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when I went to open the steamed up window at a junction to pull out, but there you go, never a good time to fail.
| Hufflepuff Member Since: 25 Oct 2014 Location: Hampshire Posts: 723   
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To answer my own question, the cable maybe be completely broken, and its neighbours just waiting to short out on each other, who knew...
For the benefit of others who may stumble across this thread: A rubber boot runs between the A pillar and the door, which the cables for the electric windows and central locking (if fitted) run though, with a slot cut into the door card on the door:  Click image to enlarge Pulling the boot grommet out of the A-pillar reveals the cables. Each is terminated just inside the A-pillar with a connector, which you can gently pull through the hole. The red/blue cable is the one for the electric windows: Click image to enlarge On my car, this end was not there the break was, leaving me questioning if I had another problem rather than a broken cable. However there was another end to view... The door card needs to removed to access the other end of the rubber boot. In my opinion it is non-trivial to remove the door card without damaging parts - I suggest you stock up on the little black Christmas tree like plastic connectors before tackling this job, several broke on me even using a proper trim removal tool. Also, don't be an idiot like I was earlier in the year and break the plastic do-dar over the locking button. They are relatively cheap to replace, but you need to have ordered the parts prior to breaking it... The attachment points are: 3 screws (circled in yellow) 2 plastic pin-push-through clips (circled in yellow) 2 lugs holding the plastic cover on the push button (circled in green) Multiple black 'Christmas tree' style clips running around the circumference of the door card - see image below. Do not ask me how to remove the plastic cover without damaging it... I had already broken mine the last time I tried - good luck. Click image to enlarge This will reveal the plastic water shedder, held on on the bottom three edges by the most sticky goo ever developed. The top seems to be heat welded to the door somehow, and not removable. However the other sides can be detached and attached with a suitable tool, eg. large flathead screwdriver. Now that you have visibility to the other end of the boot, the grommet can be removed and pulled back to reveal... Click image to enlarge Well that certainly explains my lack of window operation. I was lucky not to short out anything really - could have been ugly if the remote door locking mechanism had failed and I had not noticed. Note that I used a mole grip to keep the boot pushed up the cables so that you can operate on them. I really wouldn't fancy pulling the connectors through the boot - its as small diameter boot - but maybe the connectors in the door are smaller than the ones in the A-pillar? Auto-electricians look away now... I went for the add a couple of inches of 17 amp cable (the largest amperage I had to hand) to bridge the break, allowing me to shorten the blue cable and get to some better metal. Then hook each end over in a 180 degree look, and solder to leave a strongish connection, although the solder did not want to flow onto the old wire at all for me, more flux needed I guess. Don't forget to put the shrink wrap on first on both ends! (I swear it didn't look this bodged when I did it - the camera has added 10 lbs...) Click image to enlarge Then heat the heatshrink: Click image to enlarge and finally wrap the other cables in some insulating tape, and reassemble, checking first that the windows now work. Incidentally here is what the push button plastic surround should look like: Click image to enlarge but the plastic surround needs to be popped into place over its two lugs after the door card has been reattached. All in all, not a terrible job to do (couple of hours to do it slowly) although I am not very satisfied with my wiring. Does anyone know if you can buy the two wiring harnesses to do a proper job? I do not really understand the cause of the breakage. As far as I can see the wires are not getting 'trapped' at the point where they broke, so is it just the bending back and forth with relatively inflexible heavy wire which is causing the problems? 2005 Td5 90 XS 1989 V8 110 CSW |
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24th Nov 2019 5:28pm |
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| MadTom Member Since: 10 Sep 2013 Location: Olomouc Posts: 572  
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Soledered wire will brake again, here probably on the end of heatshrink tube. Better solutiuon is to cut the wire close to the connector, solder a new wire (use some flux next time for better solder joint), cover with heatshrink tube, pull through rubber "gromet" and solder again. The idea is to have the soldered joints in place, where the cable does not move. Or better get new pins and connector and replace the whole cable part to some one set of solder joints.
Use some extra soft and flexible wires for longer live. From my experience, propoerly made solder joint, soldered with the right flux (non corrosive but strong enough) and covered with heatshrink tube (prefered the one with glue inside), is as good as replacing the whole cable. But only for cables, that does not move. "Drobek" = The Small One - Discovery 2, "Blufínek" = The Blue Thing - Defender 130, and for me at least Ford Mondeo  |
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25th Nov 2019 9:00am |
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| Defender Singh Member Since: 29 Jun 2015 Location: West mids Posts: 58  
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Thanks Guys brilliant source of knowledge I dropped the driver side window down yesterday to clear the condensation off and it decided to stay down. Driving back home freezing my n*ts off I was thinking it’s been a few months without any issues,so I’ve had a good run. After checking on here and finding this thread It made me feel a little better. Here’s what I found brown wire going to the motor deteriorated and the red one on the way out. Re soldered and heat shrink on now all good  Don’t Follow me you might not make it! |
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7th Dec 2019 12:26pm |
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| natyeo Member Since: 27 Jan 2013 Location: Bentham Posts: 136 
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Had the same problem , good thread, looking at photos and mine to, the blue wire had broken and the wire insulation was very hard as if it had got hot and not flexiy , I bridged it adding enough for movement.
The red was fine. 2014 2.2 90 hard top , Warm M8000 , Scorpain winch bumper, Ashcroft rear atb 2012 2.2 tdci 110 Utility 1993 110 CSW Warn M8000 , Scorpain winch bumper , 2" lift , Roamerdive overdrive, on going 1971 Hybird 200tdi, 2 x truetracs,Extrem winch bumper, M8000, GKN overdrive & Coils 2" lift, Glynn Lewis cranked rear trail arms 1971 Series 3 88, Perkins 4203,M8000,SATs,O/D, |
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9th Dec 2019 6:06pm |
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| Fossil Member Since: 23 Aug 2015 Location: Bolton Posts: 13 
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Thanks to all for posting on this. Found the problem very quickly, in this case the red wire. I soldered it up for now as it's baltic at the moment, and the ultra flexible cable I bought is a bit thick for the tube . But, I was able to massage the loom enough to get spme slack in it, it was very tight originally.
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11th Jan 2024 7:20pm |
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