Newbie here need some help with the windows.

[altidude]

Hi. Yes, as you may have read I am a noob. I been coming to this forum for quite some time looking for...well some answers, ideas, help and things of that sort for my khaki color '97 Altima GXE and finally decided to join and start working on my car. First, are my windows switches. Heres the thing. Driver side window doesn't work at all. It just stopped working. I don't hear anything moving or working when I press down. The front passenger window works perfectly fine. The windows in the back is another story that I should say. The windows in the back do go down but it has to be rolled down using the master switch keys. But to roll them back up, I have to use the switches in the back windows to roll them up. So if you are riding with me and you are sitting in the back and you want to let some wind into your hair, you are going to have to ask me to roll your window down. So my question(s) is do I need to replace the master switch key? Could it be the master switch the cause of the driver side window not working? And do I have to replace the switches for the back windows, too?

[3Q Jay]

not following you on the master switch key?do you mean the left front switch cluster that has all 4 windows on it?

if you think you might have a bad switch, take it out and test it.

[altidude]

yes, the window master control switch. i dont know how to check if its good or not. okay heres the thing. all my windows work except the driver side. the driver's side does not work at all and not making any sound of trying to work(motor sounds). now the window switches, the back windows can only be rolled down using the window master control keys(switches) but can only be rolled up using its own keys in the back. again, the driver's side does not roll down(it's up). it doesn't even work. and as for the front passenger's window, that is the only window that works properly using both its key as well as the one on the windows master switch.how do you test it if it works or not? Ive taken it out twice and took it apart and found a broken copper color piece of metal that resembles a small thin blade. any help would be very much appreciated.thanks Jay for the response.

[servili007]

if i recall from when i was working with the door panels off, that 4 switch cluster can in reality cause problems for ALL other 3 switches. Best bet if you have no idea how to test it would be to pick one up at a junkyard for 13 bucks, its a quick flathead driver pop out and back in so that would be what i would do.

edit- if you end up popping out the other switches for some reason, don't put em back upside down, man did i feel retarded when I finished working behind the door panels only to find the passenger windows switch upside down

[altidude]

thanks. i was thinking about doing that, going to junk yard to look for one. i hope that is the deal for the other switches not to work properly, so i dont have to replace them. and lol @ you with your upside-down window switch.

[3Q Jay]

Ive taken it out twice and took it apart and found a broken copper color piece of metal that resembles a small thin blade. .

that would be switch contacts. they (switches) are damn expensive new. suggest a boneyard pull.

[Rev_D21]

I would have to agree that the master switch pack is bad. Since the switches are moveable they will wear out over time. Boneyard pull x1000.

[altidude]

Hell yeah. I finally got the window switch fix. Thanks a lot guys for reassuring me that was the problem and needed fixing. Now I can finally roll my window down again. After a long trek of finding a junk yard in Gardena/ South L.A. area with first gen Altimas that still had master switch attached to 'em, I was out of luck. Not one single yard had one. All were already pulled out. And after calling used car parts places, I was discouraged by the outrageous prices they were giving me. None of the offers were under 50 bucks. And they were all used. So I got one off of ebay for just over 30 dollars and thats with shipping included. Now that is good deal even though I let few other better deals slip thru my hands. But other than that, I am happy that it is fixed and now on to fixing another one(problem), engine oil leaking.