Power windows and power side mirrors stopped working

Tiny
THESANDMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 MERCEDES BENZ ML350
  • 100,000 MILES
Mercedes-Benz ML-350 bought used. Two days ago, everything seemed fine. Now the power windows and power side mirrors have stopped working. Controls are on center counsel with lockout for rear doors. Front windows are supposed to be independent from lockout. Checked fuses and all looks fine. Everything else seems fine as far as I can tell.
Friday, May 24th, 2013 AT 6:23 PM

14 Replies

Tiny
SINBAD271
  • MECHANIC
  • 169 POSTS
Remove center where switch is check if your getting power and ground to the switch by unplugging switch, and connect a test light to the power side of the harness if it lights up power is good. Then check ground side if ground is good. You may have a bad switch or it has a circuit issue from switch to door. If you need help let me know. I'll walk you through it.
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Friday, May 24th, 2013 AT 8:37 PM
Tiny
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No power to center console. So I went back to fuse box in passenger's footwell. Went to local auto store and bought some connector grease and put it on relay switch prongs and the prongs on the fuses that supported power windows and power mirrors. Evenually got power back to console and everything seems to work fine (for now). Oxidation seems to be the culprit? If so I do not have a clue how moisture could have got to the inside fuse box.
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Saturday, May 25th, 2013 AT 7:06 AM
Tiny
SINBAD271
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Great job on find the the issue.
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Saturday, May 25th, 2013 AT 5:45 PM
Tiny
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Confidence on my part is low on this being the cause of the problem. This was 2nd time I was in the foot well fuse box. Only difference is that this time I used the contact gel, cleaned and pinched the relay prongs in an attempt to assure that it was making solid contact. No corrosion seen. It just seemed like the next logical step, if not only to eliminate it as the problem. LOL.
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Sunday, May 26th, 2013 AT 5:20 AM
Tiny
SINBAD271
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Well done.
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Sunday, May 26th, 2013 AT 3:04 PM
Tiny
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Problem is back. This time I am pulling just under 12v at the fuses where before I had no power at all before cleaning fuse prongs, relay prongs, and recepticle. I have the console apart found some oxidation on a few of the recepticles in the center console housing. Cleaned oxidation away and applied a little connection gel. Still no results.
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Tuesday, May 28th, 2013 AT 1:31 PM
Tiny
THESANDMAN
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In addition. I have three plugins into the console. I have two red wires each are supplying almost 12v to the console. I contacted the local Mercedes service manager and he said he cannot remember a case where all windows and side mirrors were affected at the same time and had no opinion but to state it would be at least a 2 week wait until I could get the car into them. Which I am not planning to do under any circumstance.
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Tuesday, May 28th, 2013 AT 1:48 PM
Tiny
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I'm a little surprised no one has responded back. Do I have to pay again to get someone's attention?
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Thursday, May 30th, 2013 AT 7:02 PM
Tiny
SINBAD271
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I'm sorry to get back to you so late if you will check the fuse 24 and 25 on the right side of the dash behind a kick panel, make sure they're good if they are check your ground wire its located below the left front seat its a brown wire make sure its connected if that's good go to the lower control, field control module located under center console check pin one and seven unplug it make sure you getting power at the connector its self unplug the unit and check for power at the connector in one and seven if they are hot power side is good then check pin 10 and 12 unplugged brown wire should be your ground make sure you have ground there if you do replace your control module.
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Thursday, May 30th, 2013 AT 8:08 PM
Tiny
SINBAD271
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The control module is the box that you unplugged under the center console. Test the wires that I mentioned while unconnected from the module.
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Thursday, May 30th, 2013 AT 8:26 PM
Tiny
SINBAD271
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Also check fuse 31 under hood in relay box and check your conva. Relay its located in the same box. Make sure it clicks. You may want to switch it with one other relay the is similar. Try this first before testing wires. This relay controls side mirror, windows, and more.
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Thursday, May 30th, 2013 AT 9:06 PM
Tiny
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Hey, I do appreciate all of your help, but everything seems to check out. Power, good ground, fuses and relay all in good condition. Seems to leave only that the module being bad. I see that new Master Window Switch's go for $400 to $600 (a price that seems a little unreasonable). Would you happen to know a source where I could buy a used Master Window Switch?
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Friday, May 31st, 2013 AT 11:03 AM
Tiny
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Sorry at this point and time I do not. Being its the weekend its going to be hard to find. Give me a few days to see if I can come up with any luck for you. I will get back to you, thank you.
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Friday, May 31st, 2013 AT 5:45 PM
Tiny
SINBAD271
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I was unable to find a used switch. There are some online. Buy auto parts. Com has one for $274.35. There are some on eBay for $199.99.
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Sunday, June 2nd, 2013 AT 1:14 PM

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