Power windows no working

Everything that doesn't belong in the previous categories probably belongs here. Interiour (how are the seats mounted? how to remove the CEM?) and exteriour (how to replace the popup-lights shock absorbers or a door) are discussed here!

Moderators: jifflemon, coyote1980, Rachel

Post Reply
irollerdudek
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 12:49 pm

Power windows no working

Post by irollerdudek » Thu Mar 03, 2016 4:33 pm

USA based '89 480, black and hot in the California sun. Any tips on diagnosing power windows that are not working. Obvious things like fuses have been checked. Thanks.

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Power windows no working

Post by Alan 480 » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:48 pm

whip off the trim from the door, at the location aft of the area where the door handles bolt on (large cross head screws) there is a big plastic holder for ALL the door wiring.

have you got a HBOL ? (Ha**es Book o Lies) it shows where /how to take the trim off.

pull handle fully back and it will let you take the the plastic trim off
prise top edge of trim from door card
TWO big screws on handle
four small ones
Manhandle trim UP, it catches on the locking button so shove it to locked postn

the power windows are blue and white wires (or were on one side of mine)
note that you are best to try one line to earth for 12V then flick window switch 'other way' and try again for voltage, then check the other line to earth. obviously it helps to get someone to hold the switches. :wink:

or pull the plug and try power feed direct from the battery. you can check if power at the socket first if you want cos that's easier than jury rigging power supplies !

TBH if nether window works I'd suspect the supply? or if car been unused for a long time maybe 'tired'

at least with the door cover off you can hear/feel if the motor makes an effort to try and turn?
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

User avatar
glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 4830
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: Power windows no working

Post by glasgowjim » Thu Mar 03, 2016 9:32 pm

read this as well

door card removal

http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/forum/v ... 24&t=14198

window regulator removal

http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/forum/v ... 24&t=14425

Can I also suggest that you look through the how to section and use the search function as well.

In the case of spares (second hand /used /preowned ) many of these can be sourced through an ad or request on this site. This includes parts that are discontinued.

irollerdudek
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 12:49 pm

Re: Power windows no working

Post by irollerdudek » Fri Mar 04, 2016 5:34 am

Great info, will use to investigate and hopefully repair. I knew this site would lead me down the correct path. Thanks again.

User avatar
brinkie
480 Connoisseur
Posts: 857
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:20 am
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Power windows no working

Post by brinkie » Fri Mar 04, 2016 12:09 pm

Cool, a 480 ES that made it to the country where they had originally thought to sell them.

Usually the cable snaps at an attachment point on the rail. I know numerous people who sell second hand window mechanisms, some have been improved so they will never snap again. The mechanism looks like this:
Image
and someone put a metal construction in here:
Image
But I have seen different fixes as well. Usually they sell in the €50 - €60 range, which is almost the price in US dollars considering the low exchange rate at the moment (wish we had an exchange rate like that 30 years ago, the 480 might have been sold in the USA then!)
New is also available, through Skandix (http://www.skandix.de), Mister Auto (http://www.mister-auto.co.uk) and several other suppliers. Look for Volvo p/n 3465272 and 3465273.

(Mmm... sunny California. When I look outside, I am currently seeing cold rain.)
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Power windows no working

Post by Alan 480 » Fri Mar 04, 2016 12:54 pm

Jim

spot on for the link.
need to add that the 'cloth trim' part is held on with 'fir tree' fixings which need some 'brute force to remove along the top edge.

Steel ruler is awffy handy for prising those out :-)

Drivers side window winder started making funny noises and somehow the cable had jumped off the wheel or something cos cable all snarled up.

trust me taking the wire of and NOT taking at least five photos of the cable routing is NOT a good idea :-( it takes a fiendish route when removed from teh spool :eek: and it was clarted in black grease

I did get it all back working after sorted out teh twisted cable, but decided I'd swap it fo rthe one on passenger side but different style! so looks as if the drivers one had already been swapped out as the plastic liner etc was all cut when I first investigated somat (can't mind what) and it also explained the self tapper in the bottom right hand corner of the trim, (pointing forrad) clips were missing :wink:
Last edited by Alan 480 on Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

User avatar
glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 4830
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: Power windows no working

Post by glasgowjim » Fri Mar 04, 2016 6:33 pm

50 to 60 euros wowser continental prices uk price for a 2nd hand unit is about £30 / 40 euro :roll:

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: Power windows no working

Post by jamescarruthers » Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:15 pm

Do NOT buy from Mr. Auto. They say they are in stock but just send 440/460 ones. They happily refund but won't listen when you say it is a different car!!!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

irollerdudek
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 12:49 pm

Re: Power windows no working

Post by irollerdudek » Fri Mar 04, 2016 9:04 pm

Thanks for the pics (trying to get my post count up). There is absolutely no signs of life from either side window or motor (unless they are extremely quiet). Will see if I can work through the delicate door panel removal process without breaking too many fasteners. I can see some additional screws have been applied, so others have already been in there.

Mike

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: Power windows no working

Post by jamescarruthers » Fri Mar 04, 2016 9:07 pm

Just an idea: It is possible the cable has snapped and someone has propped the window up, to avoid whistling from the partially opened window, and disconnected the motor.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

irollerdudek
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 12:49 pm

Re: Power windows no working

Post by irollerdudek » Fri Mar 04, 2016 9:51 pm

yes, but both windows? Are they that likely to fail?

Mike

User avatar
Captain Slow
480 Expert
Posts: 686
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: St Andrews

Re: Power windows no working

Post by Captain Slow » Fri Mar 04, 2016 10:07 pm

Have defective switches (the ones by the handbrake+mirror switches) been considered? I had that problem with one of my windows and the grease in the switch had got onto the contacts thus preventing proper contact (from memory). They're easy to take apart/clean/re-assemble. Again, why both would not be working is not explained by this postulation.
Previously....
Whitney - 95 N White celebration No.449/480 now with Ladyforatey
Lula - 94 M Volvo 480GT Sold on...
Daphne - 95 M volvo 440si 1.8 73,000K (sold :()

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: Power windows no working

Post by jamescarruthers » Sat Mar 05, 2016 3:09 pm

irollerdudek wrote:yes, but both windows? Are they that likely to fail?

Mike
They're very likely to fail with age as the grease disappears with age. Then the cables destroy some plastic inside-- a pulley or the clip that the cables terminate in.

Give the tracks a good grease if you do get yours going.

Fingers crossed for an easy fix for you!
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

irollerdudek
480 Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2016 12:49 pm

Re: Power windows no working

Post by irollerdudek » Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:12 am

So I went for the most obvious and found the power window unplugged inside the door with the window disconnected from the track, but resting on top of it, which held it near the closed position. Plugging it in and briefly hitting the switch, the motor was alive and trying to move the cable. I also found bits of white plastic in the door cavity which maybe pieces of the track guide. Now after I have seen it and looked again an the pics posted above, I will remove the assembly and see what is going on. I suspect the same occurred on the RH side. There was another 3 pin connector unplugged which I need to check out. Will post some pics when enabled.

Mike D.
'73ES, '61P, '89ES + others

User avatar
glasgowjim
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 4830
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND

Re: Power windows no working

Post by glasgowjim » Mon Mar 21, 2016 6:23 pm

you guessed correctly that I have a fair amount of 2nd hand spare parts , but they are all later model s mid 1992 onwards but some parts haven't changed over the production years. the biggest problem you will have is the cost of postage to USA.

Post Reply