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Complete power window failure


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1995 Legacy. Master switch in driver's door does nothing and strangely enough the door lock switch has also failed. Checked all the fuses and not the problem. Removed door panel, unplugged the master switch and checked for power reaching the switch. No power making it to the switch. I know from my XT6 days there is some sort of master control panel for the windows under the carpet under the passenger-side seat. Wondering if the Legacy has a similar setup. 

 

Recap: fuses good

            no power at the switch

            locks failed at the same time.

 

What is the connection between the door locks and the windows?

 

Edit: When I removed the door panel, something was clicking. Probably a relay but I didn't pursue the sound and then it stopped. Just recalled hearing it. Is the some sort of relay inside the door? 

Edited by john in KY
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The connector is just inside the body behind the kick panel. 

 

Some progress. That clicking noise turned out to be an aftermarket security whatever. I removed it and tossed it. Took Fairtax4me advice and pulled the kick panel. Only one small wire was hot. Tested it at the other end and nothing. Don't really want to pull that door harness. Best news is I disconnected the harness to the motor, hot wired it, and the window is now closed. Tomorrow or whenever the weather is nice again, I think I'll backfeed current at the motor harness connection. If the door locks work, that may tell me something. 

 

Did some thinking and there is no way power from just that one small wire can feed 4 electric motors. Has to be a relay somewhere in the circuit.

Edited by john in KY
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My 94 legacy  did that , remove the drivers seat  and under the carpet you will find the wires for the power windows. Mine were corroded , short work to trim the old and make new connection.  

There are no wire or any other parts for the window controls under the seats in 95-99 models. Its all in the dash and in the doors. 

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I'll say that is true. Just returned from a wrecking yard where I pulled both front seats and associated carpeting. Nothing under the carpeting but I appreciate the advice. Found a diagram on the web that shows what I am looking for behind the passenger-side kick panel. Will pull and verify.    

 

 

Pulled kick panel and no relay. 

 

Someone out there must know where the window relay is located. 

Edited by john in KY
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I don't remember there being a relay. 

Power window circuit breaker is stuck to back of the knee panel under the steering wheel. Take the two screws out and pull it down. 

Has only two wires and they're pretty large. That can click off-/on repeatedly if the wiring is shorted. 

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The relay is located just to the right of the circuit breaker. Someone on another forum turned me on to the location.

 

 

 

"Does your Outback have a sunroof, and if so, does it work? If it does, then the relay is good. The power windows and the sunroof share the same fuses, circuit breaker, and relay.

I've attached two diagrams that appear to show where the relay could be found.

Did you check both fuses with a continuity tester or just visually (which can sometimes miss a small crack)?"
 
23=circuit breaker
24=sunroof/power window relay
 
 
239938d1452893746-95-legacy-window-relay
Edited by john in KY
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Postmordem: SFB1 (slow burn fuse) feeds the circuit breaker (black wire with white stripe)under the dash and from there power flows to the relay via a yellow wire. The circuit breaker and relay are also used by the sunroof. I finally determined the black wire from SFB 1has a short. Since the rear defroster no longer works and it is on a 20A circuit, I first cut out the BW wire and ran a new wire from the rear defrost fuse location to the circuit breaker. Wired in a 20A fuse between the fuse panel and circuit breaker. Attempting to pinpoint a short somewhere in the main wiring harness in a 20-year old car just didn't seem to me to be worth the time. Windows work now. Car has 300k miles and can't last much longer.

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Congrats on the fix.

You mention a 'short', but I suspect that what you actually had was a 'break' in the power supply wire.

A 'short' to ground would have blown the fuse (and also given you the same symptoms).

I am assuming that you didn't have to replace the fuse, hence probably not a 'short'.

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  • 2 years later...
On 1/15/2016 at 4:42 AM, montana tom said:

My 94 legacy  did that , remove the drivers seat  and under the carpet you will find the wires for the power windows. Mine were corroded , short work to trim the old and make new connection.  

Where did you find an extra one of these connectors? I pulled my carpet up and found a completely fucked connector. None of my windows work(including sunroof) but all of the electric door locks work. 

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