| Author |
Message |
    
Matt M
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 08, 2002 - 03:12 pm: | 
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Just ripped out the ECU for my electric windows (as described in 'Tech' section)
Bizzare thing was that exactly the same joint had failed as the one in the tech section - my car being 2 years older than the one worked on in that section.
There seems no reason why that particular joint would have failed in terms of the item that was soldered in. Strange that the manufacturing process over 2 years (and more I guess) would produce the same weakness - you would have thought that some sort of quality control would pick up on it.
Anyway - thanks to whoever wrote the section on this - I've got use of my rear windows back !
Matt |
David Dryden (David914)
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 08, 2002 - 09:48 pm: |
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I have the same problem in our '97, although it's so intermittent that I haven't bothered to fix it yet. I've looked at the photos in the tech section, and it appears that the solder joints in question are where relays are mounted. If so, then this would explain why they fail. I've worked in electronics most of my life, and it's not unusual to have solder joints fail where you have a large device (relay, connector, etc.) mounted to a circuit board. Best fix is to "de-solder" the joint, then re-solder it using the proper amount of a good quality solder.
David |
Greg
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 11:33 am: |
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I am planning on doing this tonight, I just wanted to know if the soldering part is as simple as it sounds? This would be my first repair with soldering, so just want to make sure with what I'm doing. Thanks for your reply.
Greg |
David Dryden (David914)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 12:04 pm: |
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It's not too difficult. Just be careful not to overheat the area (it can cause the circuit traces to separate from the board). You might just try and heat the joint carefully and apply a little bit more solder just to get the joint fresh. Be sure and use solder made for electronics, not plumbing. Also, a 25 to 60 watt iron/gun is good.
David |
Paul T. Schram (Paulschram)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 12:04 pm: |
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David:
Wouldn't the best way to fix this be to remove the relay from the board and mount it rigidly to something other than the PC board? Running stranded wire to the relay.
Paul |
Greg
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 06:52 pm: |
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Any hints on how to get the relay on top off, easily? It won't budge. Help, please! |
David Dryden (David914)
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2002 - 07:38 pm: |
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Paul, yes actually that would be a good idea. The reason (I presume) that it's not done that way is is the interest of space and money. It's quicker and easier to directly mount the devices onto the board, since most circuit boards these days are soldered by a flow solder machine, not by people.
Greg, you shouldn't need to remove the relay, just re-heat and flow the joints on the circuit board where the relay is soldered in.
David |
Greg
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 08:56 am: |
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Finished the job last night, it took me a little longer than the 15 mins. the other fellow did that wrote it up in the tech section, but nevertheless, it's done and now my windows work. Thanks for your help! |
Jon
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 04:00 pm: |
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Not to sound like a broken record but i just pulled mine out today and it was the exact same one as the one in the tech section as well. Needless to say my rear windows now function. Thanks again |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Friday, May 17, 2002 - 04:15 am: |
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I wasn't quite sure it would be that noticable, but when the board was pulled out-there it was..unbelievable. Thanks! |
G. Gr�ner (Germán)
| | Posted on Friday, May 17, 2002 - 02:18 pm: |
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Is the window ECU from the Tech section´s fotograph a control for the front windows too? |
Danno
| | Posted on Friday, May 17, 2002 - 05:08 pm: |
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...and you should all notice that your windows & sunroof will now work again after you take you key out of the ignition, but before you open your door. |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Friday, May 17, 2002 - 05:38 pm: |
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hehehe hey Danno, I STILL haven't gotten off my ass to fix this yet! maybe this weekend.... |
danno
| | Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 08:39 am: |
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i could have done it for you when i was in town...had a butane iron in my tool kit...but i left mine go for close to 2 years before i got off my ass to do it, but i did take pic for all to see  |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 05:41 pm: |
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LOL here I am Saturday afternoon reading your tech write-up and about to crack some Coronas and fix my damn windows...only now it's over 100 degrees so who wants the damn windows open?
Shit, you waited 2 years, now I don't feel so bad
thanks for the tech write-up. |
Buckaroo (Buckaroo)
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 10:04 am: |
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stooooopid question but...
I can't get the wiring harnesses out. Is there a trick to it? |
Greg
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 11:36 am: |
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Buck,
Both of them you have to pull like crazy. The bottom one is easier since it's bigger, but I didn't find a trick. I tried many things, but it cam down to getting a good grip on it and pulling, HARD!
Hope it helps. By the way, this was the most time consuming part for me, about 45 min, the rest of the job, 15 min. |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 12:27 pm: |
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just yank the harness out - but pull on the plastic base, not the wires themselves. Don't overdue it because most stuff under there doesn't respond well to brute force.
I finally fixed the bad solder and now I can roll my windows down. It will be 111 degrees F today. Wonderful. |
Buckaroo (Buckaroo)
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 02:27 pm: |
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45 min to pull it out? damn. that's cause for tasty alcoholic beverages. They don't tell you this in the "materials" section. |
Buckaroo (Buckaroo)
| | Posted on Monday, June 03, 2002 - 11:46 am: |
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I tried doing this on Saturday.
And my windows still don't work.  wtf.
any other ideas/suggestions?
any of you live on Cape Cod? hee hee :D |
james
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 04, 2002 - 02:15 pm: |
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I tried as well and still can't get the windows to work. Any ideas?
Thanks |
james
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 04, 2002 - 02:17 pm: |
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Oh, is there supposed to be a small empty hole under the bad solder? |
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