Power windows

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skillz2k5

Senior Member
I have a 96 ex... and my power windows stopped working @#$@$!!! Any how let me give some back ground on it before I ask... It all started when I reluctantly took my car to a shop to have a clutch replaced... ever since then my cruise control doesnt work (not a vaccum problem) and my power windows started to go out. It used to be that the windows would go up and down SOMETIMES and now they finally just died. Both driver and passenger side switches tested good. The relay is good from what we can tell (took the relay out and checked all the solder points under the cap). I can get the windows to go up and down by running 12v and ground to the pins on the harness that connect to the window switches so obviously the motors are good. There is just no power getting to the door wiring harness for whatever reason (yes I checked the fuses). So does anyone know what could cause this and a possible fix?? Also is there anyway (good way) to wire in switches and run the power wires myself from another source. Keep in mind that the polarity of the wires on the switches have to be reversed to change the direction of the window motors.
 
Im no expert, but maybe a wire or something has a break between the relay/switch and source. And if you dont mind me asking, where do the 3 wires of the power lock switch on the EX go? Lock, unlock, and positive? Let me know. Thanks.
 
No break in the wire... if it was a short then the windows would probably have continued to work off and on... I think... what's the best for sure way for testing a break in a wire??
 
if your switch is good, and your motor is good, and your fuse is good, then it is your wiring, sometimes on rare accasions the wire could be bad, have you checked every bit of wire, not just look at it but feel every bit of it too, take a real good look. thats the only thing i can think of other than its not getting power, so maybe check your relays.
good luck.
 
hook them up to a 12v power source?

And what, check for sparks?! No!

You can get a digital voltmeter for around $15. It will come with simple instructions on how to use it. Best investment of your life.

Use it to test if there's power in the wires when you hold the switch down. Also use it to verify continuity across fuses and relays. How did you test the switch w/out a voltmeter? Fuses, relays, switches etc can look like they're still good but if they don't have continuity when they should, they're bad.
 
Does someone that knows how to read care to reply on this????? I HAVE a volt meter... I HAVE checked the switches. There is no power getting to the window wiring harness otherwise I wouldn't have stated I could run ground and 12v to the correct pins to get the windows up and down... why would I do this if it already had power. Thanks for the "help" but please read MY post before post.
 
well if you checked all wires and know you don't get power, find out where the power wire is connected, it could be loose somewhere.
 
Yeah alot easier than it sounds... 30 wires... 10 feet long... between a door pannel, a fender, and a dash that's going to take a while. Any other suggestions on an EASY WAY FOR TESTING SHORTS?
 
hey, don't get testy with me, i was just giving advice, thats what you asked for, besides, you've done the easy stuff, like checking the voltage stuff and that main mechanical stuff, time to move on to things that may take your precious time, sorry, but thats just facts.

look, we know your not getting power, right? and you know for sure that all the motors and switches work, right? and your know that the fuse for this is good, right? the only thing that i can think of is it's either a relay, which could burn out over time, possible yes, or somethings not connected. honestly checking wires, yes, is going to be a pain, but what other option do you really have? better safe to know the wires are good than to assume they are. good luck bud!
~Ryan
 
I wasn't trying to be a dick here or anything but half of these people sound like they didn't bother to read my first post before they wrote a reply... yes I know it's going to be a pain in the ass, that's why I posted this up before I started going through a bunch of wires and wiring diagrams. Honda's do tend to have the same problems from gen to gen so just thought someone may have had the same problem.
 
I Totally understand, and i comend you that your willing to ask, most don't and assume they can tackle it flawlessly. basically, your at the spot where it seams like you knew you had to do this but was looking for another possible route, but unfourtunetly( bad spelling sorry) you don't have another path to follow. let us know how it goes.

i'm just shooting this out there, did you check both fuse boxes? i'm sure you did, but double checking myself.

~Ryan
 
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Yeah I double checked both boxes like 902349031243 times lol cause I was REALLY pissed off... you dont realize how much your windows do for you untill you go through a drive through or deliver pizza on a 102 degree day with no a/c!! I have tomorrow off and will be ripping the door pannels off once again to go through it all. Thanks for all the replies and I will probably have some more questions very soon LOL.
 
If you have a good meter, just put it on audible ohm, and start ohming out wires on both sides of the harnesses... Either that, or put one lead on a ground, and tap the other to the wires... if too many audibly ohm out, you have a ground out short.

But I doubt it, because it would be popping fuses. What happens if you put your meter on the harness going to the motor while pulling the switch? Are you getting voltage? Your switch could be going bad. I've seen that before...


And FYI when starting to scream... Seperate your paragraphs... It makes it easier to read... Maybe thats why people didn't understand you as much.
 
ScrapinSi said:
And FYI when starting to scream... Seperate your paragraphs... It makes it easier to read... Maybe thats why people didn't understand you as much.

Sorry didn't know I had to be that anal about everything for you to understand. Once again dont bother to reply if you are going to suggest something that has a) already been done or b) something that has been suggested. Admin plz delete thread...
 
check for a break between the door and chassis in the loom they break wires there all the time. because the door opens and closes alot
 
Obvious but good suggestion... finally getting some where. So should I just rip the loom off and tape it back up later or what is the best way to go about this... dont want to be spending money for another huge gauge of loom.
 
Take your meter and probe the wires on both sides of the door. That is the easiest way to do it, even though it is a pain.

How did you test the window switches?
 
We pulled up on the switch (put in it's on position) and tested the power wires running to the motor from the switch. There is also no power getting into that particular part of the doors harness. The power door locks have the correct amount of voltage but am guessing that the door locks are in no way connected to the windows. The relay is 100% for sure working as we took the cap off and watched it open and close, which points to this being a short but I guess I was hoping there was some other thing that could be checked first. At this point I have checked both the doors for a break in any wires and have found nothing.
 
pull loom off and then retape loom back on once wires are fixed and make sure to pull the wires from the body to the door and from the door to the body. you will see the break if you take the loom off

much easier to take off fender and then fix
 
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