Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Power Doors, Windows on Cars - POS

Pretty much all of the manufactures went over to "encapsulated" switches in 2010.

The three main failure modes are all switch related.

1.) Rain falls onto them when you open your window in rainy weather causing oxides/sulfates to form on the contact areas.

2.) Users "dither" the switches. The resulting arcing causes the plastic under the contacts to soften and the contacts splay or mushroom resulting in insufficient contact force.

3.) Some switches have a geometry and flexibility such that if the customer presses more than one mode simultaneously, hard enough, a power-to-ground connection is made and the fuse will blow.

So basically, you should be fine as long as you don't play with your switch or play rough.

2003 gmc with 225 k miles over 10 years. No issues

Just one more thing to go wrong as there are typically some plastic parts in the train somewhere. I have much more faith in good solid metal mechanical linkages. Especially when I expect something to work at 20 or 30 below zero.

My next truck purchase might not happen if one of the makers doesn't still offer a manual transmission.

Another pissed GM Tahoe owner here. I have. 2002 Tahoe LT that I've owned since new (only 55k miles on it now as it's not my primary driver), and I've replaced ALL FOUR window track/regulator assemblies at least once. 2 of them were dealer replaced in the 1st 3 years I owned it. Also, the slightest bit of frost will sieze these suckers closed like a nuns..... Well, you get the picture.

GM..... FU

-TomT

Ford

1999 Oldsmobile Alero passed on to the daughter when the wife was done with it. 2 back window failures, not the front ones that get the use. Cheap plastic pieces break. Windows held up with sticks now. College kids...

I didn't have to replace any on my 2003 Silverado (bought new) but it surely had it's share of the typical GM electrical issues. Nothing terrible.

I have replaced rear window switches on a 2009 Silverado. The fronts were still working fine.

No!

And when I had to replace the drivers side motor on my truck, I popped off the panel and found a motor made in China and a wiring harness made in India on my made in America Japanese designed Nissan Frontier.

1962 Thunderbird in my case.
Windows, seats, I added the passenger seat, and clock still work. Swing away steering is still solid even. Radio quit before I bought it from the original owner.
She shows 190k+, but when I bought it John said he'd set the odo back when he overhauled the engine and trans, so who knows.

My dodge truck has problems with the power door locks. Two Toyota camry's with a gazillion miles each and no problems with the power locks or windows.

I think the common theme is who made the vehicles.

Ha! I feel (felt) your pain. My 2002 Siverado was a POS. I bought it new and replaced at least 4 but I think 5 (FIVE) window motors/transmissions. I could do 'em with my eyes closed at the end. Front bearing hubs? Don't ask. A couple wiper motors tossed in also. Brakes? Rotors? Don't ask...........POS.

03 Honda Accord, 240k, all the electronics worked.

1999 ford f-350 211,000

Door locks gave out before 100,000 but the power windows work fine yet

I found after 200,000 miles even the mechanical cranks didn't work.

Just buy a FORD. Problem Solved.

Yep. Have had more than one too.

Current is appx 350K miles with replacing only one window motor easily so far.

We do have a couple that are around 150K or so that have no issues as of yet.

I have an F350 that sounds like one of the mounting screws is loose. It clunks when all up or all down on that one, but approaching 151K and so far so good. The door locks on this one need a bit of lube some day.

I prefer manual on locks and windows but hard to find these days plus we only buy vehicles when the current one dies.

Oh yeah, have a GMC 3/4 ton truck manual all the way around. 86. POS. More or less. 150 and started to loose compression. Around 170K the drivers side manual window became hard to work, and now won't work at all. Looks like some chitty metal inside gave up... need to get it to the shop for mom.

I have a '96 Impala SS with only 12,000 and all four window carriers have broken - plastic sucks!

I bought the Ford version of a work truck. 2003 with standard
(manual) transmission. They are not easy to find. Manual windows and door locks and no a/c. The good news is nothing breaks. I finally had to replace the rear brakes at 95,000.
Transmission says made in Japan. Salesman was very tight lipped
about where parts were sourced.

Forgot about my daily driver 2001 civic. 200k miles on it and they all work.