Strange Passenger side window issues

[Sunbrnt]

I have a 1999 base boxster. A couple weeks ago it wouldn't drop the window when opening the door. I replaced the window regulator and now it works great...except when I hit a bump with the window all the way up, it try's to raise the window. it doesn't move but you can hear it try. And the light on the door comes on. Also no dash light. It doesn't do this with the window down. It wasn't doing this before I replaced the regulator.

I'm assuming it's the wire that hooks to the inside door handle micro switch. I can't see any problem with the wire. Any ideas on what to try. Could the micro switch be bad? Am I looking in the wrong area?

[JFP in PA]

Welcome to RennTech :welcome:

 

Did you reset the window limits after installing the new regulator (procedure is in the owners manual)?

[Sunbrnt]

I was pretty sure I did the window reset, but I did it again this morning just in case. 

 

On the way to work the door motor was making noise when I hit bumps. It's only when the window is all the way up.  Top up or down doesn't matter.  It sounds like it's trying to keep it at the top, like you mentioned at the window limit.  I tried grabbing the window and moving it to make sure it wasn't loose.  It was tight, no movement.

 

Just thinking out loud, this morning after the limit reset It seemed okay for a little while.  Until I jumped on it from a light to get in the other lane.  I think it started making noise on the next bump.  Maybe a loose or shorted wire?

[JFP in PA]

I would also check the micro switches that trigger the window movement by tapping on them to see if the window moves.

[Sunbrnt]

I got distracted by a bad CV and ended up replacing the drive shaft.

So back to the topic.

I replaced both micro switches. I figured once I'm in the door I might as well do them both. I had no idea which one was going out. It was $114 in parts and about 1 hour labor. The hardest part was getting the tie down clips out. Everything else was plug and play. There is one plate to move out of the way so you can get your hand in there. Everything I saw online had you removing the outside door handle. It wasn't hard to reach the switch without taking it apart.

So far that seems to have fixed the issue.

[Sunbrnt]

Ok it came back. I've replaced the regulator and the micro switches. Leaving the window motor or a shorted wire.

Motors are expensive! Wire shorts a PITA!

Any other ideas it might be, before I tear into the door again?

[mckinlay]

The door lock mechanism has a small circuit board on it where one of the wire harnesses attaches.  Vibration over time can cause the solder joints to break down/crack which results in really weird and intermittent issues with the window and the alarm.  I could never track down on mine exactly what was happening but when I checked, that was the issue.  A very simple resolder and problem fixed and has not recurred in over a year now.  I am sorry, I don't have any pictures of it.  They were on my old computer that crashed.

[Sunbrnt]

Thanks, I'll check that out next weekend.

[Sunbrnt]

Well, I took mckinlay's advice and resoldered the circuit board. That didn't fix it. It actually made it worse. Ok, I probably made it worse. But he was right, it was something in the door latch. I ended up replacing it for $185 and that seems to have fixed it. I don't think it was the circuit board. The solder joins looked ok, but I touched them up anyway. I think it was something in the latch. It sounds a lot more solid when it closes and no windows issues.

Thanks for the ideas. Hopefully this might help someone else.