I create videos for another channel, and I also have a completely different day job. Just letting you know it's a lot of work. Maybe he makes them only when he has time to spare.
@@major__kong I'm not involved in this kind of media creation but I'm sure it is a lot of work so although I'd love to see more from Dan I'm happier with quality rather than quantity.
Yes, the first technician could have directly applied 12V power to the window motor ( after all its just a 12V motor, computer in there) and could have eliminated the need to order the power window motor, and save himself sometime& money. He could have also swapped motors around between the rear doors to prove it was the motor or not as well.very simple process of elimination!
Cars are getting more complex, but that's not the problem. The problem is the "repair" industry failing to provide adequate training, which is ongoing, unlike brick laying. I'm in the industry since leaving college in 1985, and I'm still learning. However, my greatest lesson has been humility. I do training modules but supplement my ongoing education by watching people like you, your diagnostic process is as if not more important than the actual result or destination. I love your work. Thanks.
Many mechanics are unwilling to learn. I manage training at government maintenance facility and despite lots of training and reference materials, people don't want to learn and managers won't fire them
@@Capitanvolume This is nothing new either. I noticed this with qualified mechanics when I was an apprentice in the late '80s/early '90s. At one place we got a new 'tunescope' at exorbitant expense, and they just weren't interested in understanding and learning how to actually use it.
Industry had decades to evolve but lazy garage owners never ever wanted to learn. Now many garages goes out from the business because latest and greatest cars is even more crazy. They can keep working only on simple things like suspension, because it mostly remains the same. I am happy, more money for me
Its more than just the training of diagnosis of computer driven vehicles. It's also the quality of the materials late model vehicles are built with. The quality of the materials isn't there as noted in many previous videos that involve circuits and their wiring as number one plus a handful of other components that are not up to the task they are subject to. In this case, the original shop did not address the network concern so they need to adapt and get training. However, for those who have the training, tools, equipment, scanners etc. always seem to find the problem as a bad part or materials that just fail way too soon. Problem is, to determine if a part is bad, you can't really do that without the later but the true failure is poor parts and materials are being used by factory engineers. If they stepped up their build quality to more robust parts, many issues would not exist.
At 65 years, I find that the new cars are just as easy to diagnose as the old ones. You just need to have the diagnostic information and tools. I bought a new, 2016 Touareg Exec TDI in 2018. It had an intermittent "electrical gremlin" that had the dealer absolutely stumped. The factory kept throwing J519 modules at it. I told them that was not the problem. The Service Manager agreed, but his hands are "tied". Finally, given my profession working on generators (which use CAN as well) VW authorized ME to diagnose the problem. It turned out to be a terminal in the CAN plug at J519 that had poor retention. Simple fix, no parts required. They offered me a job..😂
I’ve seen where main dealers have been authorised to replace the main body loom for what was probably a faulty splice or crimp. Unfortunately, their ethos is “if in doubt, replace throughout”. Repairing an item appears to be anathema to them.
Experience with both is better. New cars can bring new challenges but older cars need the wiring to be maintained correctly. Diagnosing and resolving high resistance faults on older wiring is a useful skill for newer vehicles. Similarly, it is rewarding having older vehicles which have all electrical issues thoroughly sorted.
When I opened my own shop in 1975, I was given good advice by my father's best friend. He had been an auto mechanic for the previous 30 years of his life. He said, "Never trust another mechanic's work." If I knew someone else had been there first, that's the first thing I would double check. Quite often, I would find the problem there. I'm glad you rechecked the door wires. Your expertise totally amazes me. I love your videos.
That's good advice, along with taking any consideration into what the customer "thinks" the problem is. The customer will steer you wrong more often than right, so I listen to them and look for the quickest way to discredit their theory. They typically get their diagnosis from a family member that works at a jip lube or does their own oil changes.
Hi Dan, greetings from Brazil. Worldwide cars are getting harder to work, but the main problem for me is that customers like to drive fancy cars, but when it comes to repair, they cry of the costs. Another situation is here that we are lacking in service info, where car manufacturers are hiding information from the independent shops, different from Europe and North America. Be proud of your work
Service information was going to be my biggest complaint / perspective on the whole situation. You can work on the space shuttle as long as there is comprehensive service information with enough detail to allow one to follow a logical diagnostic process without ambiguity. If a fuel injector doesn't fire, for example, you have to know whether the computer is "trying" to fire the injector, or if there is a default strategy taking place because the computer is seeing something it doesn't like, such as a coil not firing on that cylinder. If information such as that is withheld from the technician, they won't have a chance to successfully diagnose the problem without guessing. There are rumors that even some BMW dealerships have complained about difficulty obtaining BMW service information.
@@kdmq That's totally true. To put in perspective, back in 2003-2005 there was full, free-of-charge, 1000+ pages of manuals available for my old Hyundai, even with flowcharts for dumbasses (Thinks like: does not start, it cranks? if yes, it has gas?). At some point (before I bought the car from a parent) Hyundai decided that it was too good to be free, and put hmaservice behind a paywall. My point is, they did it with a 90s car which the most complex thing it's getting parts not fixing it, all manufacturers do it as well for newer cars.
I know the situation is different depending on your geographical location. Over here in Europe most information is available but it comes at a price that not all shops can affort to have access to al portals. Over here some customers also cry about the cost but if they dont agree they are stuck with a broken car😂
Great find. I specialize in these kinds of problems also and really enjoy them. Technicians definitely need to adapt but here in the U.S. it seems like nobody has the love for it. I spent 15 years as a tech and bought my own place. I spent the next 15 mainly running the business and doing a litlle diag. I was lucky that at one time I had two great diag techs. The other guys do the line work and heavy line. Well one of my guys left to do his own thing(we are still great freinds, I never stand in the way of someone improving themselves). The other guy retired and I literally could not find anyone who could figure anything out. So, I got back into it, Ive never been happier, but like I say you gotta have the love.
True. Those intermittent faults are a real pia to find sometimes. My record is 6 months before we could pinpoint it. And that was by pure luck that we found the broken wire in a harness that looked perfect on the outside.
Cars are complicated...that's just the way it is and they are going to get even more complicated then most can imagine. Nothing you or I can do about it. HOWEVER, basic electrical fundamentals still apply, that will not change. If you do not understand how an (automotive) system works, the ONLY way you are going to fix it is by dumb luck. Dan shows that skill, knowledge, education and having a process will get you there every time.
Dan - you make an old auto repair guy very happy. Personally I'd rather see s simple crank for opening and closing the windows, but no - we're way too civilized to do such things these days!
@@Diagnosedan Well, I started with the genuine Austin Mini with a whopping 850cc motor and the long arms that would let me open or close any window in that little terror to the then new Super Beetle.
These days it seems that there is a lack of basic understanding on simple troubleshooting skills, power, ground, signals and your videos walk us back through those skills. Great to follow your analysis of problems.
Problems cause by electrical failures are more common than mechanical failures. A faulty reverse camera can cause havoc with some cars electrical systems. Cars are being made so to repair them is more expensive trying to push owners to get a new one. There is no reason a lot of these systems couldn't be simplified and independent of critical systems of the car. Add to that no-one wants to pay for diagnosis, they expect mechanics to be able to diagnose and quote based on symptoms.
Hi Dan. Had something very similar recently on an ldv t60 ute( Australia). Drivers side rear passenger window would wind down but not up. Dealer had replaced both master and slave switches and a the regulator motor. Came to me out of warranty. Dealer couldn't fix it they just wound the window up and disconnected the motor. Turned out the exact same fault as you have just described but in the drivers door loom. But the interesting thing was that LDV Australia was not going to give me any wiring or workshop info. So I just started scoping things. And behold. A broken comms wire in the door harness.
As always, great job Dan at your diag procedures. Just one thing I would like to add. To avoid having to strip the harness, I have been using a wiring short/break finder. It's a RF signal generator you hook up on one end of the wire you wish to trace. You can then find your wire break by following along the harness with an RF receiver until the signal goes weak or goes silent. you can then dig into the harness at that very spot. I find it soooo time saving. Happy Holidays!
I sat all the way through this with my arm in the air saying “sir, please sir, I know this one”! I learnt on a Skoda that the rear window on the same side is LINBus from the front module, with the other side often being CAN across the car to the other front module. I have even had a LINBus break in the sill/b-pillar area. Unfortunately the default state of LIN is +12V so it gets plenty of opportunity to corrode through. I would have broken out my trusty eBay non-contact wire tracer when I knew there was a wire break, I find it invaluable for tricky ones like this! A really nice step by step guide to find a tricky fault!
Brilliant work, DD; just how it should all be done! 'Cars too complicated' is a direct reflection of the technician's limitations. My friend gave his BMW to a tech (supposed BMW specialist) to fix while he was on holiday. The car came back to him unfixed with the comment 'that's a difficult car' so, the same sort of comment. I told friend to bring it to you in NL! If he does, I'll come along. Seasons greetings!
I've had a similar response to repairing my 2004 BMW which as a result has been sitting at a place for nearly eighteen months, untouched - "too difficult". I plan to get it back and either fix it myself or pass it over to yet another technician as it's definitely an electrical fault - but yes, cars are getting more complex and many technicians are simply not keeping up with the increasingly complex technology. Goodness, I'd bring it to Dan if he was in the UK!!
@@HowardLeVert To be fair, having such (usually) older technicians in the shop can be very handy if a BMW 2002 (as opposed to 2004 BMW!) comes into the shop to have the Solex carb rebuilt, as younger technicians are often not that experienced with tuning carburettors and so on.
EVERYONE can put in new expensive parts for day's and hope it will fix the problem sooner or later. Only the best can fix it for a few cents. Great job ! Happy New Year Dan !
Why do all four window modules need to be programmed, is it just a security thing for parts from stolen cars? If I'm not mistaken older Japanese cars only have automatic on the driver's window as that means you only need one module to run all four windows and then three dumb switches on the other windows, instead of four modules to remember the logic of the up and down positions of every window.
@TassieLorenzo because out of the box you could fit them to either door, on several different vehicles. So they need to be programmed with the right parameters to suit. Is that not obvious ?
@@timbo19751975 It's not obvious IMO -- I didn't realise all three passenger window motors were the same. That's a good idea, I think. I replaced the window regulator on a 2002 Honda Integra, it was plug and play. The control module was separate in the window switch block -- and even then you can swap those without coding AFAIK. Wait why does it need to know what vehicle it's in? It learns fully up and fully down positions of the window, by holding the window switch up and down respectively for a few seconds at open and closed, doesn't it? Does it need to be coded with the right torque setting for bigger and smaller doors with different glass weights?
I vote for cars are much too complicated. This is definitely true for the gadgets, like power windows, seats, mirrors, etc. The mechanical versions almost never broke and are easy to see the fault if they do. This said, anyone who claims to work on modern cars professionally should be able to do what you did. It was a pretty straight forwards diagnosis.
Another victory for the teacher for having patience, everything moves forward, and many mechanics remain with the mentality of changing parts. Today, repairs are often easy, but you have to be a detective. Greetings from Florida, always waiting for your videos.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, where in Florida are you from? I've visited Orlando, Miami, the keys. I love Florida but i wouldn't be able to work there because of the heat😂
Modules, Modules, Modules ..... what was wrong with simple switches? It was that anyone could diagnose and fix or replace them. Manufacturers want to force you to the dealership to fill up the washer reservoir. Like John Deere in the US, VW is just getting the bill for this. Customers are fed up with this shit. I hope VW will fall as deep as possible. For others to learn where it leads to if you hate your customers. Btw: Dan, this was another great and relatable diagnosis, chapeau! I look forward to your next video.
Yes, I agree… just like your interior dome light/ car courtesy door lights are computer controlled as well. What ever went wrong with a simple ground switch at the door ? Why does it need to send a signal to a computer to the computer to turn on a light.?
" what was wrong with simple switches?" VW (Skoda) is more premium with automatic up-down on all four windows! :) You need some kind of logic (module) for that and also the car is on CAN, hence the messages rather simple direct wiring. My car is older (2010) and doesn't use CAN apart from the gauge cluster, Japanese cars tended to be "behind" and stuck with analog wiring for much longer.
@@paulsz6194 Agreed! Traditional analog wiring seems more simple. However CAN and LAN is supposed to reduce the total amount of wiring in the car. In my experience, the shared CAN bus network can cause bizarre faults to occur between seemingly unrelated components (e.g., in the B5 Passat, the taillight bulbs both being out causes the Glow Plug warning light to come on the dash, for some reason!).
@@paulsz6194 customers want the interior light to come on when they push the button on the remote to unlock the car. They want the light to come on when they finish a journey and stop the engine, before they open the door. They want the light to stay on for a bit after they get in and shut the door, and they want the light to fade out slowly. For the windows, there's open a bit, close a bit, open all the way, close all the way. Then add in central locking lock, unlock, deadlock and childlock. Add in a warning light for the door being open, or not fully latched. And now there are far fewer wires if there's a data wire to a module rather than a separate wire through the door hinge for every one of those functions. Make the car without those functions and it'll be simpler to fix and more reliable. And almost nobody will buy it as they like the features that the competition's cars have.
Absolutely agree with the other tech. Yes, diagnostic / fault finding processes don’t change but it’s a just a window. Doesn’t need to be on a communication network. It’s an on / off signal. Engine / transmission control, yes , there is more going on than on off, actual information is being exchanged that is required by multiple systems. But a window? Unnecessary.
Things like anti pinch functions and auto down and up features would not work with a standard power and ground system. A kid could have his head out the window and accidently roll it up. Standard power and ground system would trap him like that. Smart window systems like this detect the window position to not be fully closed yet see a rise in amperage draw then reverse the window direction.
Apart from anti-pinch features that @jeffco908 mentioned, data-controlled windows can be opened on the key-fob to vent the car on a hot day, or to close all the windows at once if it starts raining. Also, when airbags fire on newer cars, the windows roll down a few cm to release the resulting smoke (doors are also unlocked, hazard lights activated, and fuel is cut off). There are probably other features related directly to the windows, but these are just the ones I can remember. Once every element in a car can see the others, a huge amount of interactions become possible, eg: ESP works by comparing inputs from the wheel sensors, the steering angle sensor, and a yaw sensor, and then activates individual wheels' brakes through the ABS pump.
@ Just looked at wiring schematic for a 1995 740i for power windows. It has a general control module, drivers door module and passenger door module all incorporated into power window operation. So its not a simple power and ground system.
There is one big problem. ..cost reduction. It is not normal for a wire to brake without outside intervention. They made them very thin, under rated...that is why is so complicated to diagnose. You would not expect that kind of damage when you see the way that harness look on outside. On the older cars ( pre 2002) it is very rare case of wiring to die on its own. Much respect for your way of doing your job.
That wire didn't die on it's own; something happened to it. The insulation might have been compromised all the way back at the harness factory. The covering looked very durable, and i suspect Dan would notice if it had been unwrapped before. I'm surprised Dan didn't go deeper into why that wire failed. If it was a rub-through in the door, it would be nice to identify the the sharp edge a modify it.
Rub-through would be evident already in the outside sheathing. Most likely this wire was damaged when the harness was manufactured, with a nick in the insulation.
If you look at the loom before he strips it you can see the damage just before the build sticker. Its obviously been snagged during fitment maybe when it was getting pulled through the hole by the b post. Plus the internal of the door is classed as external so exposed to the elements hence corrosion.
not true, any car with wires can have one fail, anyone who works and doesn't replace protection or fix it back in its retainers can cause wear n tear based issues like this. My E34 is known to have issues with the wiring harness along the boot hinge and has about 5 dozen fuses and 2 dozen relays and a shed ton of wiring front to back and its not even fully optioned with the showy baller stuff. The audio cabling on its own is just crazy, signals and power cables going from the headunit, to the left side of the boot where the passive (barf) 10 channel amp is, and then 10 pairs of wires routing back to all 4 corners of the cabin. And it's from 1993 and they have only gotten worse from there... my E39 Touring has the sat nav, cd stacker and gps antenna all tetrised into about the same volume of space as well lol
@@hightttech Maybe, but only VWs are the ones with bizarre electrical problems like coolant going into the wiring loom ("coolant migration" is not a thing with any other automaker AFAIK)... The simpler explanation is poor VW quality, VW have traditionally scrimped on electrical and mechanical, to find the budget to pay for their thicker sheet metal and paint. Toyotas and Hondas are usually the opposite way around -- poor quality paint and thin sheet metal, but very exacting quality control on electrical and mechanical parts. It seems to be a cultural difference. European auto buyers seem to prefer that their car feels solid and doesn't rust, while buyers elsewhere (SE Asia, Australia/NZ, USA/Canada) seem to prefer that their car runs for 20+ years with minimal mechanical or electrical repairs.
Great diagnosis, as always. I believe if you could go back in that car's repair history, you will find a tech at some stage probed that wire where you found the green crusties, and never sealed that hole again. That is then a nice place for damp and corrosion to start.
Een ( te lange) schroef waar de speaker mee vast te zit waarvan de punt uitsteekt door een clip aan de binnenkant van de deur en de bedrading “doorboort” 😢
Yes cars are way too complicated now. A DIYer has little to no chance without an expensive scope and wiring diagrams. We fixed the Skoda electronic tailgate strut on my son in laws car last weekend but only by following youtube vids of a common fault. Keep up the good work Dan.
I just finished my technician’s apprenticeship this December and I’m so grateful for all the knowledge I’ve acquired from you Dan. Thank you for a truly brilliant 2024. I wish you a very happy new year. I also really look forward to learning a lot more from you for many more years to come. Thanks Dan.
Well diagnosed as allways, Dan is a walking enciklopedia 😊 i sloved similar isue on Passat CC a couple days ago..MC33192BAC kick's in.. door was dead, door module repaired!
Hi Dan, If the tech that you spoke to wants a simpler way to operate the windows, I have a 1955 Chevy with crank handles that I can sell him. Thanks for all your great videos. 👍👍 🤣🤣
Dan when I watch your videos, I remind myself many times what a great speaker and communicator you are. Amazing you are! Your clips at the end are hilarious! Thanks! This was SO interesting! Thank you!
Already had an idea when you read the fault codes😀 It's not about vehicles getting too complicated it's about technicians not having enough training. For example in our workshop with 6 technicians I'm the only guy who does in depth diagnostics.
You showed us again with the right tools and knowledge it possible to fix this kind of issues. If they checked the power and signals at the door module it should be clear the control signals wheren't there. Thanks Dan again nice video.
Love the way you keep it simple and methodical in your diagnosing faults you don't complicate thing for yourself . Having started my career in electrical engineering and servicing groups, the manufacturer always supplied a cct diag , with expected voltages and scope signals, the theory behind this was to help keep the items on the go, at a lower cost of repairs and speed of repair, this in turn gave the manufacturer a good reputation and therefore better ongoing sales, Today the manufacturer seems more interested in cost, and if it lasts five years under warranty all good, after that who cares, the customers will just have to update to another vehicle, sales are guaranteed for the future. No spares after 5 years, all the better. Then there are the designers, just my opinion, they remind me of school children always trying to outdo each other with better toys than the next guy, no matter if its needed or not, what happened to keep it simple keep it smart and reliable. What the industry needs is a name and shame site, for customers to go to, to see who is the most reliable and easy to repair, possibly run by a mechanics union or trade association.
A broken wire is a broken wire. Don't blame the modules! Modules, ECU's, and data networks make it easier to find the broken wire, as DD just illustrated. Great vid, DD! And please keep all of them coming!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Wow. Wire got knocked somehow and green crusties strike again. Ruining a window and causing a lot of hassle for the owner. Great step by step Dan. You and Ivan from Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics are the GOATS. We need a special collab one day.
Great video Dan, You are one of the wisest repair technicians out there and even you would need to spend 3 to 4 hours to find / repair this problem. So by making cars more complicated it means that the increased expense just ends up on the owners end. But owners cannot understand why a 60 second wire repair would cost 2 to 3 hundred euros. Your video just shows why, educated technicians charge for their time & rightly so. Well done Dan & happy new year from Kennedys garage RUclips channel 🙏🙏
Customers always think the scantool will tell us whats wrong. I always encourage them to watch my videos to make them understand its not that straight forward. Happy new year!
This video shows the problem of the technicians now. If you have a problem, they just replace a module and thats it. If it is still not working, then they don't know it anymore. But charge you a lot, a new module, with no fix. Also a problem is that they don't communicate with each other (in the netherlands). If you have the same problem as the guy before you, they will start all over again, charge you for all of it with no fix. I can guarantee you that in 9 out of 10 dealerships, not 1 will know how to work with a oscilloscope and how to work like Dan does. The education stops at replacing the (maybe defective) module. I don't know how it is in other country's but Dutch dealerships sucks. Dan, you're the Best!
As an automotive engineer worked on the MQB platform, when I saw the title of the video, I immediately thought “oh, the LIN bus again”… As always, Great video, Dan! Wishing you all the best in 2025!
It could've been done with a power probe from front to rear module just checking continuity. But the diagnosis was done beautifully. Thank you again Dan.👍👍👍
Great video Dan. As a DIY, they are so complex to fix. Even when I have figured out that the BCM is bad, I still have to bring it somewhere. I don't have gm software ( I live in the states) to reprogram a BCM. The front end & suspension, brakes I can do. But those network errors can really cause some strange issues that makes it more complex. Sometimes I think it's overkill. Opening the sunroom doesn't need to be on the network with a module. It adds expense to the user & the Technician.
And there not as advanced as you so it takes them longer to fix the problem and makes it even more costly for the customer Dan's knowledge goes beyond the normal techs out there. That's why we love his videos.
Great video as always Dan. Yes, I'm 72 now and really do think that cars are way too complex. I have run BMW's as my main car since 1990, (I know, someone has to do it!), my current daily drive is a 2003 E46, 21 years old. If anyone fancies a laugh, just look up the explanation of how the keys/central locking/immobiliser systems work on these cars, it is absolutely mind-numbingly complicated. My job was an electronics technician for my entire working life, so I am not afraid of technology or test equipment, and whilst I agree a lot can be accomplished with a cheap multimeter and wiring diagram, correct wiring diagrams for your specific car is the first stumbling block for the DIY repairer. Unless you have access to data like Dan will have, it is very difficult.
Thanks Dan. Another excellent diag and fix. It is nuts the amount of tech in new vehicles. The new 2024 Cadillac Lyriq I have has had issues and the modules needing reprogramming for faults. And when it is out of warranty and stuff acts up or breaks the cost to have it fixed will be high. But I love the technology.
I come from aircooled VWs. You cannot get more basic than that. I always service and repair my vehicles myself, so i had to learn a lot and buy a lot of new tools inlc. oscilloscopes and scanners to keep up with the tech. At the end it is all doable BUT: Some manufacturers do not let you access codes or reset etc. plus spares can be ridiculously overpriced or not available for the public. Today i drive an older Tesla Model S with now over 400.000km and while this brand was bad with DIY in the past they do have all service info online and you can hire their service software for a day too. I was able to diagnose and change a faulty module BMS board myself, it was AU$80 for the board and AU$20 for the sealant of the battery lid. Tesla would have replaced the battery for AU$20.000. And yes, i love all the compfy and sophisticated tech but it needs to be servicable. And i still love to go for a drive in my old VW Kombi (Bus in Europe) too.
Interesting how the wire was corroded seemingly in some random place, and not where one would expect it to break. Also the crazy Fiat problem, nice diags :)
If you look at the loom before he strips it you can see the damage just before the build sticker. Its obviously been snagged during fitment maybe when it was getting pulled through the hole by the b post. Plus the internal of the door is classed as external so exposed to the elements hence corrosion.
I love your channel. People just don't want to learn and work anymore. I am 63 and have never stopped learning in the computer field. There are mechanics, then there are "technicans". Find a good tech is hard. Anybody can put on a set of brakes.
For those complaining that modern cars are too complicated; canbus systems save a ton of wiring, coded modules mean interchangeability of parts across models. Primarily saving you money when buying the car. Nobody complains that their boiler or TV is too complicated. Just buy the car you can afford (to maintain) and not the car you aspire to.
Hello Dave: Thank you for this video. Well my friend you really pulled out all of the stops on this one but your many years of experience did you plowed. I've been working on vehicles for 63 years & I must agree that these vehicles are overly complicated for no other reason than get the vehicles back to the dealership to make money. God Bless & HAPPY NEW YEAR. TMP from N.J.
I love the way you explain all steps and the thinking behind them. I understand why you love your job. It's a bit similar to solving riddles and puzzles 😆
Merry Xmas and happy new year to everyone… cars have so much tech that they don’t need I watched a south main auto video the other day and they had a vehicle where the entire network was down because or a rear view camera and because of that the car wouldn’t even drive because of no communication on the network….
DiagnoseDan Had a similar problem on my 06 Passat , left rear window or central locking on that same door not working changed module and door loom but never got it sorted , no broken wires in drivers door and all other windows worked. motor and loom both ok as worked when plugged into other rear door . Interesting fix and most likely I have a similar break somewhere .
Nice to see you again, Dan. Cars are becoming more complicated, but the skills needed to work on them effectively are not being taught. Technicians rely too heavily on the test equipment without stepping back to see the whole picture. I first saw this issue over 30 years ago!
Great video Dan you make the complicated look easy. The step by step procedure was amazing. Probably as far as I could go is to clean the drivers cluster switch and sometimes you have a win.
@chrisfreemesser5707 it's subjective, I personally don't find easier at all the old ones with double relays, ground side disconnected, limiting switches etc, I bet you not that many guys knew back in the days how to follow and diagnose them, and even less today due to unavailability of scanners.
@@danielpantazescu7720 Oh I'll wager the old timers certainly knew how to diagnose those older circuits. Keep in mind that back then, if you had a problem with electrical device X, the problem was restricted to device X's circuit. You didn't have the weird issues we have today, where a faulty reverse camera prevents a car from starting. We can thanks CANBUS for that.
Great research! To Complicated In the seventies they didn't have these Communication wires and windows/ door locks all worked just fine, Biggest change was direction of button so children didn't get caught in the windows, push down to open pull up to close. Easy Peasy
Did Mercedes in the 70's have problems with their vacuum operated central locking? Air leaks were still an issue in 90's Mercedes using the same system, I think.
Isn't there a tool that injects a beacon signal in the wire, and with a receiver find it's end? Might be helpful to find the crusty point. Thanks Dan, great material as always!
Yeah there is. Dan even uses it in a video. But it's kind of expensive and not needed in situations like this. In some situations, however, it can be really helpful.
Take a look at some schematics for "olden days" windows with a central and a local switch and say that again with a straight face. This setup has far fewer parts that can fail, the mechanical switch setup would consist of multiple wires going back and forth through the switch multiple times... If any one of these switches fails, you'd get the weirdest symptoms.
Great work, Dan. I've got a similar problem on an old Astra H but it will open from the local switch at the afflicted window, just not the master driver's switch! This will give me somewhere to look. Technicians need to get up to speed really. Yes, there are simpler methods of making a window go up and down but that's in isolation. By the time you add in puddle lights, central locking, buttons for keyless entry, speakers, air bags, mirror motors, heated mirrors, lighting wiring for blind spot detection and god only knows what else, you're looking at about 150 wires running through the door hinge. Having fewer multipurpose wires then makes a lot of sense. What I massively disagree with is the constant need to code things to a car. A window motor shouldn't need coding to a car. That's just revenue for the dealer.
That module was made for multiple configurations to cut production costs. After installation it needs to be told "coded" in what configuration its being used. Its either that or designing a different module for many different variants. That would make the module more expensive. Coding is not that expensive
Great video. I use a cheap telephone tone generator tool (£15'ish) to check wiring. Put a tone on a wire, run the receiver parts along a loom untill the tone stops there is the break. Also good for tracing wire path through looms that branch off when no diagram avalable.
Nice find. I under the fuel and ignition complexity because we need to prevent as many emissions as we can. I even under the need for safety system complexity. But I don’t understand why it’s necessary to make rolling windows up and down complicated. But I’m sure you have a better understanding of why window rolling needs to be complicated and expensive. If so, I’d like to hear your thoughts.
As a technician even when the complaint is a bulb not working prepare your mind it can be anything else either than just a burnt out bulb.Good Job buddy watching you from Ghana.
Spectacular video again Dan, thank you. I believe it's fine to use a lin bus to fault find as you need to see where the signal is getting lost... even though it's a broken wire, you used the tools available to you to diagnose the fault, so techs need to move with the times and keep up with manufacturers
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
We miss you Dan!!! You don't have to have the most crazy difficult problems, we will happily watch your simple diagnosis
In 2025 i hope to do more videos as i've made more time available
@@Diagnosedan I'm waiting for the videos, I'll be here in 2025.
Basic diagnostic still works . No need to overthink it. Great job Dan! Please put up videos more often
I create videos for another channel, and I also have a completely different day job. Just letting you know it's a lot of work. Maybe he makes them only when he has time to spare.
@@major__kong I'm not involved in this kind of media creation but I'm sure it is a lot of work so although I'd love to see more from Dan I'm happier with quality rather than quantity.
Yes, the first technician could have directly applied 12V power to the window motor ( after all its just a 12V motor, computer in there) and could have eliminated the need to order the power window motor, and save himself sometime& money. He could have also swapped motors around between the rear doors to prove it was the motor or not as well.very simple process of elimination!
@@paulsz6194explain how applying 12v to the motor would have proved it wasn’t the motor.
@paulsz6194 in saying that, you prove that you don't know know the method of operation of this system.
Cars are getting more complex, but that's not the problem. The problem is the "repair" industry failing to provide adequate training, which is ongoing, unlike brick laying. I'm in the industry since leaving college in 1985, and I'm still learning. However, my greatest lesson has been humility. I do training modules but supplement my ongoing education by watching people like you, your diagnostic process is as if not more important than the actual result or destination. I love your work. Thanks.
Many mechanics are unwilling to learn. I manage training at government maintenance facility and despite lots of training and reference materials, people don't want to learn and managers won't fire them
@@Capitanvolume This is nothing new either. I noticed this with qualified mechanics when I was an apprentice in the late '80s/early '90s. At one place we got a new 'tunescope' at exorbitant expense, and they just weren't interested in understanding and learning how to actually use it.
Industry had decades to evolve but lazy garage owners never ever wanted to learn. Now many garages goes out from the business because latest and greatest cars is even more crazy. They can keep working only on simple things like suspension, because it mostly remains the same. I am happy, more money for me
4 modules just for windows 😂 cmon
Its more than just the training of diagnosis of computer driven vehicles. It's also the quality of the materials late model vehicles are built with. The quality of the materials isn't there as noted in many previous videos that involve circuits and their wiring as number one plus a handful of other components that are not up to the task they are subject to. In this case, the original shop did not address the network concern so they need to adapt and get training. However, for those who have the training, tools, equipment, scanners etc. always seem to find the problem as a bad part or materials that just fail way too soon. Problem is, to determine if a part is bad, you can't really do that without the later but the true failure is poor parts and materials are being used by factory engineers. If they stepped up their build quality to more robust parts, many issues would not exist.
At 65 years, I find that the new cars are just as easy to diagnose as the old ones. You just need to have the diagnostic information and tools. I bought a new, 2016 Touareg Exec TDI in 2018. It had an intermittent "electrical gremlin" that had the dealer absolutely stumped. The factory kept throwing J519 modules at it. I told them that was not the problem. The Service Manager agreed, but his hands are "tied". Finally, given my profession working on generators (which use CAN as well) VW authorized ME to diagnose the problem. It turned out to be a terminal in the CAN plug at J519 that had poor retention. Simple fix, no parts required. They offered me a job..😂
You'll probably make more money fixing generators than working in the automotive industry! At least that's the case here in Australia...
Awesome!
I’ve seen where main dealers have been authorised to replace the main body loom for what was probably a faulty splice or crimp. Unfortunately, their ethos is “if in doubt, replace throughout”. Repairing an item appears to be anathema to them.
Great job! Thanks for sharing your amazing story!
The more of your videos I watch, the more I like my old low-tec car.
Nothing wrong with an older car, but as a diagnostian i love the challenges on newer technology.
Experience with both is better. New cars can bring new challenges but older cars need the wiring to be maintained correctly. Diagnosing and resolving high resistance faults on older wiring is a useful skill for newer vehicles. Similarly, it is rewarding having older vehicles which have all electrical issues thoroughly sorted.
When I opened my own shop in 1975, I was given good advice by my father's best friend. He had been an auto mechanic for the previous 30 years of his life. He said, "Never trust another mechanic's work." If I knew someone else had been there first, that's the first thing I would double check. Quite often, I would find the problem there. I'm glad you rechecked the door wires. Your expertise totally amazes me. I love your videos.
That's good advice, along with taking any consideration into what the customer "thinks" the problem is. The customer will steer you wrong more often than right, so I listen to them and look for the quickest way to discredit their theory. They typically get their diagnosis from a family member that works at a jip lube or does their own oil changes.
Thanks for your positive comment. I always say "trust is good but re-check is better" 😂
Diagnosedan is the best!
Hi Dan, greetings from Brazil. Worldwide cars are getting harder to work, but the main problem for me is that customers like to drive fancy cars, but when it comes to repair, they cry of the costs.
Another situation is here that we are lacking in service info, where car manufacturers are hiding information from the independent shops, different from Europe and North America. Be proud of your work
Service information was going to be my biggest complaint / perspective on the whole situation. You can work on the space shuttle as long as there is comprehensive service information with enough detail to allow one to follow a logical diagnostic process without ambiguity. If a fuel injector doesn't fire, for example, you have to know whether the computer is "trying" to fire the injector, or if there is a default strategy taking place because the computer is seeing something it doesn't like, such as a coil not firing on that cylinder. If information such as that is withheld from the technician, they won't have a chance to successfully diagnose the problem without guessing. There are rumors that even some BMW dealerships have complained about difficulty obtaining BMW service information.
@@kdmq That's totally true. To put in perspective, back in 2003-2005 there was full, free-of-charge, 1000+ pages of manuals available for my old Hyundai, even with flowcharts for dumbasses (Thinks like: does not start, it cranks? if yes, it has gas?).
At some point (before I bought the car from a parent) Hyundai decided that it was too good to be free, and put hmaservice behind a paywall.
My point is, they did it with a 90s car which the most complex thing it's getting parts not fixing it, all manufacturers do it as well for newer cars.
I know the situation is different depending on your geographical location. Over here in Europe most information is available but it comes at a price that not all shops can affort to have access to al portals.
Over here some customers also cry about the cost but if they dont agree they are stuck with a broken car😂
Great find. I specialize in these kinds of problems also and really enjoy them. Technicians definitely need to adapt but here in the U.S. it seems like nobody has the love for it. I spent 15 years as a tech and bought my own place. I spent the next 15 mainly running the business and doing a litlle diag. I was lucky that at one time I had two great diag techs. The other guys do the line work and heavy line. Well one of my guys left to do his own thing(we are still great freinds, I never stand in the way of someone improving themselves). The other guy retired and I literally could not find anyone who could figure anything out. So, I got back into it, Ive never been happier, but like I say you gotta have the love.
I will love to learn more from you … Am in South Africa starting as a beginner Dan just made me love Diagnostics 😂🎉❤
This is the best part of diagnosis. No intermittent stuff, and easy to find problem. Only as long as u know what are u doing and how the system works.
True. Those intermittent faults are a real pia to find sometimes.
My record is 6 months before we could pinpoint it. And that was by pure luck that we found the broken wire in a harness that looked perfect on the outside.
Yes this fault being permanent made it alot easier!
Cars are complicated...that's just the way it is and they are going to get even more complicated then most can imagine. Nothing you or I can do about it. HOWEVER, basic electrical fundamentals still apply, that will not change. If you do not understand how an (automotive) system works, the ONLY way you are going to fix it is by dumb luck. Dan shows that skill, knowledge, education and having a process will get you there every time.
Dan - you make an old auto repair guy very happy. Personally I'd rather see s simple crank for opening and closing the windows, but no - we're way too civilized to do such things these days!
Its a long time since i worked on a car with manual Windows!
@@Diagnosedan Well, I started with the genuine Austin Mini with a whopping 850cc motor and the long arms that would let me open or close any window in that little terror to the then new Super Beetle.
These days it seems that there is a lack of basic understanding on simple troubleshooting skills, power, ground, signals and your videos walk us back through those skills. Great to follow your analysis of problems.
Problems cause by electrical failures are more common than mechanical failures.
A faulty reverse camera can cause havoc with some cars electrical systems.
Cars are being made so to repair them is more expensive trying to push owners to get a new one.
There is no reason a lot of these systems couldn't be simplified and independent of critical systems of the car.
Add to that no-one wants to pay for diagnosis, they expect mechanics to be able to diagnose and quote based on symptoms.
Unfortunately everyone can call himself a mechanic these days😂
Hi Dan. Had something very similar recently on an ldv t60 ute( Australia). Drivers side rear passenger window would wind down but not up. Dealer had replaced both master and slave switches and a the regulator motor. Came to me out of warranty. Dealer couldn't fix it they just wound the window up and disconnected the motor. Turned out the exact same fault as you have just described but in the drivers door loom. But the interesting thing was that LDV Australia was not going to give me any wiring or workshop info. So I just started scoping things. And behold. A broken comms wire in the door harness.
Glad to hear you were able to find the issue! Great job💪
As always, great job Dan at your diag procedures.
Just one thing I would like to add. To avoid having to strip the harness, I have been using a wiring short/break finder. It's a RF signal generator you hook up on one end of the wire you wish to trace. You can then find your wire break by following along the harness with an RF receiver until the signal goes weak or goes silent. you can then dig into the harness at that very spot. I find it soooo time saving.
Happy Holidays!
I've used that tool in one of my videos before. In this case we isolated just a small piece of wiring harness so it could't be far
I sat all the way through this with my arm in the air saying “sir, please sir, I know this one”!
I learnt on a Skoda that the rear window on the same side is LINBus from the front module, with the other side often being CAN across the car to the other front module.
I have even had a LINBus break in the sill/b-pillar area.
Unfortunately the default state of LIN is +12V so it gets plenty of opportunity to corrode through. I would have broken out my trusty eBay non-contact wire tracer when I knew there was a wire break, I find it invaluable for tricky ones like this!
A really nice step by step guide to find a tricky fault!
Experience is gold! 😁💪
Brilliant work, DD; just how it should all be done!
'Cars too complicated' is a direct reflection of the technician's limitations.
My friend gave his BMW to a tech (supposed BMW specialist) to fix while he was on holiday.
The car came back to him unfixed with the comment 'that's a difficult car' so, the same sort of comment.
I told friend to bring it to you in NL!
If he does, I'll come along.
Seasons greetings!
I've had a similar response to repairing my 2004 BMW which as a result has been sitting at a place for nearly eighteen months, untouched - "too difficult". I plan to get it back and either fix it myself or pass it over to yet another technician as it's definitely an electrical fault - but yes, cars are getting more complex and many technicians are simply not keeping up with the increasingly complex technology. Goodness, I'd bring it to Dan if he was in the UK!!
@@HowardLeVert What model is it and what's the issue, got any codes,,,?
@@HowardLeVert To be fair, having such (usually) older technicians in the shop can be very handy if a BMW 2002 (as opposed to 2004 BMW!) comes into the shop to have the Solex carb rebuilt, as younger technicians are often not that experienced with tuning carburettors and so on.
Its a difficult car can also mean "it's not easy money and i really have to dive deep into it" not all techs are willing to do that
Nice, first pine hollow with ground troubles, Then eric O with a down data bus, and now you
Add Salvage Rebuilds UK and you've just listed my favorite channels!
Great RUclips night😂
EVERYONE can put in new expensive parts for day's and hope it will fix the problem sooner or later. Only the best can fix it for a few cents. Great job ! Happy New Year Dan !
Happy new year!
@@Diagnosedan Een goed en gezond 2025 Danny!
Programming a door module??? Madness..
Great video Dan, as usual!
Why do all four window modules need to be programmed, is it just a security thing for parts from stolen cars? If I'm not mistaken older Japanese cars only have automatic on the driver's window as that means you only need one module to run all four windows and then three dumb switches on the other windows, instead of four modules to remember the logic of the up and down positions of every window.
@@TassieLorenzo in a few words , it`s an integrated multifunction system that communicates via CAN BUS or LIN BUS
@TassieLorenzo because out of the box you could fit them to either door, on several different vehicles. So they need to be programmed with the right parameters to suit. Is that not obvious ?
@@timbo19751975 It's not obvious IMO -- I didn't realise all three passenger window motors were the same. That's a good idea, I think.
I replaced the window regulator on a 2002 Honda Integra, it was plug and play. The control module was separate in the window switch block -- and even then you can swap those without coding AFAIK.
Wait why does it need to know what vehicle it's in? It learns fully up and fully down positions of the window, by holding the window switch up and down respectively for a few seconds at open and closed, doesn't it? Does it need to be coded with the right torque setting for bigger and smaller doors with different glass weights?
Thanks for watching
I vote for cars are much too complicated. This is definitely true for the gadgets, like power windows, seats, mirrors, etc. The mechanical versions almost never broke and are easy to see the fault if they do. This said, anyone who claims to work on modern cars professionally should be able to do what you did. It was a pretty straight forwards diagnosis.
Full respect Dan. You are a proper craftsman. Love watching your videos.
He uses logic, data and his brain. There's nothing complex about it
Great to hear you enjoy my videos, its comments like your that keep me going 😁
Another victory for the teacher for having patience, everything moves forward, and many mechanics remain with the mentality of changing parts. Today, repairs are often easy, but you have to be a detective. Greetings from Florida, always waiting for your videos.
i live in gville no seat here .Only nice weather
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, where in Florida are you from? I've visited Orlando, Miami, the keys. I love Florida but i wouldn't be able to work there because of the heat😂
@@Diagnosedan Near Gainsville nice here right now north central U.F Gators summers are unbearable lots of gravy ac work
Modules, Modules, Modules ..... what was wrong with simple switches? It was that anyone could diagnose and fix or replace them. Manufacturers want to force you to the dealership to fill up the washer reservoir. Like John Deere in the US, VW is just getting the bill for this. Customers are fed up with this shit. I hope VW will fall as deep as possible. For others to learn where it leads to if you hate your customers. Btw: Dan, this was another great and relatable diagnosis, chapeau! I look forward to your next video.
Yes, I agree… just like your interior dome light/ car courtesy door lights are computer controlled as well. What ever went wrong with a simple ground switch at the door ? Why does it need to send a signal to a computer to the computer to turn on a light.?
" what was wrong with simple switches?" VW (Skoda) is more premium with automatic up-down on all four windows! :) You need some kind of logic (module) for that and also the car is on CAN, hence the messages rather simple direct wiring. My car is older (2010) and doesn't use CAN apart from the gauge cluster, Japanese cars tended to be "behind" and stuck with analog wiring for much longer.
@@paulsz6194 Agreed! Traditional analog wiring seems more simple. However CAN and LAN is supposed to reduce the total amount of wiring in the car. In my experience, the shared CAN bus network can cause bizarre faults to occur between seemingly unrelated components (e.g., in the B5 Passat, the taillight bulbs both being out causes the Glow Plug warning light to come on the dash, for some reason!).
@@TassieLorenzo That's because the engine ECU uses the brake light circuit to detect if the brakes are on.
@@paulsz6194 customers want the interior light to come on when they push the button on the remote to unlock the car. They want the light to come on when they finish a journey and stop the engine, before they open the door. They want the light to stay on for a bit after they get in and shut the door, and they want the light to fade out slowly.
For the windows, there's open a bit, close a bit, open all the way, close all the way. Then add in central locking lock, unlock, deadlock and childlock. Add in a warning light for the door being open, or not fully latched. And now there are far fewer wires if there's a data wire to a module rather than a separate wire through the door hinge for every one of those functions.
Make the car without those functions and it'll be simpler to fix and more reliable. And almost nobody will buy it as they like the features that the competition's cars have.
Absolutely agree with the other tech. Yes, diagnostic / fault finding processes don’t change but it’s a just a window. Doesn’t need to be on a communication network. It’s an on / off signal. Engine / transmission control, yes , there is more going on than on off, actual information is being exchanged that is required by multiple systems. But a window? Unnecessary.
Things like anti pinch functions and auto down and up features would not work with a standard power and ground system. A kid could have his head out the window and accidently roll it up. Standard power and ground system would trap him like that. Smart window systems like this detect the window position to not be fully closed yet see a rise in amperage draw then reverse the window direction.
Apart from anti-pinch features that @jeffco908 mentioned, data-controlled windows can be opened on the key-fob to vent the car on a hot day, or to close all the windows at once if it starts raining. Also, when airbags fire on newer cars, the windows roll down a few cm to release the resulting smoke (doors are also unlocked, hazard lights activated, and fuel is cut off). There are probably other features related directly to the windows, but these are just the ones I can remember.
Once every element in a car can see the others, a huge amount of interactions become possible, eg: ESP works by comparing inputs from the wheel sensors, the steering angle sensor, and a yaw sensor, and then activates individual wheels' brakes through the ABS pump.
Thanks for sharing your opinion!
@@jeffco908 wrong! see how bmw has done all of that 30 years ago on e38 e39 series maybe earlier
@ Just looked at wiring schematic for a 1995 740i for power windows. It has a general control module, drivers door module and passenger door module all incorporated into power window operation. So its not a simple power and ground system.
You really are a gifted teacher the way you present the step by step diagnostics. I don't think anyone does it better on youtube than you, dan.
Thank you thats really appreciated, you put a smile on my face😊
There is one big problem.
..cost reduction. It is not normal for a wire to brake without outside intervention. They made them very thin, under rated...that is why is so complicated to diagnose. You would not expect that kind of damage when you see the way that harness look on outside. On the older cars ( pre 2002) it is very rare case of wiring to die on its own. Much respect for your way of doing your job.
That wire didn't die on it's own; something happened to it. The insulation might have been compromised all the way back at the harness factory. The covering looked very durable, and i suspect Dan would notice if it had been unwrapped before. I'm surprised Dan didn't go deeper into why that wire failed. If it was a rub-through in the door, it would be nice to identify the the sharp edge a modify it.
Rub-through would be evident already in the outside sheathing. Most likely this wire was damaged when the harness was manufactured, with a nick in the insulation.
If you look at the loom before he strips it you can see the damage just before the build sticker. Its obviously been snagged during fitment maybe when it was getting pulled through the hole by the b post. Plus the internal of the door is classed as external so exposed to the elements hence corrosion.
not true, any car with wires can have one fail, anyone who works and doesn't replace protection or fix it back in its retainers can cause wear n tear based issues like this. My E34 is known to have issues with the wiring harness along the boot hinge and has about 5 dozen fuses and 2 dozen relays and a shed ton of wiring front to back and its not even fully optioned with the showy baller stuff. The audio cabling on its own is just crazy, signals and power cables going from the headunit, to the left side of the boot where the passive (barf) 10 channel amp is, and then 10 pairs of wires routing back to all 4 corners of the cabin. And it's from 1993 and they have only gotten worse from there... my E39 Touring has the sat nav, cd stacker and gps antenna all tetrised into about the same volume of space as well lol
@@hightttech Maybe, but only VWs are the ones with bizarre electrical problems like coolant going into the wiring loom ("coolant migration" is not a thing with any other automaker AFAIK)... The simpler explanation is poor VW quality, VW have traditionally scrimped on electrical and mechanical, to find the budget to pay for their thicker sheet metal and paint.
Toyotas and Hondas are usually the opposite way around -- poor quality paint and thin sheet metal, but very exacting quality control on electrical and mechanical parts. It seems to be a cultural difference.
European auto buyers seem to prefer that their car feels solid and doesn't rust, while buyers elsewhere (SE Asia, Australia/NZ, USA/Canada) seem to prefer that their car runs for 20+ years with minimal mechanical or electrical repairs.
Great diagnosis, as always.
I believe if you could go back in that car's repair history, you will find a tech at some stage probed that wire where you found the green crusties, and never sealed that hole again. That is then a nice place for damp and corrosion to start.
Just as likely that the crusty bit is right where a cable clip or tie has been.
...or stuck between the door and speaker?
It's possible, but why would they have reason to probe that for? The power window would have been working at that point.
Een ( te lange) schroef waar de speaker mee vast te zit waarvan de punt uitsteekt door een clip aan de binnenkant van de deur en de bedrading “doorboort” 😢
Its a strange place to probe a wire and the tape was still original
Yes cars are way too complicated now. A DIYer has little to no chance without an expensive scope and wiring diagrams. We fixed the Skoda electronic tailgate strut on my son in laws car last weekend but only by following youtube vids of a common fault. Keep up the good work Dan.
cars have been complicated for a while now... The PDF of the wiring diagram for my 1993 540i ... 556 pages ...
I just finished my technician’s apprenticeship this December and I’m so grateful for all the knowledge I’ve acquired from you Dan. Thank you for a truly brilliant 2024. I wish you a very happy new year.
I also really look forward to learning a lot more from you for many more years to come.
Thanks Dan.
Happy new year!
Great attention to detail. This is what defines a very good technician
Thanks for watching!
Well diagnosed as allways, Dan is a walking enciklopedia 😊 i sloved similar isue on Passat CC a couple days ago..MC33192BAC kick's in.. door was dead, door module repaired!
Hi Dan, If the tech that you spoke to wants a simpler way to operate the windows, I have a 1955 Chevy with crank handles that I can sell him.
Thanks for all your great videos. 👍👍 🤣🤣
Dan when I watch your videos, I remind myself many times what a great speaker and communicator you are. Amazing you are! Your clips at the end are hilarious! Thanks! This was SO interesting! Thank you!
Wow thanks! Thats a fantastic compliment 👌
Already had an idea when you read the fault codes😀 It's not about vehicles getting too complicated it's about technicians not having enough training. For example in our workshop with 6 technicians I'm the only guy who does in depth diagnostics.
You showed us again with the right tools and knowledge it possible to fix this kind of issues. If they checked the power and signals at the door module it should be clear the control signals wheren't there. Thanks Dan again nice video.
Thanks for watching
Love the way you keep it simple and methodical in your diagnosing faults you don't complicate thing for yourself
.
Having started my career in electrical engineering and servicing groups, the manufacturer always supplied a cct diag , with expected voltages and scope signals, the theory behind this was to help keep the items on the go, at a lower cost of repairs and speed of repair, this in turn gave the manufacturer a good reputation and therefore better ongoing sales,
Today the manufacturer seems more interested in cost, and if it lasts five years under warranty all good, after that who cares, the customers will just have to update to another vehicle, sales are guaranteed for the future. No spares after 5 years, all the better.
Then there are the designers, just my opinion, they remind me of school children always trying to outdo each other with better toys than the next guy, no matter if its needed or not, what happened to keep it simple keep it smart and reliable.
What the industry needs is a name and shame site, for customers to go to, to see who is the most reliable and easy to repair, possibly run by a mechanics union or trade association.
A broken wire is a broken wire. Don't blame the modules! Modules, ECU's, and data networks make it easier to find the broken wire, as DD just illustrated. Great vid, DD! And please keep all of them coming!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Happy new year!
Wow. Wire got knocked somehow and green crusties strike again. Ruining a window and causing a lot of hassle for the owner. Great step by step Dan. You and Ivan from Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics are the GOATS. We need a special collab one day.
Maybe one day, the problem is that we live on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean 😂
@ I know my brother….a man has to have a dream though. 🤣 Keep helping us learn and being a leader in your field!
Those damn crusties travel from NY all the way to you Dan 😂😂
Eric O.s vernacular reaches all corners of the earth
Great video Dan,
You are one of the wisest repair technicians out there and even you would need to spend 3 to 4 hours to find / repair this problem. So by making cars more complicated it means that the increased expense just ends up on the owners end. But owners cannot understand why a 60 second wire repair would cost 2 to 3 hundred euros. Your video just shows why, educated technicians charge for their time & rightly so. Well done Dan & happy new year from Kennedys garage RUclips channel 🙏🙏
Customers always think the scantool will tell us whats wrong. I always encourage them to watch my videos to make them understand its not that straight forward. Happy new year!
@ keep up the good work in 2025 & DDTSB’s is a fantastic attribute to my business 👏👏
This video shows the problem of the technicians now. If you have a problem, they just replace a module and thats it. If it is still not working, then they don't know it anymore. But charge you a lot, a new module, with no fix. Also a problem is that they don't communicate with each other (in the netherlands). If you have the same problem as the guy before you, they will start all over again, charge you for all of it with no fix. I can guarantee you that in 9 out of 10 dealerships, not 1 will know how to work with a oscilloscope and how to work like Dan does. The education stops at replacing the (maybe defective) module. I don't know how it is in other country's but Dutch dealerships sucks. Dan, you're the Best!
Thanks!
Dan, You are the car doctor 💯. This video is another proof NOT to buy a V.W. group product !
@@Brian_L_5168 you think other brands are any better? 😂.
I think a broken wire is not to bad🤣
No parts required fix. Love them jobs because it makes people very happy.
Good diagnostics Dan
Best auto electrician in the world.
Great video Dan, love watching your channel. More videos please!
As an automotive engineer worked on the MQB platform, when I saw the title of the video, I immediately thought “oh, the LIN bus again”… As always, Great video, Dan! Wishing you all the best in 2025!
Hi Pavel, interesting to hear you work as an engineer! Thanks for watching my video!
It could've been done with a power probe from front to rear module just checking continuity. But the diagnosis was done beautifully. Thank you again Dan.👍👍👍
Thanks for the video Dan. Please don't let us wait to long for the next one.
I hope to do more videos in 2025
Great video Dan. As a DIY, they are so complex to fix. Even when I have figured out that the BCM is bad, I still have to bring it somewhere. I don't have gm software ( I live in the states) to reprogram a BCM. The front end & suspension, brakes I can do. But those network errors can really cause some strange issues that makes it more complex. Sometimes I think it's overkill. Opening the sunroom doesn't need to be on the network with a module. It adds expense to the user & the Technician.
It certainly adds expenses because you need highly trained techs to work on these systems.
And there not as advanced as you so it takes them longer to fix the problem and makes it even more costly for the customer Dan's knowledge goes beyond the normal techs out there. That's why we love his videos.
Great video as always Dan. Yes, I'm 72 now and really do think that cars are way too complex. I have run BMW's as my main car since 1990, (I know, someone has to do it!), my current daily drive is a 2003 E46, 21 years old. If anyone fancies a laugh, just look up the explanation of how the keys/central locking/immobiliser systems work on these cars, it is absolutely mind-numbingly complicated. My job was an electronics technician for my entire working life, so I am not afraid of technology or test equipment, and whilst I agree a lot can be accomplished with a cheap multimeter and wiring diagram, correct wiring diagrams for your specific car is the first stumbling block for the DIY repairer. Unless you have access to data like Dan will have, it is very difficult.
I also used to drive an E46, great car and timeless design. Before that i owned a E36 but that was a 6 cilinder that was very thirsty
Merry Christmas!
Thanks Dan. Another excellent diag and fix. It is nuts the amount of tech in new vehicles. The new 2024 Cadillac Lyriq I have has had issues and the modules needing reprogramming for faults. And when it is out of warranty and stuff acts up or breaks the cost to have it fixed will be high. But I love the technology.
Santa Dan delivers us the perfect Christmas gift.....a new vid. Cheers Dan. Hope you had a fantastic Christmas. NZ
I come from aircooled VWs. You cannot get more basic than that. I always service and repair my vehicles myself, so i had to learn a lot and buy a lot of new tools inlc. oscilloscopes and scanners to keep up with the tech. At the end it is all doable BUT: Some manufacturers do not let you access codes or reset etc. plus spares can be ridiculously overpriced or not available for the public. Today i drive an older Tesla Model S with now over 400.000km and while this brand was bad with DIY in the past they do have all service info online and you can hire their service software for a day too. I was able to diagnose and change a faulty module BMS board myself, it was AU$80 for the board and AU$20 for the sealant of the battery lid. Tesla would have replaced the battery for AU$20.000. And yes, i love all the compfy and sophisticated tech but it needs to be servicable. And i still love to go for a drive in my old VW Kombi (Bus in Europe) too.
Interesting how the wire was corroded seemingly in some random place, and not where one would expect it to break. Also the crazy Fiat problem, nice diags :)
If you look at the loom before he strips it you can see the damage just before the build sticker. Its obviously been snagged during fitment maybe when it was getting pulled through the hole by the b post. Plus the internal of the door is classed as external so exposed to the elements hence corrosion.
@@philc70 Great points! So much for Skodas being more carefully built than VWs, though maybe this is the exception that proves the rule.
I love your channel. People just don't want to learn and work anymore. I am 63 and have never stopped learning in the computer field. There are mechanics, then there are "technicans". Find a good tech is hard. Anybody can put on a set of brakes.
For those complaining that modern cars are too complicated; canbus systems save a ton of wiring, coded modules mean interchangeability of parts across models. Primarily saving you money when buying the car. Nobody complains that their boiler or TV is too complicated. Just buy the car you can afford (to maintain) and not the car you aspire to.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, happy new year
dan, post videos more often, at least once a week. Your content is priceless.
Hello Dave: Thank you for this video. Well my friend you really pulled out all of the stops on this one but your many years of experience did you plowed. I've been working on vehicles for 63 years & I must agree that these vehicles are overly complicated for no other reason than get the vehicles back to the dealership to make money. God Bless & HAPPY NEW YEAR. TMP from N.J.
Dan
Excellent example of a great teacher.
Thank you
This is perfect!!! 🎉 Merry Christmas Dan!!
I love the way you explain all steps and the thinking behind them. I understand why you love your job. It's a bit similar to solving riddles and puzzles 😆
Its like being a detective, gathering evidence
Merry Xmas and happy new year to everyone… cars have so much tech that they don’t need I watched a south main auto video the other day and they had a vehicle where the entire network was down because or a rear view camera and because of that the car wouldn’t even drive because of no communication on the network….
I enjoy how you make diagnostics look doable. I learn a lot from your videos
Awsome!
DiagnoseDan Had a similar problem on my 06 Passat , left rear window or central locking on that same door not working changed module and door loom but never got it sorted , no broken wires in drivers door and all other windows worked. motor and loom both ok as worked when plugged into other rear door . Interesting fix and most likely I have a similar break somewhere .
Nice to see you again, Dan. Cars are becoming more complicated, but the skills needed to work on them effectively are not being taught. Technicians rely too heavily on the test equipment without stepping back to see the whole picture. I first saw this issue over 30 years ago!
Happy new year!
Merry Christmas, Dan.
Back to basics, fantastic work Dan. 👍🏼
Thank you very much
Awesome. Instead of changing parts you diagnosed the car properly. You are like the Dr. House of car technicians.
House was not a diagnostician, having rewatched a few episodes recently, his approach seems more like a parts cannon...
Great video Dan you make the complicated look easy. The step by step procedure was amazing.
Probably as far as I could go is to clean the drivers cluster switch and sometimes you have a win.
🤣🤣👍
I don't work in the auto industry anymore, but much prefer the pre can bus vehicles, I found so much easier to repair & no coding...
Thanks for your comment, happy new year
Just have to understand the how systems works. Always a great diag.
Thank you
Its progress up to the point where the cae maker deliberatly makes things hard for independent shops.
Isn't a video it is a class!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you for watching!
at 19:35 Eric O. would be so proud of you
I was just thinking Mr O would call that the money shot
Really wish you would post videos more often Dan
Very informative
Eric O. of South Main Auto recently put out a video bemoaning the complexity of vehicles where a failed backup camera can cause a vehicle to die.
I completely agree with him. That really didn't apply too much to this video. Simple tests like bypassing the wiring would've found it quickly.
I was just about to put in the same comment.. 😂
I think i watched that video, wasn't it on a Kia?
@@Diagnosedan Right you are. Eric O. - "It's not just a KIA problem. This is an every-car problem." ruclips.net/video/CyLaItZHdqo/видео.html
@@Diagnosedan It was two of them. One was his wife's 2019 Sedona. The first one was a 2017 Sedona.
I've found a wiring problem or two but as usual you've done it with a lot more finesse!
If cars didn't use LIN or CAN there would be tons more wiring to feed everything, that's why it was invented.
Yes, there would potentially be tons more wiring, but the circuits themselves would be much simpler and easier to diagnose
@chrisfreemesser5707 it's subjective, I personally don't find easier at all the old ones with double relays, ground side disconnected, limiting switches etc, I bet you not that many guys knew back in the days how to follow and diagnose them, and even less today due to unavailability of scanners.
@@chrisfreemesser Not when you are looking for a broken wire.
Just imagine how much that motor cost if it had been bad plus you still have to program it. @chrisfreemesser5707
@@danielpantazescu7720 Oh I'll wager the old timers certainly knew how to diagnose those older circuits. Keep in mind that back then, if you had a problem with electrical device X, the problem was restricted to device X's circuit. You didn't have the weird issues we have today, where a faulty reverse camera prevents a car from starting. We can thanks CANBUS for that.
Great research! To Complicated In the seventies they didn't have these Communication wires and windows/ door locks all worked just fine, Biggest change was direction of button so children didn't get caught in the windows, push down to open pull up to close. Easy Peasy
Did Mercedes in the 70's have problems with their vacuum operated central locking? Air leaks were still an issue in 90's Mercedes using the same system, I think.
Boom .. and here I am. 15 seconds after posting 😁
What took you so long?
@@MightyGimpI had to type the words 😊
15 sec? you're not a real fan, I hacked dan and watched it while he was uploading it
I feel like three sacks of crap today due to a flue but a DD video never falls to cheer me up.
Get well soon my friend, happy new year
@Diagnosedan I'm just getting better, man that was a nasty flu.
Isn't there a tool that injects a beacon signal in the wire, and with a receiver find it's end? Might be helpful to find the crusty point. Thanks Dan, great material as always!
Yeah there is. Dan even uses it in a video. But it's kind of expensive and not needed in situations like this. In some situations, however, it can be really helpful.
If you disconnect everything from that harness you could install a simple trace tester to find the fracture.
that's what I thought and Danny got that tools. maybe he forgot, you know, too many tools 😂
Now thats a nice diagnose.
thank you
Cars have become unnecessarily complex. Technology unbridled. A sign of the times.
Good job figuring out the needlessly over-engineered door window.
Take a look at some schematics for "olden days" windows with a central and a local switch and say that again with a straight face. This setup has far fewer parts that can fail, the mechanical switch setup would consist of multiple wires going back and forth through the switch multiple times... If any one of these switches fails, you'd get the weirdest symptoms.
Weer een mooie Danny, hoe simpel kan het soms zijn als je de juiste kennis en tools hebt. Meten is weten.👍
Groet Hans
Bedankt Hans, gelukkig nieuwjaar
That looks a nasty burn on your right wrist. Hope it heals soon.
Christmas arrived late this year! Thanks Dan for remembering your fans.
I was saving this one for after Christmas 😉
How the hell have we gone from a switched positive with an Earth return to modules ? 10 steps backwards.🤦♂️
Greed
Engineers justifying their jobs
why not?
Great work, Dan. I've got a similar problem on an old Astra H but it will open from the local switch at the afflicted window, just not the master driver's switch! This will give me somewhere to look.
Technicians need to get up to speed really. Yes, there are simpler methods of making a window go up and down but that's in isolation. By the time you add in puddle lights, central locking, buttons for keyless entry, speakers, air bags, mirror motors, heated mirrors, lighting wiring for blind spot detection and god only knows what else, you're looking at about 150 wires running through the door hinge. Having fewer multipurpose wires then makes a lot of sense. What I massively disagree with is the constant need to code things to a car. A window motor shouldn't need coding to a car. That's just revenue for the dealer.
That module was made for multiple configurations to cut production costs. After installation it needs to be told "coded" in what configuration its being used. Its either that or designing a different module for many different variants. That would make the module more expensive. Coding is not that expensive
Great video. I use a cheap telephone tone generator tool (£15'ish) to check wiring. Put a tone on a wire, run the receiver parts along a loom untill the tone stops there is the break. Also good for tracing wire path through looms that branch off when no diagram avalable.
Thanks for watching, i've got one and used it in a previous video. Happy new year
Another Great diagnosis. 👌 so many garages throw parts at it , the customer pays big money and still no fix.
Unfortunately we see that alot
Hey Dan , leuk je weer te zien. Weeral goede diagnose maar het is wel erg dat nieuwe onderdelen niet meer kan vertrouwen he. Fijne feestdagen gewenst.
Nice find. I under the fuel and ignition complexity because we need to prevent as many emissions as we can. I even under the need for safety system complexity. But I don’t understand why it’s necessary to make rolling windows up and down complicated. But I’m sure you have a better understanding of why window rolling needs to be complicated and expensive. If so, I’d like to hear your thoughts.
Car are to complex,Dealers and carbrands have total power ,but lucky we have Diagnose Dan!! thank you👍👍
Mr Dan this is absolutely,so good.Nothing is so easy.
As a technician even when the complaint is a bulb not working prepare your mind it can be anything else either than just a burnt out bulb.Good Job buddy watching you from Ghana.
@@TheCarRepairHubhappy new year
Thanks for the new video! I'm really enjoying seeing you getting to the root cause without throwing a bunch of parts along the way)))))
Happy new year
I admire the way you make a complicated problem simple.👍💙
Keep it simple! Happy new year
Spectacular video again Dan, thank you. I believe it's fine to use a lin bus to fault find as you need to see where the signal is getting lost... even though it's a broken wire, you used the tools available to you to diagnose the fault, so techs need to move with the times and keep up with manufacturers
You thrive on this stuff and we thrive on your content Dan!
Thats great to hear!