what the heck is going on?!

dutch · Apr 2, 2009

So I got in the car today, turned the windows down and drove to the shops.
Got there, tried to put the windows up.. nothing. Tried everything, car on/off, ign on/off, door open/closed. By now I was pissed off, so I bought what I had to buy and returned to the car.
Got in, started the car.. and voil? windows worked fine, went up and down again.. left m both halfway down and went home.

Got home, hit the up-button.. NOTHING! So I tried everything again. I feared I'd have to wrap the windows up tonight.

So dove under the dash and figured out which fuse was for the powerwindows.. #14, big solid looking thing. Yanked it out, but you can't see the fuse wire, so I switched it with the only similar one (lock/unlock/boot release etc)

Windows went up! So I thought it was the fuse.. but the central locking/boot release was still working too and that had the previous powerwindow fuse in it.

But hey, I was happy!

Got in an hour later, started the car, put my window down, fine! Before I went on my way I wanted to check if it went back up again too.. NOTHING! :BangHead:
Completely dead again! By now I figured out that the electric mirror on both sides also failed, and the powerwindow button on the passengerside was dead aswell. Central locking on my side was dead, the only button left working was the central locking on the passengerside!!

Which makes no sense.

Thank god, don't ask me how, but I got it back up again after 10 minutes. went to get my shopping and tried to get it down a couple of times along the way.. nothing..

Anyone had similar problems? where should I look?

Javi · Apr 2, 2009

94 correct?
also can you hear a noise like if the motor was working but the window wont roll up?

Ha!

dutch · Apr 2, 2009

yeah '94... nothing though, switch is completely dead (when it's not working)..

the few times it does work, it works flawless. no weird noises, plenty of speed.

Javi · Apr 2, 2009

dutch said:
yeah '94... nothing though, switch is completely dead (when it's not working)..

the few times it does work, it works flawless. no weird noises, plenty of speed.

might be your bushings.

http://sn95forums.com/index.php?topic=17923.0

GDTrumbo · Apr 2, 2009

2 weird things here.

First, when the switches fail, no attempted window movement or sound. Bushings?? I would expect some "crunching" going on.
Second, multiple switches envolved. Windows as well as mirrors.

Makes me think of moisture in connections or a bad ground. :dontknow:

GT

Win · Apr 2, 2009

GDTrumbo said:
2 weird things here.

First, when the switches fail, no attempted window movement or sound. Bushings?? I would expect some "crunching" going on.
Second, multiple switches envolved. Windows as well as mirrors.

Makes me think of moisture in connections or a bad ground. :dontknow:

GT

+1
I would check your contacts on the Switches first since you have already checked the fuses.

eliyarbrough · Apr 2, 2009

When I had my conv top fixed, the day I took it in my LH window stopped. I had to have a new motor.

dutch · Apr 2, 2009

I'm sure it's not the motors.. it's an electrical problem SOMEWHERE. I just have no idea where.

Like I said, the few times that I get them to work (mainly when I get back in the car after a half an hour, they work perfectly! no weird noises or slow operation..

Paul · Apr 2, 2009

GDTrumbo said:
Makes me think of moisture in connections or a bad ground. :dontknow:

I 100% agree.

dutch · Apr 2, 2009

most common places to look for a bad ground? I'm a complete idiot when it comes to electric stuff..

uncltrvlnmatt · Apr 2, 2009

It sounds electrical to me.

Check where the wiring goes from the kick panel into the door. That is where most of the wiring movement is in the harness.

Does your right side window work with the right side switch with no problems? If so it is probably in the drivers door switch area or the harness area. If you are getting water in past your window seal, that could also give you fits.

Good luck.

If you pay for my plane ticket I will come to Holland and help you out.

blown98gt · Apr 2, 2009

+1 sounds like it's grounding out somewhere..

JDwhite98gt · Apr 2, 2009

I had this problem twice before. first time it was only the passenger window(both pass. window switches were dead) replaced just the driver side passenger window button and both worked fine. They are wired in sequence so when one goes bad the window shuts down no matter what button you use. second time I checked the prongs on the bottom of the buttons(just pull the buttons off the switch block) and they looked dull like dusty copper, I sanded them down lightly it will come off like dust lol. Never had a problem since. Yours could be more involved but check the easy stuff first of course.

dutch · Apr 3, 2009

well the switchgear appears to be fine from what the eye can see.
Although with the key out of the ign I hit the Unlock button by accident and there was a strange buzzing/whining noise comming from inside the door. This also happens when I try to operate the mirror, but it doesn't make a noise when I put the key in the ON position and try to operate the windows..

I pulled the trimpanel and found this to be the little noisemaker:

Is that a relay or something? Might that being broken be the cause of the problems?

uncltrvlnmatt · Apr 3, 2009

That would be a relay, yes. It could definately be the problem.

dutch · Apr 3, 2009

I found this to be the one-touch-down relay... makes sense that would interupt my windows working, but why is it buzzing and screaching when I press the unlock or powermirrors?

dutch · Apr 4, 2009

ok, everything in the door (switchpanel, powermirrorplug, the expressdown relay) is getting just 6,3 volts...
I removed the rubbersleeve that protects the wires between the door and the chassis expecting to find a plug, but there's just wires..

Also, the fuse for the powerwindows (#14) is getting 11,9 volts, so the problem is between the wiring going into the door and the fusepanel..

am I on the right track here? I hate electrics and maybe I don't know what I'm doing, but it's pissing me off!

any suspects?

dutch · Apr 4, 2009

ok, update:

I was about to call it a day, when I still had the switchpanel for the windows and central locking hanging there... I decided to measure everything once more.. So turned the key and started measuring. Got all kind of weird values.

Then I noticed a bare piece of metal where the doorhandle normally fits into and used that as a ground for my little voltmeter. And there it was, a perfect 11.9 volts on every hot wire that goes into the switch panel!

So it's def a ground problem with the wiringharness that goes into my door.. Anyone know where this ground is located? Also, would it be possible to just stop searching, combine all the black wires within the door and make a ground of my own somewhere? or would this result in the windows going down without touching the switch, being a switched ground?