Drivers Window and back gate

My drivers window wont stay up I pulled the panel and tried looking to see what it could be but I cant see anything. When you take it up its grinds almost like the gear on the motor is stripped or the lift thing isn't lined up with the gear. I have put it up all the way with help but it still falls if I hit a bump. any suggestions??


Also my gate wont fall it only swings I haven't had time to dig into it, and I can only open the back glass with a key I have a remote but it wont work. any tips or tricks to get that worked out ?



Thanks again you guys are great group

Are there any local wagon guys close to me I am in Indiana (East Central)

Open your back glass with the key and look at the contacts on the tail gate (and on the glass itself). Clean 'em up and try again. Every way to open the glass is electrical (pushing the lock cylinder, using the dashboard button, using a keyless remote) EXCEPT for putting in the key and giving it a good ol' twist. So if that's the only way it opens, I'd guess dirty contacts.

Gate not falling could be something broken inside the tail gate that makes the handle work, but that's just a shot in the dark. Do you have a FSM?

Stingroo wrote:

Do you have a FSM?

Whats that? lol

That means no. What year is your wagon?


FSMs are factory service manuals. The same manual the dealerships are issued to help techs service these cars. It's like a Haynes manual on steroids (and actually accurate and not filled with blanket statements). It would help you see the inner workings of the tail gate once you got it off, or if it's an electrical problem, have wiring diagrams for you to comb over so you can find out where the issue lies. Best investment you can make with one of these.

cars a 1994

Then here is what you need:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1994-Buick-Roadmaster-Service-Shop-Repair-Manual-Set-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5d2e9f3e64QQitemZ400214146660QQptZMotorsQ5fManualsQ5fLiterature

$50 for all three books in the set. It will pay for itself the first time you open it and go "I would have never thought of that!"

Stingroo wrote:

Then here is what you need:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1994-Buick-Roadmaster-Service-Shop-Repair-Manual-Set-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5d2e9f3e64QQitemZ400214146660QQptZMotorsQ5fManualsQ5fLiterature

$50 for all three books in the set. It will pay for itself the first time you open it and go "I would have never thought of that!"

Thanks

No problem.

First piece of advice still remains: clean up your metal contacts for the glass.

When you push the rear window release button on your dash, does it work?

Stingroo wrote:

First piece of advice still remains: clean up your metal contacts for the glass.

When you push the rear window release button on your dash, does it work?

No the button doesn't work. I looked at the contacts and they are green and nasty so gonna clean them and see what happens

bcreasy wrote:

Stingroo wrote:

First piece of advice still remains: clean up your metal contacts for the glass.

When you push the rear window release button on your dash, does it work?

No the button doesn't work. I looked at the contacts and they are green and nasty so gonna clean them and see what happens

Not to add to the search, but the rear window power release button will not work if the car is in gear, it only will work if the car is in Park. I've read that sometimes the issue with the dash and gate button can be related to a false reading from the gear selector. Something else to check.

Good luck!

-Mike

OK Guys I tore into the gate today and I found this laying in there what is it and where does it go?

its the actuator,. or solenoid ,. it should be held on to the window latch with 2 self tappers (probably also in the bottom of the door,.) Thats why theres no electric opening going on,.

It only fits one way,. should be easy enough to figure out,. once its attached its grounded,.it should work,.
Nick

bcreasy wrote:

Also my gate wont fall it only swings I haven't had time to dig into it, and I can only open the back glass with a key I have a remote but it wont work. any tips or tricks to get that worked out ?

My Caprice wagon has the same problem, I am just starting to get into. The rear gate would only swing and not drop. Well, I got out the Service Manual, and like the first sentence mentioned a mechanical interlock in the lower right hand corner of the gate. If that isn't locked, the gate won't drop. This is what you do: window open, gate shut, push on the lower right hand corner of the gate. Now see if it drops down. It worked on mine. The latch may need an adjustment or you may have to shut the door harder.

Stingroo is right, you need a FSM.

Tom C.

Thanks phantom 309


Silverfox

The clip that holds the rod to the mechanism is broke so I have a floppy rod

Having a floppy rod is never good... there's medication for that

(Sorry, too easy!)


You know, I just thought about that... what Tom says makes sense. When I saw that wagon in the junkyard a couple weeks ago, the gate swung sideways but not down, so I couldn't get to the screws in the tail light. I remember pushing on it and it caved to my will. So what he says makes sense.

Also with mine, sometimes when you close it tailgate style, the Gate Ajar light stays on and you have to swing it out and slam it to get it to go off (kills batteries... ASK ME HOW I KNOW!)

Yea my 95 RMW did the same thing and the tailgate warning light would stay on and killed my battery.Once I figured out the proper way to close the gate,light went out and no more dead
battery.
Jim Gordon

bcreasy wrote:

Thanks phantom 309


Silverfox

The clip that holds the rod to the mechanism is broke so I have a floppy rod

take the rod off, bend the end tight with a pair of wire cutters and re-install it,.

nick

On the solenoid....the metal bracket might be cracked and thats why its loose. My Jadestone wagon had that problem.

There is a plastic clip (called the Jesus clip) that allows the rods to open the gate flat. Are you missing that? Would be great if someone would make a batch of these...they are getting old and brittle.

I have a few of the black clips for the wire. A lot of them are broken in the JY cars. Missing one can affect the opening of the gate as a gate. You may find that there is a white clip in the slot on the PS of the glass soleniod that is broken. They are just as rare as the black clips. There is another white one on the PS inside the inspection panel, near to top of the gate.

The contacts that go to the glass do not have anything to do with opening the gate, or opening the glass. They only power the center taillight. Cleaning them will not hurt anything.

The glass will only open when the car is in park or neutral. It is designed that way to keep morons from asphixiating themselves.

You need to trouble shoot the glass release solenoid. There is another solenoid between the switch and the glass solenoid. The Haynes manual has a nice wiring diagram in the back of the book (other than that it is pretty useless).

Do not bend anything until you check your FSM.

The gate must be securely closed before it will allow you to open it in the opposite function. Be careful slaming it, you can damage parts. Sometimes it does take a firm hand to close it properly.

Worst case scenerio on the window is a replacement regulator. You can pop the ball studs, drill out the rivets, and use 1/4 inch diameter by 1/2 inch bolts with nylock nuts to reassemble. You may need some nylon rollers for the window track. They are available from almost any parts store.

Fred your comment about morons made me think if you start the car with the back window open will the engine stall when you shift from park to reverse or drive?Would be good to
know in the future.
Jim Gordon

I can assure you: no it will not. I've driven with my back window open before.

^^^^^ Understatement

Oh. Well I wasn't counting THAT incident. LOL


Yeah, I guess I've also driven 300 miles with it MISSING before too.

The manual advises you not to drive with the glass open unless you open the front windows as well. Without the front windows open, the low pressure area behind the car will suck exhaust gasses into the interior, which can kill you.

The car will not stall if the rear glass is open, but you have to make a conserted effort to drive with the window open. Having it stall with the window open would not allow morons to kill themselves, and you could not haul anything that would stick out of the back either. GM did about as much as can be expected to protect morons from themselves.

Yeah, I can tell you that even with the front windows open, it's still nasty as crap on the highway.

Monoxide poisoning is no fun. We drove to Denver in the 1988 wagon with the tailgate window open an inch. We were all falling asleep, including me, the driver. I realized what was happening and pulled off the road. After an oxygen break, I managed to open up the tailgate and assist the motor in rolling up the window.

Monoxide bonds to red blood cells and won't let go. You get oxygen deprived. For about five days, I was sick to my stomach, had a headache. It sucked. But at least I didn't fall asleep and drive off a bridge at 80 mph.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

I have a few of the black clips for the wire.

The rod that connects the tailgate hand to the mechanism not the swing feature I found a white looking clip (well pieces of it) in the gate

well a famous used wagon dealer that most folks know, showed me how to bend the rod with wire cutters so you don't need the plastic clip,. but hey,. what did he know right?

Nick

phantom 309 wrote:

well a famous used wagon dealer that most folks know, showed me how to bend the rod with wire cutters so you don't need the plastic clip,. but hey,. what did he know right?

Nick

hey Nick what way do I bend it over the to the side?

bcreasy wrote:

phantom 309 wrote:

well a famous used wagon dealer that most folks know, showed me how to bend the rod with wire cutters so you don't need the plastic clip,. but hey,. what did he know right?

Nick

hey Nick what way do I bend it over the to the side?

yes,. just so it doesn't come back thru the slot,. but can slide up and down,.and as you put the twist in it, it needs to shorten slightly,.
JMHO
YRMV
NWEOI
PDCC

nick