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A few days ago my Subaru Forester's driver's window (RHD) developed this habit of not opening when I push the switch, or sometimes I push the switch, then nothing happens for a couple of seconds, then all of a sudden the window opens. Other times it works normally, i.e. I push the switch and the window opens immediately.

Some helpful info:

  • We haven't had any rain.
  • I didn't hear any funny and expensive noises before this started happening.
  • I didn't install a new battery.
  • The battery is fine. I can start the car without problems.
  • The rear windows also sometimes don't work. Although They've never "hesitated". They simply don't work or they work perfectly. This is a normal Subaru problem caused by dirty switches.
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  • This is an "automatic" switch, right? You hit the switch once, and without having to hold it down, the window rolls until either it's completely open or you stop it with the switch.
    – jscs
    Mar 3, 2015 at 18:06
  • Yes. Though it's a two-stage button. i.e. if you only press down half-way, you need to keep it depressed, but if you push down all the way it engages the automatic mode.
    – Captain Kenpachi
    Mar 4, 2015 at 7:37
  • In some vehicles, the windows are actually controlled by the Body Control Module (BCM). You press the switch, the switch tells the BCM to roll the window down, and the BCM actuates the relays which sends the windows down. I don't know if this is your case, but may be worth looking into.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Apr 25, 2015 at 13:32
  • Sounds familiar. I suspect it's a relay, because relays do that when they die.
    – Captain Kenpachi
    Apr 28, 2015 at 7:41

1 Answer 1

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The fact that this is intermittent and that multiple windows are failing leads me to believe this is a break in the wiring inside the 'flex tube' between the door and the vehicle body. After thousands (if not millions) of times being bent back and forth with door openings, wire(s) inside the tube break. Closing/opening the door readjusts the break so sometimes there is a conductive path and other times not. You can test this by moving the window up and down while opening/closing the door slowly to see if this causes any interruption. If so, you'll need to replace/repair the wiring.

EDIT- I'll also add that most window wiring schemes have the power routing through the drivers switch panel first, then running to each individual window. This explains how multiple windows could be affected by only one section of wiring being broken.

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