AU Window Switches

**Polyal** · 14-12-2011, 11:51 PM

OK well I have had it with pulling apart my switches in an attempt to clean the contacts etc. I get intermittent functionality and I have NFI under what conditions the switches are happy.

Ive followed the tuts on them, cleaned, etc and still the rear RHD is playing up.

Question is, do I buy NOS from Ford which will no doubt be ridiculous or has anyone tried the "new" aftermarket versions which atleast look exactly the same.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AU-Ford-F...item4ab19c1131

I guess 10+ years of pushing will result in wear, some of the plastic legs are shorter than normal aswell so I might just do the lot.

Mr Hardware · 15-12-2011, 11:21 AM

tried cleaning them with carby cleaner?

david lee · 15-12-2011, 01:01 PM

mr hardware is right carby cleaner fixed my driver side switch as i could not get the passenger side window to go up

my67xr · 15-12-2011, 01:15 PM

a bit of dielectric grease on the terminals and contacts helps too, once cleaned.
even use it on the plug/sockets' terminals which plugs into the switch
im not sure if it mentions that in the other threads

**Polyal** · 15-12-2011, 05:32 PM

No havent tried carby cleaner, are the legs meant to be the same height? I assume so..if thats the case no amount of cleaning will fix it so I was hoping someone has tried the repro switches.

Mr Hardware · 15-12-2011, 05:53 PM

Nah never tried aftermarket switches. Can you change switches within the switchblock? something tells me you can, to an extent.

InfernoSR · 20-12-2011, 08:35 PM

The plastic legs need to be the same length. The high series and low series switches are different, not just in external looks, but even the legs are different.

**Polyal** · 15-02-2012, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfernoSR

The plastic legs need to be the same length. The high series and low series switches are different, not just in external looks, but even the legs are different.

Not to be rude but are you 100% on that?

I only ask because I am now searching to replace all my switches. Im yet to price up Ford but no doubt I would be in for a shock.

Here is an example..

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-Falc...item2a140f73c6

Whats the difference between a low and mid series? Backlighting? Im almost prepared to let that go if its the only difference.

Ill probably buy this tonight too.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/170694190...84.m1423.l2649

I cant see a reproduction being any worse/better than the original.

Mr Hardware · 15-02-2012, 05:32 PM

Yeah Polyal the 2-way switches are in no way interchangeable with the 4-way switches. The part in your second link will not fit your fairmont.

**Polyal** · 15-02-2012, 09:32 PM

Bugger.

I even went to Ford and found out they are no longer available...great.

Hardware, I am pretty sure the second link in the post above would be ok (the 4 button with lock)..the single button one would not.

So where do I find replacements for my front passenger, and both rears which are singles? I dont want to buy from the wreckers because they will be just as worn as my current ones.

**GasoLane** · 16-02-2012, 03:52 PM

Try ringing around other dealers, I bought one about 6 months ago from our local dealer.
Good price too.... about $65 I think.

(The last line was sarcasm!)

**Polyal** · 16-02-2012, 03:57 PM

OMG $65 for one single switch? Not the main switch on the drivers side?

**GasoLane** · 16-02-2012, 04:05 PM

Not sure if it was $65 or $55, but we needed it for a roadworthy (Rego) and had to go local.

No, just a door switch, it was originally in the passenger door but I swapped it for a rear one that didn't get much use.
Didn't matter though it still failed the roadworthy.

Perhaps try a few Ford wreckers, maybe they wont know the retail price and wont rip you off too much

**Polyal** · 16-02-2012, 04:07 PM

I have thought about wreckers but I dont know if that will fix the issue, at the end of the day it will be a 10 year old switch with unknown wear unless I pull it apart then and there...cant believe they are NLA.

**GasoLane** · 16-02-2012, 04:13 PM

I just rang our local place, they have some rear ones in stock and I was close on the price...$47.50 each. Plus postage I assume.

As I mentioned before, I changed my front one to the rear so they're interchangeable.
If you want our local spare parts number just holler.

**GasoLane** · 16-02-2012, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

..cant believe they are NLA.

According to the spares guy the company that used to make them fell over and Ford are looking for a new supplier.

needaXYGT · 16-02-2012, 06:45 PM

Did you actually pull it apart far enough to get to the contacts (coper rocker contact type thing)?
I did this, and once i pulled the coper peices out i just rubbed them back with scotchbrite and applied some electrical friendly grease. Since then its never played up.

mik · 16-02-2012, 10:21 PM

my experience over the years i`ve cleaned mine a couple of times, the first time i did it i used a nice fine bit of emery to clean the contacts then swiped them with metho followed by a rub with lintless cloth, they worked perfectly, a couple of years later i had the passenger side window switch and the same control on the drivers side need a clean, this time i was`nt so thorough,
i just whipped it apart and used my pocket knife to quickly clean the crap off the contacts, the drivers side worked fine, but it worked intermittently on passenger side , if i jiggled the switch it would work , so i had to pull it apart again and do a better job of cleaning it, ............ Cleanliness is next to AUliness

.

**Polyal** · 07-03-2012, 03:49 PM

Alright just an update to the situation.

I have got my hands on 3x NOS single Au2 Fairmont switches, #14529S

I am waiting on a repro switch assembly for the drivers door. I didnt want to go repro but finding a NOS one for decent cash is hard. I was lucky to find the singles as the company that makes them went bust.

Can I get the mythbusters in for a second....

Is it true or not that if your main drivers switch is buggered then the others wont work at all?

Ive heard it a couple times but I find it hard to believe.

Bushbasher · 07-03-2012, 03:58 PM

Not true unless your lock out switch is cactus as well as it's your main breaker switch. The switches are just another breaker or "no/off" point just like having light switches at each end of a hall. If one stops working the other will still close the circuit and switch the light on and off.

Bushbasher

Bushbasher · 14-03-2012, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

Not true unless your lock out switch is cactus as well as it's your main breaker switch. The switches are just another breaker or "no/off" point just like having light switches at each end of a hall. If one stops working the other will still close the circuit and switch the light on and off.

Bushbasher

Ok, I know I'm quoting myself here but I need to apologise for my misleading premise and make a correction...... sort of.
Today my left rear window switch packed up and refused to put the window up and as a result the main switch on the drivers door stopped co-operating as well. I popped the rear switch out and gave it a good clean and when I put it back in lo and behold both the rear AND the front switch came good. So from that I must now surmise that all the switches must be connected and functioning for the window circuit to work. Sorry for leading you astray Polyal.

Bushbasher

**GasoLane** · 14-03-2012, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushbasher

Ok, I know I'm quoting myself here but I need to apologise for my misleading premise and make a correction...... sort of.
Today my left rear window switch packed up and refused to put the window up and as a result the main switch on the drivers door stopped co-operating as well. I popped the rear switch out and gave it a good clean and when I put it back in lo and behold both the rear AND the front switch came good. So from that I must now surmise that all the switches must be connected and functioning for the window circuit to work. Sorry for leading you astray Polyal.

Bushbasher

I don't think that ALL switches have to be connected.

On mine the RH rear switch stopped working a year ago (I didn't mind this as it stopped the Gran'kids playing with it) but when the front passengers one packed it in I just swapped it for the working one on the LH rear.

I then had both front windows working until rego time.... then I had to pay Chemist shop prices at out Ford dealer for the two back ones

But like you said, if the door switch is broken the main drivers switch panel wont override the broken one.............. At least I think that's what you meant. (I need more sleep

)

**Polyal** · 07-03-2012, 04:06 PM

Also can I just confirm that part number is right for a AU2 Fairmont....

Ive just gone to fit them and they dont seem to click into the loom like the old ones.

But they look exactly the same, have the "bubble" on the switch like the old ones, have the pins in the same place like the old ones but I am having issues locking it in...

If i was meant to get the #14529S1's Ill have a fit...

Its odd...under the switch there is a brand name "Britax" and above that the following..

M80518
PA66(GF)
1

Same as my old ones...maybe I need to push harder...

**Polyal** · 07-03-2012, 06:00 PM

Hmm so in order to get over this issue I think I may have found the problem...perhaps...

As I stated above, all my old switches (single) had the following code underneath them..

M80518
PA66(GF)
1

Now, atleast one, maybe all of my NOS switches have

M80518
PA66(GF)
2

"2" being the difference. they did not plug in, the plastic tab that secures them was missing the locking in slot on the switch housing by maybe half a mm..there was nothing in it. All pins etc are the same.

So I went to Ford, they couldnt explain it, or couldnt be bothered explaining it. They agreed it was the right switch so we filled that 0.5mm into the slot and she plugs in...

But all my windows are still not working, I will not properly crack the poos until I get my drivers door switch.

Maybe a fuse is gone? I dont know...its starting to really bug me now.

I also have an issue with my wipers..where all the functions work except the second "bit/section" when you pull it down..in conjunction with my windscreen washer jets motor not working when I pull back the wiper stalk.

Ah..I freakin hate electrical issues

**Uncle_Ken** · 07-03-2012, 06:20 PM

My sons AUI Fairmont switch went. I pulled it apart and some of the 'legs' were very worn. I ended up getting a switch from JustCarParts.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Ford-AU-F...item27be5e2477

I went them them because I could pick up and its just around the corner from me. When in in trouble and has been working for the past 2 months.

UK

Bushbasher · 14-03-2012, 08:17 PM

You're right GasO', I should have been more specific. Each separate door circuit needs both the door switch AND the master switch plugged in and functioning for either switch to work.

Bushbasher

Mr Hardware · 15-03-2012, 12:44 PM

this may be the case for the 4-way switches, but is not the case for the 2-way switches.

**GasoLane** · 15-03-2012, 01:43 PM

A 4 way switch ?

You can make your windows go sideways ?

Mr Hardware · 15-03-2012, 01:46 PM

yes, but usually when my window is going sideways, the rest of my car is too. :P

i mean the 4-door switches. the 2-door switches (AU1 Futura, AU1.5 Forte, AU1.5 Classic, AUII & AUIII Forte) are really non-caring about if anything is plugged in or not.

**GasoLane** · 15-03-2012, 01:51 PM

Spoken like a true revhead

Ah, having never driven anything with only front power windows ('cept my Truck) I'll bow to your expertise.