electric windows ... I am in trouble

suburban_ennui · Post by **suburban_ennui** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:06 pm

hi there. Appologies for the pedestrian nature of my question. I purchased a sec. hand 1990 MX5 a week ago. It's been my dream to own on for a long time, so I'm quite excited.

Anyway, the seller advised me that the electic windows weren't working, and that he'd been told by an auto electrician that all that was needed was the installation of a new switch. This seemed fairly minor, and the car was otherwise OK, so I bought it.

I purchased a bunch of bits'n'pieces from Ross at MX5 mart, including a new window switch. I took the centre consol off, removed the old switch and (after cleaning the contact points in the connector) plugged in the new one. Typically, nothing happened. The windows completely fail to go up or down. Basically, my wife is going to kill me if this ends up costing a small fortune in auo electrical bills. I'm handy enough doing basic stuff like taking simple things apart and putting them back together, but don't know enough about cars to even comtemplate rewiring etc. So, my basic question is, any chance this is an easy fix? Could it be a fuse or something? I took a look at the fuse box in the bonnet and noticed there was one fuse socket missing a fuse. (All the fuses that were there looked OK/not burn out.)

Sorry for the long post ... any suggestions (pitched at newbie-level) much appreciated.

poison · Post by **poison** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 6:41 pm

If both are not going then that's probably a good sign as it's unlikely both motors are dead. Firstly the fuse is a 30Amp and is mounted under a panel down and to the right of the steering column (At least I'm fairly sure it's in this one). and goes in a Black/White wire directly to the window switch.

Check that the black wire from the switch is connected to a good earth as this is the return path for the window motors.

You really need a multi-meter and a wiring diagram, but you can get away with a bulb and some wire to see if there is power at this switch. Using two bits of wire connected to a bulb (12V car one) you can touch one on any solid metal part of the car and the other on the black/White wire terminal and if there is power the bulb will light. Maybe the easiest way is to buy a 12V tester from Repco or supercheap, only maybe $10 or so.

If there is power then you will need to pull off one of the door covers and do the same but on the wire to the elec motor, this will be either Red/Black for open on the right or Green/Red for open on the left. And get someone to push the button.

If you get stuck I can copy and email you the wiring diagram. If you are on the shore in Auckland I may even be able to help you.

Gazza

[Posted via External Email]

suburban_ennui · Post by **suburban_ennui** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 7:24 pm

Gazza ... you're a good man. I'll check that out when it's daylight.

Complaining aside, I'm loving owning an MX5 ... roll on summer

suburban_ennui · Post by **suburban_ennui** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:00 pm

righto ... found the fusebox under the steering wheel. Wow. You really need to be a contortionist to get in there and poke around, don't you? I printed out the diagram for here
http://www.mx5club.org.nz/maintenance/fuses/
and pulled out the window fuse to take a look. Admitedly, I wasn't really that well prepared, not having much space to move around, nor a torch (I was at work) so should probably check again, but the fuse looked ok.

Gazza ... re: your comments above. I assume the wires you're talking about the are the ones coming out from behind the fusebox? Dammit ... this is getting complicated. (Oh well ... at least the windows are stuck in the up position.)

Shermio · Post by **Shermio** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 3:55 pm

It only take 4 screws to unbolt the seat

and the link you have posted goes to the music billboards chart...

It may also pay to check if water is getting inside your doors... swing them open and close fast and see if you hear sloshing, if you don't then it may still pay to remove the door pannel and check the plastic sheet is in place since the motors are subject to corrosion...

suburban_ennui · Post by **suburban_ennui** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:37 pm

jeeze ... no idea _how_ that link got in there ... I've corrected it now. And nope, no sloshing sound in the doors. Here's me thinking that this would be a simple switch replacement. I can see my wife tearing me to pieces given that I bought the car on the assumption that everything would be fixed with tha $70 switch. Crap.

poison · Post by **poison** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:48 pm

No I am referring to testing the wires at the window switch in the console after you have made sure the fuse is OK. Good luck.

Gazza

[Posted via External Email]

Ben.Nakagawa · Post by **Ben.Nakagawa** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:53 pm

I guess you already searched and look at http://www.miata.net/garage/garageinterior.html, but if not yet.

I home some of those artice gives yiu some sort of clue.

Ben

suburban_ennui · Post by **suburban_ennui** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:54 am

OK, I'm a tool. Clearly getting under the dash at twilight without a torch wasn't the smartest way of checking whether a fuse was blown. I looked again this morning, and sure enough it was ... windows working A-OK, and imminent divorce avoided. Phew. Thanks for the helpful advice along the way.

Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:09 am

Ressurecting an old thread

I did a massive road trip on the weekend (nearly 1000kms!) around the Eastcape and the master electric window switch decided to only put the window down on the passenger side (really fun since it was raining!)

I managed to close the window by disassembling the console on the side of the road and then shorting the contacts to raise it again. However looking at the state of the contacts, it is clear that a whole new switch is needed (the contact in question looks to have shorted slightly which has cause it to melt down into the plastic a bit. It is too low to be in contact with the rocker)

So- Does anyone know how much a new switch is from Mazda? Or second hand (although I'd prefer a new unit to avoid having the same problem)

ham · Post by **ham** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:00 pm

So- Does anyone know how much a new switch is from Mazda? Or second hand (although I'd prefer a new unit to avoid having the same problem)

Just looked on Roadsters are us and they have them at $75.00. I think MX5Mart is about the same.

mazline · Post by **mazline** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:59 pm

We can do those early switches brand new for that money inc gst and delivery.These are to suit 89-91 early model
Thanks
Mark

Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 3:24 pm

My car is a 97 NA

There are switches listed on MX5mart but they are only listed for the 89-93. What changed?

mazline · Post by **mazline** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:15 pm

They were facelifted 92-93, went front a rocker contact type switch to a micro switch which you can't really clean up.

Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:56 pm

Im assuming that the lower switch is the later one? In that case I actually have an earlier switch installed.....but as noted the contacts are too far gone to just clean.

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:12 pm

It pays to check the free movement of your windows too becaue if they are tight it will cause a bit of amperage/heat burn-out of your contacts thereby shortening the switch life.

brownie · Post by **brownie** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:23 pm

Yes lower switch is the later one,as your 97 should have

Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:00 am

Yeah I have the earlier one in my car (?) so it has obviously already been replaced once. Ill definitely check the window runners etc when I install the new switch in case that is causing premature failure (although in saying that, the windows didn't seem like they were struggling when they did work)

Anyone got a price for a new replacement switch in the new style?
Cheers guys

brownie · Post by **brownie** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:35 pm

PM at work and i will sort a price ,As you can i have them at work
Brownie/Mazline

Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:16 am

Well got a switch from MX5 mart....but it appears the loom length is different.

Is the same for all post 93 switches? (i.e. the earlier switch I had in there that failed had a longer loom which went the length of the centre console to join up near the gear shifter. The new switch only has an inch or two of loom so doesn't have enough to fit).

mazline · Post by **mazline** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:31 am

I think the short loom switches are from Automatic cars,They don't use the longer looms.

Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:41 am

Ok Ill give MX mart a ring back.

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:48 pm

A QUICK NOTE ABOUT CLEANING SWITCH CONTACTS

The switch contacts are coated with a hard coating which makes them less likely to carbon up from arcing. if you use sand paper or other back yard cleaning methods all you do is ensure you WILL be pulling the switch apart in the future to clean it again as you have taken off the coating.

TO CLEAN CONTACTS CORRECTLY use a fiberglass pen available from Jaycar or maybe dick smith. it is a pen with fiberglass strands in it an it will clean off the contact surface without wrecking the coating on the metal.

Habanero666 · Post by **Habanero666** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:34 am

SLYDIT wrote:
TO CLEAN CONTACTS CORRECTLY use a fiberglass pen available from Jaycar or maybe dick smith. it is a pen with fiberglass strands in it an it will clean off the contact surface without wrecking the coating on the metal.

The fiberglass brush can also be purchased at most paint stores and is called a PREP PEN.