Hi All,

I have a window problem with my 2001 Ford F 350 Superduty Turbo Diesel Truck. This is the first winter that I have had this truck as I just purchased it this past summer, so learning it's behavior in the winter will be new to me.

However, I previously had a 1999 Ford F 250 Superduty Turbo Diesel Truck for several years. And this truck seemed to have the same problems with the windows.

Here is the problem. Whenever it gets cold, 20 degrees F or below, the windows often refuse to go down. They are electric. When it warms up (temp outside) everything is fine again. They do not seem to be frozen to the weather stripping. The fuses check good inside on #7 and under the hood in the power distribution box on fuse #25. It is 30 degrees out currently after dropping to 15 degrees last night, and the windows refuse to move. It may make it up to 40 degrees today, at which time I will try them again to see if they work.

It could be possible that moisture is getting under the stripping where I can not see it and freezing to the window, but you would think that you could at least hear the window trying to move, which I never do.

Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Thanks

Greg

 

Ford probably did this as a fail-safe measure to prevent you from breaking or damaging your windows just in case it was indeed frozen to the stripping. Based on what you said, such an idea only makes sense. All the same, I could be wrong. Anyone else?

 

Dog gone windows. It never got above freezing all week long, so I could not find out if they were actually frozen. But today it did get up to 40 degrees for several hours, and the blasted things still do not move.

I have to agree with your thoughts of Ford doing this with the windows to keep them from breaking. It would be a good idea, but not if the circuitry causes problems like the one that I have.

Will still take any ideas anyone could suggest. I have a busy weekend, so I know I will not have the chance to go through the wiring on the truck. So that means I will have to live with my windows for another week until I have some daylight next weekend.

 

Here is a way to tell if the problem is a cut off circuit or a frozen system.

With the engine off but the key turned to the stop just before ignition, press All of the power windows button. If the motors or components are frozen then you will see a drop on your voltage gauge. The drop means that there is a "load" being placed on the motors but are "binding up". It may help to only have one battery connected. The loss of amperage from removing one battery should make the drop more evident. Also it may be evident in the cab light dimming momentarily.

If the problem is a temperature "circuit" then the system won't even try to send power.

 

Thanks Jlower.... I will give this a try sometime tomorrow.

 

Finally I had some time to go through the electrical of the circuit!! I tracked it down to the window relay located in the fuse box inside the cab. I had swapped this relay with the accessory delay relay located directly below it, and my windows worked. I checked the window relay which seemed to be ok, but would not work the windows when I put it back. So I went and purchased a new relay from my Ford dealer for about $7.

When I installed the new relay, the windows still did not work. I again swapped the accessory delay relay with the window relay and the windows worked. I checked the accessory delay relay and it also checked ok.

I finally put the original two relays back into place and presto the windows worked. My final conclusion on this

The windows quit working due to what we electricians call an oxidized contact point which was the pins of the relay and the receiving terminals of the relay base. This is common place in DC low voltage electrical circuitry. And this was my culprit!!! Pin-pointing it was the task.

If you experience this problem, pull the two relays (the window relay and the accessory delay relay) and insert and remove them about 5 to 6 times. This should be enough to scrape the oxidation from the pins. If it does not, gently clean the pins on the relays using the edge of your pocket knife by scraping them.

These two relays are part of the window circuitry.

Now anyone that has had this problem with one or more of their Ford trucks, will have a good chance of fixing this problem themselves. Leave a reply here and let me know if this information does help. It would make me feel better to know that this has helped others with the same type of problem.

Thanks all for your help!!!!!