Power Window broken. How Much Voltage is Normal from the Power Window Plug? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Power Window broken. How Much Voltage is Normal from the Power Window Plug?

Indispensable Explorer

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December 30, 2016
Messages
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City, State
Tennessee
Year, Model & Trim Level
1995 Explorer XLT
Hello everyone
I am diagnosing an issue with my left rear power window. This is the only window that does not operate (although the bushings need to be replaced in the RR door). Power door lock and the speaker still work.

Issue: Window does not operate up or down, no motor sounds. The power at the motor plug shows it is outputting .01 volts

I have checked:
1. Both the master switch and the door switch operate (.01 volts when either switch is operated)
2. The motor works
3. No broken wires from the body to the LR door. A few of the wire sheaths seem to have a small discolored spot (less than a mm). This could be a burned spot but no bare wire is visible.
4. Power from the P.W. plug, but only .01 volts is coming through the wires (with switch on).

I can't think of anything else it could be considering that only one of the windows has this issue. Perhaps a wire is partially broken that I can't see? Or is the .01 V normal?

Thanks for your consideration.
 



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Look n the driver door boot for broken wires this is it. 99% of the time
 






Look n the driver door boot for broken wires this is it. 99% of the time
Thanks for the reply,
I found an orange wire in the boot that was broken and connected the ends, unfortunately the power to the motor remains the same. I did find out why my passenger mirror only worked on one axis... So that's good.
Any other ideas or am I stuck with paying a mechanic?
Thanks again.
 






Is there a relay under the steering column?

Did you find this?
 






Lets check you have good wiring and no broken window switches:

Check your wiring by starting with the plug that connects to the RR window motor inside the RR door, according to the wiring diagram, the plugs two wires should be "brown", and "brown/yellow".
Using a DVM set to "continuity" to make a beep sound, verify each wire in the plug that they are to "ground" by connecting the DVM to the wires in the window motor plug, you should hear a beep sound from the DVM as soon as you touch the DVM leads to the wires in the window motor plug. If you have established you have good ground through the wires in the plug, then switch your DVM to the 12v scale, then press the switch for that window (up or down direction) and watch the voltage reading on DVM, you will get either a "-12v" or a "+12v" on your DVM from wires at the plug,.
Note: do not connect your DVM ground to the vehicle chassis ground, it must be through the wires at the connector plug to the window motor.

The above instructions do three things:
1) verify that you have proper grounding
2) verify that the switch is working properly
3) confirms no wires are broken

NOTE: Window motor direction is changed by changing the polarity to the widow motor at the window switches.

I hope my above instructions are clear and concise and not too confusing, if you have any questions do no hesitate to ask.
 












"Using a DVM set to "continuity"

Are you not reading VOLTAGE?

The only time voltage should be measured in the window motor plug in the door is when a window switch is pushed to make the window go up, or down. When the voltage is measured, one wire will be ground (-), and the other wire will be positive (+) when the corresponding window button is pushed, the voltage will be reversed when the window button is pushed the other way. When the window buttons are at rest and not being pushed down, both wires in the window motor plug should have continuity to GROUND (-).
 






Check the power wire at either the LR door switch, or also the same wire at the master switch. That wire is red/blue, and runs to all of the passenger PW switches. That wire should test as 12v, just like the master power wire which is blue/black. The red/blue wire is fed by the master switch, that long switch on it disables that one wire.

All window motor wires are grounded at all times, except when a window switch is pressed. The switches flip two things, they disconnect one PW wire from the ground path, and connects the power wire to that motor wire(going to the motor).

The most fragile parts are the switches, the window motor plastic gear parts, and the LF door jamb wiring.
 






What I do to test a window motor is to first run 12V and ground directly to the offending motor. There is a plug behind each interior door trim panel. On the motor side there is a red and a yellow wire. Using a 12V power source (your trucks battery, or even a batter charger will work) hook up power and ground to the red and the yellow wires. Hooked up one way will make the motor move UP and reversing the polarity/wires will make it the motor move DOWN. If your window motor moves the window UP/DOWN your problem is not the window motor. Wiring or the master window switch is likely where your issue is.
 






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