Passenger side windows travel in different directions

[goltho]

This is a weird one. I unplugged and removed the winder motor on the left side door to replace the door strap. I just carefully pulled the motor spindle free from the nylon pulley assembly with the cables wrapped round it & left it where it was, and after the strap was replaced, refitted & reconnected the motor without any issues. However, this now happens:

Both windows closed, switch pressed down
Rear window goes down. Nothing else happens after that when switch held or pressed down again. (Normal action: front window goes down, then rear window goes down if switch held down or pressed again.)

Both windows closed, switch pulled up
Front window goes down. Nothing else happens after that when switch held or pulled up again.
(Normal action: nothing happens.)

Front window open, rear window closed, switch pressed down
Front window comes up and parks. Rear window then goes down if switch held down or pressed again.
(Normal action: rear window goes down if switch held down or pressed again.)

Front window closed rear window open, switch pulled up
Rear window comes up and parks. Front window then goes down if switch held down or pressed again. (There is no normal action; combination not possible.)

It now isn't possible to have both windows open at the same time.

I've tried resetting the BSI several times without success (involved climbing in the open passenger-side window to operate the sidelights and ignition!). I am now out of ideas.

Anyone?

[IanL]

This is just a guess, but the windows are controlled by the Roof ECU which is located in the boot, and it may have a function which sequences control of the windows, which has become corrupt. That memory may require resetting with Peugeot Planet - I think Planet can control the windows from the keyboard.

Or you may achieve the same thing, if the memory is retained by a residual charge, by either disconnecting the battery for a long time, or disconnecting the Roof ECU, also for a long time, or better still, connect the positive lead, once removed from the battery, to earth. At least, those are cheap to try.

EDIT: Try my 2nd thought below first - I'm almost convinced that is the problem.

[IanL]

2nd thought: Is it possible the motor was re-connected the wrong way round? If the front window tries to go up when ordered down and vice-versa, that would explain everything you have described.

Btw, you don't have to crawl in through the passenger window. Just trip the driver's door latch, so that it is in the closed position (this fools the car into thinking the door is shut) with a large screwdriver or similar. Then you can leave the door open to do the BSI reboot. Just remember to reset the latch before eventually closing the door, or the lock could be damaged.

[goltho]

<ignore>

[IanL]

OK, here's something else to try:

Front window open, rear window closed - disconnect front window motor and apply 12V to the terminals to raise the window. If it doesn't work one way, just reverse the connections. Re-connect the motor and see if all is well.

[goltho]

Apologies to all who have replied. I've had no notifications of them!! I'll digest and update.

[goltho]

OK, here's something else to try:

Front window open, rear window closed - disconnect front window motor and apply 12V to the terminals to raise the window. If it doesn't work one way, just reverse the connections. Re-connect the motor and see if all is well.

So I tried this with a direct feed from the battery and it raised the window. On reconnecting the 12V switched feed however, it had made no difference to the erroneous performance. I checked the feed polarity with the meter and as expected, it's correct. I also connected another motor (opposite side version so couldn't fit it to the regulator) which ran counter to the existing "wrong" one. So I concluded the existing one is somehow performing with opposite polarity. I unmounted it, pulled out the end housing with the four screws a little, turned it 180º and refitted it, as I'd read several reports of this magnetically curing the issue. It made no difference.

So to summarise, the 12V feed is correct but the motor is acting counter to the second test motor with both the direct feed from the battery and via the switch. So faulty motor?

[IanL]

If the motor employs a permanent magnet rather than wound field coils, I suppose it could happen if some event reversed the magnet polarity. Perhaps try a replacement motor from a breaker?

[goltho]

If the motor employs a permanent magnet rather than wound field coils, I suppose it could happen if some event reversed the magnet polarity. Perhaps try a replacement motor from a breaker?

Yep, that's where I'm heading (or eBay). Such a pain in the armpit.

[IanL]

Just had a thought - if the regulator from the other side is a mirror image, wouldn't the motor have to run in the opposite direction? If that's true, I'm inclined to think that the controller (the Roof ECU) is outputting the wrong polarity to the motor, so perhaps you should reconsider the suggestions in my first and second post?

[goltho]

Just had a thought - if the regulator from the other side is a mirror image, wouldn't the motor have to run in the opposite direction? If that's true, I'm inclined to think that the controller (the Roof ECU) is outputting the wrong polarity to the motor, so perhaps you should reconsider the suggestions in my first and second post?

Well I thought long & hard about motor directions and still am not clear through incomplete understanding. I can only think that either the motors are constructed differently on each side, or the wiring is mirrored in order to run them in the opposite direction which indeed they will have to do. I will though dig out Planet 2000 tomorrow and run some tests. I've used it on many cars for many reasons but wasn't aware of being able to reset the roof ECU. I'll look at the residual charge element first though.

Thanks again for your input.

[goltho]

I went through everything with PP2000 this morning after eliminating any residual charge. The roof ECU only showed non-connection faults which I cleared and replicated by trying to run the window motor whilst disconnected. I ran a diagnosis which correctly detected the switch positions despite the window direction being contra to them.

So the ECU's detecting the switch UP/DOWN positions correctly, the 12V polarities being output are correct in both positions, but the motor is running in the opposite direction to what it should be. I'm therefore going to try a replacement motor as it all points to that.

[IanL]

You didn't say whether the motor connections could have been reversed on re-connection. Did you rule that out?

Just wondering if a previous owner replaced the motor, and created a reversal to get it to run correctly?

[goltho]

Hi Ian, I didn't reverse the connections on re-connection. The connector prevents this but I omitted to mention that I did try to connect it the other way round this morning but I couldn't get the contacts to connect.

[gazza82]

Hi Ian, I didn't reverse the connections on re-connection. The connector prevents this but I omitted to mention that I did try to connect it the other way round this morning but I couldn't get the contacts to connect.

You should with the right tools be able to remove the pins and re-insert them in the opposite positions ..