1995 power window circuit - short

[vairshop]

Hi all. new to forum, trying to help my buddy with his 95 supreme convert. power windows won't work (none of them),  circuit breaker on RH instrument panel end gets hot (obviously heavy load then tripping) as soon as it is plugged in, even without trying to operate the windows.  this started suddenly , all windows worked until a week ago. swapped window circuit breaker with seat breaker, no change.

i have unplugged both front window control switches, still trips. unplugged both front door wiring harness  connectors  at the floor, still trips. unplugged rear motor wiring at switches and motors, still trips.

this is a nice car, not rusty or worn, all the connectors /plugs were clean.

anybody else run into this before? with the problem still present with everything unplugged, i fear the power supply wire in the window harness may be rubbed through/pinched  somewhere, which is suggesting i may  have to pull the complete harness out to inspect it, a rather unpleasant thought.  short of that, is there a spot where that harness runs that is troublesome, or does it branch out to something else other than at the front door connectors/rear motors/switches?

any thoughts appreciated.

 thanks

larry     

[oldmangrimes]

Sorry I haven't experienced this, but it sounds like you've done quite a bit of troubleshooting and have narrowed it down. 

One place that was a potential trouble spot on my 95 convertible was the wires that run along the edge of the door sills.   The wire harness is kinda exposed near the rear end of the door, along the floor right under the carpet.   That part of the carpet was getting wet sometimes for me, plus my kids were using the back seat a lot so they would be kicking that section of carpet as they climbed in and out.   When I pulled the carpet back to dry it out, I could see individual wires separated from the harness, they were wrapped in tape from the factory but not everywhere.   There is also a little plastic cover for part of the wires, but it was displaced from being stepped on.     I was worried about the wires shorting against the metal floor of the car, so I added some extra tape around them and made sure they were tucked up a little better.     I think it would be pretty quick for you to pull up the plastic door sills and pull back the edge of the carpet and make sure nothing is pinched.   I think the rear window wires run through that bundle.

When you find the source of the problem, please follow up with a comment on here, you could help someone else out with the same problem.   

[digitaloutsider]

I'm willing to bet the wires are pinched in the rubber boot between the body of the car and the door. I'd pull that boot off and take a look.

[vairshop]

since i disconnected the whole harness that goes to the door (both sides), and the short remained, it's not the usual broken wires in the boot. 

 but thanks fore the feedback. 

[vairshop]

2 hours ago, oldmangrimes said:

Sorry I haven't experienced this, but it sounds like you've done quite a bit of troubleshooting and have narrowed it down. 

One place that was a potential trouble spot on my 95 convertible was the wires that run along the edge of the door sills.   The wire harness is kinda exposed near the rear end of the door, along the floor right under the carpet.   That part of the carpet was getting wet sometimes for me, plus my kids were using the back seat a lot so they would be kicking that section of carpet as they climbed in and out.   When I pulled the carpet back to dry it out, I could see individual wires separated from the harness, they were wrapped in tape from the factory but not everywhere.   There is also a little plastic cover for part of the wires, but it was displaced from being stepped on.     I was worried about the wires shorting against the metal floor of the car, so I added some extra tape around them and made sure they were tucked up a little better.     I think it would be pretty quick for you to pull up the plastic door sills and pull back the edge of the carpet and make sure nothing is pinched.   I think the rear window wires run through that bundle.

When you find the source of the problem, please follow up with a comment on here, you could help someone else out with the same problem.   

i will check that, along the sills is relativity easy to get at. i only accessed the front part where the door harnesses plug in previously. 

thanks!