Both windows stopped working

[BuckeyeBOSS]

So a few weeks ago, both of my windows stopped working at the same time on my 2005 Mustang GT. They still go slightly down and up when opening/closing the doors, but the switches have no power, don't light up and don't work at all. The door locks also don't light up, but they do work the locks. I checked all fuses in the car, swapped every fuse around that is a window related fuse, replaced the relay in the interior fuse box, and replaced the switches themselves. I'm baffled. I would think if a window motor was bad, it would only affect 1 window and it would not work at all when opening/closing the door? Any idea of where to go from here would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Kalatrax]

Electrical short? I don't know if the open door feature is wired separately from the normal window function. Have you checked to see if you have power at the switches or at the fuse box?

 

[michael.konor]

Reference: http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=40&viewfile=Power Windows.pdf

I count 4 separate fuses in there. That's where I would start. Let us know if that doesn't help, or for that matter, if it does.

 

[Kylar]

Do you have a multimeter or power tester? I would start from the switch back and see if you can find were the loss of power is.

 

[BuckeyeBOSS]

Thanks guys. I don't have the time or patience to track it down any further. Taking it to the local shop on Monday. I'll report back the findings to help out someone in the future.

 

[BuckeyeBOSS]

Mechanic said it was a bad ground inside of the Smart Junction Box, which is $300 for a new one plus $85 to have a guy come program it with the proper tool.

Anyone have any ideas on how to solve this without paying a ton of money? Can the ground on the SJB be desoldered and resoldered? Or maybe find a place to bring in a new ground for the windows? Should I look in a junk yard for a new SJB and would it need programmed specifically for my car if I found one? Are SBJ's year and/or model specific?

BTW, no water leak at all, ground just went bad.

 

[onehotpny]

I had the same issue come up an Sunday after Church , but haven't looked at fixing it yet. I'll let you know what i find. I'll fix mine myself if possible,can't be that big of a problem. If i figure it out,I'll let you know what/how i fixed it.no water leaks for me either,plus my car stays closed up in the garage when not being driven.

 

[BuckeyeBOSS]

I had the same issue come up an Sunday after Church , but haven't looked at fixing it yet. I'll let you know what i find. I'll fix mine myself if possible,can't be that big of a problem. If i figure it out,I'll let you know what/how i fixed it.no water leaks for me either,plus my car stays closed up in the garage when not being driven.

Sorry to hear that, and please post what you come up with. I'm not very good at electrical and any help would be MUCH appreciated!

 

[onehotpny]

Sorry to hear that, and please post what you come up with. I'm not very good at electrical and any help would be MUCH appreciated!

will do, it's raining here today so not working on it yet.

 

[michael.konor]

Reference: http://iihs.net/fsm/?dir=40&viewfile=Power Distribution-SJB.pdf

Wasn't aware you had to reprogram the SJB....?? Hmmm.... Did you take it to Ford, and they said this, or a regular shop? Haven't done one myself, but from what I've read here over the years, you just swap it out and go.

As for the ground, I've attached the schematic link. The SJB has two grounds, and they're listed on the last page.

 

[BuckeyeBOSS]

I took it to a local mechanic. The red circle is where they said the bad ground is in the SJB. It's for the accessory delay relay, which I had already replaced hoping to solve the problem before going to the mechanic. I'm wondering if I can run a wire from another ground and just tuck it in the ground plug of that relay?

 

[michael.konor]

Really? The ground for the accessory relay comes from the Low Current Board. That board controls all sorts of things if you look through the rest of the schematics that get power from the SJB.

That relay also controls your audio system, power door locks, power mirrors, rear windows, and a couple of other circuits once you look several Mustang sub-systems and their wiring diagrams through Pins 30 & 87 on the relay itself. You said your locks are working, and since the relay feeds those circuits, I'd have to call B.S. Do your radio, rear windows and power mirrors also work?

In the SJB, have you checked Fuses 6, 4, and in the BEC Fuses 5, 7, 11, 12?

Have you swapped the relay? If I remember correctly, the delay comes from the Low Current Board, but the relay is a standard that you should be able to swap/borrow from one in the BEC (under hood) box.

Lastly (for now), but before you dump a bunch of $$, I would find a fellow mustanger who can pop the SJB from your car into his, or visa versa just to eliminate it. And while you have the SJB out, look carefully at all of the connectors on the back for corrosion.

 

[BuckeyeBOSS]

Really? The ground for the accessory relay comes from the Low Current Board. That board controls all sorts of things if you look through the rest of the schematics that get power from the SJB.

That relay also controls your audio system, power door locks, power mirrors, rear windows, and a couple of other circuits once you look several Mustang sub-systems and their wiring diagrams through Pins 30 & 87 on the relay itself. You said your locks are working, and since the relay feeds those circuits, I'd have to call B.S. Do your radio, rear windows and power mirrors also work?

In the SJB, have you checked Fuses 6, 4, and in the BEC Fuses 5, 7, 11, 12?

Have you swapped the relay? If I remember correctly, the delay comes from the Low Current Board, but the relay is a standard that you should be able to swap/borrow from one in the BEC (under hood) box.

Lastly (for now), but before you dump a bunch of $$, I would find a fellow mustanger who can pop the SJB from your car into his, or visa versa just to eliminate it. And while you have the SJB out, look carefully at all of the connectors on the back for corrosion.

Everything works except the power windows and I do not have interior lighting for the window switches nor door lock switches. BUT the door lock switches DO lock and unlock the doors perfectly.

I've checked every single fuse in the car, replaced every single fuse that may be related to the windows, and I have replaced the accessory delay relay in the SJB with a new one.

The shop said they tracked it down to that ground in the SJB as being bad. I have nobody around here with a similar Mustang that I know.

 

[michael.konor]

Things we know:

- Front windows don't work, as well as the illumination in the switches.
- All the other sub-systems that get power through the Accessory Delay Relay work. So, Accessory Delay Relay is most likely good or sub-systems wouldn't work, and there's quite a few things tied to the ADR if you go through the various car schematics.
-

If it were me, and before I spent any $$$ I would:

- Disconnect Battery

- Remove the SJB

- Inspect all of the wiring harness connectors for bent or deformed pins, as well as any sign of corrosion. Repair as necessary

- Inspect all of the SJB connectors for bent or deformed pins, as well as any sign of corrosion. Repair as necessary

- Using my multi-meter, start with wiring connector C2280H and check pins 8 and 22 to chassis ground. Then check C2280A, and check pin 1 to chassis ground. Repair as necessary

- Inspect the mounting bolt connections from the SJB to the chassis for corrosion. Repair as necessary. )Note: In all my years of working electrical issues on cars, trucks, radar sets, and rotary aircraft, I've found that many wiring diagrams don't show case-to-chassis grounds because it's assumed it'll get its ground through shielding on cables, or it's mounted into the host. Learned that lesson the hard way...)

- Reinstall SJB and reconnect battery. Test vehicle.

- Disconnect the drivers side switch assembly. Test vehicle. (Note: looking for shorts in the switches and/or the wiring that goes from/to them.)

- Reattach drivers side switch assembly. Disconnect passenger side switch assembly. Test vehicle.

If all this doesn't work, we have to look at what's the common part in both the lighting and window problem. This would be the Low Current Board. Unfortunately, you can't borrow one from your circle of friends. So, I would recommend that you post a message in "Mustang Chit-Chat" asking if anyone is around your area, and ask for their assistance. I don't see your location in your Avatar area, or signature.

There are other things I could do, based on my knowledge, but I don't know what tools you have available, or your level of experience.

 

[onehotpny]

Going to keep an close eye on this thread.