Non-Valk -- '99 Nissan elec window prob

[Tx Bohemian]

I have a '99 Nissan Sentra GXE that all the windows quit on me yesterday.  They worked fine the day before.

I've been doing research online (not that i'm the best at that) and am having a hard time finding anything about this problem.
I do have a Haynes repair manual for this car which is totally useless (unless I need kindling for a fire!!) and has been for anything else I tried to use it for when repairing this vehicle. Just thought I'd give it a shot though. (the wire colors in the manual for the main window switch do not match the colors on the harness!! which is typical for this manual)

I did check the fuses and that's all good. In my research I did find out there is a relay (I think) somewhere but I can't find the location. I pulled the main window switch on the drivers door and popped the back cover and it looks like there is a relay there on the circuit board, kinda. But it's all built in/soldered.

My thinking is: since they all quit it's a common component. All the power comes through the main switch which is on the drivers door, which also contains the pwr lock switch. (the locks still work)
Two of the wires in the harness have full battey voltage so I'm thinking one is for the locks, the other for windows but with the "crappy" manual that I have I can't tell which goes to what. If I could figure out the wires I could maybe jump the wires with a paperclip to see if I could get the windows to work.

I'm leaning towards the main switch being bad but these things are like well over $100 and I'm not sure I could return it if that's not it. Plus I changed it about 5-6 years ago and wondering if this same switch would go bad again so soon. I guess they could have a problem with these...

Any ideas? Any suggestions are appreciated.

[justintyper]

sounds like the main switch took a crap ... all the other windows get their power from the main switch should be easy to buy one at the junk yard or you pull it yard... if you pull the door panel you can check window motor operation by unplugging the window motor and hitting it with 12 volts one way itll go up switch polarity and it will go down but im betting its the switch and can be had cheaply used. http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PartSearchCmd?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&pageId=partTypeList&suggestion=&actionSrc=Suggest&langId=-1&searchTerm=power+window+switch&vehicleIdSearch=41342&searchedFrom=header and here i found one locally to me brand new for 80 bucks good luck!'

[Tx Bohemian]

Thanks justintyper, I think you're right.
I feel the same as I have power to it but not out. And it gets the power from the same wire source as the locks do and they work.

Thanks also for the Advance Auto site.  We have a store here so I called them and got one ordered for like $68. Should be here tomorrow.
I called Nissan and they get $168 for theirs.

I hope this diagnosis is correct, but if not at least I'm not out that much and I'll proceed to another avenue.

Thanks again

[Patrick]

Switch. How many wires on the left front window switch ? How many are common ? You said the switch is powered, but, have nothing coming out of the switch ?  With that info, it sounds now like a bad switch.
Relays, I don't about Nissan. But most relays are located somewhere fairly conveniently under the hood. To check for a bad one, its easy to just swap locations of one and see what happens.

[justintyper]

Thanks justintyper, I think you're right.
I feel the same as I have power to it but not out. And it gets the power from the same wire source as the locks do and they work.

Thanks also for the Advance Auto site.  We have a store here so I called them and got one ordered for like $68. Should be here tomorrow.
I called Nissan and they get $168 for theirs.

I hope this diagnosis is correct, but if not at least I'm not out that much and I'll proceed to another avenue.

Thanks again

np keep us posted if this fixes it

[Tx Bohemian]

Switch. How many wires on the left front window switch ? How many are common ? You said the switch is powered, but, have nothing coming out of the switch ?  With that info, it sounds now like a bad switch.

Yeah, I think so too on the switch. As I re-read what I wrote is seems obvious. And I said I changed the switch 5-6 yrs ago but the more I think about it it's closer to 8-9 yrs.
There's like 12-14 wires connected to the switch but only two with 12 volts and I take it one is for the pwr locks, which that button is on this switch also.
The windows and locks get power from the same circuit. Through a fuse and circuit breaker then the wire splits, one goes to the locks (pwr all time) and the other to a relay, which the key needs to be on to engage, then to the windows.
Being that I have power to the connector at the window switch I take it the fuse, circuit bkr, and relay are good. And the locks still work. Leaving the switch, which I have one coming tomorrow.

Relays, I don't about Nissan. But most relays are located somewhere fairly conveniently under the hood. To check for a bad one, its easy to just swap locations of one and see what happens.

I was able to find where the relays are online with a nice little diagram. Under the dash behind to the fuse box.

I mentioned I have a Haynes repair manual but this is the third time I really needed it and it has let me down all three times!!! It has a wiring diagram for the pwr windows but the wire colors are different from what the harness has in the car, so it's totally usless!!
Unless I need kindling to start a fire!!

Thanks for the help.