dtdoyle

Hello,

We have a 2001 Civic 4 door sedan with a front passenger window that will not go down. Here is what we know:

Both the driver side switch and passenger side switch do not allow the window to go down.

Using a new motor (complete assembly), the front passenger switch only works in the up position.

Using the new motor and a known good switch from a different door, the switch still only works in the up position.

I can read 12 volts coming to the master control switch and the passenger switch using a multimeter.

Fuse is good.

Any ideas out there?

jordan1794

Not too versed in the window mechanics, but it would sound to me that there is an issue with whatever mechanism the motor drives. Perhaps some kind of gear chipped and it locks up when it tries to go down?

Also, this section is for 8th & 9th gen, 2006 and up. Your car is a 7th gen, hopefully a helpful moderator will swing by and move the thread, that way you are more likely to get a solution.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

Measure voltage across the problem motors 2 leads, + - = one direction - + = the opposite direction.

Apply external 12V to the disconnected motor and test both polarity combinations and see if it will move.

mcnoople

The switch at the passenger door has 3 wires.

1- grn/blk power feed 12V with key on
2- red/blue ground wire with switch not being used
3- blue/white ground wire with switch not being used

when you press the button on the window switch it disconnects the ground at the switch and supplies power in its place. So the short answer to this is to test the other two wires to make sure that they are grounded. If they are not grounded then that wire is broken somewhere. If I am reading the diagram correctly the blue/red wire is likely broken. Common place to break is the drivers door harness where it flexes in the opening, but sometimes it is at the affected door.

dtdoyle

Thanks! I'll look into your posts. I appreciate your taking time to reply. The thing that had me guessing loose ground or frayed wire was that, using a perfectly good switch and new motor, the motor assembly behaved the same way.

ezone

Thread moved to 7th gen

dtdoyle

Okay, at front passenger switch harness:

Got a 12 v reading from green black (hot).
Blue/red gave me 12 v down and 0 volts up.
Blue/white gave me 1.15 volts up and 0 volts down.

On driver side master control all readings were good at 12 v, but the master control switch does not operate the passenger front window either.

dtdoyle

Okay, at front passenger switch harness:

Got a 12 v reading from green black (hot).
Blue/red gave me 12 v down and 0 volts up.
Blue/white gave me 1.15 volts up and 0 volts down.

On driver side master control all readings were good at 12 v, but the master control switch does not operate the passenger front window either.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

Measure across the BLU/WHT and BLU/RED at passenger side while attempting from master switch.
The voltage from it travels through the at rest passenger buttons.

Look through the translucent plastic, and smell for burnt areas on the master switch.

ezone

THis seems wrong, but I don't have time to look in a wire diagram at the moment

Find the same wire at the master sw and check

I'll guess master switch is bad though

dtdoyle

Checked again. Same results as as posted before on blue/white wire.

Next, read passenger side wires while operating corresponding button of master switch:

Blue/white reads 0 at rest, 12.5 v down, 0 volts up.

Blue red read 0 at rest 12.5 v down, 0 v up as well.

dtdoyle

Tested wires by holding one lead to wire and grounding the other. No smell of burning on either side.

ezone

Motor will run UP but not DOWN from either switch.

Blue/red wire at master switch is not being grounded when the master switch is in the rest position. Its switch just goes open instead of making contact with ground.

If you stick a voltmeter probe in the backside of the blu/red wire (backprobe) at the master switch connector, then try to run the window down it probably shows 12v when it should be 0v.

Verify this and report back?
If true, it needs a master switch.

dtdoyle

Here are the readings for the master switch wires which control the front passenger window:

white-blue...0 v at rest, down 12 v, up 0 v

red-blue....0 v at rest, down 0 v, up 12 v

These wires were tested with one probe placed into the back of the master wire harness and the other probe grounded.

ezone

Wire colors are important. There's a difference , you are writing them backwards.

Blue/red means a blue color insulation with a red trace line (stripe) on it. Not the other way around. Red/blue would be a completely different wire, in this case it is between the pass. switch and the motor.


Anyway....
Probe (backprobe) the wires at the master switch...all wiring connected like it should be to their switches and motor

One lead in blue/red (terminal 1), the other lead in blue/white (terminal 3).
You should get 12v when you push the button down, and you should get the opposite 12v (polarity reverses) when you pull the switch up.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

Yes, measure ACROSS the 2 wires mentioned, those lead to passenger motor through passenger switch.

dtdoyle

okay...ill get to it tonight and let you know...thanks!

mcnoople

0 volts is not the same thing as "ground." To test the red/blue and blue/white wires for ground you use 1 end of your probe to the wire/connector and the other end of your probe goes to a known good 12v power source. A good power source would be the accessory socket. All switches must be connected when performing this test. And do not press any switches while performing this test

dtdoyle

Okay, I have followed instructions on posts 15 & 16, and yes, across the two wires mentioned:

up read 12 v
down measured -12 v.


out of curiosity, did same test on passengers door switch (same wires)....read 12 v down and 0 volts up

dtdoyle

Okay, done. Read 12 v on each of the mentioned wires in post 18 when the other probe was connected to the accessory socket.

Also...checked same wires on passenger side harness and again read 12 v on each.

ezone

ok, master switch appears to be able to supply power and ground both directions when the switch is activated....
That's not all of the checks tho...



Where was your voltmeter connected during this part?

dtdoyle

One lead in blue/red, the other lead in blue/white (did one test on driver side master switch and replicated on same test to wires on the passenger side switch).

ezone

You left your meter connected in the master switch wiring plug?

and pushed the window switch in the pass door?

ezone

Disconnect both window switches.

Ohm test (continuity test, look for zero ohms resistance) on the blue/red wire from the drivers window switch connector over to the pass window switch connector.

Then do the same check on the blue/white wire from one switch to the other.

dtdoyle

Sorry...redoing a bathroom and been occupied....will,test ohms shortly

ezone

Fix for a similar problem was posted in another thread, linked so you can check it out

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/191-electrical-wiring-car-entertainment/364991-2002-ex-civic-window-problem.html#post4692079