RAIN IS COMING!! power window failure 86 420 SEL

My windows stopped working today, convientlely after I had rolled the front two down.

None of the windows work from any of the switches.

From looking at this site I see that it is probably a fuse.

Nobody says which fuse though!! Or where these fuses are!!(assuming they are in the fuse box...duh.. but thought I remember reading about something in the firewall.

I live in florida and it rains alot!!

Failing me being able to get a fuse (not likely at this hour) could I just swap a fuse with something else temporarily?

Or...failing that...how do I manually get the windows up.

HURRY!!!

[MikeTangas]

On the '86, the window fuses should be in the main fuse box under the hood. I don't recalled which #'s, but they should be listed on your fuse locator card under the lid. Typically the windows are fused in pairs, rt ft/left r and left ft/rt r. I guess it is possible that both fuses could have blown simultaineously, but not too likely. Just change them out. Should be able to locate German or European fuses at any local AutoZone/Pep boys etc. In a real pinch, if you couldn't locate any, I would reckon you could "borrow" a fuse from another accessory, as long as it is the same amp, just to get the windows closed. Be sure to clean the contact ends in the fuse box too.

is it one of the small one inch long ones, or is it one of the block 12 amp fuses?

obviously, if I swapped fuses out, I'd do it with one of the same amperage. =)

[RKreutzer]

Hi david74mr,

in my 420, I found a card with all fuse information a f t e r I turned the lid of the fuse box completely over. (Just like Mike Tangas says). It was attached to the inside of the lid, but you needed to open it enough to see it.
(My car is in the shop right now so I cannot get to it.)
May be you'll find it there...Or the manual...
Good luck
Reinhard Kreutzer

yeah, should have mentioned that the guide/map/whatever of what fuse is what is NOT with my car, on the lid, under the lid, or anywhere.

still regardless of where in the fuse box it is, what type of fuse is it, i.e. the skinny ones or one the six block type fuses??

[MikeTangas]

Here are the locations of the window fuses, at least for the 560, but the 420 should be the same. Window lifts are on fuses "C" and "D", located front row toward the inboard side. Should be 16 amp fuses (blue).

European (or German) fuses are the skinny ceramic, or plastic in modern construction, with the exposed metallic strip.

ok. changed the two fuses in the C & D positions with two new ones (blue fuses).

Nothing.

Circumstances of the windows not working are this.

- started car Wednesday evening.
- immediately rolled down two front windows at the same time using the console switches
- got on highway
- tried to roll up windows no more than 5 minutes after rolling them down...nothing.
- when i stopped the car I tried all the windows using all the switches...nothing.
- motors do not make any sound at all.
- everything else works
- the driver's window had been going up a bit slowly prior to this.

any suggestions?

How do I manually raise the windows?

[MikeTangas]

Spill any drinks on your center console? Coiuld be the switches are gummed up internally. Some have had good success by carefully disassembling the individual switches and cleaning the contact. Use caution when opening the switch works so you don't lose any little springs. If it isn't the switches or fuses, then there must be a major power interuption before the switches.

No way to manually close the windows, short of disassembling the door panel.

[95E320cab]

Does this model not have the feature that allow you to roll up the windows with the key by holding the key in the lock position?

I guess I would try disconnecting the battery for about 10 minutes to see if that reset any controls.

Stabs in the dark.

Ok, something weird.

Got in my car, windows still not working. drove about 3 minutes to the bank. shut car off. came back a few minutes later. started car. hit the window buttons as a joke to myself and...the windows moved. I don't know why I didn't try both--shocked I guess--but I got the right window all the way up. then I tried the driver window - nothing.

Also, I noticed that the power seats on either door are not working and neither are the wipers or the winshield washer fluid spayers.

[Richard Eldridge]

It is possible that there is a bad connection underneath the fuse box, and that current is not reaching the fuse circuitry.

This caused my blower to cease blowing, anyway.

[fz500sel]

TIP: If you DO attempt to clean your switch contacts, be careful not to lose the little ball bearings (bb's if you will) that allow the armature/springs to rock back and forth.

It's best to disassemble them over a towel or something.

On my 85 300D I disconnected the 2 motors in question and used a jumper to apply 12V to the motor to verify that they would work both up and down. Come to find out that one of the motors had its harness cut inside the B pillar. When I asked the P.O. about this he gave me the deer-in-the-headlight look and said he had no idea what I was talking about. Since the motor worked I just rewired it from the center console switch. The other motor had apparently at one time or another had a short and the wire harness insulation had melted. I just rewired this part also.

How come it seems that 99% of the time it is NOT just a fuse?!

Good luck,
Frank

[old blue]

On my 85 500SEL I had similar symptoms. Both front switches stopped working, along with the power seats. Checked my fuses, and it was clear they were OK. The odd part about it was that the power seats would work if the engine was off and the door was open. Turns out this helped diagnose the problem.

Found out there is a bypass in the circuits to allow the seats to adjust before you get in the car. In my case there was a short under the fuse box that was causing all the problems. Not the motors, switches, or fuses at all.

Check to see if your seats operate with door open, and key Not in the ignition. That may point you to a problem under the fuse box as R Eldrige suggested earlier.

Good Luck

Also - Radio Shack sells an aerosol electric parts cleaner that does a great job on these old switches. Just be careful not to get it on your interior.

old blue,

tried exactly what you said with the power seats.

power seats work fine when the engine is off and doors open. they don't work with the doors closed or with the engine on and the doors open.

What's going on?

Short underneath the fuse box? How the heck do I fix that?

David