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2005 Prius passenger rear window does not work

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by DanGramm, Feb 28, 2022.

  1. DanGramm

    DanGramm Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2019
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    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    OK, this has me stumped. My passenger rear window decided not to go up or down last week. It would not work from the master switch at the driver front or the switch at passenger rear. So, I thought the window regulator motor was bad and I ordered a new complete assembly with motor. When I got it, I installed it, but it did not work after making all the proper connections.

    So, I watched a few more YouTube videos and thought it might be the passenger rear window switch. So, I looked online and found a company called SwitchDoctor and I called them. The rep said to connect two wires to the motor terminals in the socket and than to a 12 volt power source [I used a 12 volt charger]. And then see what happens. The motor worked! I also connected it to the original regulator assembly and the motor worked on that one also! So, it was NOT a bad window regulator assembly! The rep suggested that I purchase a window switch. So, I did.

    When it arrived, I installed the switch but the regulator motor STILL did not work! I even connected it to the regulator assembly motor that I removed but it did not work on that motor either!

    I looked at all the wiring to see if there were any issues but everything looks good. I even removed the window switch assembly from the driver rear armrest and connected the wiring to the new switch I purchased and also to the original switch. Both switches worked, so I deducted that it is NOT a switch problem.

    Could it be a bad master switch, since there may be something wrong there, and it messes up the circuit? Possibly some wiring problems that I cannot see?
    Any suggestions? Thank you for your time!
     
  2. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    Sep 3, 2020
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    Location:
    NJ-USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I would check what is going on with the circuits at the master switch- for the right rear window. Wiring diagram shows a black and a white wire going between the master and RR switches. At rest both wires should be grounded in the master switch. Toggle the master switch up and it should provide 12V power on one of those wires. Toggle down and it should swap 12V and ground. The master switch supplies power and ground through the two wires and through the slave (RR) switch (at rest it acts like a straight through connector) to the RR motor.

    At the RR switch you have yellow and green wires to the window motor. At rest, both should be grounded through the RR switch, back through all the wiring by the master switch. Toggle this switch up and it switches one of the motor wires from ground to 12V. Down and it should reverse the 12V and ground. Here the slave switch supplies 12V to the motor but the ground is still supplied by the master switch through the wire and slave switch.

    I would test the wires at each switch for voltage (with a multimeter) while trying up and down and recording what readings you get.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #2 mr_guy_mann, Mar 1, 2022
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2022
  3. DanGramm

    DanGramm Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2019
    5
    2
    0
    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thank you Guy..............Here is what I did. I called SwitchDoctor and spoke with a different rep. She said that the other rep I spoke with should have told me to purchase the Master Switch, since the current goes thru the Master FIRST, and then to the rear switch. Since it did not work at the Master Switch, she said that is the bad switch. So, I ordered the Master and they sent me a prepaid return label along with the Master. I installed the Master and guess what?...............my passenger rear window went up and down!!! So, I returned the rear switch they originally sent me and all is well; and I now have a new Master Switch and a new passenger rear door window regulator assembly with motor. I could have sent it back but I figured for less than $50 for the regulator/motor assembly, I might as well leave it in. I now have a spare one, which is the original. All in all, I paid a lot less than if I had to take it to a repair shop or even worse the "stealer!" :) Hope this thread helps someone in the future.
     
    #3 DanGramm, Mar 30, 2022
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 31, 2022