Thank you for all your help ! With your information, I believe I do have a short somewhere causing the "GRAY" wire to have power at all times, yet the power is not getting to the motor. You are correct, I have not checked out a mechanical issue. Last winter when this all started the window rolled itself down only when I was driving, never while parked. My truck often sets for over a week at a time without being driven and the window never came down. I was just assuming it would not be a mechanical issue but an electrical one. With the "GRAY" wire being hot at all times, I now am hesitant to do the bypass. I am concerned about creating even more problems. Today I used the trucks own power (did not use the extra battery), left all wiring like it is supposed to be, and ran a jumper wire from the switch (TAN/BLUstripe) to the motor ORG wire (down) and was able to make the window roll down.....but the jumper wire got REALLY hot... I removed the jumper and the window rolled back up with the switch, but would not roll down. I am thinking about purchasing a new GEM Module....

 

Since I do have 12V+ at the GRAY wire, any time the accessory delay is active, I am sure I have a direct short somewhere. Last winter when the window started rolling itself down, it only did it while driving. I did not do an overnight test because I was sure it was an electrical issue. I could hear the motor running each time it rolled itself down. Yesterday with the trucks own power and all wiring connected, I ran a jumper wire from the TAN/LTBLU wire at the switch to the ORG wire at the motor, to try and "force" the window down (with the switch), it did roll the window down but the jumper wire got REALLY hot. I disconnected the jumper and rolled the window back up with the switch. It doesn't appear that I damaged anything, everything still works as it should,,,,, except the window will not roll down. With the GRAY wire having power all the time I am concerned about doing the GEM bypass, and could create more problems.

 

Since I have 12+ at the gray wire when the accessory relay is active, am I correct to assume I have a direct short somewhere? I did not do an overnight test, because last winter when the motor would roll the window down I could actually hear the motor working. My truck often sets for weeks at a time without being driven and the window never rolled itself down at these times, only while driving. Yesterday using only the trucks power and all the wiring back in place as it should be, I ran a jumper wire from the switch TAN/BLU to the motor ORG wire, turned on the key, waited a few seconds, then depressed the switch "down" button. The window rolled down, but the jumper wire got REALLY hot. I disconnected the jumper, used the switch to roll the window back up, but could not get the switch to wind the window down. All other systems, dome lights, wipers, passenger window, all work as they should. With the gray wire having power all the time I am concerned about doing the bypass procedure and creating more electrical problems. It appears the GEM could be the problem,? I hate to throw $350 at a new GEM and find out that doesn't fix it. There are no returns a Ford on electrical parts...

 

I apologize for all the posts, it appeared that they were not being sent, so I re-wrote....now BAM !! they are all here.... sorry !

 

Hi deniseinor
By bypassing the GEM Your driver side window will work like the passenger side window, thus no "autodown" feature. Thats it.
Your jumper got hot because it was not the proper gauge wire.
If all the other functions that the GEM is controlling functions correctly I in my case will not buy a new GEM.
My truck is a 1999 F150 with only 85000 Miles and I'm the only driver and it is still like new, problems I had with is truck are according to what I read common on the F150. Things like:

Automatic door lock ( bought twice the third time decided to bypass the thermal protection, the truck is getting old anyway so I'm not going to keep buying these locks)

Power window motors going bad.

Digital mile indicator on console going blank now and then due poor soldering.

ABS light staying on constantly. (Simple fix in my case was to change sensor)

In 15 years changed the airco evap twice.

Ah the shift indicator going out of scale easy fix also without adjusting any cable.

The final decision is yours.

Good luck

 

Bypassed the autodown also. Jumper wire got so hot it blew the 30 amp fuse. How do I bypass the GEM safely

 

I read where I am supposed to have DCV on the grey wire and the blue with black stripe here is a pic of my switch wiring I have traced the wires from the switch all the way through the kick panel I have bought a new GEM Module from Ford checked every fuse and relay, but haven' ruled those out yet, but I still have no voltage on any wires at the switch.How do you put up a pic that is there and don't load for a hour

 

1999 and 1997 could be similar ( and they appear to be for the windows ) but be careful using the diagrams for a 1999 to work on a 1997, the 1997-98 MY were same, and 1999 had changes.

1997 diagrams





The gray wire will only have + VDC if the switch is in the OTD ( One Touch Down ) position, other wise it will not have power to it.
- This is the switch pressed in the full down position.

If you do not have power at the light blue w/ black stripe wire, you either have a broken wire, blown fuse or a bad ground for testing to.
- There are possible but not probable items with the GEM in there as well.

When you tested the fuse, how did you do this ?
1. Pull the fuse stare at it, maybe use an ohm meter and then put it back in
or
2. Use a meter to a known good ground, and check for + VDC to each pin on the back of the fuse while install ?

-> Item of note: Did you have the key in the accessory position when doing this test ? The Accessory delay relay is only on when the key is in the accessory or run positions and this relay is what controls power from fuse # 25 to the light blue w/ black stripe wire at the switch.

When you are testing the fuse, while installed, use a known good ground to each pin. There should be + VDC on the back of each pin.



Next using that same ground, check for + VDC at the light blue w/ black stripe wire.

If you have power on both pins and not at the switch, either the wire is broken or the fuse slot is stretched out and the fuse is not making contact.
- Worst case it could be the GEM, but this requires removing the fuse panel / GEM and taking them apart and inspecting & testing the GEM to fuse panel pins.

You would need to find the light blue w/ black stripe wire on the GEM and check for continuity from it to the switch

Dumb question time for me: When you are testing the power window fuse, you are testing in the fuse panel under the hood, right ?
- I do not want to assume that you got under the hood fuse panel from power distribution box

 

I have tried using my multimeter with the key in the on position and the key in the acc position using a good ground and testing both pins on eac and every fuse under dash and under the hood all fuses tested good, as I stated prior the GEM is new from Ford. I have tested for shorts and opens on all wires going to the switches not just the blue w/ black stripe all tested good. so what I would like to know is, is their a way to put power to the switches and make them work, I'm getting tired of chasing this ghost. Can I run a new wire from the fuse to the blue with black stripe wire before it goes through the kick panel and bypass the GEM altogether?

 

I guess you could wire up the driver's side like the passenger side, and cut ou the GEM all together, but you would need to find a hot in key position fuse to trigger the coil on a relay, so it is only hot when the key is on.

You won't be able to just take any random circuit, as the windows are a 30 A load.

Something is not right.

You say you have a new GEM, checked for broken wires and have a good fuse, but do not have + VDC at the light blue w/ black stripe wire at the back of switch.

Did you check for power from the output of the fuse panel ?
- This would be the output of the accessory delay fuse.

You can pull the accessory delay fuse, and check continuity from terminal 87 to the back of the switch.

Keep in mind, in the relay socket things look backwards.
- More so for the coil.



If you install the jumper shown in the diagram above, the light blue w/ black stripe wire at the back of switch. should have + VDC with the info you posted on fuse 25 is good and no open in the circuit.
- The jumper not only removes the accessory delay relay, but also the GEM triggering it.

If installing the jumper does not have + VDC at the back of the switch, something is not correct in the lists of tests you have done.

Best next step is to check for + VDC at terminal #30 in the relay socket.

 

SSCULLY I want to thank you for the time you have spent so far on my f150, I put the jumper on the accessory delay relay and my windows work as they should, what I would like to know now is what does that mean is wrong. Where is my problem, it has become a fixation I have been searching so long.

 

I would not suspect one of two things.

1. Bad accessory delay relay.
2. Problem with the GEM not turning on the Accessory delay relay.

The accessory delay relay is ( I think ) a half size ford relay, swap with the interior lamp relay and retest with the key in the run position.

If it fails, that points to the GEM from what I see.
- Which might lead to another route to bypass now that you confirmed the + VDC at the socket is good.

 

SSCULLY sorry it took so long to get back to you I have been in the hospital 3 times since we last talked, the GEM is brand new from Ford and all the relays are new, by the way the dome light doesn't work and the lights for the heater controls comes on on occasion

 

Being a new ( to the truck ) GEM, that does not change things, still need to test/.

1. Bad accessory delay relay.
2. Problem with the GEM not turning on the Accessory delay relay.

The accessory delay relay is ( I think ) a half size ford relay, swap with the interior lamp relay and retest with the key in the run position.

 

SSCULLY and Biro, Thank you so much for your post. We tried changing the motor and the switch but nothing would make the window roll down. Then, as soon as we cut the two wires and spliced them together, the window immediately rolled down. This was on a 1997 Ford F-150. Saved us a lot of headache and money. Really appreciate the help!