I need some help with a window/micro-switch problem. When I open the door with the outside door handle, the window drops as designed, but goes right back up as soon as I let go of the handle, with the door still open. After doing a search of prior posts, I thought it might be the micro-switch located with the latch assembly. However this problem does not occur when using the inside door handle. When using it, it works as designed - window drops and stays down until door is closed and then goes back up. A search of previous posts did not give me the answer. Would a bad outside door handle micro-switch cause this problem? Maybe something else - broken wire? Thanks for all help in advance.

 

Pretty sure my car does similar thing - but if I move the door latch itself (not the handle), just a little, it usually drops.

Guessing something is sticking inside the door latch ?

 

It's the microswitch in the latch assembly not the handle. Had the same problem and here's the thread that addresses the fixes: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...-switches.html

Make sure you adjust the latch mechanism up or down so that the lock mechanism fully rotates down when it pushes past the striker bar on opening the door.

 

OK, thanks much.

 

Open your door and take a screwdriver and click down the latch lever manually to simulate a closed door and see what happens.

 

Very confusing. As I mentioned, when I open the door with the outside handle, the window goes down until I let go of the handle, then it goes back up. However when I manually close the latch using a screwdriver, the window goes to the down position and stays there, even after I open the latch with the outside door handle. Then when I close the door, the window returns to the full up position as designed.

 

One possible way to fix it is to replace the inner door latch (held by the 2 black triple square fasteners at the tail end of the door). The latch is over $200 in the US, I believe. One third more in Canada.
This latch has a microswitch that gets worn (plastic boss) and can be replaced but I can't be sure if replacing it will fix your particular issue. Good luck!

 

Reads like the door latch. Went through this with my Boxster.

When the handle (inside or outside) is pulled the window should drop.

If the door is not opened, if the handle is not pulled up enough to unlatch the door and the handle is released the window should raise. The door latch switch signals the door is closed and it is ok to raise the window.

If the door is opened and the window is raised the door latch is bad. It is not signaling the door is now open and the window should remain down.

That you are able to manipulate the door latch with a screwdriver (as did a tech as he went over this with me with my Boxster) and the window drops while this is not a symptom I'm familiar with it still suggests the problem is with the door latch. Not the handle.

I had the handle switch fail too. The window would not drop when I opened the door.

And then both regulators wore out. All of this didn't occur real that close to each other, though.

In hindsight I might have had the window regulators replaced as a preventative measure when the doors were opened to replace the door lock assembly on the passenger side, and the door latch assembly on the driver's side.

I believe the state of the switches is conveyed to the car's security system.

With the Porsche diagnostics computer the various states of the switches (or the absence of their states) can be noted by the computer which helps the diagnosis. In the 1st issue I had with the window dropping but going up after a moment once the door was opened, along with inexplicable locking of the doors while driving, the tech eliminated the other possible causes for this behavior before settling on the *door lock assembly*. He told me he did this to save me the expense of a new door lock assembly if it was not bad. This is the most expensive part in the door but it turned out to be the door lock assembly.

Anyhow, it reads like the door latch but that new to me abnormal behavior has my wondering... Either you make a decision and replace something or you get some Porsche computer diagnostics done. Often I have found if I have the work done the computer time is not billed 100% sometimes not billed at all.

 

See: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ease-help.html

post #14 (I had the same problem)...there's the option to rebuild the switch but I found I didn't need to...there's other posts on the switches, burgess is the maker...

 

Technically when you close the latch with the screwdriver, it simulates a door that has been closed so the behavior should be the same.

It sounds like one of your switches, circuitry, or alarm is defective. Have you checked under your drivers seat for any moisture around the alarm brain?

 

No moisture and I don't believe there were any outside factors. I know this is not looked on favorably but with my long work hours, the car has been pretty much a garage queen. The symptoms are a bit strange but it looks like it must be the latch.

 

This is exactly the same problem I had it was intermittent and if I jiggled the lock mechaism with my finger the window would come down. I think you'll find the micro switch is fine but the surface it runs along it the lock mech has frayed plastic. If you remove this with a scalpel it will be fine again...I removed it the full travel of the catch open to close along the edge. You'll see if you open it up. The catch is metal coated in plastic which wears away above the switch.

 

Thanks Danny.