Intermittent Drivers Window Switchpack Fault - Page 2

SD1too · 12th June 2024, 08:00

Thanks for the update Tom.

As the symptoms changed after your inspection of the earthing point and that the fault affects both the door mirror and window circuits, I'm still suspicious of the common earth circuit.

It's included in a connector located where the wiring loom from the driver's door passes through the corrugated rubber trunking near the door hinges. It's possible that the black earth wire has become damaged here.

Simon

TomTheTyke · 13th June 2024, 18:23

Update:

Changed the switchpack and, unsurprisingly, despite working perfectly on the drive then again on the way to work, got back in the car tonight and the flickering light + intermittent switch performance is back. I had to press the button 10 times before my drivers window went back up.

I now realise I didn’t split apart the individual eyelets for the earth so I’ll do that at the weekend if it stops raining, and give them all a clean.

I did get the rubber bung out of the door, no obvious wire damage there, though I can’t see the whole run of wire because of the rubber covering.

I also dropped into a local auto electrician, but he’s on holiday for a fortnight, so will maybe check back with him if I can’t solve it by then / maybe get it on a T4?

SD1too · 14th June 2024, 09:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomTheTyke

I now realise I didn’t split apart the individual eyelets for the earth so I’ll do that at the weekend if it stops raining, and give them all a clean.

Better still Tom, if they're numbered the eyelet you want is no. 6. You can confirm this by removing one at a time until the mirror LED extinguishes. Then secure a fly lead to the disconnected eyelet and run it directly to the battery negative terminal. Does the mirror LED give stable illumination and do the windows work properly now?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomTheTyke

... maybe get it on a T4?

I doubt that will be much help unfortunately. It is likely to list every connector in the circuit as a suspect.

Simon

TomTheTyke · 18th June 2024, 18:24

Thanks Simon. The problem I've got is the intermittent nature of the fault.

I did clean all the eyelets yesterday. They weren't numbered and to be honest all looked fine, but they are now clean and tightly bolted down.

As I say, it's intermittent so to be honest everything was working fine before I started yesterday, fine again after I finished, fine again on the way to work this morning, not working right on the way home.

Nothing drastic, but the one touch stopping half way down, a few presses to get it to come back up, and the returned flickering LED.

I have got the number for an auto electrician but NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-'s law when I take it to him everything will work fine.

TomTheTyke · 29th June 2024, 13:52

Delayed update to this but wanted to make sure the symptoms really had disappeared - seems not to be a coincidence but who knows..?

I hadn't put 2 & 2 together, but I've had an FM transmitter / USB charger in the 12v socket since I've owned the car, 2.5 years. Recently it had started transmitting a high pitched noise over the music and had stopped charging the phone. Something of a malfunction.

It had been in the cig lighter socket all the time the windows were playing up.

So, having had the carpets up and earths off, silicone sprayed the windows to within an inch of their life and smudged up all the glass for next 6 months, checked the fuses and replaced the switchpack.... I took the charger out of the 12v socket and I've had no problems at all since. Over a week of driving to work and a 200+ mile return trip to the coast. No flickering LED and all windows go down first touch.

I'm no electrician - is there an explanation for this? No idea how the bus circuits on a modern car work...

Bizarre.

SD1too · 29th June 2024, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomTheTyke

... I've had an FM transmitter / USB charger in the 12v socket since I've owned the car ... Recently it had started transmitting a high pitched noise over the music ...
I'm no electrician - is there an explanation for this?

It sounds as if your faulty device was inducing interference on the window bus which was then affecting the operation of the driver's door module.

Have you ever experienced a fridge causing clicks on radio reception via an aerial as the compressor switches on and off? Or a stream of rapid clicks when an electric drill is in use? It's the same principle.

Simon

TomTheTyke · 29th June 2024, 18:57

Yes I do know what you mean, and I felt a bit daft for not thinking of it sooner!

Thanks to all for the advice, and I’m only a bit sorry to whoever at Longbridge did the earths because I didn’t fit them back together as neatly as they came off!

Still as it stands alls well that ends well. Thanks to all for the suggestions. As ever lots of help on offer from the Club.

12th June 2024, 08:00	#11
SD1too Doesn't do things by halves Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur Auto (1999) Dealer launch model. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Former Middlesex Posts: 20,673 Thanks: 1,587 Thanked 3,749 Times in 3,181 Posts	Thanks for the update Tom. As the symptoms changed after your inspection of the earthing point and that the fault affects both the door mirror and window circuits, I'm still suspicious of the common earth circuit. It's included in a connector located where the wiring loom from the driver's door passes through the corrugated rubber trunking near the door hinges. It's possible that the black earth wire has become damaged here. Simon __________________ "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble." Sir Henry Royce.

29th June 2024, 13:52	#15
TomTheTyke Avid contributor Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur, MG TF 80th Anniversary Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Pontefract Posts: 168 Thanks: 12 Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts	Update: Fixed...? Delayed update to this but wanted to make sure the symptoms really had disappeared - seems not to be a coincidence but who knows..? I hadn't put 2 & 2 together, but I've had an FM transmitter / USB charger in the 12v socket since I've owned the car, 2.5 years. Recently it had started transmitting a high pitched noise over the music and had stopped charging the phone. Something of a malfunction. It had been in the cig lighter socket all the time the windows were playing up. So, having had the carpets up and earths off, silicone sprayed the windows to within an inch of their life and smudged up all the glass for next 6 months, checked the fuses and replaced the switchpack.... I took the charger out of the 12v socket and I've had no problems at all since. Over a week of driving to work and a 200+ mile return trip to the coast. No flickering LED and all windows go down first touch. I'm no electrician - is there an explanation for this? No idea how the bus circuits on a modern car work... Bizarre.

13th June 2024, 18:23	#12
TomTheTyke Avid contributor Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur, MG TF 80th Anniversary Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Pontefract Posts: 168 Thanks: 12 Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts	Update: Changed the switchpack and, unsurprisingly, despite working perfectly on the drive then again on the way to work, got back in the car tonight and the flickering light + intermittent switch performance is back. I had to press the button 10 times before my drivers window went back up. I now realise I didn’t split apart the individual eyelets for the earth so I’ll do that at the weekend if it stops raining, and give them all a clean. I did get the rubber bung out of the door, no obvious wire damage there, though I can’t see the whole run of wire because of the rubber covering. I also dropped into a local auto electrician, but he’s on holiday for a fortnight, so will maybe check back with him if I can’t solve it by then / maybe get it on a T4?

18th June 2024, 18:24	#14
TomTheTyke Avid contributor Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur, MG TF 80th Anniversary Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Pontefract Posts: 168 Thanks: 12 Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts	Thanks Simon. The problem I've got is the intermittent nature of the fault. I did clean all the eyelets yesterday. They weren't numbered and to be honest all looked fine, but they are now clean and tightly bolted down. As I say, it's intermittent so to be honest everything was working fine before I started yesterday, fine again after I finished, fine again on the way to work this morning, not working right on the way home. Nothing drastic, but the one touch stopping half way down, a few presses to get it to come back up, and the returned flickering LED. I have got the number for an auto electrician but NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-'s law when I take it to him everything will work fine.

29th June 2024, 18:57	#17
TomTheTyke Avid contributor Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur, MG TF 80th Anniversary Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Pontefract Posts: 168 Thanks: 12 Thanked 22 Times in 11 Posts	Yes I do know what you mean, and I felt a bit daft for not thinking of it sooner! Thanks to all for the advice, and I’m only a bit sorry to whoever at Longbridge did the earths because I didn’t fit them back together as neatly as they came off! Still as it stands alls well that ends well. Thanks to all for the suggestions. As ever lots of help on offer from the Club.