00' Camry - Strange Electrical Problems!

[ZzBloopzZ]

I have experienced strange electrical problems in the past year or so. I don't know too much about cars but would like to repair my self... really low in funds. Here is a list of my electrical problems:

1. Driver side window often gets stuck. Have to wait several minutes for it to go back up again. All other windows work perfectly. When it is stuck... I can hear the motor working but the window just stays down stuck. This is my primary problem and have been late for a few appointments waiting for the damn window to go back up.

2. This has happen several times. I slightly accelerate and the drivers chair starts to vibrate! It is directly correlated with the acceleration. My chair adjusts electronically. Very weird! Has happen 2-3 times in the last few months. Ex: I hit accel going up a hill, my whole chair is shaking. I let go of accel and it immediately stops shaking.

3. This happen only once. I adjusted the position of the electric driver seat and then it just got stuck! The motor would let me move forward but not backwards. I had to drive 1 hour home in a back aching position. So I parked the car and came back to it 20 mins later it was fine again.

4. My ABS has never worked since I bought the car used. I 100% have ABS. When I first start up the car the ABS light comes on along with the other lights then turns off. I have tried braking on wet roads and it totally locks up. It acts like a regular non ABS car.

Any idea what I need to fix? This car was apparently totaled from the original owner. Everything else on this car is great... just these electrical issues. I would be happy if I can fix at least the window issue.

Thanks so much for any advice!

[toyomoho]

If the window motor runs but the window does not move the issue is most likely in the window regulator. You will need to remove the door panel to investigate.

Are you sure the issue with the seat vibration was the seat and not the car itself.

[ZzBloopzZ]

Originally Posted by toyomoho

If the window motor runs but the window does not move the issue is most likely in the window regulator. You will need to remove the door panel to investigate.

Are you sure the issue with the seat vibration was the seat and not the car itself.

When I "investigate" what exactly should I be looking for?

I am pretty sure it was the seat moving... because the seat made a weird sound and my ass cheeks were shaking like a massage. Def not the car. lol

Thanks!

[solidg]

totaled
probably a flood car
replace the window motor
replace the car seat motor
g/l

Im suprised you dont have have even more weird problems

[Kep]

Unfortunately, if the car was totaled there are a number of possibilities. Any idea which parts of the car were damaged?

I am suspicious that the ABS may have been disabled. I understand that you can unplug the ABS systems and they will revert to "regular" braking. This is sometimes suggested rather than paying a high repair bill for an old car. You will need to learn the wiring scheme and track down the various plugs. If the ABS light is on you will have a stored error code.

With the case of the seat, I would look real hard at all of the wires supplying the seat. Especially where they are beneath the seat and by the rails. It is easy to speculate that one or more got pinched during the accident and sometimes short out in the right conditions. When you accelerate you press back in the seat and that possibly crushes a wire. This may also have contributed to the seat getting stuck.

I agree with toyomoho that the window regulator is the likely culprit. If you hear the motor but there is no movement the cable may have stretched or maybe the regulator was jarred out of alignment with the window tracks. (Have you tried to wiggle the window while the motor was trying to raise it?)

I am also leery of the airbags in a totaled car. Until you learn otherwise, assume that the airbags were deployed and are no longer functional. I'm not sure how to check this. To this end, make sure that you and your passengers always wear their seat belts. They should anyway but people get complacent when they think they are protected.

Kep

[ZzBloopzZ]

That's pretty scary... did not even think about air bags.

My dad bought the car with only 18k miles on it in June 06. We bought it from a really religious grandma that was moving away to her home country to spend rest of her life. We asked if it had ever been in an accident and she said no, so we believed her plus price was really good... ~10K.

However, I remember cleaning out the trunk one time and there were small broken red plastic pieces from the brake lights, deep under the carpets. Also, I took my care to Tires-Plus once to get a rod replaced... and somehow they warped the axle so that it would not come back on. Made me pay $271 for repairs... even tho I think it was their fault. Long story short... the old axle was not the original OEM one, so he was saying possibly the car was totaled before because it should have had the OEM one.

Also, I highly doubt it was from a flood. Not too many floods around here. The area the original owner lived in they had a high parking garage.

I'll check out the regulator when I have time once school is over.

Thanks!

[Kep]

I was going by your comment that "This car was apparently totaled from the original owner." Your clues are, indeed, suspicious.

I misread your initial post about the ABS light coming on during POST and then turning off while the car was operating. I don't know how it could do that and not be operational.

If this is an OBDII car(what year and model?) then take it in to an Auto Zone or other free reader and see if you have any stored codes. I believe that the air bag system and the ABS system are separate from the OBDII and usually need to be read by a professional.

Kep

[ZzBloopzZ]

Originally Posted by Kep

I was going by your comment that "This car was apparently totaled from the original owner." Your clues are, indeed, suspicious.

I misread your initial post about the ABS light coming on during POST and then turning off while the car was operating. I don't know how it could do that and not be operational.

If this is an OBDII car(what year and model?) then take it in to an Auto Zone or other free reader and see if you have any stored codes. I believe that the air bag system and the ABS system are separate from the OBDII and usually need to be read by a professional.

Kep

It's a 00 Camry LE I4.

[Kep]

A year 2000 will be an OBDII port that the auto parts stores can read. Call around and see if one near you does.

It looks like you need a special ABS "checker" to trouble shoot the ABS system. Maybe someone else will know a method.

Kep

[EEngineer]

never buy a totalled car