Toyota to recall 7.4M cars. 2005-2010 Yaris included.

[Absolutely Red 12]

Originally Posted by CTScott

Actually they only have to pop the cover on the driver's arm rest to work on the switch assembly, which is this chunk:

Attachment 48767

This is a picture of a burnt one from an article on repairing them (http://www.toyotawiki.org/index.php?...indow_switches):

Attachment 48768



Basically the switches are switching high current (~10 Amps) to the power window motors. They are directly doing the switching, rather than switching the coil on a relay (as is done with most of the other high-current switching on a vehicle). So, if the contacts are coated with something that is conductive or becomes conductive over time (the carbonization mentioned in the recall article), current flowing through the resistive (partially conductive) material will make it heat up. With the power windows being fused with a single 30A fuse, you have the potential to create up to a 420 Watt heater (14 Volts x 30 Amps) before the fuse blows.

I've repaired switches like these since I worked for Volvo in the 80s.
The carbon is NON conductive, thats why the switches stop working.
Wiping off the NON conductive carbon, allows the switch to contact.

BTW Pretty much all window switches do this wether they use a relay or not..

The grease used in Toyota switches become carbonized, and conductive.