A redneck (sort of) electrical repair

Well, it's nice and toasty outside, summer is rocking along. The wife has an '04 Explorer that has a problem with RF power window. Baffles me, but she's one of those types that prefers riding with the windows down as opposed to using A/C, says it give her a headache. So, there's the problem, RF window won't go down = momma ain't happy. Enter> Me. :tong

Pull door panel off, actually a nice design by Ford, really easy to pull that panel. Using a test light, I discover two things rather quickly, 1) it's a fairly simple circuit, and 2) there's some form of window control module hidden somewhere on this vehicle, prolly in some god awful position under dash, that is causing the problem with window no go down.

Here's what happens; window motor only has two wires going to it, red/wht (up) and wht/red (dwn). The change of direction, up/dwn, happens by the control module (somewhere on vehicle) switching the ground of these two wires. At the switch, the brn/blu ground wire for up works proper, wht/yel for down is faulty.







Ok, so I know what the problem is, question is, 1) where is the control module, and 2) I can only imagine how much it costs. I'm quite certain the cost would result in a grrrrrrr by my tightwad self, not to mention I want to get this thing working now, the momma not happy factor ya know. :yup

So, I have a theory, have to test it out. Now that I have clipped the two ground wires going to control module, strip back the ground wires. Connect the wht/yel (dwn ground) from switch to brn/blu (up ground) harness wire going to control module. Vuala...window goes down. Connect brn/blu from switch back to brn/blu going to module, window goes up. Sweet!







So my theory worked. Question is, how does one make this circuit work by sending two grounding wires to one ground and not get feedback to opposite circuit? Simple, rectifier diodes, at a wallet busting (not) price of about .75 cents apiece from my local Radio Shack.







Before I actually terminal crimp the diodes into the circuit, gotta make certain they are going to do the job. Connect diodes to brn/blu module ground wire, then connect the diodes to the ground wires from switch, window now goes up and down. Excellent! Who's ur daddy now! Go willie, go willie! :drinkup







Now that I know it works, connect the diodes to wires with butt terminals and rap it up, fit the door panel.







Peace and harmony with momma has be restored.

Very cool :cool2

Good job, does it still work from both drivers and passenger switch?

If it like my truck then there is a GEM (generic electronic module) under the dash that controls the windows.

Nice Job Willie!

I do have a thought that won't work through this simple old brain. Generally when you have a computer controller, functions are controlled on the ground wire. From your description, the system has to be a simple power circuit and I would guess the controllers are in the motor case.

If a controller were used, closing the switch to one direction would allow a small current to flow to the controller on the ground side telling the brain you wanted the window to move in a particular direction. It would then ground the power circuit to the motor letting a bigger current turn the motor. Instead of using three wires to make a simple system work, We now have eight. We have inflated the complexity and cost as well as reducing the life of the system. It's all part of that planned replacement scheme to keep money flowing through the system.

Now that you have committed the crime of saving money and then telling everyone how simple it can be, you will have to dig a tunnel out of the house so you can escape when you hear that loud knocking on the front door in the middle of the night.

Lee-online said:

does it still work from both drivers and passenger switch?

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Nope, won't operate from driver control panel, I had a feeling this would be sacrificed, but hey, window goes up/down, take victories as they come no matter how small.

John C. said:

Now that you have committed the crime of saving money and then telling everyone how simple it can be, you will have to dig a tunnel out of the house so you can escape when you hear that loud knocking on the front door in the middle of the night.

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LoL, then this ain't the first time I've committed such a "criminal act". Better get to diggin' eh?

As someone said once before. That is pretty slick Willie !

willie59 said:

Peace and harmony with momma has be restored.

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Yep no matter how many customers are shouting down the fone on a Monday morning about there machines broke down there's something about keeping the lady's in your life from moaning on a Sunday afternoon that becomes top priority!

Nice job by the way willie!

cps said:

Yep no matter how many customers are shouting down the fone on a Monday morning about there machines broke down there's something about keeping the lady's in your life from moaning on a Sunday afternoon that becomes top priority!

Nice job by the way willie!

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LoL, got that right cps, momma is job #1.

so if you really want to make her happy give her a stick to push the button from the drivers seat. And then you could take the (sort of) out of the title of this thread

Justin said:

so if you really want to make her happy give her a stick to push the button from the drivers seat. And then you could take the (sort of) out of the title of this thread

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LoL, and have Up printed on one end and down on the other end of stick. Nice.

Willie you might want to give the stick idea a little thought she could use it on you instead of the switch. :badidea lol

FSERVICE said:

Willie you might want to give the stick idea a little thought she could use it on you instead of the switch. :badidea lol

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LoL, I ain't concerned about the stick. If you think about it, womens have the inherent ability to choose from a vast array of weapons.

Fast, simple and neat and cheap, and she's still happy, life doesn't get any better than that. Would it help if we got some other women we know to have a chat with her to explain to her its "not working quite right yet or like it used to before you fixed it"? Sorry I just had to mention that, its what I hear around my house from time to time after thinking I did something good and saved money.

Randy88 said:

Sorry I just had to mention that, its what I hear around my house from time to time after thinking I did something good and saved money.

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Likely as we all have heard on occasion. In this case, me thinks she is satisfied to have window go up and down. :yup

yea, that was a good job on the window, bummer both controls don't work .................. it's about the time you finish someone tells you........ ,''those defective units plug in right beside the turn signal flasher''!

Prolly a broken wire inside the rubber boot from door to frame on driver's door.

Jimrr, now thats funny, but exactly how my life works.

Randy88 said:

Jimrr, now thats funny, but exactly how my life works.

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Truth is stranger than fiction.

Just for peace of mind, there is no window control module, the closest to a control module is the drivers side switch as everything gets routed to or from it, everything is hardwired via the window switches. Ford isn't even using relays for polarity reversal anymore.

Alex.

Does the rectifier allow the current to switch from one wire to the next or what purpose does it serve? I have a similar condition in my hay baler and rigged it on two single throw, double pole switches but rectifiers, if they will work, would do the job much better.