Following in the footsteps of those who came before, this is my modification of the Power Windows so they operate without the key. I also had a scary moment with Scribbles on the interstate when she stood on the passenger window button while looking out the window, and it started to go down at 70mph! Not something I ever want to experience again (luckily holding the driver's button for the passenger window kept it from going down any further!)
With them always on, this also allows a dog or cat left in the van to roll down the windows, so it was doubly important to me to include this modification.
Here's what I started with:
Rewiring the windows
Slot 42 in the fuse panel under the steering column is the Power Windows, however it's not a fuse but a silver colored circuit breaker. The owners manual diagram is misleading as there is no evidence of a slot 43, such that 42 and 44 are together. (Owners manuals are available on Ford.com under the "owners" link)
Slot 44 is the windshield wipers, which for indeterminate reason are always on at the fuse box. That made it easy to hijack the always on power from 44 and use it for 42.
First I gathered some basic components and various lengths of colored wire, which I keep in a drawer.
The triple clip is a reject from a previous project, and a good thing it was available as I was scraping the bottom of my available components.
Next I put the override together:
The two wires labeled "CONSTANT" and "KEY" with blue tape are for future expansion- having key on and constant 12v sources are always useful. These (pink and orange wire with the blue zip tie) need to be fused going out, and can be deleted from the modification without any detriment (although I would put a wireless tab in the 4th tab slot on the fuse box to keep the Key-On 12v protected from incidental contacts.)
This is the system WITHOUT an override switch as well. I replaced the blue wire with a brown and yellow section from trailer wiring and ran both wires up to a switch in the dash panel.
The fuse panel with both circuit breakers removed. I marked both hot clips with a red dot so on install I wouldn't get confused. The lower set with the test light inserted is the constant windshield wipers, the upper set, with the hot in shadow, is for the power windows.
From my switchless modification pictures above, the wires in order from top to bottom would go:
12v Key (in shadow): Pink for future expansion (optional), or dead end to protect
Power to Window Switches: blue wire with red end (or optional wire from switch)
Empty (no electrical tabs)
12v Constant: Tan blue end triple power leads (dual if you delete the optional lead out)
Power to Windshield Wipers: orange single wire with blue end
Not a great photo, but this is installed (note the yellow/brown wire set for the switch):
Drill for switches (second is for another project):
And finally with the switches in place:
I did not wire the light on the power window disconnect switch since I do not want it to draw power in either position. It's valid to leave the van sit with the window power on or off, and the switch only has a light because it's salvaged from replacing the reverse light override.
So that's it, five pieces of wire, 4 female connections, 3 tabs and a butt connector and you can modify your power windows without cutting any van wires or taking any part of the doors off.
Results:
[youtube:4z8p9eg1]
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