AU3 Fairmont Electric Windows inoperative - BEM???

[geraldbb]

All,

I am new to the forum, but no stranger to fords. I think this thread has been done a few times, but rather than post on other peoples threads, I am starting my own, in the hope of getting someone interested, who has resolved similar issues to what I am dealing with.....

I own a 2002 AU3 Fairmont sedan, with 110km's. Had it for 9 months, since 93km's. Only real issue with the car has been in intermittent problem with the LHF window, not always responding to the drivers door switch, or passenger door switch, though usually responds within a few minutes, to one or the other. No common scenario's to cause the issue, that I can work out?

Yesterday, I picked up the car from having some tyres fitted, in Perth at 35 degree's and immediately wound down both front window's, to expel some hot air. As soon as the windows reached the down position, the R4 Power Window Relay in the IP Fuse Box started humming and vibrating, so I removed it immediately. No more noise, but couldn't wind up the windows either.

I replaced the relay with a Narva compatible type, no change.

I rang an Auto Elec friend of mine, he advised the Drivers door switch was the most likely root cause. I removed and cleaned both front door switches, L & R, and cleaned up the terminals and contacts, removed a lot of dirt and crap in the process, still no change. Every time I fit the R4 Relay back into the IP, the Relay screams and vibrates, and no power to any Windows, front or rear.

I disconnected all the Window Switches, and tried plugging in the Relay, same issue, no change.

I checked all the Fuses and Relay's. Interestingly the AC Relay is missing from the IP Fuse Box, but the Climate Control works perfectly?

So I went and bought 2 new Switches, LHF ($35) and RHF ($179), and fitted them, after being assured by my Auto Elec friend this would solve the problem, it didn't.

Took the car into an Auto Elec workshop today, they couldn't trace the problem either, but at least got power to the window (using a battery external to the car), and wound up the windows. They checked the Door Harness and wiring to the Regulators, no shorts or issues?

They stated that the 30 terminal on the Relay is grounded, and this shouldn't be the case?

Advice is that the (BEM) Body Electrical Module is faulty?

Anyone had the same or similar experience? I don't want to buy a new BEM ($609) just to find it isn't the root cause........

Only other electrical issue is that the Lights On Reminder Alarm doesn't work. Everything else electric still works perfectly.

Best regards

Gerald.

ps. I used to work for Meritor and was involved in the design and manufacture of regulators and motors for the AU and BA Falcon, so you can imagine it is massively frustrating not to be able to diagnose or resolve a Power Window issue with my own car. :

[private9]

Damn, I'd be very frustrated if I was you!

If you do suspect the BEM, do you have a friend with the same model car that you could borrow for a short while? Or, have you thought about getting one secondhand? Surely you could get one cheaper than $609!

[Mechan1k]

Don;t get one from Ford ... you should be able to get a 2nd hand high series BEM from somewhere ... i picked up mine cheap on another forum (I think it was about $20)

[bodes-sh]

all the bem does for the power windows is provides a ground to complete the circuit, i know this because i have done a full power window conversion on my forte. i can't run the windows thru the bem for some reason, don't know why, they just don't work. So the way I have got them wired up is so they work all the time even without the key using the power inputs from where the relay normally sits in the fuse panel. then the output to the window switch and ground to a bolt somewhere to ground it, never had a problem, so maybe give that a try first, if it works, then it's the bem i guess

[FGII-XR6]

i doubt it is the BEM it only provides power od dissconects it to allow the keyless operation for a few minutes after the ign is turned off. if the BEM was faulty none of the windows would function at all and there would be no power to the relay

[LUXO_8]

ah, something i know about..
it will be your drivers door combo switch, replace that and your woes will go away,

this happened to my folks au monty, window would do down, not go up......few hours later, window go up, not go down lol..

the reason, is that everything goes through the drivers door switch, then to the respective windows

[phildee]

I am having a similar issue with just my front passenger window, Yesterday it went down fine then took about half an hour of stuffing around to get it to go back up tried the main switch and the one on the door. Today it seems to be working ok, is it likely to be the switch aswell or the motor in the door?

[FGII-XR6]

Originally Posted by phildee

I am having a similar issue with just my front passenger window, Yesterday it went down fine then took about half an hour of stuffing around to get it to go back up tried the main switch and the one on the door. Today it seems to be working ok, is it likely to be the switch aswell or the motor in the door?

if it was going slow ans seemed to be jaming you need to lube the tracks with silicon spray from supercheap

[geraldbb]

bodes-sh, Thank you. Does the fact that the 30 terminal is grounded (and is not supposed to be?) suggest anything to you?

au3xr6, yes ALL the windows stopped working simultaneously.

LUXO-8, I have cleaned the original Drivers Door Switch, and then REPLACED it. No change to the problem.

Any further suggestions? I am going shopping for a 2nd hand BEM today......

Gerald.

[chief]

Have you checked the contacts in the switch. Very common problem you have described with the AU's. Here is a tutorial on how to clean the contacts.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...828#post263828

Once again cheers to Tibbo.

[geraldbb]

Thanks Chief.......

As per my original thread. I already stripped the switches and did everything in Tibbo's tutorial, but no success.

So I replaced the switches with brand new ones, still nothing.

The switches are not the problem in this case.

Best regards,

Gerald.

[geraldbb]

The car is in to Ford today for a NGS Diagnostic Report and to let their technicians have a look for the root cause.....???

[geraldbb]

Looks like the root cause was a shorted wire under the Driver's Seat!!! (fingers crossed!)

[UU TS50]

if u want to sell the drivers door switches you took out im in perth n might be interested cos i have problems with winding front passenger window down with drivers side switch

[geraldbb]

au302s3,

Yes I would. The old switches are in perfect condition and not the root cause at all.

Turns out the problem was the Electric Drivers Seat Adjust, had crimped the wiring to the Seat, and caused a ground to the Seat Rail. This caused the Ground at Terminal 30 in the R4 Relay, as per my initial post. Replaced the Wire and a Plug, and everything works normally again.

Big thanks to Joe at McInerney Ford for sorting that out for me today!

My email is geraldbb@hotmail.com, make sure and include 'Fairmont Switches' in the title so I don't discard with Junk Mail.

Cheers,

Gerald.