Power window not working properly

2010 CHEVROLET COBALT
130,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Passenger side power window will go down but not up using either the driver's master switch or the passenger switch. Window will go up and down if I connect the motor directly to the battery. Replaced the passenger door switch with new one. Still won't go up with the new switch.
If motor and switch are both good, what else could cause the window to go down but not up?
Aug 23, 2020 at 12:46 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Good afternoon,

I attached a wiring diagram for you.

Do you have a test light or voltmeter to do some checks?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Roy
Aug 23, 2020 at 2:17 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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I have a test light and a cheap meter.
Aug 23, 2020 at 2:31 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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When commanding the window up, check the dark blue wire at the switch for power with a test light.

Roy
Aug 23, 2020 at 2:42 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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With the driver's door master switch in the up position for the passenger's window, the light blue wire lights up. Not the dark blue wire. None of the wire's light up (except the power wire) when I have the drivers door master switch down for the passenger window. This makes no sense because I can use either the master switch or the passenger switch to get the window down, but neither switch will work to get the window up.
Aug 23, 2020 at 3:12 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Does the dark green wire at the passenger switch have power with the key on?

Roy
Aug 23, 2020 at 3:19 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Yes.
Aug 23, 2020 at 3:22 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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When you command up with the passenger switch, the dark green should power the dark blue.
Aug 23, 2020 at 3:27 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Not sure how to check that with the passenger switch not plugged into the wire harness. I tired using a wire to connect the dark green wire to the dark blue, then turning on the key. Nothing happened. I then tried the same thing with the wire connecting the dark green to the down wire. Nothing happened.
Aug 23, 2020 at 3:52 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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The tests I wanted you to do are with the switch plugged in.
Aug 23, 2020 at 3:53 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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I'm not sure how to test that with the switch plugged into the connector. I removed the door panel and checked to see if activating the switch sent a signal to the connector that plugs into the motor. It did. All these connector.s seem to be fine. I've made the window go up and down by applying power directly from the battery to the connector that plugs in to the passenger door switch as well as directly to the motor. I'm not sure what I could be missing.
Aug 23, 2020 at 4:13 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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I read all that already. All you have to do is remove the switch with the wires attached and back probe them with the procedure I asked you to do.

Roy
Aug 23, 2020 at 4:42 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Unfortunately,it started to rain and I do not have a garage. I'll have to try this tomorrow. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.
Aug 23, 2020 at 5:08 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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You are welcome.

Always glad to help.

Roy
Aug 24, 2020 at 1:30 AM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Using my cheap meter, I determined that voltage did not go through to the motor when pulling the window switch up. I checked again and confirmed there was continuity in both wires that go from the switch to the motor. Is it possible there is something wrong with the master switch in the driver's door?
Aug 24, 2020 at 2:09 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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You just checked the passenger switch? Is that correct?

Roy
Aug 24, 2020 at 2:20 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Yes. I did not check the driver's master switch. I was not sure if something in that switch could mess up the passenger door switch.
Aug 24, 2020 at 2:27 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Go back the switch again and do the test I requested. I posted it below.

When you command up with the passenger switch, the dark green should power the dark blue.

The dark green wire comes from the fuse in the fuse panel.

Roy
Aug 24, 2020 at 2:39 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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I tested the switch on the passenger door. When pushing the switch down, my meter registers voltage at the connector that plugs into the motor. When pulling the switch up, it does not.
Aug 24, 2020 at 2:50 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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I asked you twice for the voltage on the 2 wires I posted.

Can you please give me those results?

Roy
Aug 24, 2020 at 3:07 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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I'm sorry that I didn't realize you wanted the the voltage numbers. I can't get the meter to measure any voltage now, either with the switch up or down. However, activating the switch in the down position still gets the window to go down. I don't want to waste any more of your time. I think I'm going to throw in the towel. Thanks for your patience while trying to help me out.
Aug 24, 2020 at 4:25 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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You are welcome.

I am always glad to help.

Let me know if you want to continue and we can move forward finding the issue.

Roy
Aug 24, 2020 at 4:34 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Hi Roy, I'm back. I got a new multi-meter. With the passenger door switch down, the meter reads about 12.22 volts. It does fluctuate a little bit. With the passenger door switch pulled up, the meter reads 0.00. Does this suggest anything to you?
Aug 25, 2020 at 1:18 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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What terminals were you checking?

Roy
Aug 25, 2020 at 1:29 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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I checked the voltage at the connector that plugs into the motor.
Aug 25, 2020 at 1:33 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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I asked you 2 times to check at the switch.

Would you please do the check I suggested?

Roy
Aug 25, 2020 at 1:52 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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There are no exposed wires at the switch if the switch is plugged connected. Are you asking me to probe the wires at the connector without the passenger door switch plugged into it?
Aug 25, 2020 at 2:03 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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No, you need to back probe the wires at the switch with the connector connected to the switch. You told me way back you checked this? Did I not understand?

Roy
Aug 25, 2020 at 2:15 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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I guess you did. I have only probed as I did today, with the switch plugged into the connector and the voltage measured at the connector that plugs into the motor. It seems to me there cannot be too many thing that can be causing my problem. I know the fuse is good. I know the motor works. I know the passenger door switch is good. I know the wires between the passenger door switch and the motor are good. I'm guessing that leaves the drivers door master switch and the wires from that switch to the passenger door switch. Am I missing anything?
Aug 25, 2020 at 2:25 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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How do you know the wires are good from the master to the passenger switch? Did you load test the wiring?

I am trying to help and you are not giving me the information I need to help you.

Let me know when you can answer my questions and give me the information. Then we can continue the testing and get to a resolution.

Roy
Aug 25, 2020 at 2:37 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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I never said the wires were good from the master to the passenger switch. My last text said I thought the only things left to check were the wires from the master switch to the passenger switch and the passenger switch itself. We obviously are not communicating well. I will not be bothering you any more. Thanks.
Aug 25, 2020 at 2:50 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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I am sorry, you stated the wires were good from the master to the passenger way back in the beginning.

I am getting confused on what you checked and how you check it.

I still want to help but please give me the information I request so I can help.

Roy
Aug 25, 2020 at 2:54 PM
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STRAILER
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We can test this simply, remove the wiring connector from the motor dark blue and brown wires, then attach a test light between the two. Work the switch both directions does the test light light up in both directions? If so the motor is bad even though it runs on the direct battery I have seen them stop when installed.
Aug 25, 2020 at 4:17 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Hi Ken, thanks for reaching out. I did as you directed. The test light only goes on when I push the passenger door window switch down. It stays off when I pull that switch up. It also stays off I move the drivers door master switch up or down. This baffles me because that switch still lowers the window.
Aug 26, 2020 at 12:51 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, when you command up does the tan wire have power?

If it does, it is not being grounded by the master switch. That would indicate a bad master switch.

Roy
Aug 26, 2020 at 1:05 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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Just to be clear, are you talking about the brown wire (looks dark grey to me) that goes to the motor from the passenger door switch? I checked for power there and got nothing when I pull the passenger door switch up. I'm little confused because there is a tan (light brown?) wire in the bundle of wires that come into the passenger door that goes into the connector for the passenger door switch.
Aug 26, 2020 at 2:26 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Okay, when you command up, the dark blue wire is hot and the brown is a ground. That brown goes through the switch and turns into the gray wire which goes to the master switch and inside the switch is the solid state set up that spins the motor in the correct rotation based on the command.

I attached that diagram.

Roy
Aug 26, 2020 at 2:41 PM
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DJMARSOLEK@AOL.COM
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So I activated the driver's door switch up (and down) and there is no power at the tan wire that goes into the passenger door switch. I tried the same thing with the light blue wire on the passenger door switch connector. There light blue wire gets power with the driver's door switch pulled up, but not when the switch is pushed down. Is the driver,s door switch the problem? Thanks
Aug 26, 2020 at 3:50 PM
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ASEMASTER6371
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Yes, based on those tests, yes, I agree.

Roy
Aug 26, 2020 at 3:59 PM
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NIKKI24
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Ok so this was a super helpful thread! As a female a lot I can’t do on my own but I am having the exact same issue! I can’t test it myself I don’t have a meter or anything but every video I have watched points to master switch. Drivers side works fine but passenger only goes down with either switch ( master or using passenger switch) However it won’t go back up. So now it’s stuck 1/3 of the way down. Anyway, that was my burning question before I ordered a new switch. So even if both sides work going down and not up that the problem still lies in the master switch
Nov 6, 2024 at 8:13 PM
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STRAILER
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Yes, that is completely possible because the main power for the system comes from the main switch. Here is how to change the main window switch out. Check out the images (below). Let us know if you need anything else.
Nov 7, 2024 at 5:25 PM