fruitloops

Hello to all!

I have just returned home after visiting the Lexus dealership for an inspection on a recent window issue. Both my driver side and front passenger windows do not work. The dealership notified me today and claimed that both the "main switches" of the windows are not working. They estimated the cost of repair to be approximately $1900, which is absurd as the resale value of this car would at best be $6000. I am looking for a cheap solution to this issue.

As a side note, my father opened the passenger door panel in order to check the problem a few weeks ago. After careful observation, he noticed that the window was receiving power/electricity for the "up" position, but no electricity was coming in through the switch for the "down" position. He went to a Lexus salvage yard, bought a 2000 Lexus RX 300 window switch in hopes of fixing the issue, however, it worked to no avail.

As a college student who quite frankly does not know much about cars and does not have two grand to spend on windows, a cheap solution for this problem would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, and looking forward to hearing replies!

code58

FL, It's not really clear what your father did in checking because you only have one hot coming into each door. It should change direction (I believe via a relay) when you press it the other way. Are you sure that you have a good ground source for the front windows? It may be the ground source for the FRONT windows is somehow interupted at the main switch, because none of the other window switches will work without the master switch in place.
Where do you live in Cal.?

fruitloops

@code 58: I live in Los Angeles. My father stated there is electricity coming into the passenger window for the "up" position, however, not for the "down" position. Therefore, the window, if manually pulled all the way down, will come back up no problem. However, if the window is all the way up, as it is now, it doesn't even respond to either the driver switch or passenger switch.

Nevertheless, the dealership stated that the "main switches" of the windows are not working. It may be possible that the ground source for the front windows is somehow interrupted at the main switch, however, because the back two windows of my car work as if they are brand new.

Any suggestions? I really appreciate your help in this matter.

IndyRX300

I would suspect that there is a problem with the Driver side controls. I had the same problems with my mustang and grand prix back in the day. The driver side controls on them sent power to the rest of the switches. IE; if there is no power to the pass window down switch on main control of driver side, you wont have power on the passenger side. Just my two cents.

code58

FL, there is a "reset procedure for when the window (or windows) are not traveling all the way. It costs nothing to try it and who knows, it may work.
You say you can "push" (or pull) the window all the way down. Try it 1st with the drivers window. Pull it all the way down and then run it up with the drivers switch, but when you reach the top, DON'T LET OFF THE SWITCH for 4 or 5 seconds. The controls are electronic and that does a "reset" on them. I don't know if that will work for you or not, but give it a try. I highly doubt that both the front switches have gone bad.

fruitloops

Code, I just attempted the reset method, but nothing worked. I believe the dealership got it right when they diagnosed it as a problem with the main switches, I just believe their is a cheaper method to fix the issue. Just out of curiosity, where are the main switches located for the windows?

code58

FL,
"The main switches" is a misnomer. The IS a "main" or "master" switch, that being the drivers switch. The front passengers is simply the "front passenger door switch". There aren't "main switches" since there is only one it would have to be "main switch" (singular). You said your father purchased a used front passenger door switch, ask him where they are. It's pretty simple really. I still think there's little chance they are both "bad". The dealer would charge you $1900. to change them both and then when that didn't fix it they'd tell you there was ALSO some ADDITIONAL problem and if you'd be so kind to tell them your credit card # and limit they'll promise not to exceed it.

code58

I'm pretty sure the windows operate through relays. You may have a bad relay (or relays). I still think there is only one hot to each door for the window up and down. When you push the button for the other direction, the switch activates a relay to switch the direction of the + and- to run it up or down.

gazi001

IndyRx300 is right. Driver and the passenger side both switches works together. I learned it when i upgraded to blue smd lights for window switches. You could try to open the both switches and apart carefuly and clean it. You could find infos in the forum.

fruitloops

If the driver and passenger switches both work together, and both windows are malfunctioning, then what do you propose I do next?

gazi001

Do you have the green lights are illuminated on both switches? If the passenger side switch has no power connection or malfunctioning you cannot control this side from the driver side switch. It means passenger side no good. But if you could control rear switches from the driver side mean this switch (driver) is good. If you cannot control nothing from driver side it means main switch (driver side) is bad. Sometimes the contacts in the swich get bad and need to clean.
I read some threads in the forum for cleaning and it works. Try before you buy this. E-bay sells cheaper switches. Good luck.

fruitloops

Alrighty, so me and my father did everything possible. We discovered that the dealer in this case was correct and the switches need replacing. What are the cheapest switches that I could buy off of ebay or a salvage yard that match my Lexus RX 300? Would 2001 Toyota Highlander window switches match?

Please let me know! Thank you all for your help!

fruitloops

Please let me know the model of the car whose switches can be used as a replacement for my 2000 Lexus RX 300 window switches!

hypervish

For a salvage yard go to www.car-part.com and you can look at their database to see the best price.

I think your going to need an RX300 switch, and not a highlander but I'm not sure.

fruitloops

IF anyone is out there and has any more ideas on how to fix this issue, I could really use some help. When we press up or down from the driver's side switch to pull up or bring down the front right passenger window, we hear clicking in the door. And based on my father's experimenting, we know that the right front passenger window goes up (if it is in the down position), but it does not go down.

Any ideas, any at all, please post it here! Thanks!