Driver side power window 1999 F150 GEM bypass
 

Hi all, I need help with instruction on how to bypass the GEM which is controlling the "Auto down" function of the driver side power window.

My driver side window works intermittently. It will work normally some days and other days will not work at all.
The switch is ok, the motor is ok.

Reading another threat, one of the poster had a diagram with instruction on how to bypass the GEM. The result would be losing the "auto down" function of the window but at least you are able to move the window up and down normally again.
It's an old post and the diagram and instruction has been removed by the poster.
Here is the link:
https://www.f150online.com/forums/el...y-98-f150.html

If anyone could help with instructions on how to bypass the GEM will be appreciated.
Or if someone could indicate were the GEM is located on a 1999 F150, maybe by cleaning the contacts will help.

Thanks in advance.

Taking a look at the power window diagrams, it seems that it is as easy as wiring the down side of the switch to the motor ( so it looks and works like the passenger side ).

Diagrams :
https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...wr-windows.jpg

https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...wr-windows.jpg

diagram 100-1 triangle A is wired to the GEM. Cut this wire ( in the door ) and wire it direct to the switch at triangle D shown on 100-2.

This will have the down side of the motor direct to the down side of the switch.

Curious how you ruled out the switch or the motor being an issue.

Thank you SSCULLY:thumbsup:
Will do the modification tomorrow and post the result.
I have this problem for more then a year and did all the troubleshooting suggested and came to the conclusion that the only thing left is the GEM bypass.

Below a picture and comments received today from a member here at the forums:

"Hi, I was able to find the attached picture of how to do the GEM bypass and using the picture I tried it on my truck and it worked perfectly! It was so easy - just cut the brown power wire in the wire harness, cut the orange wire to the window motor and splice them together. Then cap off the two wire ends. I then taped everything back up and put the door back together. I also replaced the power door lock actuator while I had the door apart. Now the window and lock work great all for $25.00."

( UNABLE TO ATTACH PIC )

I found out the hard way that the motor is bad.

After the mod no joy.

Then tested the motor with a power supply still connected to the window and nothing.

However without load on the motor(motor removed from the window) it runs ok.

Just ordered my third motor, this time a motorcraft, no aftermarket, done with that.

Conclusion: Test your motor while still hooked to the window.
All previous test done before this was done with the motor removed and it would work normally.

Must be some electronic inside the motor working intermittently that causes the motor to work properly now and then.

That is why I asked "Curious how you ruled out the switch or the motor being an issue."

For the next member that has this issue ( Biro you already figured this out the hard way ) disconnect the power window motor at the pigtail ( there is a 2 pin connector in the door about 6" to 8" from the motor ) and hook a digital voltage meter to the harness towards the switch.

Press the power window switch to the up position, the meter will show a value of VDC
- Depending on which way the meter is hooked up, the first reading might be - VDC or + VDC

Press the power window switch to the down position, you should get the opposite polarity reading of the 1st value.
- e.g. If the switch up position was + 12.8 VDC, the down should be - 12.8 VDC.

If the voltage values show correct at the plug for the pigtail, the switch and GEM are not an immediate issue and further testing needs to be done.

I post not an immediate issue, as it could be an AMP issue.
If the OTD relay in the GEM is not supporting the AMP load required to operate the window, that could be an issue with the OTD relay or the power window motor.
- It would take further diagnoses at that step, if one gets that far, but I would take a guess and say that is going to be 2% of the cases, not a common item.

Hi SScully and Biro, I have been following your postings and your knowledge of your power window problems. May I also ask for your help?
About a year ago my drivers side window started rolling itself down, sometimes all the way down, other times it would go and stop. I was usually able to roll it back up. Now it has quit completely, won't go either way. I can hear a "click" sound when I press the up button (window is up), but nothing when I press the down button. Last winter I swapped #4 and #5 relays and that seemed to help the problem, but only for a few minutes, and it would start again. Now it doesn't work at all. I have remove the door panel, disconnected the motor pigtail and connected a separate battery and can see the window work both up and down. Again, this is with a completely different battery setting on the floorboard using a couple jumper wires. Under a load I assume the motor is OK. I don't have a digital Ohm Meter (going to get one soon !), so I used the trusty old test light. Plugging the motor back into the truck power I can see that I have power coming out of the switch in "up" "down" and "auto down", when the switch is depressed. At the motor connection I have power in "up", I can also hear the clicking sound at this time, but when I depress the "down" buttons I have no power at all at the motor. If I roll the window down using the battery on the floorboard, the switch will roll the window back up. I do not want to start cutting the wiring harness all up, yet don't want to throw hundreds at this problem either. I have taken the switch apart and cleaned it (it looked fine), and didn't help at all.Would you gentlemen have any thoughts on this problem?

I think I got an email from you, if so check your email, I've attached the picture. (Unable to attach here in this post)

Just be careful with the wire colors SCULLY schematics gives the correct coloring.

In the picture the wire looks like BROWN but its not.
Its TAN with LIGHT BLUE stripe. (TN/LB)
That's the one SCULLY is referring as "D"
The other one "A" is ORANGE with WHITE stripe (OG/WH)

You will be cutting only 2 wire.
I did not solder anything back, but used SLIDE FEMALE and MALE connectors for 16 to 14 gauge wire. You can buy them at Wal-Mart or Radio Shack.

deniseinor,

Can you post some info on your truck or complete your profile.

not sure what MY and trim level you are talking about, to offer any suggestions.

Was not me, I did not get an email.

"attaching' pictures :
https://www.f150online.com/forums/qu...-pictures.html

First picture is my harness with notes.
The second picture was emailed to me from a member here.
Third picture is the type of connector used.


https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...0397-image.jpg
https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...0398-image.jpg
https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...-connector.jpg

SScully, I have received the instructions from Biro, on how to bypass the "auto down" on my drivers side window, but haven't done it yet....My concern is that having read through a lot of posts online about the GEM malfunctioning and causing other problems ie: the passenger window, the 4wd circuit, the radio, domelight, etc.....this could be just the beginning. Hacking up the wiring harness would be a quick fix now, but whats next ? I have an F-150 XLT Extra Cab (has a rear door on passenger side) 4wd.
I have also read that is not as simple as buying a new one and replacing it,(1) Ford doesn't make them anymore, and (2) it would need to be tuned to match the truck.
What would my chances be of trying to remove and repair the current problem with my GEM ? Thanks for your help. If you need more info please let me know.

SScully, Sorry, forgot...it is a '97 F150 .

I am still thinking you have an issue with the motor itself.

It is very strange for the motor to roll itself down electrically, where if it went slack mechanically, is there enough for gravity to act on to let it roll down ?

Is it fairly common for it to do this ?
- If so I would leave the door panel off and unplug the motor before parking it for the night and see if it still rolls down. You might have to do this for some time to confirm if it is electrical or mechanical issue.
- the motors have a some what common occurrence of having issues with the brushes and not rolling up. You might have ID'd another symptom that others have not seen yet ( e.g. replaced the motor sooner than you have gone with the issue ).

Side Note :

The list you have is if the GEM is water soaked from a leaking windshield or if the moon roof drain tube came off. That is another list of items, that unless your issue coincides with heavy rain or washing the truck, I would not put a lot of "what if" time into it right now.

I pulled the fuse panel and got to the GEM yesterday. It showed no signs of water intrusion. Blew it out with compressed air, was only a little dusty. The window rolling down was an electrical short not a mechanical issue, it works great both ways when tested with a spare battery setting on the floorboard and jumper wires and the motor unplugged from the wiring harness. Tried to check continuity on all wires from the switch but that was virtually impossible without tearing all the wire harness apart. I have power at 2 wires on the switch the "gray" and the LTBLU/BLK stripe. Is this correct ? Should I only have power at 1 place on the switch ?

You should only have + VDC on the gray wire when you press the switch all the way to the OTD position ( full back, instead of part back ).

The light blue w/ black stripe wire will have + VDC any time the accessory delay relay is active ( key in accy or run position or after turning off truck for 10 min and before opening the door ).

Not sure that your test ruled out a mechanical issue with the window rolling down. Your test only confirmed normal operation of the window while applying power direct to the motor.

The test case you are after is with what should be no power applied, overnight the window lowers.
- That is not what you confirmed.

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

97 f150 windows don't work at all
 

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.https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...27s+album.htmlHow 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

https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...pwr-window.jpg

https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...pwr-window.jpg

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.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...e-check-01.jpg

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

testing
 

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.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/me...-iso-relay.jpg

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.

Jumper
 

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!

did mod, still have VDC in OTP
 

I did the modification to bypass the GEM. I would think that would then lead to not getting VDC when the switch is in the OTD position. However it still is. I am sure that I did the correct wires. I need some advice here.

Thanks

clean the gears!
 

Bought a new motor, took the old one out and tested it while plugged up, would only work in up position, not down or auto down. Tried new motor, same thing. Looked at old motor, tons of gunk on outer gear that runs regulator. Cleaned that up. Also undid the GEM bypass. Motor worked both directions, reinstalled, works fine. Never saw that advice about fixing the window. Now to return the motor.

I have a 99 ford f150 an I need to know wiring colors for windows.
 

Heres what I'm looking at!
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...281ae7bdf.jpeg
They cut the harness an i ordered a 98 wiring hatnass for my door .. Just dont understand how to get it hooked up .. Thought the color scheme was the same but i dont think thats the case.. Idk.. But i do know i need help..

use the hammer
 

driver side power window would not go down. Troubleshot the electrical system i.e. switches, power to the motor, gem etc. concluded that all seemed ok. and problem must be in the motor. Read somewhere in this forum that someone gave the motor a good whack with a hammer. I figured I had nothing to lose and did it (In fact gave it multiple whacks) Lo and behold it worked. Left the door panel off and tried multiple times over the course of a couple of hours. Other than the battery going dead cause the dome and other lights stayed:surrender: on, it continued to work(after I put a charge on the battery):rocker:Don't know how long it will last since I didn't really fix anything but who knows. I did wd40 the regulator rails even though they were not gummed up.

I want to thank the participants in this thread for their thorough troubleshooting procedures. Without their postings I would have been lost.

Silicone Spray Lube is the thing to use, but WaterDispersent#40 made of fish oil might too.