Driver Side Window Not Working _ Tried almost every solution

[97boxsterred]

hello,

I really need your help. My drivers side window does not function, I thought it was the window motor, so I purchased a new one, took apart the entire door and then removed the motor. After connecting the new motor, I tested it and nothing. Everything else in the door works, the speakers, the light, the power rear view mirror. I put a multimeter to the power wire for the window motor and it had 4 sets of pins (2,2,2,2). The first nothing, the second 12v, third nothing, last 12v).

I also tested the little micro switch for the convertible top latch, and both the metal solders have connectivity. I also tested the window switches near the handbrake and they are fine. I checked all the fuses and they are fine. The relay is fine. My Passenger window works fine, and when I stick in the key to the drivers door and turn left or right, only the passenger window goes up.

Please help, I have been able to fix other things in the car like top cables, handbrake microswitch, but this problem has really stumped me.

[rsfeller]

So just to clarify:

1. No up or down when switch is engaged?

2. No auto drop or rise when door is opened (thus it's sticking on the channel when you open the door)?

3. If nothing is moving do you hear something inside clunking or a relay engaging?

4. When you put your test on the motor end of the wires and engage the switch in the console do you see 12v reading change or come on/off?

You may have 12v to the circuit but if the switch (and/or relay) are not engaging that voltage you will get no movement. You need to check changes in voltage from the switching being applied at the motor. If not I would check your switch and connections.

Lastly if you hear movement, clunking or relay engagement in the door something most likely is wrong with the cable system which is prone to fail, but these don't sound like the exact symptoms of that.

Additionally, you can take your old motor and apply 12v directly to the connects to see if it moves one way and then another. I know this is 20/20 stuff but I never order a new motor w/o applying 12v direction to test it's integrity.

My comments are not exact as I just tossing out ideas from general power window troubleshooting and my personal issues with the common cable and window drop problem.

Shawn

[97boxsterred]

In response to your questions:

1. correct, nothing happens at all when the switch is pressed

2. no auto drop or rise

3. no sound at all

4. yes, i connected the multimeter and then pressed the switch, i saw that the power went on and off.

How do I apply 12v to the motor when it is removed from the car? I would like to try to test the motor but what power source do I use and how do I use a multimeter to check just the motor?

I think there is something else that is causing this. Are there any other switches, that can cause one window not to work? Could the relay be bad (pass window works), how do I test the relay when it is removed using a multimeter?

[rsfeller]

In response to your questions:

1. correct, nothing happens at all when the switch is pressed

2. no auto drop or rise

3. no sound at all

4. yes, i connected the multimeter and then pressed the switch, i saw that the power went on and off.

How do I apply 12v to the motor when it is removed from the car? I would like to try to test the motor but what power source do I use and how do I use a multimeter to check just the motor?

I think there is something else that is causing this. Are there any other switches, that can cause one window not to work? Could the relay be bad (pass window works), how do I test the relay when it is removed using a multimeter?

We'll in my case I have 12v batteries laying everyone from tractors, boats and my cars. So I simply grab some light weight jumpers and some gator clips and attach it to the wires on the motor. 12v one way is up 12v the other way is down. just be ready to stop the supply if needed as you have no fuse protection.

Yes the relay can go bad on anything. My older Saabs are relay nightmares and when you pop them open you often see carbon build up on the contact or heat damage on the IC board solder joints from heavy power circuits like AC systems. 12v applied to the right pins on relay you will hear the click and circuit movement. Many relays have the map on them but simply trying to apply 12v to differnt pins will get you a response.

Again I'm not familar with the Porsche window relay failing, I"m just tossing general troubleshooting for the average Joe before the experts give you better info!

[juniinc]

I would check ur motor first! as rsfeller recommended hook it up to the car battery or if load isn't that great 9V battery might even work. But most likely motor should be fine just because it is brand new. Then you will need to meter those 4 sets of wires connects to the motor , while depressing the switch up & down.

Try to identify your voltage signal. If u can't then we will need to trace back the wiring diagram.

In response to your questions:

1. correct, nothing happens at all when the switch is pressed

2. no auto drop or rise

3. no sound at all

4. yes, i connected the multimeter and then pressed the switch, i saw that the power went on and off.

How do I apply 12v to the motor when it is removed from the car? I would like to try to test the motor but what power source do I use and how do I use a multimeter to check just the motor?

I think there is something else that is causing this. Are there any other switches, that can cause one window not to work? Could the relay be bad (pass window works), how do I test the relay when it is removed using a multimeter?

[pk2]

hello,

I really need your help. My drivers side window does not function, I...Please help, I have been able to fix other things in the car like top cables, handbrake microswitch, but this problem has really stumped me.

What he (rsfeller) said, and:

You also have a window a controller or 2 involved. Security and the top “comfort function” which play a role in letting the window go up and down. The best you can do here is make sure you have good contacts on controller(s). Dirty contacts and all bets are off.

I think the black box under the drivers seat has has a play in this, check the two harnesses that go into it, plug them in and out repeatedly. If you have any dampness down there, yank that box out right away, open it up and let it dry out. And give the contacts a good cleaning as best you can with sand paper and/or a wire brush.

Dirty contacts in your relay won’t stop it from clicking but it wontt do any thing. You can take the relay apart and clean the contacts. You can also jump the relay (bit of trial and error) see what happens.

Also check your grounds, unlikely but .if you’re in a damp climate…

You can make the motor run in place, find out which wires make it go, then trace the wires back, putting your 12 v on it at every juncture.

Good Luck

PK

[RFM]

Look for broken wiring inside the door with OHM-meter, if the connector in the A pillar is free from corrosion.

[Tool Pants]

What month was your 1997 made?

[97boxsterred]

when I tested the wire that connects to the motor, it has 4 sets of pins (2,2,2,2). I used a multimeter to check the current and when I connected it to the first set (top, bottom) there was nothing, the second 12v, third nothing, last 12v. I also kept it connected and tried the press the window switch and the 12v signal did go on and off.

What should I do next. It looks the the power is going to the area, but the old motor and the new motor do not spin.

I also checked the black box under the drivers seat, there was no dampness, I also unplugged the connectors and tried that, still nothing happened with the window.

[97boxsterred]

The year of manufacturer was 1997, I don't know what month. I purchased it in April so it must have been made in Jan.. (German car, not finland).

[Loren]

The year of manufacturer was 1997, I don't know what month. I purchased it in April so it must have been made in Jan.. (German car, not finland).

Look on the sticker on your drivers door. The first number will be something like 06/97. That is the month and year your car was made/completed.

[97boxsterred]

Ok, it says 2/97

[Tool Pants]

Don't know what the problem is, but you might check the connector that goes to the door.

In cars made prior to May 1997 water can get into the connector and corrode the electrical pins. Porsche issued a bulletin on this in 1998 for model year 1997.

That was this guy's problem. http://www.986forum.com/forums/showthread....ighlight=window

[97boxsterred]

Ok is there anything I need to test in particular when I open up this connector area in the door? The picture shows all these terminal pins, so do I test each with a meter? Now that I think about it, the day the window stopped working it had rained earlier in the day. Let me know how to test these connectors. Thanks in advance.

[Tool Pants]

There are a lot of male/female pins in that connector. Speaker, door lock, door light, and so on. You would need a wiring diagram to know which pins are for the window motor.

I was thinking just open up the connector and visually check the condition of the pins.

Don't know why your window motor is not working, but your build date is within the window period for a problem with this connector. Porsche subsequently put a vent on the rubber boot for the connector due to the moisture problem.

[juniinc]

If the 12V signal did go on and off when u pressed the window switch it;s probably bad ground!

when I tested the wire that connects to the motor, it has 4 sets of pins (2,2,2,2). I used a multimeter to check the current and when I connected it to the first set (top, bottom) there was nothing, the second 12v, third nothing, last 12v. I also kept it connected and tried the press the window switch and the 12v signal did go on and off.

What should I do next. It looks the the power is going to the area, but the old motor and the new motor do not spin.

I also checked the black box under the drivers seat, there was no dampness, I also unplugged the connectors and tried that, still nothing happened with the window.

Edited November 10, 2007 by juniinc

[97boxsterred]

Please see the attached photo. The motor has this connector with 4 sets of pins (2,2,2,2). The first three sets have continuity and the last set does not. When I tested the wire harness that connects to this, the first set of pins had 12v, the second nothing, the third has 12v and the last nothing. Can someone tell me on the wire harness what the second set of pins is for, maybe its because of that not giving 12v that the motor does not spin. If I can trace that to something I may figure this out.

[Tool Pants]

There is a 1997 wiring diagram here. The window motor is on sheet 4.

http://www.cannell.co.uk/Manuals.htm

This is the best I could do.

[97boxsterred]

Thanks for the link to the shop manuals, this is very helpful. Does anyone know from the window wiring diagram what the terminals pins on the motor labeled "term 31 and term 30" refer to? Also what is "claw blank"?

[Loren]

Term 31 is ground.

Term 30 is unswitched power (+12 volts)

[Tool Pants]

Don't know what that is supposed to mean.

I have the 1999 wiring diagram in paper form and pin 1 is "door contact switch." I take it that is what tells the window to lower a bit when you open the door if I was to guess.

[97boxsterred]

I am using the wiring diagram to check everything but do you know how I am suppose to count the pins on the window motor, left to right, up/down from left to right? Also since you can hold the window motor anyway, how should I hold it to correctly label each pin. I want to connect a 12v battery supply to test the motor , but I will need to put ground to the correct ground on the motor and then I can put red to any one of the terminals to test if the motor spins. Is it necessary to even connect the ground from the 12v battery to the ground on the motor, or can I connect the ground from the battery to any metal object and only touch the red wire to one of the motor pins?

Sorry, but this is the first time I am doing electrical checks on a Porsche, I figure I try it before I have to shell out $600+ to the overpriced dealer ($120 hourly rate).

[1schoir]

I am using the wiring diagram to check everything but do you know how I am suppose to count the pins on the window motor, left to right, up/down from left to right? Also since you can hold the window motor anyway, how should I hold it to correctly label each pin. I want to connect a 12v battery supply to test the motor , but I will need to put ground to the correct ground on the motor and then I can put red to any one of the terminals to test if the motor spins. Is it necessary to even connect the ground from the 12v battery to the ground on the motor, or can I connect the ground from the battery to any metal object and only touch the red wire to one of the motor pins?

Sorry, but this is the first time I am doing electrical checks on a Porsche, I figure I try it before I have to shell out $600+ to the overpriced dealer ($120 hourly rate).

Boxsterred:

An easy way to identify the ground wire on most German cars is by its brown color. Take a look at the wires coming from the wire harness side of the connector plug to the motor, and see if any of those wires are brown. Then, try to match up which pin on the motor side connector goes to the brown wire on the harness side and you will have your ground.

Also, once you have identified the ground on the harness side of the plug, you might be able to use that corresponding pin to orient yourself as to which pin is which by using the wiring diagram. If you look closely at the wiring diagram, you will also see the identification of the color of the wires, such as br/wh (brown w/ white stripe), br/re (brown w/ red stripe), br/bk (brown w/ black stripe), etc. Then follow the wires to the numbered terminals and that should help you identify them.

I've always used the ground terminal of the 12V battery as the ground when I am testing a small electrical motor or switch in the car, so you can't go wrong doing it that way.

Regards, Maurice.

[97boxsterred]

Hi,

How do I fix a bad ground?

" If the 12V signal did go on and off when u pressed the window switch it;s probably bad ground!"

[Tool Pants]

I do not like electrical stuff or problems.

I have a spare window motor and the 8 pins on the motor are not numbered. So you have to look at the connector that you plug into the motor to see if the numbers are on the connector. If so, then you can confirm with the wiring diagram as it has the colors of the wires that you match to the orientation of the 8 pins.

Have you opened the door connector yet to check the condition of the pins?