Window Switch Problem

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Jan 30, 2009 | 07:26 PM

rbaileyjr1965

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Window Switch Problem

None of the windows in my '05 f150 crew cab will work. The fuse was changed(#401 per the diagram) plus just replaced the master control switch located in the driver door. One strange thing is that pressing the window down causes the "door ajar" light to come on as well the related tone when the door is already open. Makes me think of a short somewhere. Thanks for any advice.

Jan 30, 2009 | 09:45 PM

Greg B

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You are probably on the right track. Every time I've had to diagnose electrical problems on the newer Fords I've found that following the diagnostic tree in the Ford shop manuals to gets me to the bottom of the problem. You may be able to borrow one from your local library. The Ford shop manuals are the best investment that a person who does their own work can make. It saves a lot of time in the long run. And the powertrain and emission control manual sure helps diagnose driveability and code problems. Hope this helps.

Greg B

Jan 30, 2009 | 10:06 PM

Warbird Mechanic

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From: Beavercreek, Ohio

Sounds like a short alright. Try looking in areas where the wiring is exposed to heat or movement. Thats where you will usually find them. Hope this helps!

Jan 31, 2009 | 11:02 PM

rbaileyjr1965

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Thanks for the advice. I'll pull the full door panel off and check all connections and wire routing. The master switch and everything around it was checked again. The child-lock out switch still seems to function as the lights on those switches go off when it's activated, so power is getting to the unit.

Feb 1, 2009 | 02:49 PM

Greg B

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You didn't say what model or features your truck has, rbailyjr, but these newer vehicles have a Generic Electronic Module, or GEM, that controls a lot of the convenience features, such as passive anti-theft, one touch down of the power windows, the warning chimes, and some of the warning features on the instrument cluster. That is the reason I suggested to follow the dianostic tree in the Ford shop manual. It will tell you what circuits to test in the proper order to either confirm or rule out a possible cause so that you don't just throw things at it until you find out what has failed. It could be a short, an open, or a problem in the GEM causing the problem. It has sure saved me a lot of time and money when I've had to look into electrical problems on our Fords. Hope this helps.

Greg B

Feb 2, 2009 | 11:38 AM

rbaileyjr1965

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It's a XLT Crew Cab with power windows. My dad is using the wiring diagrams from alldatadiy.com to find the problem. He's a retired avionics mechanic and actually enjoys this type of problem to solve especially when it isn't his own truck. I do agree with you in that a Ford shop manual would be better to use. I will invest in one soon.

I'll post the fix in case anyone else has a simlar problem.

Thanks
Robert

Feb 2, 2009 | 09:00 PM

rbaileyjr1965

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The problem was a short in the wiring going from the door to the body. Even though there's a protective housing, two of the wires were frayed.

Thanks for all the input here.
Robert