Door hassles

[electriccircus]

I have a 1996 4.2 Cerbera which I am very happy with...apart from the door hassles I am getting. First the drivers door would not drop the glass when opening so I reset the door control unit in the back. This fixed the drivers door but moved the problem to the passenger door. No amount of resets have helped this now. The door still clunks but the glass does not drop and even the switches for the glass inside do not work for the passenger side. All fuses seem ok ( even though different to the fuse diagram in the manual ). has anyone got any ideas ? ? ?

[yellowcerbie]

Had the same a while back. Windows have left a few marks on the door pillar. The door / window control unit had to be changed.

[K1 CERB]

Had similar problems with 1 door myself recently took of the inner door skin & 'massaged' the wires - I found that the main problem was that the Motor wire & plug had been sitting @ an angle & so the contact was not as good as it should have been - see my profile www.pistonheads.com/members/showCar.asp?carId=4406

Regards
Keith P (K1 CERB)

[electriccircus]

Thanks. Any ideas on the cost of the control unit in the boot

[VYT]

Agree with Keith on this one, had exactly the same problem on my '96 4.2. The spade connectors on the motor did not make contact very well.

It was an easy fix once the inner door skin was removed.

Cheers

Bob

[Byff]

electriccircus said: Thanks. Any ideas on the cost of the control unit in the boot

A brand new one costs £130+vat but there's not many at TVR, 3 at the last count.

I found the cable conectors on the box had clicked in place but the pins inside hadn't made, try that m8

[VYT]

Byff

Does that mean TVR will cease to supply, or just that they are basically built to order?

I have peeked inside some of the "black boxes" while diagnosing the odd electrical niggle. I saw Pic processors in there. I could likely download the code from these and store it. It would be quite easy to reproduce the black boxes then should they become difficult to source from TVR.

Bob

[electriccircus]

The door panel trick sounds promising. My next question is how easy is it to do as I am ... erm... no expert ? ? ? ?

[VYT]

Inner door skin can be removed by unscrewing the Allen screws from around the inner door skin, they are easily visible.
The motor, runners and wires are all visible once the door skin is removed.

[simond001]

AS i have exactly the same problem (drivers side door window doesnt drop).

How do I reset the unit prior to door removal.

[VYT]

To reset you have to unplug the control unit situated above the petrol tank in the boot. You have to move the carpet but that is easy as it is held in place by Velcro. Leave the unit umplugged for a few minutes then reconnect.

Bob

[electriccircus]

There are 4 connections in the door control unit. do you disconnect them all to reset or am I in the wrong box ?

[VYT]

Right Box, Remove all the connections. Only power needs to be removed but I don't know which one that is.

[yellowcerbie]

but make sure they are all connected where they belong. I am told that you could blow the unit if not properly reconnected!

[electriccircus]

Unhitched all the door control box cables in the boot and waited 5 minutes. No change to Passenger door. Took the internal door skin off and checked every available connection and cleaned them. Wd40'd everything in case water was entering.
Now pressing the internal electric window controls I get a click for up ( which I wasnt getting ) but nothing for down and the window still will not drop on door open. All fuses ok. Does this now sound like the window winder motor ?

[VYT]

I guess you need to establish if there is power to the motor. I think that can only be done with the door closed unless you can defeat the sensors. I don't know how to do that. I think the click is from the control box relay. That suggests the control box is working.

[Richard Rawlins]

Hmmm...... it could well be the window motor that's at fault. With the engine not running, do the interior lights dim when you press the button to lower the window? If so, then perhaps the motor is seized/stalled. There is a gasket between the two halves of the motor and the angle of the motor assembly can cause water to lay on the upper face of the gasket - at least until it evaporates or works its way inside the motor!

If the interior light does not dim when you press the switch, then you'll need to put a voltmeter/12V bulb across the pull-off plug that provides power to the motor and check that it goes live when you press either of the window buttons for the passenger door - you may have a duff switch, although that's unlikely if the door opening button does not cause the window to drop.

Don't worry about the door sill sensor or the window position sensor when you're trying this - it should work in all situations.

Failing this, it could be that water in the door has caused sufficient corrosion in the lift mechanism to stall the motor, in which case try helping the window to go down when you press the window button, and lube the Z-shaped threaded shaft that the motor drives well.

And last but not least, it might be that the motor has become misaligned with the shaft that it drives. Just slacken off the screws for the motor and the shaft and try it then.

Phew..........

Good luck!