R33 - How-to Fix The Auto Power Window Relay

[Lazy-Bastard]

Following on from this thread in General Maintenance

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...&hl=window*

My drivers side power window has been playing up for ages and I have been trying to find the root of the problem. It would work most times, then all of a sudden just stop working. If I bashed the door handle and switch surround a couple of times it would sometimes start working again, but also sometimes not. Then it would work again for no apparent reason.

First I thought it was the switch mechanism, so I pulled it apart a couple of times and checked everything, and re-soldered anything that looked dodgy but it never fixed the problem.

I found the culprit to be the relay/switch (mentioned in the thread above)for the auto power window. If I moved the plug connected to the relay around a bit it would start working again. Interestingly though, there was always a ticking coming from the box when you used the window switch, whether it was working or not.

I didn't really have time to look at it properly when I first discovered it, so I cable tied the plug in a position where there was obviously a decent enough contact to get the windows working, and left it at that.

That fix was all working fine for a few months, but the other day I got stuck with the window down and it wasn't going up for love or money, so I was forced to take action.

I have taken some pics that may help others (the quality is crap)...this was the procedure:

Remove door trim -

- FIRST! remove the plastic cap in the armrest well and undo the screw located underneath, that is if it hasn't already been destroyed by some other monkey, in which case there will be a gaping hole where the plastic mount point used to be, so skip this step. Mine came broken

- Then, remove the plastic surround containing the window controls - there is a plastic clip underneath the centre of the surround holding it down so just lift from the outer edges in the middle until it pops out.

- Next, remove the surround from the door lever/lock mechanism as outlined in the pic

- Then, remove the three screws at the bottom of the trim as indicated in the pic and pop the push clips out on either side of the door. Then remove the door trim by lifting out and up from the bottom.

Locate and remove relay -

- Locate the relay to the right of the handle. Remove the plug and two screws holding it in place

Dis-assemble and repair relay -

- Lever the end off the relay with a small screwdriver or other weapon of choice. Pic shows lever points note the care and patience taken

- The relay PCB is just sitting in there on some plastic runners and slides out easily. Remove and check all the soldier joints on the back for anything suspect looking. Mine was pretty obvoius as shown in the pic below

- Re-solder anything that looks dodgy. BEFORE you put it all back together, plug it back in to the loom, connect your window switches and make sure it works. If so, re-assemble the relay and put everything back on in reverse. If it's still not working set the car on fire and call the insurance Co.

Edited November 20, 2006 by Lazy-Bastard

[konect]

So is the relay the plug or part of the actual circuit board?

EDIT: I now see the the circuit board is inside the box. Dont mind me.

Edited November 27, 2006 by konect

[GunMetalR33]

Thanks champ, I the same situation!!!!

[Red Back]

Found some bad solder points in my amplifier as well

Power Window works beautifully again.

Great post - thanks Heaps

Edited December 18, 2006 by Red Back

[jim80]

I dont even have a relay :?

[randyhee]

Hi.

I have a simular problem with the drivers side window.

What I found was a variety of problems.

Located the relay controller and resoldered 5 or so fractured solderjoints.

Just for the record, a fractured solderjoint is a fracture around a leg typically associated with mechanical vibration.

I am only saying this to make people aware that the fracture appears as a hairline crack, sometimes hard to see around typically the 2 relays as in my case.

Resoldered all connections to both relays.

Needless to say, the window failed to operate. (stuck in the raised position)

Next approach was to locate the power wires to the actual motor, seperate the plug and apply power directly to the motor.

The motor "ticked" and got hot.

This could indicate 2 problems.

1) motor stuffed and/or 2) regulator mechanism jammed.

My problem at this time is to remove the window regulator which requires the window to be in the lower position.

No motor, no operation. Pain in the butt.

Before I attempt this repair, I will want a replacement motor in hand because if i'm going to all this trouble, I will fix/replace it before reassembly.

Now, does anybody know where I can get a motor only. I don't want to purchase a complete regulator assembly.

Pending on price, the motor can be rebuilt and rewired which I will look into once I have it out of the car.

James

[PHATR32]

shit, i wish i saw this last week. i had the same problems on my r32!

good work work either way

[Pauly33GTS-t]

My relays arent located there, I have a series 2, help!?

[jjjDavey]

my window didn't work when the car was purchased.. i resoldered a few joints which fixed the problem.. a few weeks ago it stopped working again so I noticed a few more dodgy solders.. (probably mine).. i fixed these but recently i have noticed i have to hold the switch for a few seconds and press a few times before the window will go up.. going down is fine but up was delayed...

today when the window was about 1/3 of the way up it got really sluggish and stopped.. it went back down i tried again and it got stuck again.. now its stuck in the down position. I checked the solders, this time they seem fine so I'm thinking its the motor..

does anyone know if the relay contacts move, would this indicate that the relay is fine and its the motor? or can the contacts move and still be the cause of the problem?

cheers!

[GunMetalR33]

does anyone know if the relay contacts move, would this indicate that the relay is fine and its the motor? or can the contacts move and still be the cause of the problem?

cheers!

The relay should work regardless of the dodgy soldering in the black box. I can hear my relay tick over and the window does not work due to those bad soldering points. As for it getting slow and stuck, your motor is either on its way out, OR you need to apply some dry lube to the runners to stop the friction. Otherwise if you keep it the way it is the motor will eventually burn out anyway.

[jjjDavey]

the window is stuck down at the moment, but im trying to figure out if its the relay or the motor..

does anyone know how to diagnose the problem

[GunMetalR33]

Can you hear a clicking noise when you push the window button? The clicking noise is the sound of the relay closing, if you can hear that then the relay should be OK.

The way the you described the window motion as being sluggish leads me to believe that the motor has burned out. If it was the relay I think it would have simply stopped and not slowed first.

[jjjDavey]

yeh thanks..thats what i was thinking.. i have the relay taken out of the box and when i move the button i can see the contacts are moving up and down so i guess they are fine.

any ideas how to get the window up so i can use the car? seems impossible to manually move it..

[GunMetalR33]

Sorry mate, never had to do it before...

It should become clear once you attempt to get the burned motor out.

It might be the case that your motor actually burned out due to the window pane ceasing in the runners. Which would explain why you cant manually move it

[jjjDavey]

ah i see.. i will check it out.. thanks

[ddillon]

Thanks for the info, my window would work one moment and not the next. could give it a thump sometimes and then it would work for a while.

anyway, had two dry spots at the back of the PCB, who knew lerning to mod x-boxs would come in handy. so solderd them and away it went.

[Devils_Advocate21]

Oh i need to mention that clicking noise if its stuck in the down position is the actual window motor burning out as i found out the hard way so carefull of that esp when the relay is playing tricks cheers

[partyboy73]

This is gold!! I went 10 months with an on/off window which then was just off (thankfully up!) and after reading this I spent just half hour getting the relay out and soldering it and BAM!! I have my window back! Nice one dude

[-Dukes-]

Argh, I wish I found this sooner

I went to the wreckers and bought another one for $100... lol.

I've still got the old one so I might fix that and sell it,

Thanks, great tutorial!

[H@ME]

yeaha my power window motor seems to be gone i can hear the relay but the motor was maing a loud eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr sound, but that has now stopped i guessing it burnt out...hmph