Power Window Woes...PLEASE READ...I'm stumped.

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08-29-2003, 02:29 PM

JohnB

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Power Window Woes...PLEASE READ...I'm stumped.

Couple days ago my pass side power window got stuck down. I took it all apart and tested all the wires going to the motor. They all have power, so I fig the motor is fried. I ordered a new motor from subaruparts.com and when I went to hook it up, it won't work either. There are two wires going to the motor, they both read nothing when the window switch is inactive, but when the switch is pushed, either up or down, they both read +12, no matter what position the switch is in. I'm thinking that I don't have 2 bad window motors, but that this is an electrical problem, w/ wires crossed somewhere else, because I would think that the two wires going to the motor would read differently when the switch is pushed up or down. Like one would be +12 when its up and the other would be 0 and vice versa. If anyone has any ideas on this, or knows how to locate an electrical problem, I could really use some help.

08-29-2003, 04:35 PM

Neaners

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You dont say what type of vehicle this is on .... are you sure that it isnt bound or off track? I have the 02 WRX bible ... it gives wiring schematics and how to go about trouble shooting electrical problems. Let me know if you are interested/need it. Either way, good luck!

~ Janene

08-29-2003, 06:27 PM

JohnB

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Its a 99 2.5rs 2dr. I know its not bound or off track cuz I've got it all taken apart. I think its probably a short or an open circuit, or I've got 2 bad window motors. Man I wish my car had crank windows.

08-29-2003, 06:45 PM

Neaners

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Well I know a few people with RS's and they are extremely knowledgeable with pretty much everything on their car. They may also know something about windows. They may not... Let me hit them up and see if I can find anything out for you and I will let you know...

08-31-2003, 04:58 PM

JohnB

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Well, I examined the driver's side, my motor isn't bad at all. The window motor is supposed to see +12 volts on one wire and +1 volt on the other wire, when being rolled up or down, the direction of the motor is determined by which wire gets +12 and +1. On my pass side, both wires see +12 when the switch is pushed either way. Any ideas on what could cause this. I'm thinking a short somewhere, but how the heck do I find it?

09-01-2003, 11:42 PM

megafrenzy

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Join Date: Aug 2003

Location: Socal

Posts: 4

Car Info: WRX

Sounds more like an open circuit than a short. One wire is a no-connect, so the other wire is connecting to 12V and you are reading 12V on both sides of the motor. If you had a short, you would have blown something, like a fuse.

Now, it you are gettin 12V when you have the switch in both positions, then it sounds like the open circuit is between the switching circuit and input power. Hard to really tell. I am not sure what the switching circuit is (relay, switch or solid state motor driver).

To track it down, disconnect the motor, that way you can tell which line is doing what. Check the 2 wires going to the motor, measure the voltage on both wires with the switch in all 3 positions (up/center/down) – make a little table. Measure the voltage with the voltmeter grounded to the car somewhere on the body.

My guess is you will get 12V on one and nothing on the other. On the one you get nothing on, check resistance/continuity to ground. This will confirm the open circuit.

Then it’s a matter of tracing it back from there.