Expert: William Forster - 7/28/2007

Question
My passenger front door was replaced and when I got home I realized that the driver front window and the passenger back window were not working.  Is it possible that they didn't wire the electric window correctly?

Answer
It's possible that your master control switch (located on either the driver's door or center console) is defective. I would swing by the body shop, and have them take a look at it. It's very possible that there is something unplugged, or there is damaged wiring. However, don't be surprised if it winds up being the switch. If a used door was installed, it's possible that the replacement door has the incorrect wiring harness. One of the power window motors could also be worn out, and could have been faulty before the vehicle was fixed. It just all seems a little odd to me, and I personally would look at the switch first. If it is the switch, it wasn't accident related, and not the body shop's fault. I also do work in our service department, and sometimes master switches just go bad. They get soda spilled in them, or a window can be left down and water gets into them. Sometimes, they just get corrosion in them for no real apparent reason. You really need to go back to the body shop that fixed it first, and see what they find. If they tell you it isn't their fault/problem, and you take it to the Toyota dealership and they find that the body shop WAS at fault, be sure to have the Toyota dealer put that into writing. Then, submit the paperwork to your insurance company, and also to the body shop. No reason you should have to pay if it's accident related, and there is no reason the body shop should have to pay if it's not.  Bill