Window doesnt work. Is it the switch or the module?

Tiny
KDRUNK5586
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 HONDA PILOT
  • 100 MILES
2004 Honda pilot
The drivers window motor does not work. Applied voltage and ground to the motor and motor works up and down. When I press the switch in the up or down position I hear the drivers window module click like a relay but nothing happens with the window motor.

Have no voltage being sent to the motor on the up or down circuit. Do you think cause I hear the module click it it's receiving the signal from the multiplex switch and it's the drivers door window module at fault? I replaced the window motor and I did not fix the problem I think it's in the multiplex switch or the window door module. Don't know where to go from here?

Also it has a fuse under the passenger kick panel and in the engine pdc and both are good. The two main power wires I used to jump the motor up and down go into the door module. Then split off I think into the harness and I guess into the switch but the wires change color. I can unplug the connector at the door module( which is on the door shell. Don't think it can get wet unless door panel and moisture barrier is off) and apply power and ground to my two wires that run to the motor and the window goes up and down. So I think the wires run from inside the car into the switch then into the module then into the motor? I guess. Don't have a wiring diagram at this point.
Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 AT 5:38 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,741 POSTS
The system must be losing power somewhere. I would use a test light to see what is not working I have a suspicion it is the door multiplex controller.

Here is a guide and some wiring diagrams (below) to help us get started.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

Here is how to check the switch as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/electric-window-repair

Please let us know what happens so it will help others.

Cheers,
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Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 AT 6:49 PM
Tiny
KDRUNK5586
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All the other windows work except the drivers front window. Do you think the switch is working cause I hear the window module in the door "click" when I hit the drivers window up or down? Or can it still be the multiplex switch? It's a friend of mines car so I only can work on it here and there. He bought the window motor thinking it was an easy fix and I put it in for him so that's the only reason it has a new motor. But at least I can rule that out. On top of that I wanna lean more towards the multiplex switch being at fault than the module cause the switch is used constantly and Honda parts said they do sell many modules for that car. Just trying to find the easiest way to help a friend out instead of having him just throw parts at it.
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Tuesday, June 26th, 2012 AT 11:19 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
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At this point I would recommend measuring the voltages on the switch and on the motor. Every wire on the switch should have 12 volts at some point, (except the ground wire), when the switch is pressed one way or the other. If one wire doesn't, I'd suspect that first and take it apart to see if there was a burned contact I could clean with sandpaper.

The next thing is to measure the voltages on both motor wires when you press the switch. In one direction, one wire must have 12 volts and the other one must have 0 volts. If you find less than 12 volts on just one wire, that suggests a poor switch or relay contact. If you find more than 0 volts on the second wire, that suggests a high resistance in the ground circuit. If you find 12 volts on both wires, that means there's an open ground circuit. What I don't know yet is whether that ground circuit goes through half of the switch or through the module. It does sounds like the module is bad
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Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 AT 12:20 AM
Tiny
KDRUNK5586
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With the switch in the up position it's got 12v at the switch connector( same on the down circuit). Followed the wire to the window door module and checked at the connector and it's getting 12v there to. So to me the module is receiving the 12v from the switch but not sending any voltage to the motor. Thinking the module is at fault.
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Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 AT 6:32 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
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I would love to get my hands on that module and try to pop it open to peek inside. If you're hearing clicking in it, that is likely a relay being turned on, and relays in that type of circuit are notorious for developing burned contacts. Usually, since they don't remain turned on for very long, there is more of a black residue from the arcing when they turn off, than actual overheating from constant high current. That powdery residue can be cleaned off with very fine sandpaper.

I use a strip about 1/4" wide and fold it in half so it's double-sided and 1/8" wide. Slide it in the contacts, then put a little pressure on the contact arm while you slide the sandpaper around.

Another common problem with relays that I see all the time in tvs and car radios is broken solder connections where the relay is soldered to the circuit board. If you suspect that and don't know what to look for, I'll try to find a picture to post of what that looks like.

The more I think about it, a broken solder connection makes more sense. In the circuits with relays that I'm familiar with, you would have to have two bad ones for "up" and "down" to both not work if contacts were the cause of the problem. Only one relay would have to have a bad solder connection for both directions to not work, because both relays pass current in both directions, either as the 12 volt feed to the motor or as the ground return circuit. They switch roles when you switch directions.
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Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 AT 7:57 PM
Tiny
KATECK
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  • 1 POST
  • 2008 HONDA PILOT
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 26,000 MILES
Computer problem
2008 Honda Pilot 6 cyl All Wheel Drive Automatic 26000 miles

My battery died this morning and after I recharged it, started the car, and drove for a bit I noticed that the auto down feature for the driverside window stopped working. Is this a simple reset of the computer to fix the problem and how would I do that?
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Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 AT 1:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HONDA TECH 1818
  • MECHANIC
  • 536 POSTS
Try resetting the power window control unit.
1) Move the driver's power window all the way down by holding the driver's power window switch firmly down to the second detent, when the window reaches the bottom, hold the driver's power window switch in the AUTO DOWN position for 2 seconds.

2) Move the driver's power window all the way up without stopping by holding the driver's power window switch firmly up to the second detent, when the window reaches the top, hold the driver's power window switch in the AUTO UP position for 2 seconds.
If the power window does not work in AUTO, reset the power window master switch according to the above procedures again.
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Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 AT 1:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BPENPUSHER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Move the driver's power window all the way up without stopping by holding the driver's power window switch firmly up to the second detent, when the window reaches the top, hold the driver's power window switch in the AUTO UP position for 2 seconds.

If the power window does not work in AUTO, reset the power window master switch according to the above procedures again

Thanks for this! Im currently looking for the solution to this, I had a similar problem on my power control unit. :)
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Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 AT 1:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ROWDY GAL
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  • 2005 HONDA PILOT
Yesterday I got a new battery, so the auto up/down window stopped working. I tried to reset it per the instructions in my manual. I put the window down by holding the button all the way. I let it go and then pushed it all the way down for a few seconds. When I heard a faint click I let it go. When I tried to put up the window it wouldn't go at all. I pushed the button down again until I heard the click again. The window went up and down, but the auto function is still off. I tried this again going up instead of down, but the same thing happened. Instead of the auto function coming on, the window wouldn't move at all. What am I doing wrong?
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Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 AT 1:36 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
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When resetting the auto functions, you must not pulll the switch fully, only pull it sufficiently to operate the manual function.

Start by opening the window fully. Then close the window fully.

If it does not work, you need to let it rest as the window would stop working if it gets too hot.
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Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017 AT 1:36 PM (Merged)

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