Malfunctioning Jam-safe driver window operation
 

Making this more fun is that my daughter has the car in Omaha, while i am in Palm Bay, FL...

We have a 2010 Mazda 3. From my research i suspect we need to fix the "jam-safe" mechanism on the driver's side front window (i don't remember if the car has any other windows with such), after trying the reset method of running the window all the way down and holding the button for several seconds then repeating running it up, and that not helping.

I do have her (having her boyfriend) disconnect the battery for several minutes and seeing how that affects the problem. but if that fails, i would like to know how this "jam-safe" works - what components and where they are found. Most posts say "take it to the dealership" - Well, Covid -19 has my wife laid off and cut my income to one tenth, so that ain't an option. One post said to replace the switch, but i have a hard time to believe the limiter sensor is in the switch; i suspect more than likely it is mounted to the rail mechanism for the window or the motor, but i easily could be wrong as i am only guessing here.

Sure would appreciate any and all advice anyone who understands the mechanism can give me; used to be easy when the daughters were all home and i could take care of them. With half of them away it gets pretty frustrating!

Thank-you folks, much appreciate your kindness-

As it is possible that no one knows the answer, could someone simply post any reply so i know that this forum is active? There appear to be a number of Mazda 3 forums that have different names and all look very similar, combining that with the fact that there has not been a response in the last three weeks i am starting to believe i might have found a lemon forum - perhaps i did something wrong?

This is a very active forum.

What happens if you raise the window up with something like a rolled up newspaper in the way? Does it jam up tight, or stop & retract?

Or do you have a problem that the window hits the top & bonces back down?

Thank-you for the reply!!! I have four daughters, all with cars, and my wife and i also drive somewhat older cars - i depend on boards like this as i really can't afford a lot of dealership pricing!

I will have her try the "rolled up paper test". Up to now she only advised going to the top then automatically rolling down halfway, though now she is experiencing problems with back windows not actuating reliably. I kind-of think we need to try installing a new window switch "console" in the drivers' door, but i do hate the philosophy of replacing part after part until finding the culprit - the dealership wanted $125 just to look at that. Also she was just told by the dealership that her oil plug has problems and she might need to spend $1,350 to replace the oil pan. For a part i can buy for $130 to $250? I don't think that pan is obstructed by anything (is it?), are they trying to rip off my daughter???

Anyway, one issue at a time. I will ask her to try the rolled paper and i will be back.

Once again, you don't know how much i appreciate you being there for me. This Covid thing has hit hard, with the wife laid off and me making 10% of what i made pre-Covid, i can't afford to throw money away!!!

Well, i am finally back with some answers.

For whatever reasons, the daughter was not very motivated to do the testing herself - i guess med school can be a bit trying, but...

So as time went on, i finally had reason to go to Omaha. The vehicle recently had it's battery disconnected, so limits were never reset at the point of my test; i had forgotten about this.

1) Using my wallet, the driver's window would not retract when in constant drive against it, and my wallet isn't thick - about a half inch to 3/4, but when the window was driven to the top without obstruction, it would automatically go down to about 2/3 to halfway.

2) Aside from this, neither rear window would operate, neither from the driver's switch console nor the independent switches on the rear doors. Could the driver's console interrupt the rear window switches' operation?

My apologies for taking so long to get some facts back, i appreciate your help!

-Bruce

In regards to the drivers window bouncing back by itself, experience of others lead to a malfunction of the motor.

For the rear windows, you would need to remove the door cards and see if its getting a signal from the front & rear switches or if the motors have failed. I have seen rear windows seize up from lack of usage.

Thank-you!

Is there a public electrical diagram (and for that matter, any other shop manuals) for a 2010 Mazda 3?

Good thing "Winter" is a great time in Florida to work on cars - she should be driving back and here for a month or so.

Lived down here for two years now (i am about to turn 64), a Northerner all my life pretty much; things down here are just plain weird. Honestly nice, don't have to thaw my fingers out nor worry about hitting the brakes and sliding on the ice until i hit something solid, but still pretty weird for me-

10/14: Now she is advising the driver's window will not respond at all. Never had a car that had so many window failures; i find this very strange. Can there be a common cause, or is Mazda notorious for this?

The entire problem was a loose connector to the main switch.