Subscribers keep our independent community news in business. If you already have a subscription, log in or register for an account on our website to continue reading. Click here if you’re having trouble accessing your subscriber account.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.
Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Subscribers support the Los Altos Town Crier – please log in or subscribe to continue reading.
Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribe purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribe purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Thank you for signing in! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Subscribers support the Los Altos Town Crier – please log in or subscribe to continue reading.
Subscribers keep our independent community news in business. If you already have a subscription, log in or register for an account on our website to continue reading. Click here if you’re having trouble accessing your subscriber account.
Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.
Your weekly print newspaper delivered, and more
Less than 20¢ a day
√ Weekly Print Edition delivered to your mailbox
√ Unlimited access on all devices
When you don't want the printed newspaper
Less than 20¢ a day
√ Unlimited access on all devices
√ No paper copy – less to recycle
Activate your all-inclusive access for print subscribers: Link your losaltosonline.com account to your print subscription here.
Your account number is your one-line street address as printed on your newspaper – use normal capitalization. Example: 138 Main St.
When your current subscription expires later this year, you will be able to renew at losaltosonline.com/users/admin/service/purchase.
If you have any trouble accessing your account or linking your subscription, our Subscription FAQ may have the answer you need.
Contact howardb@latc.com or call him at (650) 397-5213 with any questions or to learn more.
Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code.
Promotional Rates were found for your code.
Mostly cloudy early, then sunshine for the afternoon. High 79F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..
A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
We recently had a customer bring in his 2011 Volvo XC60 T-6 because the check-engine light went on, the radiator fan was running constantly, the left front window wasn’t working and the battery was going dead.
When the customer arrived with the car, we could hear the radiator fan running. Once the car started to cool down, the fan continued to run. We also confirmed that the check-engine light was on and the driver’s side front window did not operate.
The other three windows worked from their individual switches, but not from the main driver’s side switch. We scanned the vehicle and pulled multiple fault codes: driver door model B108f-23 cabin lock switch failure; B118e-00 left front window switch; B1190-00 left rear window general failure; B11d1-87 Lin Bus circuit 1 missing message; B1a98-87 Lin Bus circuit 1 missing message; and U2101-00 control module incompatible.
We removed the left front door panel to gain access to the door module, door-wire harness and window motor. We then inspected the door-wire harness but didn’t find a problem with it. We checked the connections at the door module, and they were also OK.
Next, we disconnected the window motor and tested it with an external power source; it was fine. We then connected the scanner to monitor the data in the window module. There was no activity from the main window switch back to the door module. We commanded the other windows with the scanner through the door module; all three other windows worked.
That’s when we suspected that the driver’s side main window switch was the problem. We installed a known good window switch, yet there was no change. So, we traced the wires from the switch back into the main body wire harness and found there was no power from the central electronic module (CEM). The power through the CEM was coming from fuse three; it was not blown. We then performed a continuity check of the body harness from the door connector (examining each wire in the harness for continuity) to the CEM and found that several wires were open.
Knowing that all the components in the door were OK, we pulled out the front driver’s seat and started tracing the wires back under the carpet. We traced the blue/white wire into the main harness and found it shorted. When we got to the place where it was broken, we found five other broken wires. After consulting the wiring diagram, we discovered that all six broken wires were all at a junction. We then repaired the junction, and the driver’s window worked fine.
With the window fixed, we checked the radiator fan. There were no codes in the fan module. The power and ground were good to the fan and module. We checked the fan assembly and could not find a problem. The radiator fan control module was not setting a code, yet the fan control module is commanding the fan to run all the time. Because there is no code in the module, we would deduce that the fan module does not know it is bad. We replaced the fan module, and the fan was fine.
Turns out that even though the check-engine light was on, it did not trigger a powertrain code. We think that because the fan was killing the battery, it most likely cleared the powertrain data. We also suspected that the six broken wires may have caused the check-engine light to turn on.
Where the junction broke in the main harness made this problem more of a challenge, requiring more patience and focus to solve.
On a side note, I’m sad to report that my mother, Nathalie Pataky, passed away last month. She started the business with my father, Steve, in 1962 and worked alongside us until 2018. She will be missed.
Matt Pataky owns Sunnyvale Foreign Car Service, 15 Pioneer Way, Mountain View. For more information, call (650) 960-6988, email sfcsmv@gmail.com or visit sunnyvaleforeign-car.com.
Your comment has been submitted.
There was a problem reporting this.
Keep it Courteous. Be respectful, truthful, and use no threatening or hateful language. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts and the history behind a news event. Read our full comments policy: losaltosonline.com/comments