So a short in my power window system caused my alternator to fail, according to the suby-specific mechanic in town... I'm running again, but I CAN'T ROLL DOWN MY WINDOWS!!!! it's starting to get hot outside, and i deliver pizzas for a living.... He said he removed the power window relay and that I need to take off the door panels and look for severed wires, etc., fix them, then reinstall the power window relay... Thing is, he didn't tell me where to find a relay, or how much it would cost for him to do it. I don't know if I want to know...

 

in the mean time, if i'm not able to locate severed wires inside the doors, can anyone guide me through manually cracking the windows a bit? this way i could get a cigarette lighter fan and at least get SOME airflow in my car, as my vents don't work too well.

 

thanks in advance for the advice!

bump for help?

Wow, I cannot imagine this is a real issue. A short would blow the circuit fuse first I would think. Or the fuseable link. Here is a thought, if you have the fuse out of the car you could plug it in while the car is not running. Roll down the windows and pull the fuse and then start the car. You could do the same idea by disconnecting the alternator if you really wanted to be safe. Generally a short is a short is a short. They can be indentified by the circuit.

 

Did you have problems with the windows before? Slow opperation? Most of the time this is dirty contacts in the switch.

Wow, I cannot imagine this is a real issue. A short would blow the circuit fuse first I would think. Or the fuseable link. Here is a thought, if you have the fuse out of the car you could plug it in while the car is not running. Roll down the windows and pull the fuse and then start the car. You could do the same idea by disconnecting the alternator if you really wanted to be safe. Generally a short is a short is a short. They can be indentified by the circuit.

 

Did you have problems with the windows before? Slow opperation? Most of the time this is dirty contacts in the switch.

i can't roll down the windows because the relay has been pulled, not the fuse. i can't roll down the windows at all now.

OK so do the same thing with the relay.

Hey tablebreaker

 

 

If your Loyale is the same as the earlier L series cars the power window relay should be under the passenger side seat, you’ll have to remove the seat and the carpet edge trim and roll the carpet back to get to it.

 

The best way to “manually” move the window would probably be to find the right wires at the plug in the door and apply power directly.

 

Like schreckman, I’m not sure I agree with the original diagnoses, not that it couldn’t happen like that, but it does seem unlikely. And as he said, dirty switch contacts are the more typical source of power window problems on these cars.

 

Do you have a millimeter (anybody who’s going to work on there own car should)? If not or if your not sure just how to use it, find someone local that can help (wiring issues are pretty hard to sort out over the net).

 

Good luck

Gary

Gary is correct about applying juice at the motors to verify that they are still operable.

 

If you dont have a 12v power supply yet, this is would be a good investment. You can easily fabricate a 2 lead test connector. They are common on the Subes, and you'll probably need to use it again some day. Just go to your junkyard and clip one off another car.

 

I don't know that I agree with your mechanic about the alt failure being related to the windows, but he may know something I don't. I would focus on tracing the circuit (thru the wiring harness) back from the window motor. Very likely that you'll land at the relay, which was discussed earlier.

 

good luck, John

I had a similar problem with my 91 Legacy. I found the switch used to control the windows have a design issue. When they fail they can short out the circuit. I had two go out. I got some new ones from PAP and no problems since.

OK so do the same thing with the relay.

where can i buy a new relay from?

I had a similar problem with my 91 Legacy. I found the switch used to control the windows have a design issue. When they fail they can short out the circuit. I had two go out. I got some new ones from PAP and no problems since.

you got 2 window switches, like on the driver panel or on the doors themselves?