I am stumped on trying to get my power windows to work. I have replaced the window motor and regulator. it is my driver side window. I have also replaced the relay. The plug coming out of my window switch going to the motor with 4 wires, one wire is a ground (and it is a good ground). the other wires i have one is a good constant power, power going up, and power going down. and still my window will not go up or down. obviously my switch is good because im getting power through the switch. i have tried several different motors to see if maybe i got a bad motor, and still nothing. if anybody has had this problem before I would be very thankful for any help.

 

nobody?

 

I like puzzles that stump me...lol I need an answer to EACH of the following questions:

Which window is not working? If it is your pass window that doesn't work, have you tried to use the driver-side and pass-side switch for that pass window?

Your other window works?

How many wires are physically connected to the window MOTOR? (generally, I know some 2-wire 12v electrical motors will spin one direction if it receives POS/NEG one way, and it will spin opposite if it receives NEG/POS on that same wiring.)




As a general rule, I don't always assume that a motor/anything receives a POS+ signal for it to operate. Some components receive a switched ground signal to tell them to operate.

1. If your other window works, swap the following minor components if they are identical (but do one at a time to narrow it down; ALSO..try the good window to make sure it still works after swapping each part):

a) Look for individual-window relays/fuses under the hood and in the in-car fuse panel. If there and identical (1 for each window usually has the same part number), swap and test both windows to check for change in operations. Report back your results.

b) If parts are identical and I assume removeable, then switch the actual switch with a known-working window switch. (remember, don't assume the switch is good based on see voltage...an actual operation-test will provide a true result). Report back your results.

c) If you still have your door panel off, use a voltmeter to: Ground the black probe and test each wire for a switched voltage when pushing and releasing the switch. Then put the red probe to a KNOWN-12v POS+ source, and test each wire for a switched NEG- voltage when pushing and releasing the switch. Report back your results.

d) Lastly, probe both wires of the window motor and press/release the window switch(es) to test for a switched signal. (I put this last because sometimes this is the hardest test because of tight spaces.)

Do these tests in any order that conveniences you, but if you seek more help from me, I will need to know EXACTLY which test you did and EXACTLY what happened. I am pretty good with 12v systems/wiring and this is all general knowledge on troubleshooting, so forgive me for not being an expert on this one particular car.

I work in a shop and we get cars in with bad wiring all the time. Sometimes we have to deal with window issues and these are the basic steps that always seem to get me to a solution. Usually I don't even have to go all the way into the last step (testing voltage AT the window motor).

--TJ

 

Thanks for your help, I have been very busy at work and haven't had any time to mess with my lude. I will do all the tests and let you know what I come up with. And BTW, neither window works, I've tried switching the switches and still nothing. It only has one relay for the Windows, and I replaced it with a new one. I should have time to mess with it tonight, so ill be getting back with you....thanks again.

 

As you have noticed, power window switches are a fairly confusing system. Some signals are shared, and some are DEPENDANT on a combination of other factors, such as another switch being in neutral.

The photo below is NOT for your specific vehicle, but it may be quite similar. You already know that the motor only has 2 wires (generally), which means that for "up" it receives a POS+ and NEG- on those wires. HOWEVER, for "down", the signals must be sent to the motor on the same wires but REVERSED.

My best suggestion is to try the following (if you feel comfortable):
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In general, you do not HAVE to have your hand inside your door for ANY of these steps if you have located the two wires that you can reach safely AWAY from the moving parts of the window assembly. A moving window assembly can/probably will squish/mangle your hand if it is in the way!!!

Also, use CONFIRMED/INDEPENDANT POS+ 12v and NEG- ground signals for troubleshooting, otherwise you get nowhere.
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1. Test 1 motor manually by applying POS+ and NEG- for a split second. Reverse those wires to confirm that the motor goes opposite direction. Take notes about which wire was POS+/NEG- to go up and to go down.
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[
NOTE: If you did step 1 "from a safe location" down the wire harness (away from the moving parts of the window assembly), then....you KNOW that the wiring is good from your test points on those two wires going TOOOOOO the motor. Therefore, continue to use this safe location for following steps. However, if the motor did NOTHING, then you likely have a bad connection between your test points and the motor connections. You will have to test the motor directly. If it is too dangerous, you will have to adapt...ie, remove the motor, or take your chances at getting your hand squished/mangled.
]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
If all that went well, print out the picture below. Write your general notes on the schematic and write your actual wire color on it for simplicity.

2. Press and HOLD the relevant window switch in a direction of your choice and: apply POS+ 12v to the relevant wire (that you just took notes on).

If it went in your desired direction, then you KNOW that you are not delivering the POS+ signal to the motor when you have the switch pressed. Make notes on the example picture that point out the missing signal. You also KNOW that the ground signal is properly delivered along its path all the way to the relevant wire (because you did not apply it). Make notes on the example picture that trace back the ground and mark that path as good.

HOWEVER, if nothing happened:

3. Continue to press and hold the same switch in the same direction, but apply NEG- to the relative wire (noted in step 1 when you determined the proper wire signals; obviously, not the wire you tested with POS+ in step 2....instead you are supplying a proper ground).

If it went in your desired direction, then you KNOW that you are not delivering the NEG- signal to the motor when you have the switch pressed. Make notes on the example picture that point out the missing signal. You also KNOW that the POS+ signal is properly delivered along its path all the way to the relevant wire (because you did not apply it).
Make notes on the example picture that trace back the POS+ and mark that path as good.

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At this point, you should know which signal is not making it to the motor. You can use the same general steps above to test the other direction of the same switch (apply POS+ to the relevant wire; if nothing happens, apply NEG- to the relevant wire ((the other wire))). Be sure to make notes on the schematic picture again for these test results.
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At this point, you should have quite a bit of the schematic picture marked as good or bad, and it should be narrowing down your issue.


If not, make sure your "checks" and "x's" are clearly noted on the schematic to show good/bad signals received, then scan it (or take a pic) and post it up here for me to study. If you don't have a scanner/camera, you can also use paintbrush to edit the picture and repost the edited copy.

--TJ
source of all text above: me....yw.
picture source: https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-crx-ef-civic-1988-1991-3/need-jdm-crx-power-window-wiring-diagram-2589674/
^^^^<<<<<print the pic from this page if you need a larger, clearer copy.

 

Awesome!. Thanks for all the help, ill be able to try all this on my next day off work (thursday), and ill let you know what I come up with.

 

ok, so i figured out that the drivers side window motor is bad, and the passenger side had a bad ground. I ordered a new window motor for the driver side and repaired the ground on the passenger side. The driver side switch is still acting up though. When you try to roll the passenger side window down from the driver side switch, it pops the fuse, but if you roll the passenger side window down from the passenger side switch, it works fine, any ideas on what might be causing that problem? maybe the driver side switch is shorting out on the inside of it?

 

"and repaired the ground on the passenger side..." ---- Did you hardwire a motorwire to ground? In theory, that doesn't sound correct. Study your schematic to see that the POS/NEG signals are both reversed when the window rolls in a different direction.

Does the pass-switch roll the pass window up AND down? Reversing the window switch direction will probably pop a fuse if you hard wired a ground somewhere that should not be.


The schematic is your friend right now. If your pass side switch is, in fact, rolling up AND down properly, you can mark all that as correctly wired. I am gonna guess that it does NOT pop a fuse if you press the driver's switch to roll the pass window UP?? If that is correct, you have a POS<<>>GROUND short somewhere (probably in between the driverside pass switch and the pass side wiring stuff). Study that schematic to see which signal is allowed through to the pass side when pressed in the position that blows the fuse. If the GROUND is passed through, you have voltage on the ground wire. If the POSITIVE is passed through, then you have a short to GROUND on the POSITIVE signal wire.

I am still raising an eyebrow at the ground you "fixed"...just check and make SURE that it is wired per the schematic...I don't think many grounds are hardwired...

Anyway, you get the idea. Print out your schematic, pay attention the "natural resting" position of the relays (to see which signal is supposed to be where even when no switch is pressed), and you should see your trouble area on the schematic by process-of-elimination....mark your proper working wiring at the beginning and end of the system, and you will see your problem area. Then confirm any GROUND and POSITIVE signal to the pass motor at "natural resting switch" position on that driver's side switch for pass window ....then do the same for up position, then in down.

I am talking in circles...sorry. Use the schematic, mark it clearly, and always pay attention to what signal should be on what wire for a specific condition: rest, up, and down.

 

Yeah, I just confirmed my suspicion (using the jdm crx schematic i linked to). If your system is wired the same (very very likely), then your ground for the pass motor is at the bottom left of the pic....notice how it passes through the driver-side pass-switch and provides the ground to the pass motor (no matter which switch you are using for the pass motor)?? If you hard wired a ground to the pass motor, you didn't fix the original problem...you just complicated your problem.

Find your schematic and trace it down right.

 

if you need me to provide more than theory, I need you to follow my advice I re-stated here. If your tests reveal that your system is wired differently, then search/print the schematic for your specific vehicle, then post it up here with "checks" and "x's" for everything you checked.