Broken window switch
 

Alright, so I got to put down my passenger window via the driver's side switch today and nothing happens. I play around with the switch some and this is how it works: if I push straight down it doesn't work and it kinda gets stuck on the way down, if I push the side of the button down it sticks before going down, but then works fine, up works fine after the window is down. Has anyone had a similar problem? I know I'm gonna need to take the assembly apart, I just don't know what exactly I'm looking for. Also, if it can't be fixed what part should I be looking for on car-part.com or subaruparts.com?

i had a problem very similar to that. i took it all apart and cleaned the contacts w/ sand paper, worked perfectly for about a year. year's up and it's doing it again...time to take it apart and clean once more

The passenger window switches on the driver side work by two vertical swing arms on either side of a pivot which push down on contact switches. Imagine a teeter-totter with a contact switch below each end. The problem sounds like some sort of mechanical issue inhibiting movement. Sanding the contacts will likely do little good.

KuoH

FIXED! Sorta...
 

Well I took it apart and sure enough a piece of the plastic on the inside of the switch had broken, so the switch would not sit properly. That is why when I pushed down on that one side it would work but when I pushed straight down it would not. I attempted to swap switches with a rear window switch when I realized that that one was cracked, check the other rear and that one was broken too. I did not check the driver's side because that one works fine and is the most important and I did not want to break it by checking it. I glued the cracked one with plastic cement and hot glue and reinstalled where the passenger side switch was. I came up with this solution for the other two switches: (Warning, do not read if opposed to fixing things with duct tape via the "ghetto rig" method)

I placed the one with both sides broken on the side of the panel closest to the driver in the rear. I then heated the end of a paperclip with a lighter. I shoved the paperclip through the plastic in order to make a proper pivot point for the switch and let the plastic cool to reharden. I repeated this for the other side of the switch. I stuck the other switch on the other side of the panel so that the broken side was on the outside. I then did the same with the paperclip to the broken side only. I bent and snipped the paper clips and attempted to put a paperclip trough the cracked side of the passenger switch but was unable to because there was not enough room between the drivers switch (the reason I put the broken on both sides one on first). I then reinstalled the panel.

I know I did not actually use any duct tape, but I concider paperclips in the same category (as well as hose clamps). This is a semi-permanent fix for now, but I'm afraid the glue will not hold for long but the paper clips should. For those who are worrying, the paperclips are barely visible from the top and the switches feel the same as the drivers (nonbroken) switch. When the passenger switch breaks again I will most likely spend the $100 to replace the cluster but for now I'm just worried about it working.

If your switch is broken and needs to be replaced anyway, you may want to try this out. Worst case: You need to buy a new switch that you would have bought anyway. Best case: You save $100.

switch
 

I have a broken switch If you want it all of the mechanicals are ok just the outer part broke off all of the insides are good it's only a few mos. old a dog jumped on it and broke it off. there was also one on e bay just the guts for a few bucks.