Moparts

Late model power window electrical issues--long

Posted By: MOBodyman

Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/16/15 06:39 AM

I'll try to make this as short as possible but it's a bit complicated.

Part One:
I have a 2013 Dodge Dart that was hit lightly in the driver's side. I replaced both doors with salvage yard parts. I used the replacement door's regulators, etc, and the door panels and window switches which were originally on my car. I put it all together and everything works(ed) perfectly..

Part Two:
I also have a 2014 Dodge Dart. It was also hit on the driver's side and required replacement of both doors. When I bought it, the original doors were missing. I bought salvage yard replacements, as well as the door panels and power window switches which were missing. When I put it together the power windows and mirrors wouldn't work.

I checked the connections in the jambs and at the switches but everything looks great, no corrosion and they all plug together tightly.

Part Three:
Since nothing but the power locks worked I thought possibly the master switch the salvage yard gave me might be bad as it had been laying in the floor of a car and exposed to the elements.

So I decided to take the master switch out of the 2013 and try it in the 2014 as they had the same part number. No luck as the windows and mirrors still wouldn't work in the 2014.

Part Four:
Then I got the bright idea to try the switch out of the 2014 in the 2013 to check if it was good. When I put it in the 2013 (which everything was originally working) the right front power window wouldn't go down. Everything else worked but that had me thinking that switch was bad. Well....I put the original switch back in the 2013 and guess what???...the right front window won't go down now with that switch either!! What did I screw up by changing switches???

Part Five:
So I forget completely about fixing the 2014 and just want to get my 2013 back working like it was originally. Upon further investigation I notice the driver's window goes down at the correct speed but goes up slowly. I unhook the factory wiring on the passenger window and roll it down with my jumper box. Then it will roll up with either switch like it's supposed to but won't roll down.
However, if the passenger window is down when I roll the driver side window up (with the master switch) the passenger one goes up too! The passenger one goes up faster than the driver's side but they go up at the same time! When the passenger window is up and driver's window is down, and I roll the driver's window up the passenger side is still trying to go up too.

Part Six:
One more thing.. Both cars have the 'driver one-touch' feature. The part number on the switches I have is supposed to be for cars without the 'driver one-touch' feature. However that feature works on the 2013 with the switch that came in the car. No idea if it's been changed but the car only had 31,xxx on it when I got it. Maybe this is somehow now messing things up?
I'm assuming the 'driver one-touch' feature is working correctly. It will go down with 'one touch' but you have to hold the switch to roll the window up. Is this how it's supposed to work??

Part Seven:
So, how did changing master switches screw this up, and how do I fix it??

TIA,
Dallas
Posted By: rth

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/16/15 02:36 PM

I'm not familiar with late model Darts, but most of what were simple circuits are now run through body computers. I would try to locate wiring diagram and take it from there.
Posted By: MOBodyman

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 04:23 AM

I was at the salvage yard today and got the master switch out of another car there. It is the one with the part number that is supposed to be correct for my application (with driver one-touch). I put it in the 2013 and neither front window will work with it. The power mirrors won't work either. Just the rear windows and power locks. I put the 'incorrect' one back in and am back where I started-the passenger front window doesn't roll down, and driver side is slow going up.

I also tried the 'new' switch in the 2014 and had the same results as I have with the 'incorrect' switch-none of the windows work & power mirrors don't work. Power locks do.

I guess it's time to make an appointment with the dealer.
Dallas
Posted By: pro451bee

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 04:36 AM

The proxi alignment and or bcm/RFH will need the dtcs deleted and-or things re set in the modules.
We can barely make these things work properly at the dealer ship some times,crazy electronics in these things.Nothing is hard wired by the way.
Posted By: MOBodyman

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 08:24 AM

Originally Posted By pro451bee
The proxi alignment and or bcm/RFH will need the dtcs deleted and-or things re set in the modules.


I have no clue what any of that means but I understand it will have to go to the dealer. It aggravates me that all I did on the 2013 was change the master control switches around and then put the original back in and it doesn't work right now.

Thanks for your reply,
Dallas
Posted By: MOBodyman

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 08:26 AM

Originally Posted By pro451bee

We can barely make these things work properly at the dealer ship some times,crazy electronics in these things.


That's what scares me. I talked to two different service departments and they both told me that the new systems were really complicated and hard to work on.
Dallas
Posted By: HemiRick

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 05:12 PM

The computers in cars thing is getting outta hand....when you can't even fix simple stuff like power windows.
Posted By: a12rag

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 05:36 PM

Welcome to the "CAN BUS" system . . . the switches now send a signal on the can bus, to the controller module, which sends a signal to the power window motor (to go up or go down) . . . I wonder if you have a scanner that you could hook up to the OBDII port and see if there are any codes in there ??? If so, you might be able to erase the codes and see if that resets everything ??? I don't claim to know anything about the new stuff, but do know that if the modules aren't "talking" to each other correctly, then things go wonky . . . good luck with it !

Cheers

Mark
Posted By: mopars4ever

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 05:36 PM

Shot in the dark but do you think unhooking the battery for a while to reset the computer would help?
Posted By: MOBodyman

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 10:39 PM

Originally Posted By HemiRick
The computers in cars thing is getting outta hand....when you can't even fix simple stuff like power windows.


No joke! That's the main thing I don't like about the newer vehicles. I like the way they perform though! The 2013 Dart has gotten as much as 42 mpg and the 3.6 in my Challenger runs like an early big block (pre h/p) and does it on regular gas.
Dallas
Posted By: MOBodyman

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 10:41 PM

Originally Posted By mopars4ever
Shot in the dark but do you think unhooking the battery for a while to reset the computer would help?


In the interest of trying to keep my original post brief I didn't mention it, but, yes, I tried that.
Dallas
Posted By: MOBodyman

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 10:52 PM

Originally Posted By a12rag
Welcome to the "CAN BUS" system . . . the switches now send a signal on the can bus, to the controller module, which sends a signal to the power window motor (to go up or go down) . . . I wonder if you have a scanner that you could hook up to the OBDII port and see if there are any codes in there ??? If so, you might be able to erase the codes and see if that resets everything ??? I don't claim to know anything about the new stuff, but do know that if the modules aren't "talking" to each other correctly, then things go wonky . . . good luck with it !

Cheers

Mark


I didn't go into that part in my original post either. I took it to a local mechanic who just spent many $1000s updating to the latest Snap-On diagnostic scanner.

There were three codes in it. One had something to do with the radio, one was something about the electric power steering, and one was the BCM had lost communication. Was late on a Friday so we didn't get too involved but thought the BCM code might have occurred because I had taken the battery cable off (previous post...lol).

He cleared the codes and sent me on my way. Still didn't fix the window situation but about a 1/4 mile down the road my CEL comes on! WTH now?? I go back and he plugs the scanner back in and it now has 11 codes in it!!! How did that happen?? Anyway, he clears all those out and sends me on my way again. No more CEL since but what a head scratcher.

I now have an appointment at a dealer next Tuesday.
Dallas
Posted By: Supercuda

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/17/15 11:21 PM

Window switches, and many other ones, require programming the computer to recognize it's address. The switches do not directly control the power to the motors anymore, they simply tell the computer what it is they think you want and the computer handles the control part. New (or new to the vehicle) switches means programming at the dealership.
Posted By: 5thAve

Re: Late model power window electrical issues--long - 09/18/15 06:47 AM

Did you try disconnecting the battery for a while? I've had little problems that crop up from time to time that doing that fixes it. Parts like window switches are usually pretty basic components that don't have anything in the part itself that can be programmed but if the system is looking for the part to be there and it's not, or there is something wrong with the part maybe that's enough for the computer to disable that part of the system. It sounds like something like that is going on the way the window switches caused the 2013 to have the same problem.
© 2024 Moparts Forums