HELP! Installing new window lift motor, lost power to a ton of stuff! long...
Up till now, I had full function of everything on my 1989 Grand Marquis GS. The only electrical issue I’ve had was the headlight delay which stopped working. Had it “repaired” at the garage, but the repair was a bypass of the delay since they said they couldn't get the connector. I let it go. I never really used it, and have since never touch the delay dial.
The interior lights all functioned. Map lights, dome lights, visor light, and the illuminated entry system. All worked. All dash lights, dimmers, radio (factory original), heat and a/c and rear defroster. Remote trunk release, cruise control, all electronic window and door lock switches on all doors. Cigarette lighters and electronic mirrors, power seat controls, worked. Every chime, buzzer light…. everything I had, worked.
My car did not come equipped with Tripminder, ACC or a power antenna as options. Other than that which I didn’t have, EVERYTHING functioned perfectly.
Till a week or so ago.
The passenger front window stopped working, stuck in the down position. No sound from the motor at all. All others working, except the rear drivers side which has trouble going up, but the motor and switch operates otherwise. No other issues at the time, so assumed it was a bad window lift motor in the front passenger door .
My father and I first tried replacing it with an easily available Dorman window lift motor. Self tapping screws. Didn’t like that.
Dismantled the door panel, disconnected the old motor and mounted the Dorman. What a pain in the *#*! The Dorman, (once mounted, which took forever to get in position) would never have worked. The gear did not reach the window regulator gears. Just shy of engaging no matter what we did. It looked like it was a hair narrower when we picked it up, but went with it. We were right though, it didn't fit.
Returned part and ordered a reconditioned original window lift motor, correct for my year, build, etc..
In the meantime, all electrical items still worked. Left the panel off the door, but the passenger door lock switch, still connected, worked. The drivers side door lock switch worked that door lock, too. We had removed the bulb that illuminates the light in the door panel when we disassembled the door, but I assume that was working still also, had I popped it back in. The only thing not connected was the window switch.
Got the new part, and we were able to get the recon in way more easily, fit right into place. The wiring on the recon needed to be lengthened to reach my original connector. We did a quick test to see if the motor functioned by connecting some test wires with wire nuts to the window motor, touched the metal in the connectors, and the window switch in the passenger door activated the motor. It’s been stinking hot here and we had had enough, so decided to continue in a day or so. But, so far so good.
Two or three days passed, still hadn’t reconnected the window motor.
I got in the car, went to unlock the passenger door and the drivers side master switch no longer worked at all. I though maybe a fuse, but realized quickly I had lots of other issues, all on different fuses.
I lost map lights, dome and visor light. Illuminated entry system no longer works. My radio works, my dash lights up, but my power mirrors no longer function.
Power seats work. Clock? Nope. Haven’t tried the cruise control, and only switched on the air for a moment, but it seems to function. The windows still go up with the power switches, other than the passenger door, (which is still disconnected), though yesterday my passenger rear window was not going up and had to be guided by hand as I operated the drivers door switch by a friend.) That doors’ window switch does still work, and I can hear the motor but only moved it a hair to see what would happen.
Got my horn and all driving lights (brake, turn signals, headlights and high beams, and reverse lights). The auto trunk release works.
From the reading I’ve done here i think it may be a disconnected ground wire. That is what I hope. I had vacuumed the leaves from the hood/windshield area at some point during the week, maybe I crimped one?
Would a ground wire do this? If not, what could have I done?
The interior lights all functioned. Map lights, dome lights, visor light, and the illuminated entry system. All worked. All dash lights, dimmers, radio (factory original), heat and a/c and rear defroster. Remote trunk release, cruise control, all electronic window and door lock switches on all doors. Cigarette lighters and electronic mirrors, power seat controls, worked. Every chime, buzzer light…. everything I had, worked.
My car did not come equipped with Tripminder, ACC or a power antenna as options. Other than that which I didn’t have, EVERYTHING functioned perfectly.
Till a week or so ago.
The passenger front window stopped working, stuck in the down position. No sound from the motor at all. All others working, except the rear drivers side which has trouble going up, but the motor and switch operates otherwise. No other issues at the time, so assumed it was a bad window lift motor in the front passenger door .
My father and I first tried replacing it with an easily available Dorman window lift motor. Self tapping screws. Didn’t like that.
Dismantled the door panel, disconnected the old motor and mounted the Dorman. What a pain in the *#*! The Dorman, (once mounted, which took forever to get in position) would never have worked. The gear did not reach the window regulator gears. Just shy of engaging no matter what we did. It looked like it was a hair narrower when we picked it up, but went with it. We were right though, it didn't fit.
Returned part and ordered a reconditioned original window lift motor, correct for my year, build, etc..
In the meantime, all electrical items still worked. Left the panel off the door, but the passenger door lock switch, still connected, worked. The drivers side door lock switch worked that door lock, too. We had removed the bulb that illuminates the light in the door panel when we disassembled the door, but I assume that was working still also, had I popped it back in. The only thing not connected was the window switch.
Got the new part, and we were able to get the recon in way more easily, fit right into place. The wiring on the recon needed to be lengthened to reach my original connector. We did a quick test to see if the motor functioned by connecting some test wires with wire nuts to the window motor, touched the metal in the connectors, and the window switch in the passenger door activated the motor. It’s been stinking hot here and we had had enough, so decided to continue in a day or so. But, so far so good.
Two or three days passed, still hadn’t reconnected the window motor.
I got in the car, went to unlock the passenger door and the drivers side master switch no longer worked at all. I though maybe a fuse, but realized quickly I had lots of other issues, all on different fuses.
I lost map lights, dome and visor light. Illuminated entry system no longer works. My radio works, my dash lights up, but my power mirrors no longer function.
Power seats work. Clock? Nope. Haven’t tried the cruise control, and only switched on the air for a moment, but it seems to function. The windows still go up with the power switches, other than the passenger door, (which is still disconnected), though yesterday my passenger rear window was not going up and had to be guided by hand as I operated the drivers door switch by a friend.) That doors’ window switch does still work, and I can hear the motor but only moved it a hair to see what would happen.
Got my horn and all driving lights (brake, turn signals, headlights and high beams, and reverse lights). The auto trunk release works.
From the reading I’ve done here i think it may be a disconnected ground wire. That is what I hope. I had vacuumed the leaves from the hood/windshield area at some point during the week, maybe I crimped one?
Would a ground wire do this? If not, what could have I done?
) on the outside of the window and car cover is on.
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