Window won't auto-adjust on door open/close

[Coaster]

A search on the forum didn't yield any results - I'm hoping someone else has encountered this and has a solution.

I have a 2003 C2 Cabriolet. The car was recently in storage with the battery out of the car. When I put the car back in service the passenger side door window no longer auto-adjusts when you open and close. Previously, when opening the door with a fully closed window, the window would jog down about 1/4" - 1/2" when you lift the door handle and jog back to a fully closed position when the door shuts. The driver side door works fine.

I reset the one-touch full up/down feature by going through a manual down-up-down-up cycle, and that is working fine on both doors. Is there a reset I need to do for the auto-adjust feature?

Edited October 21, 2010 by Coaster

[Loren]

Test the microswitch on the door handle. That is the usual cause.

[Coaster]

I am assuming there are two microswitches: one on the interior door handle and another on the exterior door handle. I can hear the switch clicking on both handles but neither activates the window. Before I dive into removing the door panel for more testing there is some more information I just discovered.

Could a fault in the central locking system cause this issue?

Locking and unlocking the car with the remote works as expected except I hear a double beep of the horn on unlocking. The owner's manual says that a double beep on locking indicates a fault in the central locking or alarm system. First confusion: What does a double beep on unlocking indicate?

After starting the car with the doors closed, the central locking switch on the dashboard is illuminated red, indicating that the doors are locked. My car is/was not programmed this way - automatic door locking is/was turned off. Besides that, the doors do not act like they are locked. A single pull on the door handle will open the door. Pressing on the red light of the switch to unlock results in clicking noise at the doors, a double beep of the horn, interior light illuminating, and the red light stays on. Pressing repeatedly results in the red light going out without a double beep. If you use the central locking switch to lock the doors the doors do lock and only open with a double pull on the handle as expected. After the second pull (full unlock) you hear the double beep of the horn again.

[Edit] I don't have a Durametric so I'm diagnosing in the dark somewhat.

Edited October 20, 2010 by Coaster

[1schoir]

I am assuming there are two microswitches: one on the interior door handle and another on the exterior door handle. I can hear the switch clicking on both handles but neither activates the window. Before I dive into removing the door panel for more testing there is some more information I just discovered.

Could a fault in the central locking system cause this issue?

Locking and unlocking the car with the remote works as expected except I hear a double beep of the horn on unlocking. The owner's manual says that a double beep on locking indicates a fault in the central locking or alarm system. First confusion: What does a double beep on unlocking indicate?

After starting the car with the doors closed, the central locking switch on the dashboard is illuminated red, indicating that the doors are locked. My car is/was not programmed this way - automatic door locking is/was turned off. Besides that, the doors do not act like they are locked. A single pull on the door handle will open the door. Pressing on the red light of the switch to unlock results in clicking noise at the doors, a double beep of the horn, interior light illuminating, and the red light stays on. Pressing repeatedly results in the red light going out without a double beep. If you use the central locking switch to lock the doors the doors do lock and only open with a double pull on the handle as expected. After the second pull (full unlock) you hear the double beep of the horn again.

[Edit] I don't have a Durametric so I'm diagnosing in the dark somewhat.

There are actually three microswitch locations in each door. One behind the inside door handle, one behind the outside door handle, and a third location inside the door lock assembly (that's the one Loren was referring to).

If your passenger window is otherwise functioning properly, the symptoms that you describe could also simply be a stretched or frayed window regulator cable, or a break in one of the spacers along the cable assembly.

Because you are also describing problems with your central alarm and locking and you have a cabriolet, you should also check your immobilizer to verify that you did not get water damage inside the immobilizer.

Regards, Maurice.

Edited October 20, 2010 by 1schoir

[Coaster]

Maurice and Loren - thank you! Where my search did not yield any results before, searching on "window regulator cable" got quite a few hits. I can see that this topic has been discussed before. For the benefit of anyone else reading this thread, here are links to related topics:

Window regulator or something else?

Help with Diagnosis: Window Drop-Down not working; regulator issue?

Window lowering function

Window adjustment?

Window Drop Down Issue

Window will not move when door opens/closes

Passenger window won't dip when opening the door...

Passenger side door

Window won't drop 1/2 inches

Door "comfort open" question

Reading those posts it does not sound like my window regulator cable for two reasons: 1) I cannot force the window down with my hand, and 2) The window will intermittently lower as it is supposed to but late (i.e. only after the door handle is all the way up and door is opening). Normally, the window will lower as soon as you hear the microswitch click. I'm in a quiet garage and I can hear the microswitch click and there is no motor activation.

I'll look at the other possible causes you mentioned.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Coaster

[1schoir]

.....

Reading those posts it does not sound like my window regulator cable for two reasons: 1) I cannot force the window down with my hand, and 2) The window will intermittently lower as it is supposed to but late (i.e. only after the door handle is all the way up and door is opening). Normally, the window will lower as soon as you hear the microswitch click. I'm in a quiet garage and I can hear the microswitch click and there is no motor activation.

I'll look at the other possible causes you mentioned.

Coaster:

In that case, it's almost definitely the microswitch INSIDE the door lock assembly.

Sometimes, when it's intermittent, the malfunction is caused by a loose connection in there or just some accumulation of dust/dirt that is preventing a steady contact.

I've had something similar to what you describe, where the door lock button on the dash does not always lock the doors, etc... In that case, when you press the button, the normally much louder, almost simultaneous "double click" from inside the doors is much quieter...probably because the locking function is not operating properly.

BTW, thanks for compiling the list of posts on the topic. Should prove helpful to many on this forum.

Regards, Maurice.

[Marsella]

Hey Folk,

I like Coaster am having the same issue. After checking our all the posts related (thanks for the list Coaster) I think my problem is a microswitch. As to which one, I am uncertain. Recently, my car was in the shop to remove a small dent. When I got it back they told me they had to buy me a new battery and to add to frustrations, I can not find my radio code. So they charged the battery and from then on, the window will not go down the 1/2 inch when you activate the switch on the inside and outside handle. I hear them click, but I don't hear anything being activated. So I went back to the shop and they told me they were having this issue. We tried to reset a couple of times by bringing the window down then holding for 5 seconds then raising the window as far as it will go and holding for 5 seconds, and repeated this procedure 3 times. The passenger side door is working properly but the driver's door, still will not go up all the way. We disconnected the battery and surprisingly, the window will go up all the way (when the door is shut) and hold. Once you go down again, having not opened the door, then raising the window, it will go up but will be short that 1/2 inch. So it seems that my regulator is fine and I assume it is one of the microswitches. So how do you test them and or clean them? Or am I doing something else wrong?

Thanks in anticipation of your help.

C.

MY99

996

Edited April 12, 2011 by Marsella

[Marsella]

News Flash,

As I returned from the gym today, I closed the garage door and noticed the courtesy lights were on inside my car (I drove my minivan to the gym). I recall the folks at the body shop telling me the battery kept draining, so I figure this was the culprit. I am guessing their is a sensor that thinks my door is open and not only is leaving the lights on, but my window down that half inch. Does this make sense to anyone? If so, what do you think I should check?

C. Amores

[Marsella]

I think I found my answer here.

Thanks to those that have gone before me and thanks to this site for this kind of info. I am glad I am a contributing member.

[Marsella]

Update

So I disassembled my door per the posted instructions from this site. My intentions were to correct the problem of the window not going up that last 10mm. Before I disassembled I tried to reset the windows which did not work. I figured my problem was on of the 7 microswitches and had figured it to be the sensor that tells the car the door is open. My reasoning was that my window always remained short that 10mm and when I locked my doors, I got a single alarm chirp. The alarm chirp, is activated when you lock the car and a door is open. I got that from this listing.

When I got the door disassembled, I disconnected the wiring harness that connects to the lock assembly where the sensor that indicates if the door is open. Reading on another thread, I plugged it back in to see if that was the issue. I reconnected the battery and the problem was solved. So I just had a loose connection, problem solved.

Tomorrow I try to solve my non-working alarm.

So thanks again Renntech!

[Anders Flodin]

Is there a way to check the status of the switches using the piwis?

Thanks,

Anders

[JFP in PA]

12 hours ago, Anders Flodin said:

Is there a way to check the status of the switches using the piwis?

Thanks,

Anders

 

Welcome to RennTech

 

No.

[Anders Flodin]

OK, thanks

 

[Richard Hamilton]

Try looking in the input signals of the alarm control module on PIWIS.

These are from PIWIS2 in Simulation Mode.  Select Alarm from the Overview screen, then Maintenance repairs, and choose Input Signals.

 

 

Edited May 8, 2019 by Richard Hamilton