yet another tailgate thread, did the usuall checks

[Morten 1]

Hello Gurus!
A Norwegian newbee here, bought a 2001 Freelander a while back. Owning a MGF also, I have had a bit of experience with the K-series engine, rebuilding it from HGF etc (as well as changing almost every other part on the car), so I was not put of the idea of buying a Freelander, even though EVERYONE told me not to. Love the car!

Some of the window motor/mech does not work, and I bought some used parts from a breaker on Ebay, thinking it would be an easy fix. Well, as you guys know, it's just not the case.

Been reading some hours on the subject, and have tryed the usual solutions. The turn switch and rear fog light trick to set the car in diagnosismode was neat!

So far:
Symptoms; rear window stuck at the top, no wiper, no washer and no heated rear window (from obvious reasons, as I later found the connectors torn of the glass screen, or corroded of is more accurate) No reaction when using the keyfob, the 4 beep window out of allignment sound when using the switch in the center consol.
The rear door does open, but it's quite difficult to lure the window into place.
When diagnosing with the rear fog/turn the key combo, the rear wiper did work (although it did not move due to lazy fitment from previous owner, but the motor did work)

This is what I've done:
The usual disconnect the battery solution, the window did not go down.
Changed the whole mech/motor with a used one from ebay, the window was not in the door at the time, but the mech did lower some, still the same 4 beep sound from the switch.
Checked the wires visually for damage, nothing found.
Changed the relalys in the boot around, the Siemens AMR5473, both click, one of them is a bit more loudly then the other, will order a second hand one from a breaker and try it then. This will be my next port of call in the diagnosis process.

Anyone got any ideas? I've spent hours reading up on the subject, and any suggestions is greatly appreciated.
I am truly sorry for asking the question everyone seems to ask, I've downloaded the RAVE ISO's but have not had a chance to have a look at the manual yet.

Could any one tell me if the heated rear window need to be connected for the whole system to work? I am going to dig out the soldering iron and make an attempt to fix it, but it would be nice to know if it could be one of the problems.

My apologies for my english, and thank you for taking the time to read this thread.

Best regards,
Morten

 

[freely3]

Hi, I recently had to replace my tailgate regulator too.... sounds like you need to re-calibrate your rear window, your right you need to disconnect the battery to do this but you also need to have the rear window fitted so the sensors know when its fully closed which is part of the procedure. Theres a thread on here somewhere with the procedure. the rear wiper wont work if the window isn't calibrated, not sure about the heated screen but i'd suspect its the same.

 

[Morten 1]

Thank you for your reply, yes I'm aware that the wiper, washer, or rear heated window will work. But I'm wondering if it has to be connected to the actual screen? where are these sensor located? The mech is now all the way down, passed the window stop, don't think I'll get it up again any time soon. Could it be done manually? If I have understood it correctly, the four beeps mean that the window have to be calibrated, but when the mech will not move, I have not found any sensors, and nothing happens if I disconnect and connect the battery, there is no way, as far as I can see, that I can correctly calibrate it? Or am I mistaking here? If I use a multimeter to measure if the motor receives any current, would that work? Or so the control unit simply cut power to the motor when it needs to be calibrated?

I could be that the used part is knackered to. It would seem that the previous owner had a go at changing the mech, as the one in the car looked rather new, it's completely stuck though.

Sorry about all the questions.

 

[Morten 1]

* will not work. Typo.

 

[baptista]

Could any one tell me if the heated rear window need to be connected for the whole system to work? I am going to dig out the soldering iron and make an attempt to fix it, but it would be nice to know if it could be one of the problems.

hello and welcome,
the heated window doesn't need to be connected, mine had been disconnected for years and everything else worked fine.

 

[Morten 1]

hello and welcome,
the heated window doesn't need to be connected, mine had been disconnected for years and everything else worked fine.

Thank you, and thank you for the answer. It's one thing to cross of the list.

 

[baptista]

when I bought it in May 2008 the rear window heater wasn't working but I never cared enough about it to try to fix it,
last January while trying to find the "boot water leak" I took out the tailgate trim and found the broken connector

in the upper-right corner but with the glass up

fixed

 

[Morten 1]

when I bought it in May 2008 the rear window heater wasn't working but I never cared enough about it to try to fix it,
last January while trying to find the "boot water leak" I took out the tailgate trim and found the broken connector

fixed

Thank you Baptista, looks exactly like mine, will solder them back on again.
Anyone got a tip as to how I can raise the rear mech?

 

[Morten 1]

Quick update. It's all good, after lowering the tailgate window glass down into the mech, disconnectiing the battery, changing the motor and mech and closing the tailgate, I finally got it to work. Happy man! Managed to tighten the rear wiper, connect the rear washer, took of every single connector and flooded it with wd40, and it now works! Must say I'm a bit chuffed about this, as the local LR guy the previous owner user, never got it to work.

The trick was to acctually have the window in place, I guess there must be some sensor I did not know about.

 

[Morten 1]

Well.. I might have been a bit quick to celebrate.. After it's all back together and window is ajusted, I'm not able to open the tailgate. Wiper/Heated window (Thanks to some quick soldering, thanks again Baptista for showing the correct order of the wires), washer and lower the window via switch or the key works. I'm able to open the tailgate via the "rearfoglight diagnostics", so me money is on the microswitch in the handlebar.

Is it possible to change it? Opened it up and found one of the springs is rusted to pieces, I know there are replacements on Ebay, but the remaining seems in good working order. One of the three wires had some nasty bends on it, so that could be it. Used switch from a breaker?

 

[baptista]

if the plastic parts are ok, get the spring replacement kit and rewire it,
will be cheaper than from breaker and at least you get new springs

 

[Morten 1]

if the plastic parts are ok, get the spring replacement kit and rewire it,
will be cheaper than from breaker and at least you get new springs

Cheers, plastic seems alright, I'm thinking about buying one of these sets.

Do you happen to have a picture of where the microswitch is placed? I've searched without finding a picture. Is it in the lock mech?

Morten

 

[baptista]

that kit would solve it and it is not that more expensive than just the springs.
next weekend I'm planning on fixing the rubber seal (between tailgate and handle) I can take/post some pictures of it

 

[Morten 1]

that kit would solve it and it is not that more expensive than just the springs.
next weekend I'm planning on fixing the rubber seal (between tailgate and handle) I can take/post some pictures of it

Thank you, that would be just great. Just bought a kit, hopefully I'll have it sorted soon. Is it window out (again) or it it possible to get to them without removing it?

 

[Morten 1]

Hello again.
Good news, it's easy to remove the handlebar without removing the window.
Bad news, the bolts where in a very bad condition, rusty and old, so I ended up damaging one, one was completly stuck and broke of, see picture, and one acctually went of easy.

Lots of rust behind the handlebar, have sanded it down now, and applied some antirust. Looks like I have to buy a used handlebar and use the new microswitch kit, to make one almost as good as new handlebar.

In the last picture, you might be able to see the wires going to the handlebar microswitch, they are quite badly bendt, so I'm pinning all my hope one if I change that one for a new one, it will all work.

Also took some picture for future reference with the microswitches poited out.

Pics:

 

[Morten 1]

Well, good news, it works, bad news, I'm definitely up for the Village idiot @ Landyzone 2013 award.. If it helps anyone else, it's worth exposing yourself as a complety idiot online..

Washer worked, wiper worked, back window worked, both switch and fob/key, open the tailgate via the diagnostic mode worked.. No handle action..
So.. After having spent HOURS taking everything apart, destroying the back handle, ordering new parts, putting it back together again, to the same result it all boils down to:

Remembering to unlock the car with a double click on the fob! (I'll find my coat).


All time time spent working on the thing, I only used the drivers door and tailgate (and bonnet, reaching over to your drivers side, my passenger side to open the bonnet) (On a sidenote, it's quite strange that they did not bother to move it to the other side, the panel is clearly molded to fit a lever), never ever thought about that simple solution.

So, big congrats to me!