83 944 electric window "challenge"

[SoCal Hobo]

No power to the electric windows. Pulled driver side assembly out and checked the main power lead red-blue. Dead. Key on or key off. Managed to use a jumper off of the aux fuse block cliped to a test light probe to puncture the power wire insulation behind the drivers side switch assembly to get the windows back up. Looked at the Hayes book for the 944 and there are no power windows shown on the electrical diagrams until the 85 models????

I think it's the relay but the power window relay is listed as being someplace "other" than the fuse block assembly. That is IF the 83 has the same wiring as the 85 for the power windows.

Does anyone know where they hid this relay???

And does the power for that relay come directly from the ignition switch?

[Panzer909]

I believe the power does come from the ignition switch, but don't quote me on that one.

I had this problem with my '84 944, and started with the easy solutions first when troubleshooting. The earlier cars used a much bigger switch. Remove it. Inside, you will find two little contact points that get distorted over the course of time. Be very careful, because they are so light and small that if you breathed on them they would blow away! Anyways, make sure they are getting proper contact. It might just be them. Check this first.

Also, keep a spare fuse with you when fiddling with them; you might get a few sparks from the window switch. I blew one when doing this at first.

[SoCal Hobo]

Replaced all the switches. $$$$

Checked the drivers side wiring loom through the door back to just before it goes around the main relay/fuse block and under the dash. I've also checked the aux. fuse board fuses and they are good.

Remember; I can jump from an active fuse to the back of the drivers switches with 12v dc and make ALL the windows work.

Where is the relay -- if there is one on the 83?

If not, then not having access to the REAL wiring diagram for the 83 (everything I've run accross seems to be 85 or later) seems to point me to the ignition switch as the main connection for the electric windows (on the fuse protected side of the circuit) -- NO RELAY!

[924turbo]

Don't know about the 944, but the 924 has the window relay attached to the side of the heater housing, in the driver's side footwell. It's right above the central tunnel, about six inches back from the gas pedal. Hope this helps!

[SoCal Hobo]

Found the relay you mentioned, in the drivers foot well above the gas pedel. When I disconnect it, with the key on, the whole instrument console goes dead. According to most of the electrical schematics I've found the relay for the electric windows is JUST for the electric windows. Besides, if the windows go through this relay then none of the dash should work if the relay is bad.

Took the Fitapaldi steering wheel off today and was able to squeeze around and look under the dash and saw two relays mounted up behind the tach. Couldn't get a number off of them though.

Sure would like to see an electrical diagram/schematic that's clear on this. Don't really want to take a whole day to tear the dash apart when I could check a couple of wire loom terminal blocks.

Thanks for the replies.