Why Aren’t My Car’s Power Windows Working?

There are few things as frustrating as pulling up to a drive-up window and needing to open your door because your power window is not working.   Unfortunately, the convenience of power windows also means that when something malfunctions it can make basic things like stopping by the ATM or grabbing a coffee on the way to work incredibly cumbersome.

Components of a Power Window System

In order to understand some of the common failure points of power windows it is a good idea to have a basic understanding of this vehicle system and the individual components.  

Window Regulator: This is the mechanical assembly responsible for raising and lowering the window

Window Motor: The electrical motor that powers the window regulator

Window Switch: The buttons located on the door or center console controlling the window

Wiring, Fuses, and Relays:  Electrical components providing the power necessary to control the window motor

Control Module: Some vehicles, but not all, utilize a control module to control the power windows and typically several other components within the vehicle

Each one of these components is a potential source of failure.  We are going to explore some of the common faults with each of these components and how they impact the operation of your power windows.

Window Regulator Failure

Window regulator failure is one of the most common failure points if your power windows are not working.  It is the mechanical assembly that attaches to your window and raises and lowers the window on the window track.  Typically, when this component fails you will hear some crunching or grinding as the window goes down.  This can be as the gears within the assembly fail or the pointing points to the window have broken.  Many of these components are plastic and deteriorate over time and become brittle and break off causing your window to not move at all, and in unfortunate cases they fail completely when the window is down making it impossible to roll your window back up.

Window Motor Failure

The window motor is attached to window regulator and is responsible for providing the work to move the regulator assembly.  As a driver you will typically get some warning as the motor fails overtime due to use.  If you notice your windows are unusually slow going up that is generally a good sign it is time fore replacement.  Many times the window motor is only sold with a new regulator so when you have a failure you are replacing the primary electro-mechanical components of your power window system.

Window Switch Issues

Depending on the layout of your vehicle the switches that control your windows are either located on the door panel or in the center console area.  The window switch is a very simple contact switch where when pressed it completes the circuit and provides power to the windows.  Over time from use the contacts on the switch can go bad, or the mounting points of the switch wear out causing poor contact and causing inoperative windows.  Sometimes you can determine a switch issue if only one window is not working and you don’t hear any sounds when you press the switch.  However, this is not always the case as other electrical issues can also present the same way.  The best way to determine for sure is to bring your car into the shop and we can test the system and pinpoint the exact cause.

Wiring & Electrical Issues

Pinched wires are by far the most common issue for electrical malfunctions in a power window system.  The most common source of these wiring issues can be found in the door hinge area.  The repeated opening and closing of doors can cause the wires to shift and rub against each other or the door frame and rub the insulation off of the electrical away.  If you suspect electrical issues it is generally a great place to start.  

Bad fuses and relays can also prevent power being sent to your window motor as well.  However, if you fund the fuse for your power windows has blown or burnt up it is a good idea to inspect other parts of your system.  A fuse is the safety net for an electrical circuit due to overloading or shorting.  A bad fuse warrants investigation into a root cause.  Under no circumstances should you put a higher amperage fuse in place to resolve the problem as you risk fire.

Relays are another component that can fail.  They typically fail due to overloading, high temperatures and mechanical wear.  Like a fuse it is always best to inspect the entire circuit instead of just replacing the relay.

Control Module Failures

As vehicle electronics advance more and more functions of a vehicle are controlled by a computer module.  These modules can go by several different names such as body control modules, or footwell modules.  This allows vehicle manufacturers to reduce the number of wires in a vehicle and consolidate multiple functions.  Instead of utilizing an increasing number of wires to control various functions these systems use network signal wires called CANbus.  The tradeoff for this wiring consolidation and increase in control is that when a control modules fail they are more expensive to fix.  Sometimes other vehicle functions will malfunction at the same time as the windows pointing to a potential control module failure.  However, that is not always the case and it is a good idea to have a professional dig into your electrical system due to the cost of replacement.

Power Window & Electrical Services in Naperville, IL

Regardless of the reason that your power windows aren’t working it is something that can be frustrating.  Our expert technicians at Becker Service Center in Naperville, IL have the experience and knowledge to get your issues resolved quickly.  Call us at (630) 983-5500 or Schedule an Appointment today to get your vehicle back in proper working order.