My Electric Windows Only Work Sometime

Reader Question Hello Austin,I hope you are well.
My daughter is having trouble with the Electric
Windows of her 1992/1993 Nissan Sunny 1.4 LX.
I don’t have much detail but, apparently, sometimes
the windows work OK and sometimes they only raise and
lower just a bit.

The driver’s window is definitely affected and
possibly some of the others, but at the moment I am
not sure how many.

Would you please let me know what you think is caus
ing the problem and what would be a reasonable repair
time per window, because I don’t want her to get
ripped off by the car mechanic.
Best Wishes
Eric, Gloucester, England, UK.

Eric,

Thanks for your email. A quick and easy “shade tree mechanic” test for a faulty electric window motor and or switch is:

1, Turn the ignition key to the on position (so the windows will operate)
2. Engine should be OFF
3. Leave the driver door open so the dome light (the light in the roof) is illuminated
4. Hold down the electric window switch on the window that is NOT working.
5. Look at the dome light as you try to move the window up and down with the switch.

If the window does NOT move, but the dome light dims as you toggle the switch up and down, chances are you have a bad electric window motor inside the door panel. The dome light dims, because the faulty window motor is trying to lift the window, thus sucking power from the battery and that drain on the battery is dimming the dome light.

With the window switch depressed take the fist of your hand and bang on the lower part of the inside door panel on the door with the affected window. Sometimes this banging can “kick start” a weak window motor, but replacing the window motor is still needed to

If the window does not move up or down while you toggle the switch, and there is NO change in the brightness of the dome light, chances are you have a faulty window switch. No power is being sent to the window motor, so there is no “drain” on the battery.

Blessings,
Austin C. Davis