Passenger door lock and window inop......
6th Gear
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Drivers door window intermittently inoperative
Randy
Before you get too deep in cash flow, try this. Grab the rubber accordion tube between the door frame and the door and while your pressing the window switch, shake the wiring harnesses inside that rubber tube. See if that will cause the door to start working again. Let me know how you make out.
BC
Before you get too deep in cash flow, try this. Grab the rubber accordion tube between the door frame and the door and while your pressing the window switch, shake the wiring harnesses inside that rubber tube. See if that will cause the door to start working again. Let me know how you make out.
BC
Thank you so much! I was about to buy a new door module.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Screw that tape,,,, That isnt the issue!!
The PROBLEM lies inside the connector. FEMALE pins are bent and deformed and they are causing a poor contact with the male pins. Fix the female pins.
The PROBLEM lies inside the connector. FEMALE pins are bent and deformed and they are causing a poor contact with the male pins. Fix the female pins.
6th Gear
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Door window inoperative intermittent
Thanks again!
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Green Bay WI
I want to send a special thanks to Bill Curlee for the info above. I was driving home yesterday and every single warning light on my dash came on and it was displaying every possible message on the DIY (very bizarre). When I got in the garage I went to roll the window up and had no power to the entire door. I found this post on the Forum and it was the exposed wire issue above. I am floored that was causing everything that was happening and even more floored the solution was in this Forum. I can't thank you enough....
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I want to send a special thanks to Bill Curlee for the info above. I was driving home yesterday and every single warning light on my dash came on and it was displaying every possible message on the DIY (very bizarre). When I got in the garage I went to roll the window up and had no power to the entire door. I found this post on the Forum and it was the exposed wire issue above. I am floored that was causing everything that was happening and even more floored the solution was in this Forum. I can't thank you enough....
To fix it properly you will have to do that.
BC
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Green Bay WI
Bill, thank you for the heads up. I was so excited it worked I didn't dig any further. I will go back to it tomorrow and dig a little further. Again, I can't say thanks enough.
1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
So, Reason #241 that I hate modern cars, and Reason #4836 that I love the Internet.
This weekend my car popped the "Reduced Engine Power" warning, gauges zeroed out, but the car was functioning normally (from a mechanical perspective). Just couldn't roll my windows up. Throwing that code would disable all of the useful stuff like fuel gauge, and the stereo too.
Thanks to Google and this thread, I was able to isolate the problem down it being a single, slightly bent connector in that door wiring connector (the serial one, of course).
I just wanted to register here to thank everyone who contributed to this thread with pictures, guides, and links. This would have thrown me for a loop for a fair bit without you. Instead, I appear to have fixed it in the parking lot here at work this morning for $0 (minus my time and hatred).
-Steve
This weekend my car popped the "Reduced Engine Power" warning, gauges zeroed out, but the car was functioning normally (from a mechanical perspective). Just couldn't roll my windows up. Throwing that code would disable all of the useful stuff like fuel gauge, and the stereo too.
Thanks to Google and this thread, I was able to isolate the problem down it being a single, slightly bent connector in that door wiring connector (the serial one, of course).
I just wanted to register here to thank everyone who contributed to this thread with pictures, guides, and links. This would have thrown me for a loop for a fair bit without you. Instead, I appear to have fixed it in the parking lot here at work this morning for $0 (minus my time and hatred).
-Steve
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Totally stoked - this worked with my C5 2000 with 222k original miles. Great post
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 856
From: Walhalla South Carolina
What puzzles me is how do these wires all of a sudden become uninsulated. They work finefor yrs and then this happens, go figure.
Posted before I saw Bills description of the bent pins being the problem and not the naked wires. My question is still what causes the pins in the connector to suddenly get distorted after many yrs/miles?? Is it the shake raddle and role of the car being driven that causes the pins to become distorted???
Thanks BIll of all you do for the forum!!!!!
Posted before I saw Bills description of the bent pins being the problem and not the naked wires. My question is still what causes the pins in the connector to suddenly get distorted after many yrs/miles?? Is it the shake raddle and role of the car being driven that causes the pins to become distorted???
Thanks BIll of all you do for the forum!!!!!
Last edited by bjones7131; May 4, 2014 at 10:20 AM.
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Asheville North Carolina
It's Probably NOT a "Short"
Well, I really never dug into it that deep but I do know that the insulation needs to cover the wire and it comes that way from the factory. What ever it grounds to (have not figured it out) resolves if you shake the harness. I tapped that wire up on 6 cars and everyone who I did it for has never had another door issue. Now your going to make me look it up cause you pegged ny interest> 
Well,,,I lookes and theres nothing that list a CLEAR wire or a bare wire.
Il keep researching!
BC
Now your going to make me look it up cause you pegged ny interest> Well,,,I lookes and theres nothing that list a CLEAR wire or a bare wire.
Il keep researching!
BC
In order for a loose, exposed wire to be "shorted", that wire must come into contact with another wire or a ground. We can all agree that since Corvettes have fiberglass bodies, that's unlikely.
What is very much likely is that there is an "open". That's when a wire or circuit isn't making contact. as though a switch has been "opened" (turned off).
When I hear that securing that wire at the connector makes it work, that all but confirms (99.5%) what I already said. Securing the malfunctioning connector pin into the connector with liquid tape or another adhesive (and not doping the pin) should make that connection much more reliable.
Note: If it WAS a "short" ... You would be blowing fuses!
If you're not blowing fuses, you have an "intermittent open"
... a "Bad Connection".
~
Racer
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 480
Likes: 42
From: Los Angeles CA
It was shake the accordion boot between the body and the door while trying raising and lowing the window and door lock. If they work while that happens it is the harness.
I am fortunate to have a friend who owns a Corvette repair shop here in Los Angeles. He has some good used parts and I swap out door switches and door modules. Checked the fuses. No differences. Read this thread and found the problem.
To fix the harness you have pull it and examine the wires. I had 2 bad wires and replaced them.
I hope that helps.
I am fortunate to have a friend who owns a Corvette repair shop here in Los Angeles. He has some good used parts and I swap out door switches and door modules. Checked the fuses. No differences. Read this thread and found the problem.
To fix the harness you have pull it and examine the wires. I had 2 bad wires and replaced them.
I hope that helps.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
In order for a loose, exposed wire to be "shorted", that wire must come into contact with another wire or a ground. We can all agree that since Corvettes have fiberglass bodies, that's unlikely.
What is very much likely is that there is an "open". That's when a wire or circuit isn't making contact. as though a switch has been "opened" (turned off).
When I hear that securing that wire at the connector makes it work, that all but confirms (99.5%) what I already said. Securing the malfunctioning connector pin into the connector with liquid tape or another adhesive (and not doping the pin) should make that connection much more reliable.
Note: If it WAS a "short" ... You would be blowing fuses!
If you're not blowing fuses, you have an "intermittent open"
... a "Bad Connection".
~
What is very much likely is that there is an "open". That's when a wire or circuit isn't making contact. as though a switch has been "opened" (turned off).
When I hear that securing that wire at the connector makes it work, that all but confirms (99.5%) what I already said. Securing the malfunctioning connector pin into the connector with liquid tape or another adhesive (and not doping the pin) should make that connection much more reliable.
Note: If it WAS a "short" ... You would be blowing fuses!
If you're not blowing fuses, you have an "intermittent open"
... a "Bad Connection".
~
You have to fix the female pins and get them to grip the male pin properly. Use a pin pull test to check all the female pins with a spare male pin.
Bill
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
My passenger door has been occasionally unresponsive (window, lock, button lights, side view mirror). Sometimes it it causes the DIC to go crazy and throw all kinds of codes and lights.
Thanks to this thread (thanks Bill!) I popped the grommet off and inspected the female pins. Here is what I found:
I tried bending the loose looking ones back into place, but they didn't want to move. Does anyone have any tips for this? Should I just jam a pick/nail in there and don't stop pushing until it bends? Should I disconnect both connectors, remove the door, and de-pin?
I put it back together and confirmed the door electronics were working correctly. I think I'll see how long it lasts until the problem comes back and think about a permanent solution later.
Thanks to this thread (thanks Bill!) I popped the grommet off and inspected the female pins. Here is what I found:
I tried bending the loose looking ones back into place, but they didn't want to move. Does anyone have any tips for this? Should I just jam a pick/nail in there and don't stop pushing until it bends? Should I disconnect both connectors, remove the door, and de-pin?
I put it back together and confirmed the door electronics were working correctly. I think I'll see how long it lasts until the problem comes back and think about a permanent solution later.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Disconnect the battery.. Make a wire diagram. Remove the back lock on the connector and release the female pins. When they are out of the plastic you can repair them.
Reassemble.
Bill
Reassemble.
Bill
Pro
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: Oradell New Jersey
8 years later and this thread is still awesome lol. im on my 2nd c5 and thought i learned all the little gremlins and repair tricks on the last one. guess not, my 2000 freaked out and i was outside until 2am messing with stuff because it was going to rain. i swung the drivers door open and hard (to hard by accident) and everything went back to normal. i drove the car to work the next day and all the issues returned, google lead me here and i went outside and fiddled with the accordion and whata you know, all better. gotta pull it apart and make the permanent repair now. Thanks!