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Power Windows Stopped Working


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Own a 2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium.

 

None of my windows will go down at all. Drivers windows cluster is not working. There is no noise just silence. I learned this today.

 

Additionally, If I attempt to use any of the other window controls on other 3 doors they do not work either.

 

Could this be a fuse? Where to look? Which one? Could this be a relay issue?

 

I am not a mechanic. I am not a technical guru. Just a dad of 2 looking to not pay a ton of money at the STEALERSHIP... especially if this something I can manage myself to save money and DIY!

 

If you can be of help let me know.

 

Also..

Battery is 2 yrs old. Driver side window regulator was replaced 2 years ago too.

 

 

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You're saying the window switches on the other doors don't operate those windows, or the driver's door controls don't operate any of the windows? When the other 3 doors' switches are sitting neutral, they'll pass through the power/ground signals from the driver's switch cluster, and when you press one of those other 3 switches, that window's motor finds ground through the driver's switch cluster.

 

The weird thing is, the power going to the driver's switch cluster that would power the other 3 windows (from the relay) doesn't go to the driver's window motor at all, and the driver's switch cluster brainbox doesn't look to have to be functional for the other window switches to work. Any chance you have the window lock turned on?

 

The whole works does share a common ground, though. If you get at the back of the driver's window switch cluster, there should be a 3-pin connector with power on pin 1 and ground on pin 3- the power wire in that connector only feeds the driver's window motor, but if you don't have ground there, that's a problem.

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the lockout switch still lets you lower the drivers window from the main switch bank (I thought that too, but just tried it) - for the others, it looks like each switch bank has it's own fuse, so if nothing is working, I would guess it's a more systemic thing, so the relay as suggested above. If the relay checks out ok, there is also a circuit breaker that looks to be located near the drivers side in-car fuse box (it has a blue 2-pin connector - the wiring harness diagram shows it a little above the datalink connector (OBD2 connector)
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Yeah, I saw that breaker in there as well. I'm iffy on the relay being the issue, though, since that only provides power for the non-driver's windows. Window lock was a shot in the dark, thinking that maybe it's both a popped driver's window fuse and the lock switch being on, or something like that.

 

Since the only common link between all 4 windows looks to be that ground wire coming out of the switch, I'd make sure there's ground on the harness side of that 3-pin connector plugged into the driver's switch cluster first. While you're in there, make sure the ground connection isn't burnt up inside the switch by pushing the driver's window switch (up or down doesn't matter) and checking continuity across that 3-pin on the switch cluster- pushing the switch in any direction will close the circuit across the motor, so you should see continuity.

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The relay provides power to all of the windows based on the circuit diagram. That and the circuit breaker are the only things that are really common to all of the windows (and the fuse upstream of the relay). I wasn't sure what the breaker was for - it's in the circuit diagram for both the systems with auto-up for the drivers side, as well as those without it. Best guess I had was that it was for pinch protection - so the motor can't just call however much current it needs if something is in the way - if it meets enough resistance (current high enough) it trips the breaker to protect the motor, tracks, etc. if the window jams and to protect whatever is in the way of the window (maybe a finger...) so it doesn't get chopped off. Looks like the fuses are 2, 15, and 29 in the '12, anyway.
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You're saying the window switches on the other doors don't operate those windows, or the driver's door controls don't operate any of the windows?

 

Answer: The drivers cluster of switches to control all windows do not operate at all for any of the windows. Also to clarify there are no noises when used they just won’t operate windows at all.

 

FYI...Door locks work fine.

 

Window controls on each of the passenger doors both front and rear do not work also. No noises at all. Just silence...

 

 

Any chance you have the window lock turned on?

 

Answer: No. I checked that first.

 

 

New question: going to purchase some 20a fuses to check if they are blown. But why would all 4 be blown? Haven’t looked yet but will later today.

 

Could this be a relay issue? What size and where is the location of a power window relay?

 

I found some information so far...cece943f9e4331991e0bc30ca9736b83.jpgIMG_9302.thumb.JPG.e993c5ff9af596ebf52f9b81c1315349.JPG124203393f437aa6737d525c520ca9d3.jpg

 

 

 

 

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those pictures are sort of annoying....

 

 

Ok - go to the general chat forum on this board, then the first sticky is folks talking about their vacation pictures. Go to post 402 in that thread, click the link, scroll down to the 2011 row, and you'll all the info you need and then some to sort this out.

 

 

If you were to find a wiring diagram for your car, perhaps at that website above, look at the circuit diagram for the power window system. It shows you everything you need to know. Just trace wires around and you'll see what they go to. All power goes through the circuit breaker and the relay. the circuit breaker is down by the drivers kick panel fuse box. the relay is under the hood in the fuse/relay box under the hood, right next to the battery. Open it up and the underside of the lid is labelled with who is who - you want the one that is labelled as the power window relay. Turn the ignition switch to acc or on, then pull the relay and using a multimeter, make sure you have +12V across the power terminals in the fuse/relay box. Then apply 12V to the switching terminals of the relay and measure the voltage across the power terminals of the relay - it should be very low. If the relay doesn't click and/or the resistance across the power terminals is large (it should be ohms) - i.e., if you are measuring hundreds of ohms or more, you need a new relay. If the relay is fine, then check to see if the circuit breaker is bad (same basic procedure, except it's inside the car). You could also switch that relay with one that's known to be good (for example, if your horn works, try that relay) and see if the windows all of a sudden work - if they do, you need a new relay, otherwise, keep checking stuff.

 

 

another question - do all of the window switches light up red? if they don't, this could be as simple as the connector is disconnected from the main switch, or the harness is broken somewhere.

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96def1fc7b9fa2089041a70996ff206f.jpg

 

So here is the interesting news. I checked all fuses and the relay and everything appeared to be in order. It wasn’t working and I did not have time to take it apart to examine further...

 

Now after driving a few days and ignoring window controls, everything works!

 

I’m completely baffled. Crapola!

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

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When I don't wind down the windows on my car for 1 week+, they get "stuck". I just keep pressing the button for a few seconds until it moves.

My guess is the rubbers "hold" the glass in place, or the motors are sleeping.

 

I notice on my '13 Legacy, when i close the windows they literally sound like they slam into the rubbers :rolleyes:

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Mine also slam up. I have a line of rubber along the top of all of my windows where the outside seals have stuck to the window. If I don't use them for a couple weeks, it sometimes takes a switch jiggle to get them free, and it rips more little spots of rubber off the seals. I haven't been able to find any combination of chemicals or scrapers that gets the rubber off the window, so it must be some pretty sticky stuff.
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Mine also slam up. I have a line of rubber along the top of all of my windows where the outside seals have stuck to the window. If I don't use them for a couple weeks, it sometimes takes a switch jiggle to get them free, and it rips more little spots of rubber off the seals. I haven't been able to find any combination of chemicals or scrapers that gets the rubber off the window, so it must be some pretty sticky stuff.

 

I wonder if there is something to prevent it from sticking, kind of like using WD-40 to prevent a squeak for example.

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I’ve been using Gummi Pflege to condition door and window seals since I bought a couple bottles of it years ago when buying some other stuff from Bavarian Autosport. The bottle looks quite a bit like that 303 stuff linked above. The stuff I have is probably my the same stuff with a German label. It always seemed to help with sticky door seals, especially ones prone to freezing to the door frame.

 

I put some on the door seals on my Legacy last month to help with the seals sticking badly enough to confuse people trying to open the doors that don’t get used much. Seemed to help out quite a bit, though it didn’t completely fix it with one application. I plan to apply another coat to the door seals and to the window seals having noticed that they stick if I don’t open them for a few days. I’ll let you know how I do.

 

 

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