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'91 Squire - rear tailgate window doesn't always go down

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    '91 Squire - rear tailgate window doesn't always go down

    The answer to this is probably hiding in plain sight, but I am struggling with search and not finding it.

    The '91 has a sporadic issue. Probably 30% of the time I try to roll the rear window down with the key (from outside the tailgate), it doesn't work. Usually when this happens, the interior switch on the dash also doesn't work. The rest of the time it works, and works well.

    Assuming a bad ground or short somewhere, probably where the electronics pass from the body to the tailgate itself, but is there a common place they fail where I should be starting my search?

    Thanks in advance.
    '91 LTD Country Squire LX | '82 Cougar GS wagon |'03 Marauder | ' 18 Flex Limited EB
    formerly: '02 MGM, '04 MGM, '04 MGM v2.0, '04 MM, '07 P71 w/5-speed, '03 SAP P71, '04 CVLX (now in pantera77's stable), '10 P7B

    #2
    I would be more inclined to suspect a motor issue like worn/dirty brushes or the contacts for them, so when the motor is stopped at the exactly right spot, the brushes are not making appropriate contact to let the motor start again until it gets bumped such as by slamming the tailgate.

    Most of the bad door window motors I've had were due to that (second to the gear issue of course), and the tailgate window motor is the same thing (though I don't recall which door it's the same as - left front and right rear are the same, and right front and left rear are the same, but not sure which one matches up to the tailgate).

    Current driver: Ranger
    Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
    | 88 TC | 91 GM
    Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
    Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
    | Junkyards

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      #3
      Hmm, I (obviously) hadn't thought of that. Thanks...that gives me something to chew on.
      '91 LTD Country Squire LX | '82 Cougar GS wagon |'03 Marauder | ' 18 Flex Limited EB
      formerly: '02 MGM, '04 MGM, '04 MGM v2.0, '04 MM, '07 P71 w/5-speed, '03 SAP P71, '04 CVLX (now in pantera77's stable), '10 P7B

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        #4
        +1 had to replace a few window motors (it's always the left rear door for me... dunno why) on my cars for dead spots. The dead spot on the one in the Mad Marquis was acting just like your issue, but the one in the 93 was wide enough to have issues going up and down as well. It would stop about half way down sometimes.

        Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
        rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
        Originally posted by gadget73
        ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
        Originally posted by dmccaig
        Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

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          #5
          Looks like I've got a little project on my hands.
          I guess I just figured that since when the motor works, it works really well, that it was a ground issue.
          '91 LTD Country Squire LX | '82 Cougar GS wagon |'03 Marauder | ' 18 Flex Limited EB
          formerly: '02 MGM, '04 MGM, '04 MGM v2.0, '04 MM, '07 P71 w/5-speed, '03 SAP P71, '04 CVLX (now in pantera77's stable), '10 P7B

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            #6
            There is a safety switch inside the gate. Make sure EVERYTHING is lubricated well,(latches, rods, etc.) If the gate isn't closed securely, the window won't operate. WagonMan
            89 Colony Park
            90 Colony Park
            70 HEMI Daytona Convertible

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              #7
              This sounds like the issue I was having on the 86 wagon, at first I thought it was a safety feature that wouldn't allow the window down when the engine was running. That was not it.

              There is a safety latch/mech that is tied into the top striker latch, it doesn't allow the switch lever to move when its not 100% latched. It does this to prevent the window from getting extended when the tail gate is in the down position.

              look at how the gate closes, make sure both latches are grabbing, you may only be getting the bottom one latched.

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                #8
                I'm cheap, I'd take the motor apart and polish up the commutator. I've not had one with actually worn out brushes, but the com bars get crappy and it stops working. Wrap a piece of 400 or so grit around it and give it a spin by hand. They clean up quick and easy.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Birdofprey View Post
                  This sounds like the issue I was having on the 86 wagon, at first I thought it was a safety feature that wouldn't allow the window down when the engine was running. That was not it.

                  There is a safety latch/mech that is tied into the top striker latch, it doesn't allow the switch lever to move when its not 100% latched. It does this to prevent the window from getting extended when the tail gate is in the down position..
                  Excellent info, thanks!

                  (and thanks to everyone for their thoughts and suggestions - will give me a nice daytime 12-pack project)
                  '91 LTD Country Squire LX | '82 Cougar GS wagon |'03 Marauder | ' 18 Flex Limited EB
                  formerly: '02 MGM, '04 MGM, '04 MGM v2.0, '04 MM, '07 P71 w/5-speed, '03 SAP P71, '04 CVLX (now in pantera77's stable), '10 P7B

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