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Power Window acting strange

Old Mar 2, 2018
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Power Window acting strange

I've been struggling to troubleshoot my power window and was hoping to get some advice after explaining what i have observed:

- 2001 Civic LX 4 door
- Passenger window does not function using either the driver or passenger switch
- Child safety switch in off position
- Passenger window fuse was blown, replaced it with the rear power window fuse, no difference, fuse did not blow again
- Door panel removed
- Re-attached switch for testing.
- I can hear a click sound coming from the passenger door, every 15-25 seconds
- Click sound is not present when child safety switch is on
- Click sound is not present when passenger switch is removed
- No humming sounds present but there is a quiet creaking coming from the motor as the switch is pressed

Please help

Last edited by crazyone64; Mar 2, 2018 at 06:41 PM.
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Old Mar 2, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

check for broken wires in the door harness near where it enters the body of the car
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Old Mar 2, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

I can hear a click sound coming from the passenger door, every 15-25 seconds,
I bet this is coming from inside the window motor, its internal circuit breaker is resetting because something is trying to run the motor all the time

I bet that motor gets HOT after doing this a while


Motor is being activated all the time, and it should not be. Why?
Damaged switch (stuck on) in one door or the other?
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Old Mar 2, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

Originally Posted by ezone
I bet this is coming from inside the window motor, its internal circuit breaker is resetting because something is trying to run the motor all the time

I bet that motor gets HOT after doing this a while


Motor is being activated all the time, and it should not be. Why?
Damaged switch (stuck on) in one door or the other?
Makes sense with the circuit breaker.
I have another observation I wanted to share,
when I gently move the passenger side power window switch, I can hear the motor slowly creaking along with my motion,
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Old Mar 2, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

Originally Posted by Colin42
check for broken wires in the door harness near where it enters the body of the car
No broken wires visible
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Old Mar 2, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

I THINK one of the window switches is stuck on.
Probably the master switch in the drivers door, that's the one I see failed most often.

If you're really sensitive, you might notice the (master) switch for the right front window may feel slightly different from the two switches for the rear windows

If you know anyone with an identical car (01-05 sedan), try swapping the master switch and see if that gets it to work again.



If you want to try swapping the switch in the passengers door, you can probably remove and plug in one of the switches from a rear door. I think the all 3 use the same connector even though the switches look different


And once the electrical issue is solved, hope that didn't actually hurt the window motor.
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Old Mar 3, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

I have some new information and I believe you are correct.
The motor was indeed very hot, good think i left the child protection on which killed power going to it.

I took off the passenger switch, tried using the driver side to move the window - no movement.
I took off the driver switch, but that presented the same scenario as if the child protection was on, no power being sent to the passenger side.
The master switch uses a large clip, so i can't use the others which are smaller.

It sounds like the master switch is the issue, unless you think it's something else with the above information?
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Old Mar 3, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

I took off the passenger switch, tried using the driver side switch, no window movement.


I took off the driver switch, but that presented the same scenario
Each passengers window motor must have a window switch connected to its door PLUS the master switch has to be connected in the drivers door. If either switch is disconnected, that window motor cannot run.

You can swap a switch from any of the 3 passengers doors (if the wiring will plug in) as a test for any passengers door, but to swap the master you would need a working master switch panel from another car


It sounds like the master switch is the issue, unless you think it's something else?
I still think it will be a faulty master switch.
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Old Mar 15, 2018
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Re: Power Window acting strange

Thanks ezone,

It was 100% the drivers side, power window switch, stuck trying to close the passenger window.

I bought a replacement switch by switchdoctor.
It fits and works nicely
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