D1 window lift ECU - bypass or repair

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,485
375
One of my rear windows hasn?t worked since i purchased it. It also was missing the window switch. Well, I installed a switch and now neither rear window works.

I think it is probably the window lift ECU that is the problem.

I have read up on repairing it. I also saw this interesting solution:

https://www.roverparts.com/Techtips/WindowLiftRepair.cfm

I don?t believe I?ll pay $20 plus shipping for their kit but I will take advantage of their knowledge.

Any thoughts?
 

BarryO

Well-known member
May 15, 2018
98
7
Bend, OR
I repaired the one in mine by resoldering the PCB. It was a bear to remove, and even harder to replace. IIRC, I gave up on removing the case, and popped the cover off it and slid out the PCB.

It's clear to me that this is a manufacturing defect - the pin that gets the cold solder joint is on the large size, and the wave solder machine wasn't set up properly to reliably solder that joint.

I talked to a shop recently and they switched from the PCB repair method to the bypass method.
 

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
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La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
I repaired the one in mine by resoldering the PCB. It was a bear to remove, and even harder to replace. IIRC, I gave up on removing the case, and popped the cover off it and slid out the PCB.
I repaired five window controllers, starting with the second I discovered the wonders of popping the PCB out of the case without removing the case.
All controllers still work, years after resoldering.
 
There are pcb components with square section "wire-wrap" terminals. These terminals are not made with Copper, they are brass made. Tin outer coating tends after 10-20 years to separate and build some sulphate cristals, so this is affecting some old PCB's. This is the problem from this ECU for instance and for people with a soldering gun in his toolbox is very easy to do, without mods or extra materials needed. If soldering is not a known task for someone, working as electrician making bypass will do it, too

Regards
 
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BarryO

Well-known member
May 15, 2018
98
7
Bend, OR
I repaired five window controllers, starting with the second I discovered the wonders of popping the PCB out of the case without removing the case.
All controllers still work, years after resoldering.

Yea, I wasted a lot of time and built up a lot of frustration trying to remove the nuts to get the case out. Next time, I won't bother.
 

robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
4,778
354
-
Since I've fixed them I try to only roll up one window at a time. I think the additional strain of old window hardware puts too much load on the motors and the factory solder gets a little hot with too much current going through it. Maybe not a concern since the via is fully saturated with solder after the repair.
 

Icannap1

Well-known member
Mar 3, 2015
123
21
OC, CA
Just bypass it all together and upgrade it. Install 2 window roll up modules https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-535T-Automation-Operation/dp/B00H4N1Y2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543297130&sr=8-1&keywords=directed+535t the benefit of doing this is you get rid of the existing issue or issue to come. You will need two units one for the front and one for the rear. The benefits you gain is one touch roll up and one touch roll down. Now it does take some work to do and install but anything custom takes some work just like LR's.
 

BarryO

Well-known member
May 15, 2018
98
7
Bend, OR
Since I've fixed them I try to only roll up one window at a time. I think the additional strain of old window hardware puts too much load on the motors and the factory solder gets a little hot with too much current going through it. Maybe not a concern since the via is fully saturated with solder after the repair.

Maybe that's something you want to do pre-repair, since you're dealing with a ticking time bomb due to a manufacturing defect. Once it's been properly soldered it shouldn't be an issue.
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,485
375
Just bypass it all together and upgrade it. Install 2 window roll up modules https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-535T-Automation-Operation/dp/B00H4N1Y2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543297130&sr=8-1&keywords=directed+535t the benefit of doing this is you get rid of the existing issue or issue to come. You will need two units one for the front and one for the rear. The benefits you gain is one touch roll up and one touch roll down. Now it does take some work to do and install but anything custom takes some work just like LR's.

Icannap1,

This looks really cool. I assume you have done it. Any interest in doing a tech write up the rest of us can follow?
 

BarryO

Well-known member
May 15, 2018
98
7
Bend, OR
Just bypass it all together and upgrade it. Install 2 window roll up modules https://www.amazon.com/Directed-Electronics-535T-Automation-Operation/dp/B00H4N1Y2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543297130&sr=8-1&keywords=directed+535t the benefit of doing this is you get rid of the existing issue or issue to come. You will need two units one for the front and one for the rear. The benefits you gain is one touch roll up and one touch roll down. Now it does take some work to do and install but anything custom takes some work just like LR's.

I'm surprised that one-touch rollup is legal. Maybe it's under the CPSC's radar(?)
 

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,485
375
Thought I should update my post. I discovered the po had rigged the passenger rear window shut when the roller on the regulator broke and disconnected the rear switch control. I replaced the regulator and connected everything properly and now the rear windows work. However, they occasionally do not. I’m not sure but suspect the window ecu is failing intermittently. I don’t think the po ever repaired anything. So many things were rigged. I was happy to find a D1 with only 65k on the odometer but now I really understand why the engine threw a rod at 65k. Converting to 300tdi and 5 speed wiped away a lot of issues.
 

WaltNYC

Well-known member
Mar 3, 2010
707
135
NYC
ECU repair does require some contorting to get the board out from under the dash, but a one-armed man can do it.

 
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DC97

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2006
124
5
Washington DC
That video helped a lot. I did the same repair on my 97’ disco this afternoon - very little room to work. I’m not actually sure how you would replace the windows ECU because I couldn’t figure out how to get it out - there must be another 7mm nut out of reach somewhere towards the firewall. But after the board was out fixing that one cracked joint did the trick.
 
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CORover

Well-known member
Jun 11, 2007
745
65
Colorado, USA
There are 3 of the nuts, 1 on top side of the box, 1 on the bottom side and 1 behind it that you cannot see. I was able to use a deep socket all by itself and remove it. It was a serious pain getting it off without dropping the nut and getting it back on and tightened. Took too many tries. The guy in the video was my inspiration.