As I've mentioned before, my XJS has been completely gutted with all factory wiring/relays/modules removed. It's been rewired with a Painless Wiring harness.

I am now on my third set of window switches. I was told by Painless that the window switches don't have to be run through a relay—that they can handle the load without them. Is there something about the Jag window motors that makes them different from "normal" window motors, and that makes relays necessary?

Thanks,

Seth
'86 XJS

 

Nothing unique about the motors but the switches are not overly robust by any means.

Some guys DO add relays to the circuit for faster window operation and to ease the load through the switches. Not strictly required, though, if everything is is good order

The window regulators can wear, as can the felt run channels, causing excessive physical drag as the window moves. This obviously can tax the circuits a bit if it gets bad enough.

What exactly is happening with the switches? Can you be more specific?

Cheers
DD

 

They just stopped working for no apparent reason. With the lastest set, one window froze after getting it all the way down. The other switch stopped working about 10 seconds later while the window was in the up position, and would not go back down. So I'm stuck with one window up, one window down. Before they stopped working, the windows went up and down smoothly and quickly.

 

Try swapping the the switches with each other and see if they work the other way around. The switches are the weak link.

Dave

 

Do you hear any noise inside the door while operating the switches? My driver's window stuck down just today. I could hear the motor trying to lift the window while operating the switch, then clicking off...maybe some kind of overload protection in the motor. I just kept cycling the switch back and forth until the window came free and rolled up. Planning to remove both door panels and clean/lube the tracks and mechanisms. Dunno how much I can do to clean and lube the electric motors, they might be sealed units.

howlinowl

 

I don't hear anything when I press the switches. They may be bad, but I'm wondering if they weren't wired correctly. It sure is a coincidence that both went bad within 10 seconds of each other...

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll be ordering more switches and may try to install them myself this time after figuring out the wiring.

 

Well I'm an idiot. On BOTH window switches, it turns out that one of the spade terminals had fallen off of the back of the switch. The inside of my car is still metal and the wiring and all attached switches and such is resting on the floorpan and trans tunnel. I have to reach down and grab each window switch like a champagne glass and operate the button with my thumb. Evidently this caused a terminal to come loose on each.

Thanks to all that responded. I'll try to rule out this kind of thing before making my next inevitable request for assistance.

Seth

 

Heh heh. No worries. As "idiot" things go, that's a pretty mild example. One day I'll confess to some of my mistakes with drills and other....um...."stuff" :-)

Cheers
DD