How do I troubleshoot front passenger side power window that goes down but not up?

220

Asked by Dan Jul 05, 2016 at 01:07 PM about the 2009 Hyundai Elantra GLS FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

The front passenger side power window in my Hyundai Elantra has been temperamental for a while now. For
the past year or so it has been able to go down easily from either the driver or passenger switch, but would go
up very slowly (or occasionally not at all). It finally stopped going up at all the other day (right before a huge
thunderstorm, of course).

I'm really inexperienced with respect to any car repairs so I'm hoping to get some advice regarding how to
troubleshoot this. I know the motor is OK because the problem persists when I swap it out with a proven
working motor from one of the other windows. I can manually move the window up and down by taking out the
motor and moving the gear (or the window) by hand, so the mechanical track part seems to be good (I think
this is called the regulator?).

I'm not sure how to test the switch outside of buying a new one (unfortunately, the power connector for the
passenger side switch is unlike the ones for the other windows so I can't swap them). However, it is my
understanding that the switches rarely go bad so this may not be the problem. Also, the window-up part of the
switch fails on both the driver and passenger side switches and it's unlikely that they both failed at the same
time.

I suppose there could be a problem with the wires themselves, but I'm not sure how to test this. I have a
voltmeter/multimeter but I'm not really sure how to use it. There are also wires that go into the engine
compartment and ultimately connect to the battery at some point (obviously), but I'm not sure what other
components may be in between and whether or not these could be the cause of the problem.

Any advice?

17 Answers

220

Thanks, Tom. I can see this being a possibility and I was on the verge of further disassembling the door to get at the assembly, but wanted to see if there were other things I could check first. One thing I noticed was that if I disconnect the motor from the regulator assembly but keep it connected to the switch I can make the motor move in one direction (which would move the window down), but not the other. Instead of moving in the direction that would move the window up, I hear a faint click inside the motor. For this reason, I don't think it's the regulatory assembly. If all was well with the motor, switch, and wiring then the motor should just turn the gear in the opposite direction, right?

16 people found this helpful.
150

Dan, I have the same problem with the same make and model. Did you figure out what was wrong and more importantly, how to fix it? I couldn't raise the window from either the driver or passenger side switches but if I clicked the switch (on either side) enough times it would eventually catch and raise the window. I figured it has to be a bad contact on the motor but haven't tried other working motors yet. Did you come up with a way to pinpoint the problem and/or rule out the regulator? Zack

15 people found this helpful.
220

Hi Zack, I haven't found a solution yet, but I've been away on vacation and side-tracked with some other things so I haven't really done much to investigate over the past few weeks. I can add that my problem started the same way where the window would eventually catch after clicking the switch on either side a bunch of times, so it may be a matter of time before it fails altogether. I'll be sure to update this thread with any new info.

6 people found this helpful.
390

I'm having exactly the same problem, 2009 Elantra Touring. I haven't been able to really test anything yet, as I'm away from home (and my multimeter). But my front passenger window is stuck down and I have to do something. Any solution?

27 people found this helpful.
100

Hello. I'm winding if there are any updates? I have a 2010. My passenger side window can only go down with driver's control but not up. Passenger side control works fine. I suspected that rain got in last summer when I mistakenly left the windows cracked while at work. Also had the same lead up to the failure, in that it was slow in raising the window from passenger side, until it stopped completely. Thanks

10 people found this helpful.
390

All I can say for sure now is that, for me, the window motor isn't the problem. I just replaced it, and I'm still having the issue (there went $50 for nothing). I'm thinking this narrows it down to the passenger side door switch. Take a look at: http://www.justanswer.com/hyundai/51wz1- hyundia-elantra-2001-elantra-gls-power- windows-problem-i.html

12 people found this helpful.
75

Graham - Any update? I would lean towards a switch/relay. The speed issue mentioned is likely because the switch is still bleeding toward the down leg of the motor (and overheating). I have the same (but different) issue. I can activate all the windows from any location. But I can only put the passenger windows up from the passenger side w/ confidence. In about 50% of time they go up from the driver side, but very hard to get up, and slow. it effects both the front and back... So I'm leaning toward the $100+ switch assy. Just thought I'd ask!

7 people found this helpful.
180

I have a 2009 Elantra. Starting have this same issue more than a year ago. Until last week I was able to "roll" the passenger window up using the driver side panel, while the passenger side panel stopped working some time ago. Now the passenger side doesn't go up, but does go down, intermittently, from the driver side. Today I replaced the window regulator motor, but that didn't work. However, for a moment the window rolled up from the driver side panel, but I couldn't duplicate the result more than once right after I connected the new one. I'm sending it back to Amazon to get my $50 back. To sum it all up, these are my findings: - the window regulator motor is not the issue - the driver side panel can, A. roll down the window (intermittently), B. not roll it back up - the passenger side panel doesn't roll up or down - my back right window also doesn't roll up from my drivers side panel For now I'm going to have to keep my passenger window rolled up and hope to fix it in the future. Also, I got the window rolled up by using the gear section of the window regulator (it fell off by accident while I was uninstalling it from the door) and turning it until the window was all the way up. I hope that helps anyone who's window is stuck in the down position.

5 people found this helpful.
100

Has anyone figured this out yet? I'm having the same issue, can roll the windows down from the drivers pannel but not up, must roll it up from the window pannel and now my driver's side lock won't work either. Mine is the 2011 Tucson.

10 people found this helpful.
180

I replaced the "Power Window Main Switch Assembly" today and partially fixed the issue. All my windows now roll up/down from my driver side window panel. I still can't roll up the window from the passenger side. I'm guessing I would need to replace that assembly as well to fix the issue. I found the item here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJN12BI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01? ie=UTF8&psc=1

13 people found this helpful.
50

I too have experienced this issue. It seems to be a polarity or ground issue. The switches all seem to work (meaning electrically being engaged). Drivers side main control will not raise nor lower the passenger side window. Passenger side control only raises it. When is go to lower it, I am not getting any power reading from the switch. Anyone figure this issue out yet?

5 people found this helpful.
50

I have a 2010 touring elantra and the window fell down and wont go back up you can hear the motor working but it sounds like its binding in there i havr no ideal whats going on seems it came off its track or something and getting to the window looks impossible after u get the door panel off what do i need to do i just want the window up and stay there untill i can get somd one to fix it

5 people found this helpful.
110

My 2009 Elantra's passenger window stopped going up yesterday. My husband took apart the passenger side door to access the motor. He cut two wires (not entirely sure which ones) and reconnected them to each other (green to blue and blue to green) to reverse the motor. This allowed the power window to go up by pressing the switch down. Wanted to pass this along for anyone else who will run into this issue with their Hyundai.

11 people found this helpful.
20

I also have 2010 Elantra and my window only goes half way up, it does go up and down. I am a widow and just need help to get it up all the way since I am on a limited budget and have no funds until end of month to fix.

2 people found this helpful.
350

I have a 2010 Elantra. The rear windows started going down slower and then eventually stopped working while halfway down. Both of the back windows were stuck down and I was unable to get them to move from either the back seats or the driver's side switch. I tried a bunch of things, but the windows were dead in this position for about a month. Finally I figured out the problem was the switches. I purchased a new genuine Hyundai Power Window Main Switch Assembly on Amazon for $52, including shipping from Korea, and changed it out in 20 minutes in the parking lot during my lunch. Once put back together I was able to roll the windows back up with no problem. I can now roll all of the windows up and down like new from the driver's side main switch. I will need to replace the rear switches to get them to work too but for now I'm happy. I'd recommend getting a switch and replacing it yourself first before messing with the motor or the regulator. I got a brand new genuine part so that I wouldn't have to worry about a faulty knockoff switch. Hope this helps you all too!

23 people found this helpful.
30

Hi all. Same thing happened to me yesterday. I have a beat up, old 1998 Lantra and the driver's door window would open (go down) but not close. I took out the window switch assembly and stripped down. About half of the switches had a closed resistance of 0 (zero) or thereabouts. 3 of the other 4 tested at over 30ohms, with the remaining one open circuit. The open circuit switch is (was?) on a rear window never used - I am the sole user of the car - as were 2 of the 3 switches testing at over 30ohm. The driver's side window close switch was the other that tested at over 30 ohm, with the down (window open) switch testing at 0 ohm. I cleaned up all switch contacts, retested, reassembled and put everything back together. All now works as it should. On this model, a board at the top of the switch assembly (has some LEDs) needs to be de-soldered from two contacts rising from the switch assembly underneath to allow access to the switches. Take care all. Mike

3 people found this helpful.
10

2015 with a new window motor and new switch, the driver side still does not work. Dead to all movement. All the other windows work fine from the drivers side switch. Has to be in the wiring harness.

1 people found this helpful.

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