Let me start from the beginning

About a week ago i was driving my twin infants home in my 95 accord ex 4 dr and pushed the power window switch to open the drivers window (about 1/2 way down). I tried to put the window back up and it wouldnt budge ....just went down. Press the switch up, nothing, press the switch down ...it moves further down. All of the other windows functioned good. Considering the temperature outside is in the teens, something had to be done soon. I was unsure if the problem was the motor or the switch ...though i suspected the "clicking" in the switch was defective. Also, this switch was beginning to act up a few weeks earlier.

I removed the switch and found a glass shop with amechanic that might be able to help me figure out which wires i can jump(to at least close the window). After a few attempts and a few blownwindow fuses, we gave up. He taped up my windowso i could get home.

Considering that a new switch was about $150 i decided to check the junk yards. Low and behold i found aswitch(in like new condition) from a 97 accord. I bought it for $35, installed it and everything wasgreat. All windows are functional!

Today (about 3 days later), i get in my car, start itbegin to back out of the parking space and i hear a fizzing noise ...followed by white smoke billowing from my drivers door. I stopped and immediatly pulled off the newly installed switch. However, the burning wasnt coming from the switch ....it was coming from deeper down into the door (bottom left while sitting in the car). I couldnt see where it came from but assume it was the sound (and smell) of burning wires. I press down on the passenger front and rear windows...only the rear works. I press on the the drivers front and rear windows...they both work fine. I drive down the road a few miles and suddenly all windows slowly lose functionality ....with the exception of (ironically) the drivers window. It still works.

I get to my destination, open my fuse box and notice that all 3 power window fuses are fried. It looks like the drivers window is partially fried too.

Im wondering what caused the meltdown? Might it be the switch (that was in like new condition but out of a 1997 Accord)? The old switch and new switch look identical and have the same wiring harness. Are they not interchangeable (from a 95 to a 97)? Keep in mind that this switch worked just fine for a few days. When the burning occured, I was not using my power windows. Perhaps there was some type of short somewhere in the door that caused this problem? Im not sure but the timing of all this is all suspect.

I suspect that i will have to take apart the door panel to locate theburned/shorted wires. Not sure if there is any other damage but everything else (electical) seemed functional

Anyone ever heard of this happening before??? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

 

my intial thought is that the guy who fixed the window intially inadvertandly scraped a wire so it shorted... With an electrical issue of this nature you have to pull that door panel and find out what's burnt before you do anything else, don't replace those fuses yet. Before you power that system and risk a fire open the door up. There is a write-up in our DIY section on power window's with instructions on how to remove the panel

 

yes ...thats a possibility. The only thing is that i dont know how he could have scraped a wire down there since we werent even messing with things that low. The only thing he did was try to jumper some wires at the harness plug (that goes into the switch).

I wasnt planning on replacing those fuses just yet. I thought the same thing...dont want to risk a fire. The good news is that the windows areall up and it's winter

Do you think that there is a problem with the switch. It did work just fine for a few days and is in much bettercondition than my old switch

I will look into getting that panel removed. I've never doneit before but it cant be that difficult ...right? Once removed I'm sure it wont bedifficult finding burntwires.

 

i'd think the switch is the problem. it may look new outside, but it does rain in junk yards. ppl pee in cars, on door panels and switches, whatever, hehe.

why would all the other window fuses blow all the sudden? since you don't want to start a fire anyway, take the switch out and take it apart. is there a lot of corrosion, etc all over the contacts etc?

i'm just curious now - this billowing smoke...it was really just....poof!! smoke from hell all the sudden? [sm=badbadbad.gif]

 

yes ...something like that .....i though i was on fire....lol. Pulled over ASAP, opened the door and pulled the switch up (i hadnt yet screwed it down). The smoke was coming deep down in the bottom left corner of the door cavity (nowhere near the window switch. However, Im 99% certain that the door switch wiring is the culprit (considering the fuses blew).

Perhaps you are correct. Maybe the switch is bad coming from a junk yard. I'll try to take it apart and look for corrosion. The thing that concerns me is the amount of smoke generated before a fuse blew ....and the fact that nothing happened for several days.

Taking the door panel off to find the root (burn) of the problem will be the priority. For now, at least my windows are all up in the winter

 

that's a wierd location for smoke though. i've had window switches go bad and cause the motor to blow out, but never smoke in the amount your talking about.

 

yea...it was a nice puff of smoke...almost like a smoke bomb on the forth of july.

The ironic thing is that the drivers window (the door where the smoke came from) still works ...it's all three others that are currently out.

Its so cold and snowy here in michigan that it might take me some time to removing the door panel. I've never taken off a panel so i might try to get ahold of a friend who used to do stereo installs for Best Buy. Im sure he's taken apart a few accord door panels

 

Just wanted to followup:

HondatechAV6was correct. It was the "junkyard switch".

I ended up taking the car to a body shop since i'd never taken the interior door skin off. I kind of knew the guy working there so he showed me how to reassemble the door skin (i know how to do it now).

Well...he checked all the wiring ...it was good...then disassembled the switch ...and there it was ....it burned and blew out a small hole in the plastic. YOu could smell the burn. I bought a new switch (dealership) and all is good

Thanks!