Electric power window Master control switch

QINWEN FU

MEMBER
2008 NISSAN ALTIMA
3.5L
V6
FWD
MANUAL
98,000 MILES

Hello, I hope I can describe this problem accurately to you. First I would like to say I think it is the wiring to the master switch that is causing the problem.

Four windows, the driver and passenger front windows will not respond to up or down commands on either the master switch or the passengers switch. The back two windows operate as they should. With this being the problem I switched out the old master switch with a brand new one to see if it would solve the problem. It did and it did not at the same time. When it was switched out it allowed the driver window and the back two to operate which is perfectly fine for me. It would be nice that passenger window operated but it is not too much of a concern to me. Having switched it out, the driver window operated which was my whole goal of switching. Though I discovered something that worries me. The driver window will operate if you press down or up on the switch while the vehicle is off. It does not matter if the car is on or off the driver and only driver window will fully function which makes me believe it is having power drained from the battery to constantly supply to the window. I do not know if this will cause a big enough parasitic drain to the vehicle to be of concern. Any thoughts or ideas. I think there may of been some water damage to the driver and passenger door for all of this to occur which makes me expect that the whole wiring harness inside the door has some damage to it. Thank you.

3 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,723 POSTS

This power window system is extremely complicated and full of computer controls. There is no good circuit description, but power is supplied by the Body Computer. One of its functions is to supply "retained power" for some things to work for a short period of time after the ignition switch is turned off. Start by observing if the driver's window still works ten minutes or more after the ignition switch is turned off. The door may need to be closed for the power to switch off.

If that switched power never turns off, the Body Computer is the best suspect.

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Thursday, March 30th, 2017 AT 3:18 PM

QINWEN FU

MEMBER
1 POST

Thank you for the quick response. I will have to wait until tomorrow in order to conduct that test due to weather here currently. I will even let it sit for forty minutes to two hours (given weather conditions) to really make sure that the body control module is not the one allowing the driver side to stay on. On a side note would a draw from this problem be enough to cause battery drainage to drop past voltage? Also, on the side note when I put on the old switch the driver side went back to not working like normal. My main concern is the power drain this could cause if it is constantly prepping the motor.

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Thursday, March 30th, 2017 AT 4:43 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,723 POSTS

Actually, it is the Body Computer that remains powered up. All window power comes through him. The computer also is waiting to see when you use the remote key fob to unlock the doors. It has to be powered up to do that.

While it sounds like that will drain the battery, in fact, since the late 1980's, the industry standard has been to allow a maximum of 35 milliamps, (0.035 amps), to maintain the memory circuits in the numerous computers. Chrysler says at that rate, a good, fully-charged battery will still be strong enough to start an engine that has been sitting for three weeks. In fact, I have two Chrysler products that regularly site for months at time, and they still start, but it is the three weeks they will "guarantee". That is now also accepted as the standard by other manufacturers, unless they specify differently for a certain model.

If you drive your car at least every few days, you should not have a problem with a drained battery. If something is remaining powered up that should not be, the typical symptom will be the battery will be dead after only one or two days, and possibly even after sitting overnight.

Also, be aware some retained power circuits stay turned on until a switch in the driver's seat is tripped. For those, you can usually turn the ignition switch off and remove the key, then continue to listen to the radio for as long as you want to, until you jump out of the vehicle. All of these gimmicks translate into new-car sales, but those are the same systems that cause a huge majority of problems. I have an 1980 Plymouth Volare that has never had an electrical problem. Cannot say that for any car on the road from the last twenty years.

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Thursday, March 30th, 2017 AT 5:22 PM