pmansson
Well-Known Member
Yesterday and more so today, this kept popping out, which cuts the operation of the electric windows. OK, I´ve been doing 4 hrs a day on the road, but this is no excuse.
Any clues....?
Any clues....?
red fuse? for electric windows (under dasboard)
- Thread starter pmansson
- Start date
steve in reno
Well-Known Member
Resettable fuse links loose their ability to stay on for several reasons.
Age,
bad or loose connections, (power and ground)
or shorts.
Check all with multimeter while operating windows and replace if no fault can be found. Obviously, repair any problems found in wiring.
A fire can result if continuous resetting used where electrical problem exists. They are a safety item.
HTH
steve
Age,
bad or loose connections, (power and ground)
or shorts.
Check all with multimeter while operating windows and replace if no fault can be found. Obviously, repair any problems found in wiring.
A fire can result if continuous resetting used where electrical problem exists. They are a safety item.
HTH
steve
pmansson
Well-Known Member
I pulled out the bracket holding the fuse, and contacts at this end are perfect. With the ignition off, it just keeps popping out immediately. It won´t stay in place for a second. Does this point towards a faulty fuse switch rather than bad or loose connections?
If so, while waiting for a new one, is there an emergency trick to enable me to operate the windows?
If so, while waiting for a new one, is there an emergency trick to enable me to operate the windows?
steve in reno
Well-Known Member
Check more than just the trip switch. Check window motors and wiring to motor. A short anywhere in the system will cause tripping.
Does this only happen to one side or to both?
The trip switch is doing its job correctly. Do not bypass this without making very sure that everything else is correct.
Only then use a in-line fuse, correct amperage, to hook up. If it blows the in-line fuse, stop and do a better search because it is not a trip switch fault.
If in-line fuse does not blow, the trip switch is probably at fault. They do go bad with age.
Keep fire extinguisher handy!
steve
Does this only happen to one side or to both?
The trip switch is doing its job correctly. Do not bypass this without making very sure that everything else is correct.
Only then use a in-line fuse, correct amperage, to hook up. If it blows the in-line fuse, stop and do a better search because it is not a trip switch fault.
If in-line fuse does not blow, the trip switch is probably at fault. They do go bad with age.
Keep fire extinguisher handy!
steve
My windows circuits get 12V after the ignition switch.
If the trip switch pops out with the ignition off then it is unrelated to
current flow and it is probably a mechanical failure of the trip switch.
If the trip switch pops out with the ignition off then it is unrelated to
current flow and it is probably a mechanical failure of the trip switch.
pmansson
Well-Known Member
My early cars don´t have this switch, and like yours, give12 V straight to the window motors. I have ordered a new one from W&N.
Any way of fixing the problem while awaiting the new part?
I need to wash my car, and the window is open.
Yes Murray and other experts (me included), I won´t use much water above the waistline, but the car is exceedingly dusty after 500 miles over the weekend partly on gravel roads. I have hundreds of flies, butterflies, wasps and mosquitors stuck everywhere. I tried a new? Sonax product which after 4-5 minutes of action lets me wipe off 95% of them. High pressure water will remove those squished in inaccessible areas.
Any way of fixing the problem while awaiting the new part?
I need to wash my car, and the window is open.
Yes Murray and other experts (me included), I won´t use much water above the waistline, but the car is exceedingly dusty after 500 miles over the weekend partly on gravel roads. I have hundreds of flies, butterflies, wasps and mosquitors stuck everywhere. I tried a new? Sonax product which after 4-5 minutes of action lets me wipe off 95% of them. High pressure water will remove those squished in inaccessible areas.
I think you can carefully bypass the trip switch. The trip switches AFAIK are there to take care of current overload due to obstruction (either by problems in the regulator/gear or by somebody or something impeding the window motion).
In the absence of that switch when the motor can't move at all it draws maximal current and the window switches usually take the brunt of that current (develop carbon deposits and heat up). Usually the amount of time that happens is limited by the driver releasing the window switch if there is no motion.
The trip switch popping with no ignition does not affect the chances that you may have a short between the trip switch and ground. A quick continuity check with an ohmmeter can confirm that. If you have no
multimeter try a 12 volt light bulb across the trip switch and turn the ignition ON. Light means a short.
If you don't trust me you can open the round plastic thingy on your door trim and raise the window manually.
In the absence of that switch when the motor can't move at all it draws maximal current and the window switches usually take the brunt of that current (develop carbon deposits and heat up). Usually the amount of time that happens is limited by the driver releasing the window switch if there is no motion.
The trip switch popping with no ignition does not affect the chances that you may have a short between the trip switch and ground. A quick continuity check with an ohmmeter can confirm that. If you have no
multimeter try a 12 volt light bulb across the trip switch and turn the ignition ON. Light means a short.
If you don't trust me you can open the round plastic thingy on your door trim and raise the window manually.
jhjacobs
Well-Known Member
Steve is absolutely right about breakers, they are only good for so many trip cycles and they also just get old.
As a long term fix you might consider taking out the breakers and replace them with in-line self reseting circuit breakers. These are available at most auto parts stores. I am using 30A reset-ables on my windows (20A wasn't enough).
http://dukesaw.com/showproduct.aspx?productid=277
These aren't a bad idea even in conjunction with the original circuit breakers.
As a long term fix you might consider taking out the breakers and replace them with in-line self reseting circuit breakers. These are available at most auto parts stores. I am using 30A reset-ables on my windows (20A wasn't enough).
http://dukesaw.com/showproduct.aspx?productid=277
These aren't a bad idea even in conjunction with the original circuit breakers.
pmansson
Well-Known Member
Final explanation
Thanks again to those who willingly share their expertize both on this board and via private messages.
I did not suspect a short around the motors or in the doors, as I had thoroughly serviced the doors last year. Instead, I took off the centre (gear lever) console, took off all the switches from the contacts and put one back at a time. The rear ones play a vital part here as they work in tandem with the rear switches up front.
Rather than one switch being faulty, it was a question of the wires being squished on the rear, right switch (under the console). My car has an odd wiring in that the main power, and ground attaches to this particular switch and is then led onto the other switches, who are also interconnected in various ways. It´s a Euro 1974 car.
Furthermore, the 6+ wires enter the switch/contact from the right side, which creates a list of the contact as it tries to create enough space. With the switch and console in place the switch is not flat on the alu frame which makes me push it flat when driving. This pushing and squishing created the short, although no bare wires have been touching.
I will now try and swap the contact/switch around as there is more space on the left side of the contact. This will mean that the switch will work in the opposite direction but I can live with that.
Right now the 4 switches are hanging free (and working properly) as the console remains in the boot until I have the gearbox changed early September. I will install the gearlever and mechanism from the (manual) X5 which is very firm and much shorter in its movements.
The resettable safety fuse was not faulty!
Thanks again to those who willingly share their expertize both on this board and via private messages.
I did not suspect a short around the motors or in the doors, as I had thoroughly serviced the doors last year. Instead, I took off the centre (gear lever) console, took off all the switches from the contacts and put one back at a time. The rear ones play a vital part here as they work in tandem with the rear switches up front.
Rather than one switch being faulty, it was a question of the wires being squished on the rear, right switch (under the console). My car has an odd wiring in that the main power, and ground attaches to this particular switch and is then led onto the other switches, who are also interconnected in various ways. It´s a Euro 1974 car.
Furthermore, the 6+ wires enter the switch/contact from the right side, which creates a list of the contact as it tries to create enough space. With the switch and console in place the switch is not flat on the alu frame which makes me push it flat when driving. This pushing and squishing created the short, although no bare wires have been touching.
I will now try and swap the contact/switch around as there is more space on the left side of the contact. This will mean that the switch will work in the opposite direction but I can live with that.
Right now the 4 switches are hanging free (and working properly) as the console remains in the boot until I have the gearbox changed early September. I will install the gearlever and mechanism from the (manual) X5 which is very firm and much shorter in its movements.
The resettable safety fuse was not faulty!