Dirty switch or other issue and will maybe get worse. It could be a lot of things others will have better advice up to and including ignore it till it fails.
Side window sometimes not reacting (immediately) to switch inputs
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I am having the issue with the switch on the driver side for the driver side window. I don’t know if dielectric grease is similar to contact cleaner, but I am happy that I haven’t yet tried to use that to clean the switch contacts.
Thanks in advance for showing how to fix this! Hopefully, it’s an easy DIY.
EDIT: I looked it up and dielectric grease functions as an insulator it seems. So indeed not a good idea to use for this issue. However, contact cleaner seems fine, right? My idea was to clean the switch contacts with it, but I will wait for your explanation on the DIY.
Exactly. Many a gearhead think dielectric grease makes better electricity. lolI am having the issue with the switch on the driver side for the driver side window. I don’t know if dielectric grease is similar to contact cleaner, but I am happy that I haven’t yet tried to use that to clean the switch contacts.
Thanks in advance for showing how to fix this! Hopefully, it’s an easy DIY.
EDIT: I looked it up and dielectric grease functions as an insulator it seems. So indeed not a good idea to use for this issue. However, contact cleaner seems fine, right? My idea was to clean the switch contacts with it, but I will wait for your explanation on the DIY.
Ok here we go. Remove switch assembly from door panel, philips, unplug. Then remove the assembly from the door pocket shroud. 4 Philips I believe. Then you're here: reccomended tools from here are tiny thin screwdriver and some toothpicks or similar sharp thin stabbing devices.
To open the switch assembly you need to undo these 8 tabs, four each side.
Slide thin screwdriver in, then slide toothpick in, remove screwdriver and go to each one.
Once you get to about here you can just pull on the grey plastic plug connection and the two halves open
Open sesame
This is the switch part with the little metal rockers inside that make electrical contact.
Carefully bend the LED out of the way
This is the hardest part. There are 3 tabs on each side of this tiny little shit. Be. Patient. Take your damn time. It will still function if you break one but still, take it easy.
Cover off
This little nubbins are just sitting on top, the cover puts the pressure on them. Just pull them out.
Here's the switch rocker spring things that make the electrical connection.
They are also just sitting there. Scoop em out.
Here's one of the two switch sides that makes the contact. See how dirty and burnt/rusty that looks. Clean it. I used a Q-tip with isopropyl alcohol. I'm guessing a little abrasive wouldn't hurt either, like carefully light sanding or a scotch brite/scuff pad or similar to get to fresh metal.
Also clean the metal spring/rocker thing underside. Do this for both the up and down halves of the switch.
If your switches were also sticking, like you pressed it but it's not clicking back on it's own or it gets stuck then find some of the white greasy stuff on the topside of the switch cover (where the LED was sitting) and spread it around as those little nubbin things slide back and forth against the cover.
And some on the nubbins when you put them back in.
I'll come back and proofread this in a bit I gotta go to the bathroom
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Ok the driver side window switch in the driver side door assembly. The blue covered one. This one comes off super easy, just two tabs on either end. Effortless.
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It's a more robust switch. I've never had any issues with this one. And mine appears to be loaded up with the white goo. Maybe I should steal some of that and lather up the passenger window switch. Same thing though but these contacts are obviously fine. This is a sliding switch.
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When putting the whole assemble back together make sure that the slider for the driver side window is centered so it aligns with the actual button's lever. The other switch doesn't need this but the auto/up down switch is a sliding switch so if you move it from where it was when you opened the assembly then you need to make sure it aligns when snapping the two halves of the assembly back together.
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It's a more robust switch. I've never had any issues with this one. And mine appears to be loaded up with the white goo. Maybe I should steal some of that and lather up the passenger window switch. Same thing though but these contacts are obviously fine. This is a sliding switch.
When putting the whole assemble back together make sure that the slider for the driver side window is centered so it aligns with the actual button's lever. The other switch doesn't need this but the auto/up down switch is a sliding switch so if you move it from where it was when you opened the assembly then you need to make sure it aligns when snapping the two halves of the assembly back together.
3
Thanks again!
Contact cleaner is made to clean electric contacts. WD-40 also produces it: WD-40 Contact Cleaner
I am indeed referring to the button with AUTO on it. So the button for the driver side window on the driver side door panel. That’s the one having issues in my CR-Z. Fun fact, my CR-Z has both sides with AUTO on it. So driver and passenger side are automatic.
Nice to know that the AUTO switch is easier to open up. This one doesn’t seem to have the same metal rocker things, like the one for the passenger side window. However, I assume that these smaller rockers can also be easily removed and cleaned.
On Saturday, I will try to fix this. I will report back then.
Contact cleaner is made to clean electric contacts. WD-40 also produces it: WD-40 Contact Cleaner
I am indeed referring to the button with AUTO on it. So the button for the driver side window on the driver side door panel. That’s the one having issues in my CR-Z. Fun fact, my CR-Z has both sides with AUTO on it. So driver and passenger side are automatic.
Nice to know that the AUTO switch is easier to open up. This one doesn’t seem to have the same metal rocker things, like the one for the passenger side window. However, I assume that these smaller rockers can also be easily removed and cleaned.
On Saturday, I will try to fix this. I will report back then.
Yeah the sliding switches are infinitely easier to open the cover on and clean. No bent spring-like rockers, it just slides back and forth. You can see the contacts for the slider in the first pic with the blue cover off and you're correct on the switch housing it's just flat contacts.Thanks again!
Contact cleaner is made to clean electric contacts. WD-40 also produces it: WD-40 Contact Cleaner
I am indeed referring to the button with AUTO on it. So the button for the driver side window on the driver side door panel. That’s the one having issues in my CR-Z. Fun fact, my CR-Z has both sides with AUTO on it. So driver and passenger side are automatic.
Nice to know that the AUTO switch is easier to open up. This one doesn’t seem to have the same metal rocker things, like the one for the passenger side window. However, I assume that these smaller rockers can also be easily removed and cleaned.
On Saturday, I will try to fix this. I will report back then.
I ended up buying a used switch assembly (sans door shroud) on ebay but cleaning and scuffing the contacts did work. For those that can afford a used assembly I'd go that route to have spare parts and always having one switch in the car but for those who can't as most of the world is god damn suffering right now I wanted to share my experience in dealing with the window switch and a DIY basically free service option.
I was all prepared to do this fix: bought contact cleaner, freed up time, and read through the explanation of Koala Yummies one more time. Before getting the piece with the switches out of the car, I tested the switches. They worked as they should!
I am so surprised and I don’t know why they work again… Of course, I am prepared if it reoccurs, but I think I will wait with the repair for now. If it works, it works.
I wanted to document my repair with pictures too. Maybe the EU models are slightly different, so it could be handy for some. When the issue comes back and I have to do the repair, I will take pictures and update here.
I am so surprised and I don’t know why they work again… Of course, I am prepared if it reoccurs, but I think I will wait with the repair for now. If it works, it works.
I wanted to document my repair with pictures too. Maybe the EU models are slightly different, so it could be handy for some. When the issue comes back and I have to do the repair, I will take pictures and update here.
Let’s see how quickly mine will get worse. I now know how to fix it thanks to you!
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