Did my car have a stroke?! :(
Did my car have a stroke?! :( Ok, so here's my story. I had my car at the body shop, a body shop I already despised for various reasons. When I got my car back, the right window would go down fine, but wouldn't go back up.
After calling them up, pissed off, I thought maybe it was the window motor, or somthing like that. But then, for no reason, after random attempts here and there, I was able to roll it back up.
I went away to college.
I came back months later and took the car out.
I then rolled my window back down, thinking that maybe it would be fine and I just had a once in a lifetime glitch. I was wrong unfortunately and the window would not go back up.
So now I adjust my seat and try to adjust the mirrors accordingly. I switch the switch over to the left for the left mirror and to my dismay, found that the mirror would only move left, but not right. I then tried to adjust the right mirror and found that on this side, I could also only move the mirror left, but not right.
So basically the right window will go down, but wont go back up, unless you wait and try at random times. And the 'Right' adjust will not work on either mirror, ever.
Now I am confused and depressed cause I have no clue what the hell is going on with this car.
Is it a short? Did the bodyshop screw up some wiring? Please help.
Thanks, Ry
After calling them up, pissed off, I thought maybe it was the window motor, or somthing like that. But then, for no reason, after random attempts here and there, I was able to roll it back up.
I went away to college.
I came back months later and took the car out.
I then rolled my window back down, thinking that maybe it would be fine and I just had a once in a lifetime glitch. I was wrong unfortunately and the window would not go back up.
So now I adjust my seat and try to adjust the mirrors accordingly. I switch the switch over to the left for the left mirror and to my dismay, found that the mirror would only move left, but not right. I then tried to adjust the right mirror and found that on this side, I could also only move the mirror left, but not right.
So basically the right window will go down, but wont go back up, unless you wait and try at random times. And the 'Right' adjust will not work on either mirror, ever.
Now I am confused and depressed cause I have no clue what the hell is going on with this car.
Is it a short? Did the bodyshop screw up some wiring? Please help.
Thanks, Ry
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 3
From: Champaign/Chicagoland
hmm...first thought was BCM until you mentioned the mirror never moving a certain direction (IDK if that's on BCM..and if it is, you said it always moves left though) -- can you hear the mirror motor trying to work at all?
Does your radio work fine when the window is having problems?
Does your radio work fine when the window is having problems?
Originally Posted by fredmr39
hmm...first thought was BCM until you mentioned the mirror never moving a certain direction (IDK if that's on BCM..and if it is, you said it always moves left though) -- can you hear the mirror motor trying to work at all?
Does your radio work fine when the window is having problems?
Does your radio work fine when the window is having problems?
Originally Posted by renxwar
What kind of body work was it? Anything involving welding?
I am pretty sure it wasn't. It was the second time around actually. I was rear-ended and they "fixed" it, but did a horrible job, so I had the new body shop manager fix the crap job they did the first time around. I am pretty sure it was just a bunch of re-adjusting and tightening of the bumper, hood, and body panels etc. I'm not completely sure though what they did.
The first time though, they must have done some welding, the accident was quite large.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,330
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Don't go running off half-cocked. The mirror has absolutely nothing solid state that could be damaged by welding. It's a simple power-switch-motor-ground circuit.
I would guess that the mirror switch is the problem since it's unlikely that both mirror motors went out in exactly the same way. The window problem could be the window motor (quite common in our cars) or the switch in the driver's door. I would suspect the switch because I have a suspicion that both switches got full of dust while at the body shop. Try taking some compressed air to them or even pulling them out and spraying them with contact cleaner from Radio Shack. I think you'll find that will solve the problem for very little cost.
I would guess that the mirror switch is the problem since it's unlikely that both mirror motors went out in exactly the same way. The window problem could be the window motor (quite common in our cars) or the switch in the driver's door. I would suspect the switch because I have a suspicion that both switches got full of dust while at the body shop. Try taking some compressed air to them or even pulling them out and spraying them with contact cleaner from Radio Shack. I think you'll find that will solve the problem for very little cost.
Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
Don't go running off half-cocked. The mirror has absolutely nothing solid state that could be damaged by welding. It's a simple power-switch-motor-ground circuit.
I would guess that the mirror switch is the problem since it's unlikely that both mirror motors went out in exactly the same way. The window problem could be the window motor (quite common in our cars) or the switch in the driver's door. I would suspect the switch because I have a suspicion that both switches got full of dust while at the body shop. Try taking some compressed air to them or even pulling them out and spraying them with contact cleaner from Radio Shack. I think you'll find that will solve the problem for very little cost.
I would guess that the mirror switch is the problem since it's unlikely that both mirror motors went out in exactly the same way. The window problem could be the window motor (quite common in our cars) or the switch in the driver's door. I would suspect the switch because I have a suspicion that both switches got full of dust while at the body shop. Try taking some compressed air to them or even pulling them out and spraying them with contact cleaner from Radio Shack. I think you'll find that will solve the problem for very little cost.
I do like to blame the bodyshop for everything though, lol. What should have been a month of hell from the accident they somehow turned into a year and a half. I also suspect that I will run across something else in the future too. (I plan to have my frame and **** looked at by an independant bodyshop) I don't trust them at all. They have terrible customer service and terrible employees. I'd probably blame them for the fact my car isn't 500hp just because of the fact that I despise them. lol.
But yea, if that doesn't work, I will be back.
Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
Don't go running off half-cocked. The mirror has absolutely nothing solid state that could be damaged by welding. It's a simple power-switch-motor-ground circuit.
I would guess that the mirror switch is the problem since it's unlikely that both mirror motors went out in exactly the same way. The window problem could be the window motor (quite common in our cars) or the switch in the driver's door. I would suspect the switch because I have a suspicion that both switches got full of dust while at the body shop. Try taking some compressed air to them or even pulling them out and spraying them with contact cleaner from Radio Shack. I think you'll find that will solve the problem for very little cost.
I would guess that the mirror switch is the problem since it's unlikely that both mirror motors went out in exactly the same way. The window problem could be the window motor (quite common in our cars) or the switch in the driver's door. I would suspect the switch because I have a suspicion that both switches got full of dust while at the body shop. Try taking some compressed air to them or even pulling them out and spraying them with contact cleaner from Radio Shack. I think you'll find that will solve the problem for very little cost.
Ok, I haven't cleaned out the switches yet, but I don't think it is just dust in there. I forgot to mention that the passenger side switch also will not bring the window up, only down. So it has to be somthing else..
(I also had to push/adjust my mirror by hand so I could see, I hope that didnt cause any damage)
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,330
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
I hadn't given this much thought hoping you'd find something simple that would solve the problem. But re-reading it now triggered something in my memory of a similar problem. It turns out that the key may be that the passenger window switch will put the window down but not up. The passenger switch is directly wired for the down side but is wired through the driver's switch for ground when the up side of the switch is pressed. If the driver's switch is damaged, it's quite possible to cause the passenger switch to malfunction exactly as you describe. Use a test light to test for ground on the tan wire at the passenger switch (without actually using the switch). If there's no ground then there's a good chance that the driver's switch needs to be replaced (either that or the wiring in between is damaged). Good news - the switch is only about $16 at the dealer.
Alright, I will definately give that a try. Does this problem have anything to do with the mirrors? Or do you think that's a seperate issue?
Oh and where can I pick up a test light? Do they sell these at auto stores?
Oh and where can I pick up a test light? Do they sell these at auto stores?
Last edited by DBeck; Jun 16, 2007 at 02:21 PM.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,330
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The mirror would be a separate problem. It may be that switch is bad as well. Test lights are available at any auto parts store - NAPA often has them in their $3.99 miscellaneous items bin near the checkout.
I bet $10 your mirror problem is that the mirror/glass itself is not seated properly. They just snap in and if anyone pushed it (like the body guys cleaning the car) one side (of the cross that mounts it) could have popped out allowing it to only move one way.
Check to see if they are snapped in properly.
The window thing is because the motor is dying. Sorry but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that a dying motor will be able to easily roll the window DOWN (gravity) but overheat (fail) trying to get it to go back up...
Check to see if they are snapped in properly.
The window thing is because the motor is dying. Sorry but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that a dying motor will be able to easily roll the window DOWN (gravity) but overheat (fail) trying to get it to go back up...