chevy blazer rear window

[mudseeker]

i just spent most of the day trying to figure out why my sisters rear window on her 2002 blazer wouldn't open.

i spent the first hour sweating my butt off trying to figure out how to open the hatch from the inside and cursing GM for note making a secondary release switch.

i ended up breaking the panel trying to get to the release lever by using a small crowbar as illustrated in the pic.
i would suggest if you own a blazer, that you remove this screw to make the removal of this panel easier if your window won't open.



turns out GM did make an access hole for situations like this, too bad they don't mention it in the owners manual.
i happened to find it while the panel was off the hatch and facing upside down.
just stick a screw driver through the slit in the panel and push it toward the passenger side to pop the rear window open.



once the panel is removed you will have to remove a metal panel that is held down with about 15 screws to get to the window actuator.
normally you would go through all this trouble because the little blue plastic piece breaks, but i thought it was dead after checking the relay switches and all fuses that i "thought" pertained to that circuit.



now, let me explain that last part. after checking all the fuses labeled for the window and tracing wires from the switch to the actuator, the doors locked in the process.
when i went to unlock them using the door panel switch they wouldn't unlock, but the key fob still worked.?.

now it never dawned on me that the rear window was part of the door lock circuit since the locks still worked when using the key fob.
i guess the alarm installers spliced into the circuit after the fuse and that's why the locks still worked when using the key fob.

it's days like today that make me hate working on electrical stuff without an electrical diagram. this 4 hour plus job should have only took me less than 2 minutes.

ps: i'm still smacking myself for not taking the time and checking all the fuses in the fuse panel.

[Hayden]

Just be glad the clouds were shrouding the sun most of the day

[mudseeker]

ha, i still think i lost about 5 pounds in that first hour. had to of been over 100 degrees in there.

[junior3382]

You know I like this thread, you presented a problem, discussed it, played with it, broke it and then solved it with no help from any other posters.... interesting....LOL... So how much will the replacement panel?

[mudseeker]

who said anything about replaceing the panel? lol
it was just a screw tab you'll never see.

you know, when i was tearing into it i thought of your blazer and decided to document the repair just in case you find yourself with a window that won't open.

[junior3382]

Thank you mud, that was very kind, but I know how to use a key to unlock it!

LOL.... just playing bud. It may be a good reference for others in the future....

[mudseeker]

you can pop your hatch with a key? my sister's only has a button on the tailgate to pop the window.

i searched all over interweb and the only solution i could find was "drill a hole in the panel". i didn't want "visible" damage so i vowed to make a secondary hatch release when i got it opened. too bad GM thought of the idea first and forgot to tell the general public about it.

[junior3382]

Yeah, I have the same button to release the rear hatch, however, it also has a lock on it. I do not have a fold down tailgate and a lift up window, the whole rear hatch lifts up, so there may be a difference.

[mudseeker]

you must have a 4 door, the 2 door has the drop down tailgate.
i sooooo wish my sisters was a 4 door that day. lol

[junior3382]

I do have the 4 door, and most of them are like mine, but I have seen some of the newer 4 doors that have the same style as the two door. But with that being the case, yes they are different..... LOL...