348: help needed please. Can't solve the window issue. | FerrariChat
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348: help needed please. Can't solve the window issue.

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by henkie, Jun 26, 2005.

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  1. henkie

    henkie La Passione...
    Lifetime Rossa

    Apr 13, 2005
    10,516
    Deil,The Netherlands
    Full Name:
    henkie
    #1 henkie, Jun 26, 2005
    Hello people

    As I am really using my recently bought 348gtb and the former owner (9 years) didn't, little by litte I get all the known problems. I have done 1800 miles in 2 months, the former owner did it in a year according to all the paperwork I have.
    First I'd like to solve this problem, will bother your later with the other one.

    The passenger window seems to be a well knows issue. Of course I searched around the site and printed out several pages, but I just seem not to be able to solve it :-(

    I'll explain what happens.
    When I put in a new fuse in the footcompartment the window goes up and down, all the time. The switches show the green little light.
    As soon as I am one block around the corner and try to open the window, the window is dead. Fuse blown.... New fuse in and the story repeats.
    Originally there's a 15amp fuse in, I also tried the 20amp, same result.

    Of course I checked the well-known connector in the door. The one from the "outside" even several times. Screwed it decently off, pulled down the black wire cover, but all wires seem to be ok, none broken. I sprayed a gallon of contact spray in everywhere but doesn't help.
    Yesterday (I got tired of the matter) I pulled of the right front wheel, took off the inside bodywork plastic to be able to see the connector from the inside. I disconnected it, checked all the wires etc but everything looked just like new. Totally different from other pics I saw here on the forum.
    I think my problem is not in the connector....

    What else can I do people ? I haven't opened the door itself yet. Should I look for matters there ? I know about the little plastic parts-connectors who have the tendancy to break so I just received 10 from the durch Ferrari dealer. As I already expected that I had to open the door sooner or later.

    Thanks for your time and input, this site has already been helpful several times.
     
  2. kiwi348

    kiwi348 Karting

    Feb 8, 2005
    51
    new zealand
    Full Name:
    shakey
    #2 kiwi348, Jun 26, 2005
    had a similar problem myself. welcome to the world of ferrari ! the frustrating thing is that common sense plays no part in diagnosing electrical problems in ferraris. i had a passenger window would not work, and by a process of elimination eliminated absolutely everything so that i knew it was a faulty switch. had to be. moved that switch to the other door, and bugger me it worked, drivers door switch now works passenger window. sometimes. other times, i get nothing. my point here is that these cars are not renound for good electrics nor obeying the rules of practical common sense. best of luck, but get used to it is best i can suggest. but someone will come up with an answer for you. they always do.
     
  3. Steve King

    Steve King F1 Rookie

    Feb 15, 2001
    4,367
    NY
    #3 Steve King, Jun 26, 2005
    Not to much information here yet but it is starting to sound like a few different areas to look at. 1. may have a intermittent short in the wiring or the window relay that shorts our with vibration and blows the fuse. 2. may be binding of the window in the channel causing the fuse to blow. 3 maybe cables in window are to tight causing resistance and blowing the fuse. 4 maybe a bad motor or a binding gear. Start fishin here but you'll need to remove the door panel and see whats going on.
     
  4. sparta49

    sparta49 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Mar 3, 2001
    7,804
    LA
    Full Name:
    Frank
    #4 sparta49, Jun 26, 2005
    Mine did a similar thing. After spending a week playing around with the pass side door and changing the motor and switches it turned out that the black wire on the driver's door was loose in the door connector. Sometimes it made contact sometimes it did not so it was popped out and resoldered and all is fine now
     
  5. BT

    BT F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 21, 2005
    15,291
    FL / GA
    Full Name:
    Bill Tracy
    #5 BT, Jun 26, 2005
    You can get to the door mechanicals by removing the outside door grates. You shouyld clean and lubricate the flexible window lift. 348's use a gear drive instead of the previous pulley and cable system. New switches cost about $40 here, I would get a new one for the problem door. Also, the wiring connection goes to a terminal under the black rubber boot at the door hinge. These connectors are constantly being bent back and forth every time the door is opened. This causes individual strands of wires to break INSIDE the wire casing. After several years of this, you may go from the brand new wire having 24 strands to having only 4-6 strands left unbroken. You can push the pin type connector out and replace the pin / snap on connection for that individual wire to a continuous wire that has connections on either side of the entire door / hinge assembly. My mechanic did these things and resolved my window issues. They are slow still compared to my Infiniti, but they work. This is why you have more electrical problems with the driver's switches, because that door gets used more than the passenger door, and therefore the wires break on that side more. Your problem appears to be more likely binding in the doot mechanicals causing an undue load on the motor resulting in a current overdraw blowing the fuse. Good luck and keep us posted.
    BT
     

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