Central locking and electric window problem

[dorsetdave]

On my 94 CD a strange pair of faults has happened simultaneously this morning. Both faults relate to the driver's side rear door only.
The central locking would not operate on that door and the electric window would not go up or down using the door switch. The central locking works on the other doors and hatch as does the factory alarm. The window switch on the centre console works all windows normally. Lifting the door lock toggle allows the door to be locked and unlocked but does not try to operate the other doors.
Could anyone give me some idea as to where to start looking?

[Robsey]

It sounds like a dodgy earth in the rubber tube between the door frame and the door.
Could be a snapped wire where the cable flex's back and forth as the door is opened and closed.
Or even corrosion in the connector pins.

[dorsetdave]

Rob, an update, used the car yesterday for about 120 miles and the central locking worked perfectly! I didn't do anything to it so let's hope that it keeps going.
The window still won't work using the door switch but does using the centre console one so I need to get the door trim off to investigate.
Many thanks as ever.

[Robsey]

Do you have the rear-window isolator button on the centre console.
A little round button in front of the 4 main switches.

If you do, then this may be set to off / isolate.

Press the button, to see if the door switches now work.

[dorsetdave]

Rob I had just found that button and worked out what it did after about 2 hours work with a multi meter. I had looked in the original driver's manual and it isn't mentioned. I just assumed it was something to do with the central locking. I came in to post what I had found and read your message!
The rear windows work with the child button depressed and held. Is it supposed to work like that or can it be set to some other setting?
Memo to self: read postings more than once a day!

[iangsi]

Rob I had just found that button and worked out what it did after about 2 hours work with a multi meter. I had looked in the original driver's manual and it isn't mentioned. I just assumed it was something to do with the central locking. I came in to post what I had found and read your message!
The rear windows work with the child button depressed and held. Is it supposed to work like that or can it be set to some other setting?
Memo to self: read postings more than once a day!

That button is either on or off you should not have to hold it down.

[Robsey]

Agreed - it is meant to "latch" in the on and off positions.

Maybe there is a faulty latching part inside.

I had this on a hazard light switch once, and it took a well practiced, controlled quick press to get the switch to latch properly.

Check and clean the internals of the switch.
All the switches on Cavaliers are quite simple units to strip, clean and rebuild.

[dorsetdave]

Thanks everyone. WD40 has solved the sticking switch problem. All working fine now.

[Robsey]

Woohoo...

Go Dave, go Dave...



Another job off the tick list.

[iangsi]

I have a button on my Motorspport that only has front electric windows so only 2 switches it's behind them, if I push the button whilst the window is in motion either up or down it stops I don't know what it's supposed to be for ?

[Robsey]

I can understand your confusion.

From memory it should only be fitted where there are rear powered windows fitted.
The intention is to isolate the rear power windows, to prevent your darling children from bogging about with their door mounted window switches.

So I cannot see a reason to have the button where there are manual rear window regulators.

I can have a look in my user book later, to see if it can throw any light on the issue.

[Robsey]

You can make what you will from this page in the owner's manual.
"???"

[Robsey]

Okay - I have found it.

If the switch has the picture of a child / stick-man on it, then that is the rear window isolator.

If it is just a plain ring on the switch, it is the pinch guard on / off switch.

See here on TIS.

[iangsi]

Thanks Robsey, so another completely pointless button !

[Robsey]

Thanks Robsey, so another completely pointless button !

It sure would appear that way

Makes the car look like it is loaded with more toys.

[James McGrath]

It's not completely useless. It can be useful if you are going along a bumpy road and can't get the window up because the pinch guard keeps activating.

[Robsey]

It's not completely useless. It can be useful if you are going along a bumpy road and can't get the window up because the pinch guard keeps activating.

Do you have something loose James to allow enough vibration to trigger the pinch guard?
Or a loose wire / intermittent electrical connection.?

My LSi only has the two front window rockers. No pinch guard button.
I can honestly say that I have never had issues with the pinch guard activating on bumpy or uneven ground.
In fact, I was convinced for years that my car did not have it. But I am sure it does, as all the correct wiring is present and correct.

In my experience, pinch guard tends to activate unexpectedly when the windows have not been resynchronised after loss of power.

[James McGrath]

Yeah, everything is working fine.

It happens if I go over a particularly nasty pot hole while winding the window up.
The roads are awful where I live.
To be honest it has probably only happened 4 or 5 times.

The button could be useful for security purposes; if someone was trying to steal something from the car or trying to get in.
Or if your window runners were blocked and created just enough resistance to trigger the pinch guard?