I have had this Volvo for going on two years now.  When I bought it, only the driver's side front and passenger's rear windows worked, the driver's rear was intermittent at best, eventually becoming unusable. So, two years with just two windows working with little problem getting them to go up or down. Yesterday, both windows refused to work...and of course they are stuck down. This is where the weirdness starts.  The wires running through the door to the switches seems to be in good shape.  I check the fuses and replace the two associated with the windows even thought they seem to be fine...this does nothing. I take the driver side door panel off and get at the goodies; I unplug all of the connections to the window switches and clean the connections as best I can.  I plug things back together and they work...for like two minutes tops: up and down once and they are stuck down again. I do some research and find that the switch itself can be taken apart, cleaned and put back with good results.  I decide to do this.  I clean one, reassemble and go to the car for a proof of concept trial. Sure enough it works, for a tiny amount of time to raise the driver's window maybe and inch. I clean another one and try the same thing, similar result...maybe half and inch this time.  I clean the other two and try all switches on the driver side with no result what-so-ever. I plug everything back in and try it in multiple combinations with no movement on any window. I have since dug the window relay out from behind my dash and I hope it's bad because I fear that it may be a bigger problem.  Is it true that all the power for all the windows runs through the driver's door?  What equipment would I need to test the window motors individually? I have read here extensively but never posted, I would love to not have to take this into a dealer or repair shop.  I have the will to fix it myself (in other words I am fairly broke), any help would be greatly appreciated. Drew Jones

I have had this Volvo for going on two years now.  When I bought it, only the driver's side front and passenger's rear windows worked, the driver's rear was intermittent at best, eventually becoming unusable. So, two years with just two windows working with little problem getting them to go up or down. Yesterday, both windows refused to work...and of course they are stuck down. This is where the weirdness starts.  The wires running through the door to the switches seems to be in good shape.  I check the fuses and replace the two associated with the windows even thought they seem to be fine...this does nothing. I take the driver side door panel off and get at the goodies; I unplug all of the connections to the window switches and clean the connections as best I can.  I plug things back together and they work...for like two minutes tops: up and down once and they are stuck down again. I do some research and find that the switch itself can be taken apart, cleaned and put back with good results.  I decide to do this.  I clean one, reassemble and go to the car for a proof of concept trial. Sure enough it works, for a tiny amount of time to raise the driver's window maybe and inch. I clean another one and try the same thing, similar result...maybe half and inch this time.  I clean the other two and try all switches on the driver side with no result what-so-ever. I plug everything back in and try it in multiple combinations with no movement on any window. I have since dug the window relay out from behind my dash and I hope it's bad because I fear that it may be a bigger problem.  Is it true that all the power for all the windows runs through the driver's door?  What equipment would I need to test the window motors individually? I have read here extensively but never posted, I would love to not have to take this into a dealer or repair shop.  I have the will to fix it myself (in other words I am fairly broke), any help would be greatly appreciated. Drew Jones First, but yourself a cheap test light.  Keep in mind that the relay delivers power to all power windows, and that everything goes to the driver's door first.  On the 3 remote doors, both switches must be in place, as the power routes through the switches when they're in the neutral position.  Also, the harnesses where they flex when the doors open and close break, and sometimes the conductor can be broken inside the wire with the insulation appearing fine.  Sometimes opening and closing the door can force the broken conductors back together so you have a case where the window will work with the door in a certain position, and not in another.   At each door the 2 wires that lead from the switch plug to the motor are the ones that power the motor.  Put 12 directly on these 2 wires and the motor will turn one way.  Swap the wires around, and the motor will turn the other.  This way you can at least put your windows up in emergency.

I checked the grounds and they all appear to be fine...any other thoughts?

First, but yourself a cheap test light.  Keep in mind that the relay delivers power to all power windows, and that everything goes to the driver's door first.  On the 3 remote doors, both switches must be in place, as the power routes through the switches when they're in the neutral position.  Also, the harnesses where they flex when the doors open and close break, and sometimes the conductor can be broken inside the wire with the insulation appearing fine.  Sometimes opening and closing the door can force the broken conductors back together so you have a case where the window will work with the door in a certain position, and not in another.   At each door the 2 wires that lead from the switch plug to the motor are the ones that power the motor.  Put 12 directly on these 2 wires and the motor will turn one way.  Swap the wires around, and the motor will turn the other.  This way you can at least put your windows up in emergency. Mike, Thanks a ton for your info, I will be working on it later this week. This may sound a bit lame but I have no idea how I would get twelve volts into those wires.  I have read that I can get it out of the cigar lighter but I am afraid to say I don't know how to get it done. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Mike, Thanks a ton for your info, I will be working on it later this week. This may sound a bit lame but I have no idea how I would get twelve volts into those wires.  I have read that I can get it out of the cigar lighter but I am afraid to say I don't know how to get it done. Any thoughts or suggestions? If you have an old cigarette light powered device that no longer works, you can use the cord from that, just use a couple of clip leads.  Keep in mind that the lighter doesn't work in the key off position.  And make sure the bare ends of the wires don't touch each other, or anything _meta_l. You'll see a red wire that jumps to all switch positions on the driver's door panel.  This wire should have power (ignition on).  The black wire that jumps around should be grounded.  If not, check the harness where it flexes near the door hinges.  If have both power and ground, you can jump these to the black and red that go the the driver's door window motor.  If it goes up when connected one way, and down when connected the other, then the only thing that can be bad is the switch.  You can then clean and connect each switch into this socket, and when they make the window go both up and down, you can move onto the next one.