your fish stay combed.

I'd like to keep it in top form, but it's not my fish to comb.

Toyota MDT in MO

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