[lightevergreenfrost]

So my girlfriend calls today to tell me that her window, locks, or power mirrors are not working. I told her to check the other doors, they don't work either. I checked all the fuses (by all, I mean everyone the car has) and they are all good. I checked those with a meter and they are getting continuity.

Any ideas??? She keeps saying that she will call her dad so he can pay to get it fixed. I really don't want her to do that.

 

[lightevergreenfrost]

Oh, yeah, I switched the relay with the one for the raidator fan and it did not cure the problem.

 

[justmike]

Most cars use a normally-closed relay for power windows and other devices that draw a lot of power. When you hit the starter, this relay opens and shuts off current to these devices. The purpose is to send all the battery power to the starter.

So, substituting a normally-open fan relay wouldn't show the window relay was OK, because the windows, etc. still wouldn't work (except while the starter was cranking.) The window relay may still be bad, which I suspect. To test it, clip leads to the terminals marked 85 and 86. Feed 12 v. to the 86 lead, and as you touch the 85 lead to ground the relay will click if it is working.

If it's not the relay, you can get the wiring diagram at the library. It just takes a few minutes to track the current flow for each device from its hot feed to its ground. If all the things that don't work have a common ground, for example, that's the connection to check first. You can use an inexpensive volt-ohmmeter to check along each circuit until you locate the problem. Just disconnect the battery before you use the ohmmeter.

 

[lightevergreenfrost]

Thanks. I was thinking a ground, but did not know that about the relay. Good Info. Ill keep ya updated.

 

[lightevergreenfrost]

I went to price the relay, its $45 (give or take a dollar) and nobody in town has one. Well, I decided to check the ground, they do have a common ground. Well as I was getting ready to take the door panel off I noticed something.

The wires that run from the body to the door, the one wraped in the black rubber was disconnected/unplugged. Yeah, somehow that disconnected itself. I feel like an idiot by not noticing it right away. Anyway, thanks for the help.