I have lurked and found a lot of useful information, but I haven't seen this exact situation so I signed up and thought I would see what interest this might generate. Sorry for length, trying to be thorough but brief.

Truck and symptoms

1998 F150 Lariat, 5.4L, auto, 4x4

Driver's power window began not lowering, will go up but not down, Has worked a couple times intermittently while messing with it but no pattern to when it will engage


What I have done and found (condensed)

No lights dimming when trying to lower so suspected switch. Pull door panel and check power at lead to motor and find 12.2V in Up mode and -7.7V in down mode (leads on 2-pin connector). Suspected bad connection through switch so bought new one.


Replaced window switch and still no Down action. Check power at motor 2-pin plug with ground to door and find 12.2V on white/blk wire in Up mode and 12.2V on orange/wht wire in Down mode. Hmmm, maybe it is motor issue? Order new motor, install and find no change, still no down movement for window.


Summary of power at switch

Blue with black stripe lead has 12.2V, as I understand it should being hot feed wire

White with black stripe lead has 12.2V when switch in UP position, checks out

Brown (tan) with black stripe lead has 12.2V when switch in Down or OTD position, checks out

Gray lead as 12.2V when switch in OTD position, checks out


Summary of power at 2-pin connection to motor lead

with probe leads on both connector pins (positive on org/wht and ground on wht/blk);

-12.2V when switch in Up position

+7.7V when switch in Down or OTD position


Now with ground lead moved to door for a good ground;

12.2V at wht/blk when switch in Up position

12.2V at org/wht when switch in Down position


I'm confused. Power seems to be getting into and out of the switch correctly. It seems there is probably a bad ground issue, but I'm not following how the switch is supposed to switch polarity and grounding. I presume when lowering the window the white/blk wire goes from being the hot leg (in the Up mode) to being the ground leg, but don't see how that is supposed to work. Appears the white/blk wire simply runs straight from the switch to the motor, and it is the orange/white lead that runs on into the fuse/relay/GEM tie-ins


Does anybody have any thoughts? I saw that SSCULLY had a lot of good knowledge in this area based on previous posts, and am hoping he or another will find this an easy problem. Thanks for any help!