Electric Window GREMLINS ...... Please Help

[Andy 944]

Folks - I loath electrics, advice please

Square Dash 944 is I believe burning out window switches.

Had a fault last year, windows would fail, individualy, would go down but not go back up. I replaced faulty switch but it happened again.

I had all the block connectors replaced in the doors and 'A' pillar as they appeared corroded, again replaced switches.

Guess what happened last night, car is now parked in garage with drivers window down. Tried replacing with the other units in the car, now I have NO working windows AAAARGH [:'(] []

Now having slept on it-

1/ Should the windows work with ignition OFF? Mine does, is that a fault?
2/ If I leave the car for two weeks or more, the battery drains and I've not been able to locate the problem - is that linked to point 1.
3/ To avoid battery drain I plug in an optimate.

Anybody got spare 924/944 switches for sale?

Look forward to your replies

 

[Eldavo]

Windows should only work with the ignition off IF the door is physically open.

 

[Monkeythree]

I had similar issues recently and had also been suffering from a battery drain which I couldn't find. After some excellent advice from this forum I traced it to the contacts on the door switches - the ones in the door shut which switch when the door is opened or closed.

When the door is open, the switch is supposed to be closed (earthed out) but mine wasn't earthing cleanly. The problem with that is that this switch is linked into the power window relay which didn't know whether it was coming or going so unbeknown to me was clicking away merriliy until the battery eventually died.

So my suggestion is to start by removing both of the door switches and cleaning up the contacts so that you get a really good earth on the switch when the door is opened. Be careful not to drop the wire back into the A pillar when you pull the connection off the switch!

 

[Frenchy]

Good advice there ^^^^^ if that does not sort make sure that the windows and motors are not binding and causing too much current draw.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: Monkeythree
Be careful not to drop the wire back into the A pillar when you pull the connection off the switch!

Now he tells me ![]

My elec windows were wired through an alarm . Once I had removed all the additional alarm wiring my windows were a lot faster and the battery drain dissapeared too

 

[Andy 944]

Think I have found the problem - by accident

Whilst playing with the fuse box, checking for corrosion and replacing fuses I touched a relay in the footwell mounted near heater matrix, it was red hot.

Turns out it was the window relay, took it apart to find great deal of corrosion from water ingress. Hoping that this is the cause of battery drain by constantly powering the windows up and burning out the switches.

When I got the car, water and sludge had filled the battery box as drain flap was blocked giving me a damp passenger carpet, believing water had entered the heater vent in the bulkhead and I know now also got into the relay.

So fingers crossed, relay and switches all replaced, time will tell.

Thanks for your advice

 

[gothatway]

There are another two relays in that area - the one for the sunroof/radio and the one for the foglights. Worth bearing in mind if you have problems with those components !