VT Series 1 Commodore Rear Power Windows Switch

[knight8000]

Hi all,

My car (Commodore Equipe) at the start of the year had issues with the rear windows and one door lock stopped working. Took it to the Auto Elec. and they repaired several wires that were broken. A look online and I've read that the series 1 had thinner wires and the looms were replaced with better ones from the Series 2 onwards.

The rear left hand door still had issues with the power windows after they fixed the wiring so I managed to get a brand new wiring loom from Holden for the rear door and the Auto Elec. has fitted it.

Both side's windows function correctly (windows go up and down) from the main switch in front and from the individual switches at the back.

Whilst the switches now all work, I cannot get the little green light on either rear switch to illuminate. Like the front switches, the rear switches normally illuminate when the switch is active. It is lit so you know the switch/window is active.

The rear switch lockout on the main power window switch console is switched off- allowing the rear windows to operate up and down correctly from any rear switch. When turning the lockout switch back on, it correctly then locks out the rear switches as it should.

So my problem is that I just cannot seem to get the little green light's to light up on the rear switches.

Here's what I've tried so far:

1) To try and rule out the original switches having burnt-out lights- I purchased new rear window aftermarket switches. In fact, I tried 4 different switches from 2 different suppliers and none of the switches had illumination when the switches were active (each switch made the windows move up or down correctly though)

2) I've got a copy of the wiring diagram and checked continuity between the main switch wiring and each individual rear switch wiring for White/Blue, Green/Yellow and Blue/Yellow and on both rear doors, I have continuity on both sides with the correct colours according to the wiring diagram.

3) I purchased an Electrical scan tool which tells me whether a wire is positive, negative and the voltage and upon testing the rear wiring for both doors I have:
(Ignition set to on)
White/Blue: -12V
Solid Blue: no reading
Solid Green: no reading
Green/Yellow: +0
Blue/Yellow: +0

If I turn off the rear switch lockout on the main power windows switch and test the White/Blue, this changes this wires reading to: no reading.

4) I also tested all the wires that plug into the main window switch and the results were:
(Ignition set to on)
Blue/Yellow: nothing
Green/Yellow: nothing
Black/Blue: +0
Blue/Red: nothing
Green/Red: nothing
Green: nothing
Blue: nothing
Blue/White: +0
Orange/Yellow: -0
White/Blue: nothing
Green/Black: +0

I know very little about this kind of stuff to be honest and this is my first attempt to try and figure out some electrical issue. Does anyone know what else I can check or what could be the problem please? I don't know what else to try.

Thanking you.

 

[Lex]

Hi all,

My car (Commodore Equipe) at the start of the year had issues with the rear windows and one door lock stopped working. Took it to the Auto Elec. and they repaired several wires that were broken. A look online and I've read that the series 1 had thinner wires and the looms were replaced with better ones from the Series 2 onwards.

The rear left hand door still had issues with the power windows after they fixed the wiring so I managed to get a brand new wiring loom from Holden for the rear door and the Auto Elec. has fitted it.

Both side's windows function correctly (windows go up and down) from the main switch in front and from the individual switches at the back.

Whilst the switches now all work, I cannot get the little green light on either rear switch to illuminate. Like the front switches, the rear switches normally illuminate when the switch is active. It is lit so you know the switch/window is active.

The rear switch lockout on the main power window switch console is switched off- allowing the rear windows to operate up and down correctly from any rear switch. When turning the lockout switch back on, it correctly then locks out the rear switches as it should.

So my problem is that I just cannot seem to get the little green light's to light up on the rear switches.

Here's what I've tried so far:

1) To try and rule out the original switches having burnt-out lights- I purchased new rear window aftermarket switches. In fact, I tried 4 different switches from 2 different suppliers and none of the switches had illumination when the switches were active (each switch made the windows move up or down correctly though)

2) I've got a copy of the wiring diagram and checked continuity between the main switch wiring and each individual rear switch wiring for White/Blue, Green/Yellow and Blue/Yellow and on both rear doors, I have continuity on both sides with the correct colours according to the wiring diagram.

3) I purchased an Electrical scan tool which tells me whether a wire is positive, negative and the voltage and upon testing the rear wiring for both doors I have:
(Ignition set to on)
White/Blue: -12V
Solid Blue: no reading
Solid Green: no reading
Green/Yellow: +0
Blue/Yellow: +0

If I turn off the rear switch lockout on the main power windows switch and test the White/Blue, this changes this wires reading to: no reading.

4) I also tested all the wires that plug into the main window switch and the results were:
(Ignition set to on)
Blue/Yellow: nothing
Green/Yellow: nothing
Black/Blue: +0
Blue/Red: nothing
Green/Red: nothing
Green: nothing
Blue: nothing
Blue/White: +0
Orange/Yellow: -0
White/Blue: nothing
Green/Black: +0

View attachment 252545

I know very little about this kind of stuff to be honest and this is my first attempt to try and figure out some electrical issue. Does anyone know what else I can check or what could be the problem please? I don't know what else to try.

Thanking you.

Do you know if the lights are led or standard globes?
They will only work positive to positive.

 

[knight8000]

I've had the car since new. So not having pulled one apart before, I'm guessing standard globes?

 

[Lex]

I've had the car since new. So not having pulled one apart before, I'm guessing standard globes?

Have you tried connecting a 9v battery to them, just to seeif they actually work?

 

[knight8000]

Sounds like a great idea. I haven't tried that. How do I know which pins to connect the +ve and -ve wires to?

 

[knight8000]

At a guess, would I wire the 9V battery by the negative- on the pin that normally holds the white/blue wire and then the positive on the pin that holds either the Green/Yellow or Blue/Yellow wire?

 

[VT2Commie]

........1) To try and rule out the original switches having burnt-out lights- I purchased new rear window aftermarket switches. In fact, I tried 4 different switches from 2 different suppliers and none of the switches had illumination when the switches were active (each switch made the windows move up or down correctly though)...........

I would be checking if those AFTERMARKET switches you have purchased are in fact illuminated/backlit or just have a painted white spot on them.

Somehow i think the latter.
Such is the aftermarket lottery.

 

[knight8000]

You are absolutely spot on mate. I ended up going to Holden and ordering two new switches. Plugged it in and presto- everything works.

Two different vendors and both had painted white spots on them. In the past I got hold of the main switch for the front from Bursons- they all had globes like the factory unit. I presumed aftermarket switches had globes after that. I was wrong.

 

[VT2Commie]

Yep, I see it alot. Kinda figured that was the case, good thing you got it sorted AND kudos that you made the effort to post the outcome for future reference.

 

[knight8000]

Thanks for chiming in mate. Very happy I got it sorted- it had me baffled! Hopefully it will help someone in future.