Toyota power window oddity

There are three possibilities. First check for a broken wire between the driver's door hinges. Could be between the rear door hinges too but the front door gets more use so the wires flex more. Actually, now that I think of it, don't overlook those wires but that can't be the problem. Any broken wire for just the rear window will cause it to not go in either direction from either switch.

Either the driver's or passenger's switch can have a bad contact. Both have four pairs of contacts. When the front switch is pressed for the rear window, current flows through two of the contacts in the rear switch. When the rear switch is pressed, current flows through two contacts in the front switch. Current also flows through two pairs of contacts in the switch that is pressed.

To put it another way, all four pairs of switch contacts in the two switches are grounded when they are at rest. ONE of those contacts is opened, then applied to 12 volts to run the window one way. Return current from the motor flows through the three contacts that are at rest. If any one of those contacts is burned, current can't flow and the window won't move.

thanks CardioDoc! You were right. I opened both rear switches, found burnt contacts, cleaned them and all is okey-dokey