Strange Window Behavior
#1
Racer
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Location: Houston, Texas, USA
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Strange Window Behavior
Hello,
I was driving home the other day and I heard a rhythmic thumping noise like I had something stuck to my tyre. I looked across and the passenger door window was repeatedly raising and lowering the 10mm it does when you open the door. I also noticed the door's interior light was on. The window would stop moving if I wound it down a little. I couldn't get the window to go all the way up and the alarm would chirp when I tried to lock the car.
I hunted around in the internet and guessed it was one of the micro switches in the door latch. I replaced the door latch ($160 + shipping) but when I tried to reset the window it would go to the top of it's travel then immediately drop the 10mm as if it through the door was open. I tried this many times with the door open and closed.
I now suspected the exterior door handle so I disconnected the two wires coming from it, and to be sure, also disconnected the physical connection between it and the door latch. Same problem - when I reset the window it immediately drops 10mm once it gets to the top.
The only thing left that could be causing it is the box of electronics attached to the window motor with the three large multi-pin sockets (997-624-182-06)
Before I order one (~ $450 new) is there anything else I should try/suspect?
Thanks
John
I was driving home the other day and I heard a rhythmic thumping noise like I had something stuck to my tyre. I looked across and the passenger door window was repeatedly raising and lowering the 10mm it does when you open the door. I also noticed the door's interior light was on. The window would stop moving if I wound it down a little. I couldn't get the window to go all the way up and the alarm would chirp when I tried to lock the car.
I hunted around in the internet and guessed it was one of the micro switches in the door latch. I replaced the door latch ($160 + shipping) but when I tried to reset the window it would go to the top of it's travel then immediately drop the 10mm as if it through the door was open. I tried this many times with the door open and closed.
I now suspected the exterior door handle so I disconnected the two wires coming from it, and to be sure, also disconnected the physical connection between it and the door latch. Same problem - when I reset the window it immediately drops 10mm once it gets to the top.
The only thing left that could be causing it is the box of electronics attached to the window motor with the three large multi-pin sockets (997-624-182-06)
Before I order one (~ $450 new) is there anything else I should try/suspect?
Thanks
John
#2
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
That's not the only thing left...
The interior door handle has a molded in pin on the back of it that contacts another microswitch. It's the one that makes the window drop when you're getting out of the car.
This pin
contacts this microswitch (bottom corner)
Those pins can wear down a little over time or if you've replaced your door spears or if you've fixed a snapped handle return post and don't get the alignment of the mechanism on the back of the door card perfect with the 3 mounting screws, the post won't make good contact with the switch.
The interior door handle has a molded in pin on the back of it that contacts another microswitch. It's the one that makes the window drop when you're getting out of the car.
This pin
contacts this microswitch (bottom corner)
Those pins can wear down a little over time or if you've replaced your door spears or if you've fixed a snapped handle return post and don't get the alignment of the mechanism on the back of the door card perfect with the 3 mounting screws, the post won't make good contact with the switch.
#3
Racer
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Thanks
I heard there was a micro switch on the interior handle but couldn't find it. I could tell there was one because on the working drivers door I only needed to move the interior handle a tiny amount for the window to drop and the movement was far less than anything the cable to the latch could have initiated.
Following your post I dismantled the window switch and tested the micro switch within it but it appears to be working correctly.
Plugging in my Durametric showed that for the passenger door the "Door Contact Switch/Rotary Latch" was stuck in "active'. The working drivers door would show "active" when the door was open and "not active" when the door was closed. I double checked and this was being triggered from the latch locking/unlocking.
I checked the original latch which I thought was faulty (and turns out was actually okay - damn it) and traced the micro switch triggered by the latch opening and closing back to the socket on the latch. Pins (3 and 4) or (4 and 8) would be open and closed with the latch operating.
I then took the door apart again and located the wires in the loom that matched pins 3, 4 and 8 on the socket. Pin 3 is a blue wire, 4 is a green wire and 8 is a brown wire. I traced these back to the large 20 pin connector that plugs into the controller attached to the window motor. The green wire goes to pin 13, the blue wire to pin 12 and the brown wire to pin 8. I checked the signal at the 20 pin socket and sure enough the pins were correctly registering the opening and closing of the micro switch.
The only thing left is the box of electronics on the window motor. It's not available separately and has to be bought with the motor. I can find a used one for $50 so that's my next task.
I heard there was a micro switch on the interior handle but couldn't find it. I could tell there was one because on the working drivers door I only needed to move the interior handle a tiny amount for the window to drop and the movement was far less than anything the cable to the latch could have initiated.
Following your post I dismantled the window switch and tested the micro switch within it but it appears to be working correctly.
Plugging in my Durametric showed that for the passenger door the "Door Contact Switch/Rotary Latch" was stuck in "active'. The working drivers door would show "active" when the door was open and "not active" when the door was closed. I double checked and this was being triggered from the latch locking/unlocking.
I checked the original latch which I thought was faulty (and turns out was actually okay - damn it) and traced the micro switch triggered by the latch opening and closing back to the socket on the latch. Pins (3 and 4) or (4 and 8) would be open and closed with the latch operating.
I then took the door apart again and located the wires in the loom that matched pins 3, 4 and 8 on the socket. Pin 3 is a blue wire, 4 is a green wire and 8 is a brown wire. I traced these back to the large 20 pin connector that plugs into the controller attached to the window motor. The green wire goes to pin 13, the blue wire to pin 12 and the brown wire to pin 8. I checked the signal at the 20 pin socket and sure enough the pins were correctly registering the opening and closing of the micro switch.
The only thing left is the box of electronics on the window motor. It's not available separately and has to be bought with the motor. I can find a used one for $50 so that's my next task.
Last edited by FiatCoupe; 02-11-2018 at 05:13 PM.
#4
Racer
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The used replacement window motor/control unit arrived on Saturday. I fitted it and the window now behaves perfectly. Part number 997-624-181-06 which looks like this:
#5
Instructor
Hey Gang...
Thanks for all the comments and ideas on what it could be... I have not had the time to open up the door up and look at the inner handle micro switch yet. That said, the last time it was doing the "bouncing" up and down, I leaned over and gave the inside door handle a flick...(week ago) I opened the handle up a little bit and just let it go so it "snapped" against the inside of the door... Since then is has not done the "window bounce" since. My guess it is either an alignment thing like mentioned above, or my micro switch on the window switch assembly is going bad. ;-) I may order one anyways, as its not super expensive... i will open the door and replace the switch assembly and align properly. Just need to wait for some nicer weather as I only have a covered garage. i live in Vancouver Canada and it's actually cold out for a change :-(
will update later once I have completed.
Thanks again!!! Great forum. :-)
John K.
Thanks for all the comments and ideas on what it could be... I have not had the time to open up the door up and look at the inner handle micro switch yet. That said, the last time it was doing the "bouncing" up and down, I leaned over and gave the inside door handle a flick...(week ago) I opened the handle up a little bit and just let it go so it "snapped" against the inside of the door... Since then is has not done the "window bounce" since. My guess it is either an alignment thing like mentioned above, or my micro switch on the window switch assembly is going bad. ;-) I may order one anyways, as its not super expensive... i will open the door and replace the switch assembly and align properly. Just need to wait for some nicer weather as I only have a covered garage. i live in Vancouver Canada and it's actually cold out for a change :-(
will update later once I have completed.
Thanks again!!! Great forum. :-)
John K.