XPLORERnyc
New Member
- Joined
- December 26, 2012
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- NY, NY
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2003 XLT
Hi...
I want to start out by saying these posts and threads have saved me a lot of money in costly repairs. From basic troubleshooting to indepth explanation, the information I have received from this site is invaluable.
Now for the power windows... one day out of no where, all 4 windows stopped working. None of the switches worked, and none of the switches were illuminated either. I checked this site and found out the wires that run from the body to the door are the #1 reason for the windows to stop working like that.
I was apprehensive about taking this task on, but found a great explanation to removing the door panel here:
http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/Enormandie/2010-10-13_003801_doortrim.pdf
After i took the panel off, I had to find a way to get the rubber "boot" off so I could check the wires. This was a task onto itself. I ended up pulling the boot out from the body side, and pulling the entire boot through the actual opening in the door side. this was not easy, but I very carefully did it, and this gave me great access to the wires.
Upon my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd inspection of the wires in between the door and the body, I found nothing (this took me a total of about 1 hour, with breaks in between because I was at work). No broken wires, no brittle or frayed wires, no black marks from arching, nothing. Surprisingly the wires had no significant markings on them at all. They looked brand new. But since I went through all the trouble of removing the door panel and getting to this point, I just had to check 1 more time.
On my 4th inspection, I did find the blue wire with the black stripe broken under some black electrical tape. The wire seemed to have been either over extended or flexed so many times it just snapped. I was surprised to see the break was so clean, as if cut with wire cutters. No arching, only a really clean cut right under the electrical tape.
so heres some advice if you are experiencing this same problem.
1. Check the assigned relays and fuses. You can get that information from your manual or research online for the relay and fuse locations for the power windows on your specific vehicle. Chances are if they all stopped working at once it could be a relay or fuse, check them just to be sure.
2. If your relays and fuses are ok, then you should have power at the main switch. Check the wire harness at the switch for power. Due this with an electrical tester just to make sure its not the switch, before you take on the harder task of checking for damaged wires. If the relays and fuses are ok, and you have no power at the switch, get ready to check for a broken wire.
3. Follow the link to remove the door panel, pull back the boot through the door opening, and CAREFULLY inspect the wires. Use a flashlight if you have to, thoroughly check each wire. Slowly pull at each wire because it may be broken inside the plastic but not all the way seperated. Give yourself ample time to inspect the wires. Lay a mat or cardboard on the floor so your concentrating on the wires and not your knees hurting from being on the floor for a long period of time.
The space to work on this is limited and the position is un-comfortable. If you do not find the wire in your initial inspection, double, triple, and in my case quadruple check to make sure you do not have any broken wires.
I was able to complete this in about 2 hours and the problem was solved, all the windows function properly. It cost me about $7 for the needed material (some 12 guage wire and the crimp style connectors and electrical tape)
Good Luck.
I want to start out by saying these posts and threads have saved me a lot of money in costly repairs. From basic troubleshooting to indepth explanation, the information I have received from this site is invaluable.
Now for the power windows... one day out of no where, all 4 windows stopped working. None of the switches worked, and none of the switches were illuminated either. I checked this site and found out the wires that run from the body to the door are the #1 reason for the windows to stop working like that.
I was apprehensive about taking this task on, but found a great explanation to removing the door panel here:
http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/Enormandie/2010-10-13_003801_doortrim.pdf
After i took the panel off, I had to find a way to get the rubber "boot" off so I could check the wires. This was a task onto itself. I ended up pulling the boot out from the body side, and pulling the entire boot through the actual opening in the door side. this was not easy, but I very carefully did it, and this gave me great access to the wires.
Upon my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd inspection of the wires in between the door and the body, I found nothing (this took me a total of about 1 hour, with breaks in between because I was at work). No broken wires, no brittle or frayed wires, no black marks from arching, nothing. Surprisingly the wires had no significant markings on them at all. They looked brand new. But since I went through all the trouble of removing the door panel and getting to this point, I just had to check 1 more time.
On my 4th inspection, I did find the blue wire with the black stripe broken under some black electrical tape. The wire seemed to have been either over extended or flexed so many times it just snapped. I was surprised to see the break was so clean, as if cut with wire cutters. No arching, only a really clean cut right under the electrical tape.
so heres some advice if you are experiencing this same problem.
1. Check the assigned relays and fuses. You can get that information from your manual or research online for the relay and fuse locations for the power windows on your specific vehicle. Chances are if they all stopped working at once it could be a relay or fuse, check them just to be sure.
2. If your relays and fuses are ok, then you should have power at the main switch. Check the wire harness at the switch for power. Due this with an electrical tester just to make sure its not the switch, before you take on the harder task of checking for damaged wires. If the relays and fuses are ok, and you have no power at the switch, get ready to check for a broken wire.
3. Follow the link to remove the door panel, pull back the boot through the door opening, and CAREFULLY inspect the wires. Use a flashlight if you have to, thoroughly check each wire. Slowly pull at each wire because it may be broken inside the plastic but not all the way seperated. Give yourself ample time to inspect the wires. Lay a mat or cardboard on the floor so your concentrating on the wires and not your knees hurting from being on the floor for a long period of time.
The space to work on this is limited and the position is un-comfortable. If you do not find the wire in your initial inspection, double, triple, and in my case quadruple check to make sure you do not have any broken wires.
I was able to complete this in about 2 hours and the problem was solved, all the windows function properly. It cost me about $7 for the needed material (some 12 guage wire and the crimp style connectors and electrical tape)
Good Luck.
