Electric Windows

[Liam]

Now that the MOT is now out of the way and summer is slowly approaching, the next job to do on the maestro is to fit electric windows.

I was hoping for a few tips from anyone who has had experience of this before. I have the centre consol with the holes for electric window switches by the handbrake. If I'm removing parts in the scrap yard where would I find the control box for this set up? I'm aware that on some maestros the electronic gadgets are under the radio but I don't know where they would be on the other layout.

Cheers,

Liam.

[Simon]

The control box for the later Montego set up is up above the passenger footwell. Remove it from a scrap car and all the wiring to the fusebox, together with the electric window regulators. I know of a scrap Montego GSi in the yard, 68,000 miles with front and rear electric windows on.

[talkingcars]

The control box is actully on the topside of the glove box lid.

The wiring runs from the centre consol, under the passanger seat and into the loom that runs down the inside of the sill.

However when I fitted electric front windows to my 89 "G" maestro I used the control box that mounts in the lower dash centre under the radio, it plugged into the loom and needed no other control box. Sourced from a similar aged car I also found that the motors pluged into the main loom with no additional wiring.

James

[Liam]

Thanks very much for your posts, that will save me much time and effort now I know what to look for.

Cheers,

Liam.

[SimonR]

When it comes to fitting the motors to the doors, I have a little advice which may save you quite a lot of time. Previously it had taken me about 2 hours to do this operation but last weekend I worked out how to do it in about 10 mins.

When you get the motors off a donor vehicle, lower the window about 2 cm and that'll enable you to get the motor assembly out. To refit, tape the Maestro window in the fully closed position, locate the runner in the bottom channel that's attached to the door and then with that in place offer the other two runners into the window channels from the door-hinge end. The one nearest the hinge will locate first and you can then locate the other.

The last thing to do is to attach power and very gently wind the motor up so that the three threads locate in the holes.

All very easy when you know how - hope that helps.

Simon R.

[Simon]

Yes, some Maestro's are already pre-wired for electric front windows so all you need to do is remove the oddments tray from below the radio and have a good look under the dash to see if there is a bunch of wires terminated with a 7 way multiplug cable-tied to the dashboard support bar. If you have got this wiring, then as has been said, plug in the 2 switch control unit that fits below the radio and plug the electric winding mechanisms into the two round multi plugs inside the door. You might find that the plugs are a bit corroded so clean them out with a bit of stiff wire etc. If you haven't got the wiring then you'll need to obtain it from a scrap Maestro/Montego that has. To be honest, even though that you have got a late model centre console with the switch positions, it is much easier to stick to the 2 switch control box below the radio as fitted to most Maestro's anyway. When I fitted rear electric windows to my Maestro (parts taken from a scrap Montego VDP) it took two days of wiring with the dashboard out.

[Liam]

Thanks for the info guys. Interesting, I have this multiplug below the radio but no sign of any wireing in the doors. The interia had been completely chaged as some stage by a previous owner so it doesn't match the year of the vehical anyway which makes things confusing. I have a good scrapyard local to me which has a good selection of Maestros so I will have a hunt around there tomorrow and see what bits I can find.

Thanks very much,

Liam.

[tony]

the wiring my be up behind the dash where the front door bolts up,it my be a separate plug, or the plug that is beeing used allready to the door.hope that info is correct,thats where they was on my sd1

[talkingcars]

Liam - the multi plug is not in the door but just behind the dash by the rear of the hindges, if you have central locking follow that from the door to the main loom.

James

[Liam]

Ah ha, haven't been able to make it to the scrap yard yet but I will try to find the wiring behind the dash, it must be there as the multi plug under the radio is there and there are wires on the back of the fuse box for the electric window slot. Will look into it further,

Many thanks,

Liam.

[talkingcars]

It crossed my mind today (as I drove across the side of Clapham Common although that has no relevance) that one could fit the late centre consol and control box taking the outputs to the windows to the multiplug behind the radio.

James