Automatic Window Fix
08-10-2014, 09:29 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: California
Posts: 10
Automatic Window Fix
Hello,
I'm posting this as I found a fix to my Automatic Window problem.
Problem: The driver side, passenger window auto down button was intermittent. Holding the button would cause the window to go down but the auto 1 time press feature of the window switch did not work.
Troubleshooting: Passenger side window switch worked. Hinting that the problem was with the driver side switch. Removed the driver side switch from the door and disconnected the electrical harness. Opened up the switch with a small flathead screwdriver. Used a DMM in ohms mode to determine if the switch worked. The switch worked. The electrical switch is a slider switch with 5 positions; Auto Down, Down, Off, Up, Auto Up. Found out that the Auto down position required just a hair more movement of the slide to move to be active in this position.
Solution: The physical portion of the switch you press has a lever that moves the slider. I used glue on one side of the bifurcated lever to add mass to one side of the lever. This allows the lever to push the slider just a bit more. The glue I used was 5 min epoxy. Doesn't take much. See pictures of the switch assembly taken apart.
This fix saves $100 in just the part alone. Who knows how much service would cost.
I'm posting this as I found a fix to my Automatic Window problem.
Problem: The driver side, passenger window auto down button was intermittent. Holding the button would cause the window to go down but the auto 1 time press feature of the window switch did not work.
Troubleshooting: Passenger side window switch worked. Hinting that the problem was with the driver side switch. Removed the driver side switch from the door and disconnected the electrical harness. Opened up the switch with a small flathead screwdriver. Used a DMM in ohms mode to determine if the switch worked. The switch worked. The electrical switch is a slider switch with 5 positions; Auto Down, Down, Off, Up, Auto Up. Found out that the Auto down position required just a hair more movement of the slide to move to be active in this position.
Solution: The physical portion of the switch you press has a lever that moves the slider. I used glue on one side of the bifurcated lever to add mass to one side of the lever. This allows the lever to push the slider just a bit more. The glue I used was 5 min epoxy. Doesn't take much. See pictures of the switch assembly taken apart.
This fix saves $100 in just the part alone. Who knows how much service would cost.
08-11-2014, 06:08 AM
#2
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: WV
Posts: 750
I was just about to post about this as my driver's side "one touch up" stopped working in the past 2 days for some reason. May have to see if I'm having the same problem.
Question, how could you tell that it needed "just a hair more movement?" It doesn't look obvious from the picture.
Question, how could you tell that it needed "just a hair more movement?" It doesn't look obvious from the picture.
08-11-2014, 08:17 AM
#5
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Panama City, FL
Posts: 1,214
I was just about to post about this as my driver's side "one touch up" stopped working in the past 2 days for some reason. May have to see if I'm having the same problem.
Question, how could you tell that it needed "just a hair more movement?" It doesn't look obvious from the picture.
Question, how could you tell that it needed "just a hair more movement?" It doesn't look obvious from the picture.
08-12-2014, 01:41 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: California
Posts: 10
Hmm... As an Electrical Engineer, I probably skipped over something that isn't common knowledge. {Just skip to the last two paragraphs}
So there are two types of meters. DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) and an 'ole skool analog meter. Most meters have the ability to measure resistance. This will be the greek Omega symbol on your meter. On a DMM if you put the two leads together you should get ~0.00 ohms or something close to that. On an analog meter you will see the needle move to ~0.00 ohms. When the leads aren't touching anything you'll get infinity on the meters.
Not to get too detailed but some meters have a "short detection" mode which is the resistance mode but makes a handy beep sound when it detects something it thinks is a short, usually a couple of ohms. This is nice because you don't have to look at the meter as you try to probe your DUT (device under test).
Anyway, it helps to know something about multi throw switches. A throw is a switch position. your car window switch has 5 positions or 5 throws. This switch if I recall correctly is a single pole. Not going to bother explaining this.
What you do first is take the switch apart like I have in the pictures and make sure that it is NOT connected to the car. Disconnect the harness.
*Note: when measuring resistance the DMM or analog meter puts power to a circuit. If something else is powering the circuit at the time you measures... something gives... and someone won't be happy. Always, disconnect power from your DUT when measuring resistance.
Okay, right... So you have to play a game of trial and error. Your meter usually has a red and black lead so that's what I'm going to use. Connect the black lead on one of the exposed metal tabs of the switch in question. Connect the red lead to a different one. Here a beep (~0.00 ohms)? no, move the switch a bit. Here a beep? Move the switch again. It won't take long before you figure out the switch circuit.
If you have the problem I have you'll think... hmm... all switch positions have in some case a short between two tabs... so the switch seems good.. huh?
What I did next... probably should have started with this... Put the Meter away. Connect the switch, with the sliders exposed back to the car. Put the key in the car to turn on the electronics. Move the slider with your fingers and see if the window functions completely. If your car is like mine it does. You'll realize that if the slider switch works, but one of the Auto positions doesn't, the slider is just shy of moving into one of the Auto position (aka throw).
My solution to this was to add glue to the inside of one of the bifurcated lever ends to help push the slider just a bit more. Be careful to put the glue on the correct lever bit. Epoxy worked pretty well. It added mass and cure's quickly. It would be better if the surface of the epoxy was a little more slick like plastic.
So there are two types of meters. DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) and an 'ole skool analog meter. Most meters have the ability to measure resistance. This will be the greek Omega symbol on your meter. On a DMM if you put the two leads together you should get ~0.00 ohms or something close to that. On an analog meter you will see the needle move to ~0.00 ohms. When the leads aren't touching anything you'll get infinity on the meters.
Not to get too detailed but some meters have a "short detection" mode which is the resistance mode but makes a handy beep sound when it detects something it thinks is a short, usually a couple of ohms. This is nice because you don't have to look at the meter as you try to probe your DUT (device under test).
Anyway, it helps to know something about multi throw switches. A throw is a switch position. your car window switch has 5 positions or 5 throws. This switch if I recall correctly is a single pole. Not going to bother explaining this.
What you do first is take the switch apart like I have in the pictures and make sure that it is NOT connected to the car. Disconnect the harness.
*Note: when measuring resistance the DMM or analog meter puts power to a circuit. If something else is powering the circuit at the time you measures... something gives... and someone won't be happy. Always, disconnect power from your DUT when measuring resistance.
Okay, right... So you have to play a game of trial and error. Your meter usually has a red and black lead so that's what I'm going to use. Connect the black lead on one of the exposed metal tabs of the switch in question. Connect the red lead to a different one. Here a beep (~0.00 ohms)? no, move the switch a bit. Here a beep? Move the switch again. It won't take long before you figure out the switch circuit.
If you have the problem I have you'll think... hmm... all switch positions have in some case a short between two tabs... so the switch seems good.. huh?
What I did next... probably should have started with this... Put the Meter away. Connect the switch, with the sliders exposed back to the car. Put the key in the car to turn on the electronics. Move the slider with your fingers and see if the window functions completely. If your car is like mine it does. You'll realize that if the slider switch works, but one of the Auto positions doesn't, the slider is just shy of moving into one of the Auto position (aka throw).
My solution to this was to add glue to the inside of one of the bifurcated lever ends to help push the slider just a bit more. Be careful to put the glue on the correct lever bit. Epoxy worked pretty well. It added mass and cure's quickly. It would be better if the surface of the epoxy was a little more slick like plastic.
08-12-2014, 01:48 AM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: California
Posts: 10
Oops. Typo.
2nd to last paragraph:
"You'll realize that if the slider switch works" add: in all 5 positions (throws) Auto down, down, off, up, Auto up.
"but one of the Auto positions doesn't" I mean't when you originally had the switch assembly fully put together with the up/down black rocking switch thing you use every day. NOT when you have the thing taken apart and moving the slider by hand.
Sorry
2nd to last paragraph:
"You'll realize that if the slider switch works" add: in all 5 positions (throws) Auto down, down, off, up, Auto up.
"but one of the Auto positions doesn't" I mean't when you originally had the switch assembly fully put together with the up/down black rocking switch thing you use every day. NOT when you have the thing taken apart and moving the slider by hand.
Sorry
11-23-2014, 06:42 PM
#10
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 3
So my GF 2007 GT/CS drivers side switch stopped working for the auto up function and i got this thread up on search. Was wondering as the windows (both passenger and drivers side) dont roll all the way up after you close the door anymore. Was wondering if anybody suspects that the two things are related or not (i.e bad switch is also causing the windows nopt to fully roll up after the door is closed).