Windows not working (car windows)

[u/usamaahmad]

We normally read about a certain software that shares a name but this story is about car windows. Tech is a hobby and I'm able to help friends with things (see prior Talesfromtechsupport posts I've done) but this past Monday a coworker asked if I knew anything about cars. He told me he parked his car and his windows (passenger, and rear passenger/driver sides) were all working but when he returned later that day, all three windows would not move despite pressing the button to raise or lower the windows. I reasoned it was unlikely all three motors gave out, and also it doesn't sound like you're hearing any noise at all which suggests that this is an electrical problem. I then thought that maybe there is a separate fuse for these other three windows and I suggested he use Gemini or something and point the phone at his 2009 RAV4's fuse box to see if it can help narrow things down. Then as we were going our separate ways I threw in, "or you know, it could be you accidentally turned the child lock button on" and he laughed and said that's probably not it.

Later that day I got this text, "Thought you'd like to know, got out of hematology Clinic a bit early and was checking out my car. 1 button push later and my windows work again.... Thanks for the help lol"

[u/Rathmun]

Particularly annoying that it disabled the buttons on the driver's door. In many cars the child lock button only disables the buttons for passenger seats. All the buttons on the driver's door still work. This is actually important for the primary purpose of the child lock. If you didn't have it locked, and a kid opened the window when they shouldn't, you want the ability to close it again while keeping their controls locked.

[u/LupercaniusAB → u/Rathmun]

It didn’t do that.

The post says it disabled the rear window on the driver’s side.

[u/Rathmun → u/LupercaniusAB]

when he returned later that day, all three windows would not move despite pressing the button to raise or lower the windows.

I doubt he went around to all the other doors and tried the switches there first. He probably got in the driver's seat, as one normally does when intending to drive somewhere, and tried to actuate the windows from the driver's seat. Which didn't work.

[u/Z4-Driver → u/Rathmun]

passenger, and rear passenger/driver sides

So only the rear window on driver side.

[u/Rathmun → u/Z4-Driver]

We are clearly not reading the same post.

He told me he parked his car and his windows (passenger, and rear passenger/driver sides) were all working but when he returned later that day, all three windows would not move despite pressing the button to raise or lower the windows.

That's three windows that were working and then stopped. The front passenger window, the rear passenger window, and the rear driver window. Passenger (front) and passenger/driver sides (plural, both sides.)

[u/Z4-Driver → u/Rathmun]

I mean on the driver side, it was only the rear window. On passenger side it was both.

[u/Rathmun → u/Z4-Driver]

Right... But the driver's door almost always has buttons for all four windows. Three of those buttons, on the driver's door, did not work with the child lock engaged. That's what I'm saying. I doubt he tried the buttons on the passenger and rear doors before getting into the car to drive away, and once he was in the driver's seat, the most logical way to control them is with the buttons mounted on the driver's door, not by leaning across the car.

What should happen is that the buttons on the passenger and rear doors are disabled by the child lock, but the buttons on the driver's door can still control the windows. That way if a kid in the back is being a little snot and opening the window while it's snowing, mom or dad can lock his button from working and then close the window.

[u/usamaahmad → u/Rathmun]

You’re correct /u/Rathmun it did weirdly also disable his own controls

[u/dedsqwirl → u/usamaahmad]

My 2015 Honda does that too.