Power Window Tip

[otiswesty]

My Vanagon was my first car I have ever had with power windows, something the wife had pointed out but that I had proudly avoided up to that point. I was frustrated by the fact that with the ignition off I had to reinsert and turn the key in order to put the windows up, whereas previously a little bit 'o hand crankin and it was done. I was considering putting in a Jetta 6 pin switch with a separate line for the light in the switch so I could continuously power the switch. This was rendered unecessary by a friend pointing out a nice tip for putting the windows up with no key in the ignition.

Turn headlight switch on

Hold up stalk for headlight high beam

Windows are powered on with this.

Just thought I'd share as I had not previously seen this here or heard of it and it is a real convenience, especially when camping.
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1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab

Just a regular guy

[hiram6]

how the heck did your friend know this? Is this a Vanagon specific easter-egg??
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1985 Westy, 1.9L automatic (Daisy)
1996 Mazda Miata
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited

You can't lie around on the beach and drink rum all day.................unless you start first thing in the morning.

[Perales]

This makes me want to have power windows so that I could try it. I wonder how many other little secrets are hidden like this one.
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-- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino)

[carterzest]

Darn it...Now I cannot wait to get into my van when I leave work. That is the coolest thing I have learned in quite awhile and appreciate you posting.
Someone asked me how I contained my kid(s) when camping and I shared the lower bunk trick. Fold bed flat, lift bottom up until it clicks and viola...built in crib! Plus a way to fly down the road with out things stowed and tied down(that is if you have no rear passengers!).

Good stuff..I love this site!
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Happiness=Portland, Oregon in the rearview mirror!

[stumpy]

Nice tip,but being an older "DUDE"-- (Not by choice), I'am having trouble understanding-- Lights on high beam, Hold up stalk. What is STALK! Is this West Coast lingo??? Can you please enlighten me!!! Thanks, Stumpy

[cek347]

That was me that asked about how you contain a kid and it worked great! Now this is something new that I must try today.
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'86 Vanagon Wolfsburg Edition- tiico
'85.5 Porsche 944
'04 GX 470
'17 Prius Prime

[carterzest]

[carterzest]

[otiswesty]

[erdonline]

I don't think that you even need to turn the headlight switch on- just pulling back on the high-beam lever should do it. I don't have power windows to try this with, but try it with just the high-beam lever and see if it works. It should backfeed the x-contact, or load-reduction relay to give power to the power windows, heater fan, rear window wiper, etc. All the stuff that is shunted when the ignition switch is in the start position.

Ed in CT

[meyervw]

Ok I just tried this. I turned the lights on and held the high beem switch up. The window works. So I turn the lights off and do it again. It works. I turn everything off and the window works. I think Gustav has been rewired.

[stevey88]

I don't have power window ( yet ) so I can not verify this. But I have traced the circuit diagram and here is my explanation. Please correct me if you think I am wrong.

1.The power window is powered from current track 30 which is connected directly to the battery through the power window relay. So it will not work if relay is not energized.

2.If you turn the ignition key on, the load reduction relay will be energized and supply 12V to track X. The power window relay is energized by voltage on track X, so the relay will supply 12V to the power window switches/motors through its contact, if 12V is on track X.

3.The ignition key also supply 12V to the light switch, the output of the light switch ( in head light on position ) goes to the high beam/low beam switch/stick.

4.The high beam flasher get its supply from track 30 which has 12V all the time. I.E., if you pull the high/low beam stick back toward you when the ignition is off, the high beam will still flash.

5.So the way this works is when you pull the stick back, 12V will goes from the stick, through the light switch ( hence the light switch must be on ), goes to the ignition switch, energize the load reduction relay so the power window relay is energized.
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Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed

[Steelhead]

[OxygenDestroyer]

[McVanagon]

As we all find ourselves some free time this evening, this thread will start to grow....

I don't have power windows, but when I turned the lights on, and pulled back the stalk, my blower motors and windshield wipers worked. Neat.

It will not work when you pull the stalk to turn off your high beams, only when you turn them on.
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'69 Mike
'85 GL
'87 Wolfsburg Hardtop

[GreenMachineVW]

With basic electric wiring skills, the solution used by many car manufactures can be incorperated into the Vanagon: power windows work when the drivers door is open. The drivers door open switch grounds two wires simultaneously. One for the dome lights, the other for the "key in ignition" reminder. The "key in" circuit can be used to trip the power windows power relay when the door is open, and avoids the "look at me!" of flashing your high beams, or what the Germans refer to as the "Light Horn", in an otherwise peaceful setting.

[Captain Pike]

I just put a toggle on the dash blank to remote power the relay.
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LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current.......................

[Perales]

Flipping on the highs does not however power the horn or the radio. Yup, too much time on my hands.
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-- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino)

[Raynor Shine]

ok- too cool, I tried this and whaddya know it works! why isn't that tip in the owners manual? Hopefully it also prevents leaks too!

[OilNBolts]

I wonder if the Mother Ship knows about this. Could trigger a recall for installation of a load reduction reduction relay.
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Current fleet: Vanagons, two '88 GLs and an 89 Bluestar. Beetles, '63, '64, '72 convertible. Plus, four Subarus and three Prius. Too many cars.