This 1992 Dodge full sized van came in with the customer complaint of power windows inop. The customer had already replaced the switch with no improvement. I quickly checked and found no power on the large tan wire at the driver’s side power window switch. Having been down this road before I looked at the underside of the ignition switch and saw the typical melted cover.
The next picture is of course the lower cover removed from the steering column so that the heat damage can be better seen.
This is the wiring side of the ignition switch looking at it from the driver’s door under the steering column.
I checked the power input wires to the ignition switch, Red and Pink w/Black and the power supply was good. I checked them both with the key on and I also activated the power window switch to see if there would be a voltage drop. There was not.
I next checked the Black w/Orange wire with the key on. With just the key on power seemed okay. However I monitored the circuit while depressing the power window switch and the light went very dim. Because I had earlier done the same test on the power supply wires to the ignition switch I now knew that the ignition switch had a problem.
I disconnected the ignition switch harness connector by using a small screwdriver to pry out on the locking ears while I pulled on the harness.
After disconnecting the harness connector I turned to look at the switch side and this is what I found.
I removed the screws that held the ignition switch and lock cylinder to the steering column. The screws were of the anti tamper torx design and special bits are needed to remove them.
After the mounting screws were removed I pulled the assembly slightly from the steering column.
So that I could remove the other harness connector. Released the locking tab and pulled straight off.
The burnt internal contacts can be clearly seen in the following picture.
To remove the lock cylinder the roll pin has to be depressed by pushing it in with a punch or screwdriver.
Once the pin is depressed the key must be turned forward.
The lock cylinder will pop part way out when this is done.
Next pull the key from the cylinder.
And the cylinder will come the rest of the way out of the ignition switch assembly.
The only way I currently know how to get the connector needed for this repair is to order kit # 1-04874996 from a Dodge dealership.
The switch has an updated design and the kit comes with the switch, harness connector, relay and additional wiring for a specific full sized truck TSB but I have used this kit for years for many Chrysler,Dodge, Jeep and Plymouth repairs. You can and probably should utilize the rest of the parts in the kit but customer’s will not usually pay to have the rest of it installed as it is usually not part of a TSB related to their vehicle.
So much for the easy part. Now I had to remove the four push in retainers for the harness cover.
Remove the cover and access the wiring.
And splice in each of the wires being sure to stagger the joints so that the harness cover would go back over the wiring. Not hard but it does take a good bit of time to do it correctly.
