Hi all. Drivers side electric window was working fine a few days ago then it didn’t seem to respond to switch operation at all. I slammed the drivers door and it seemed to work again briefly before returning to its dead state regardless of door movement.
I’ve read all about how to increase electric window speed using different lubricants but this sounds like more of an electrical connection problem. Can anyone suggest the best place to start looking? Has anyone experienced anything similair?
I would start by taking the doorcard off and having a look inside, since it seems to be something at that end.
I would suspect a bolt holding a wire on has fallen off, but the wire is loosely in position (because it has sat there for so long), hence why it worked after slamming the door (unless it worked for a while, in which case, that part of the theory is gone).
Thanks for fast response Ramsay however I’ve mysteriously solved the problem without dismantling anything.
Looking slightly to the right of the steering wheel below the bit of the dash where there are a few blank switches I’ve got a weird little switch with a red LED. When I initially got the car I assumed it was a non-functioning switch associated with an old alarm system or something, however this evening I noticed that with the engine on and headlights on the switch’s LED illuminated and the drivers window WORKED!
Heres a quick picture via iPhone:
If I switch off the switch (killing the LED) the window won’t work.
What the hell is this switch? I assume its not standard?!
that might be pure coincidence as it sounds as if you are talking about your rear fog light switch that can only be used when you have the lights turned on. It wont light up if they are not on.
I agree.
I would take the door card off and check wiring, put a multimeter on the motor contacts and flick the switch to see if there is power there. Most probably a break in the cable or if you are lucky you may spot a wire has come off somewhere inside the door.
Let us all know how you get on…
Do the windows work with the switch on, but the ignition off? It could be a bodge to prevent battery drain.
It does seem like a very odd thing though…
ISTR from a long time ago that some '5s had a safety switch fitted to the window circuit, it was to prevent the windows from closing inadvertently. Maybe a childproofing thing???----------------
Right guys, done some detective work. The switch controls the rear fog lamp that hangs below the bumper. Bizarrely the drivers side window will not work unless the fog switch is on.
Oh well, at least I don’t have to buy any new parts. Thank you all for the suggestions offered.
As an aside, could somebody tell me why mk1s have the special popup lights button. What purpose does it serve? Is it just to drive with the lights up but not illuminated? Also how do you do the thing whereby you stop the lights opening about halfway - giving a nifty stealth look?
The button in the middle is so you can give a friendly signal to other mk1 drivers! [:D] Seriously, it helps when you need to clean the headlamps.
You are talking about a ‘lazy eye’ kit. I have seen these on ebay. Don’t know much about them. A nicer mod is the twin headlight conversion on mx5parts, I am considering this. Anybody here fitted it?
Sorry to bump this thread from the grave, just wanted to add a bit to the story of the dead power window.
I thought that the fog switch was somehow having an effect on the window - somehow helping it work. I was wrong. Early this morning I started to put the window down when all of the sudden it stopped, halfway down and would not budge. I was extremely worried the motor was broken or a cable had snapped so I carried out the following steps and managed to get it working again.
First of all, check to see if your fuse has blow. The power windows take a 30A fuse which is located in the passenger well fuse box. However, if like me, one of your windows is working fine but the other isn’t moving at all, its clearly not fuse related so you may as well carry out the following steps to get your windows back online.
- Remove door lock surround, remove arm rest and speaker grill, then carefully remove door car.
- With the door now fully exposed you should be able to work out where the power window motor is - its secured to the door by three nuts - but you shouldn’t need to have to remove it. Just feel about until you find the little plug that carries the signal from the window switches in the centre console and carefully unplug that. My plug was green in colour if that helps in finding it (I’ve got a 94 Eunos).
- Shove the electrodes from a multimeter into the plug contacts, switch on the ignition and push/pull the switch while watching the multimeter. Power = good!
- I got a decent reading on the old multimeter so I figured either my electric motor was b0rked or I had a poor connection somewhere along the line. The first thing I did was to clean the green plug contacts, refit it and give it a try - low and behold it WORKED.
- If you don’t get so lucky, try cleaning and refitting the other plugs and contacts until you get some joy.
- If that still hasn’t helped, its probably best to remove the window and then remove the motor assembly and check to see if any of the cables have snapped or if the motor has worn out. Rod’s manual seems to have the clearest instructions on how to do all this so follow that. Good luck!