A Techie/Safety Question About Electric Windows

[GentlemanJim]

I have just bought a new Toyota Camry. It's a 'nice' car, not my type but the Mrs loves it. It is all well equipped...BUT one thing I really don't like (and I didn't find this out before) is that all the windows have automatic close, so one flick of the close window button and it will close completely rather than you having to keep your finger in place to close completely. Auto windows are the norm on the drivers seat but I don't like them in the back where the children are. I have visions of the three year old causing a nightmare incident! Of course I have the window lock button, but my question to you technical minded folks is this....is there a way to disable the automatic feature on all the windows except the drivers? I really am a safety minded person when it comes to the kids and it is cutting me up that I missed this. The windows of course do not operate without the key in the ignition and the first turn, but still, I am not at home 24/7 and I just want some piece of mind. Thanks.

[Tywais]

You mean the buttons have no 'notch', that is two level positions - push part way down and it is manual, push until it clicks it auto closes? Seems odd. I know on my Civic when I had to replace the battery the auto mode stopped working and thought it was broken. Looked through the manual and showed how to re-program the control to use either method. Anything in the manual? Perhaps post on a Toyota forum to see if there are any options.

[anon210]

Normally, further to that, there should also be a button to lock the window buttons everywhere but in the driver's seat... At least there is in the Pajero, it would astonish me that the Camry did not have that feature.

[WarpSpeed]

Yes but most newer cars with this feature are more upscale and now have a pressure indicator in the mechanism primarily in the passengers positions that senses too much resistance and automatically goes back down if someone were to get their hand or extremity stuck for example. Try putting up the window and using a stick or something similar to see if your car is one of these models? If so, no real worries and you do still have the window lockout on the drivers panel..

Edited June 27, 2013 by WarpSpeed

[Ace of Pop]

Leave the drivers door open if the rain for 30 secs and it knocks out the Auto.

[MrRealDeal]

That's simply not true on a Camry you are just holding the button to long , what the switch does is turn auto perhaps a little faster than you want and roll it up for you , but obviously can roll it up and down a little at a time ...... I don't see a very valid complaint that the auto roll up the window feature rolls up the window like it's supposed to. If your statement was true you would never be able to roll it half way up or down.

The driver can set auto up on all the windows at the same time for their ease but the driver does not need to if they don't want to. And the other passengers can override that from each window so they can roll it half way up or down without requiring the driver to allow them to do it by changing the setting in the drivers seat.

The Camry does not have a feature that allows the driver to make all windows go either all the way up or all the way down against the wishes of the other people operating those windows but only allows the driver to roll them up and down as he sees fit and the window operators to roll their windows up and down as they see fit unless they are locked by the driver.

Edited June 28, 2013 by MrRealDeal

[MrRealDeal]

You certainly can re wire each door to operate without the auto roll up feature if you want to they operate on a circuit that measures the time the switch is activated and a dealer or electronics person could change that ..... if it makes you feel better the windows and computer operate on speed and when the window going up slows on auto up it indicates something is stuck and since that could be your neck rather than just stopping it causes the window to actually reverse direction as well to avoid the problems you are talking about , it's gona freak you out and hurt but it won't kill ya.

Obviously I am not a parent saying this but a little pain will cure your kids of sticking their hand in through the window and easier than re wiring the car !

The reason it's not possible to kill yourself with a car window is because if it was some nut would stuff their kids head in it and sue the car company for making an unreasonably dangerous product and the car company's are quite aware of that and don't need the trouble.

Edited June 28, 2013 by MrRealDeal

[GentlemanJim]

Thanks for the replies.

As I said in my OP 'of course, I can lock the windows', so yes there is a lock button.

Realdeal

Holding the button down for two long is not the issue, I am not concerned about adults, they can work it out. Telling a three year old is a different story and yes, pain either from the window or me will likely deter a second attempt at self decapitation

I am trying to get an english drivers manual. I will have a look about the pressure sensitive bit on the windows thanks. The children always sit in a car seat, no questions, but as I said, I am not here 24/7 and despite my wife coming around to a more european way of thinking in terms of safety, Thai's are Thai's and I am simply trying to legislate for the sometimes stupid safety decisions they make, particularly in my absence. Thanks again.

[GentlemanJim]

Result!

A cucumber wrapped in kitchen roll provided an answer. The window does indeed back off so thanks warpspeed/realdeal. Quite an indentation left in the cucumber mind so yes it would hurt a lot but the system should definitely prevent the horror stories of the past where toddlers have been found dead. I will rest easy now.

[WarpSpeed]

Good for you, glad to be able give you some piece of mind.. Not too bad for a non-"engineer" type eh?... That's not directed towards you BTW but in reference to another poster on another thread..

BTW good idea with the cucumber ...Very close to the real deal so I'm told ..

Edited June 28, 2013 by WarpSpeed

[MrRealDeal]

Not to bad warp the only part you got wrong is that it's not a pressure switch it's actually done by the windows speed of movement a cucumber of a rock produces the same result on how quick it happens it's just a rock stops the window from going up because it's a rock but it goes back down because it slows either way at the same speed.

[Tywais]

Automatic Up/Down - The automatic-down feature is fairly common on cars with power windows. You tap and release the down switch and the window goes all the way down. This feature uses a circuit that monitors the amount of time you hold the switch down. If the switch is down for less than about half a second, the window will go all the way down until it hits the limit switch. If you hold the switch down for longer than that, the window will stop when you release the button. Automatic-up windows are less common. The problem with automatic-up windows is that if anything gets in the way of the window, such as a child, the window has to stop moving before it hurts the child. One way that carmakers control the force on the window is by designing a circuit that monitors the motor speed. If the speed slows, the circuit reverses the power to the motor so the window goes back down.

Howstuffworks

[WarpSpeed]

Not to bad warp the only part you got wrong is that it's not a pressure switch it's actually done by the windows speed of movement a cucumber of a rock produces the same result on how quick it happens it's just a rock stops the window from going up because it's a rock but it goes back down because it slows either way at the same speed.

<deleted>? <deleted> what is up with people? I didn't get anything wrong, it's just being pedantic and all about semantics, it's apples and oranges.. I didn't say "pressure switch" either since we're being so pedantic, I said "pressure indicator" quite a bit different, "indicator" being the operative word .... I.E. the monitoring circuit "indicates" to the motor if there is an obstruction impeding it's speed and how serious it is to respond in kind .

Edited June 28, 2013 by WarpSpeed

[Ace of Pop]

Why are the Kids not in Kiddy Seats.?..Just stuck my mit in a New Nissan Sylpysomething,and it stopped, so did the Camry. Accord, Civic and Trailblazer,now if that aint Techie enough i'm lost.The Family think ive just gone daft. So Tywais was right.

[MrRealDeal]

Not to bad warp the only part you got wrong is that it's not a pressure switch it's actually done by the windows speed of movement a cucumber of a rock produces the same result on how quick it happens it's just a rock stops the window from going up because it's a rock but it goes back down because it slows either way at the same speed.

<deleted>? <deleted> what is up with people? I didn't get anything wrong, it's just being pedantic and all about semantics, it's apples and oranges.. I didn't say "pressure switch" either since we're being so pedantic, I said "pressure indicator" quite a bit different, "indicator" being the operative word .... I.E. the monitoring circuit "indicates" to the motor if there is an obstruction impeding it's speed and how serious it is to respond in kind .

Yeah it was pedantic your right ..... sorry about that

[VocalNeal]

GJ,

Stick an apple in the gap and close the window. See what happens.

[Tywais]

GJ,

Stick an apple in the gap and close the window. See what happens.

See a lot of ads where they show using a tennis ball to demonstrate.

[Ace of Pop]

GJ,

Stick an apple in the gap and close the window. See what happens.

See a lot of ads where they show using a tennis ball to demonstrate.

Man Up, stick yer fist in it like i did,only the Trailblazer was a tad hard.Wimps.?.

[GentlemanJim]

Why are the Kids not in Kiddy Seats.?..Just stuck my mit in a New Nissan Sylpysomething,and it stopped, so did the Camry. Accord, Civic and Trailblazer,now if that aint Techie enough i'm lost.The Family think ive just gone daft. So Tywais was right.

Post 8 refers They have been in car seats since birth.

VocalNeal

I tried a cucumber the window backed off down, left a bit of a dent though in the veggie. Conclusion it would hurt like hell for a 3 year old but thats all.

AoP

I am not sure I am man enough to stick my fist in

[WarpSpeed]

Why are the Kids not in Kiddy Seats.?..Just stuck my mit in a New Nissan Sylpysomething,and it stopped, so did the Camry. Accord, Civic and Trailblazer,now if that aint Techie enough i'm lost.The Family think ive just gone daft. So Tywais was right.

Post 8 refers They have been in car seats since birth.

VocalNeal

I tried a cucumber the window backed off down, left a bit of a dent though in the veggie. Conclusion it would hurt like hell for a 3 year old but thats all.

AoP

I am not sure I am man enough to stick my fist in

Fist?? That's not manly, a real man would stick something far more sensitive and precious in then that!!

Edited June 28, 2013 by WarpSpeed

[Ace of Pop]

Why are the Kids not in Kiddy Seats.?..Just stuck my mit in a New Nissan Sylpysomething,and it stopped, so did the Camry. Accord, Civic and Trailblazer,now if that aint Techie enough i'm lost.The Family think ive just gone daft. So Tywais was right.

Post 8 refers They have been in car seats since birth.

VocalNeal

I tried a cucumber the window backed off down, left a bit of a dent though in the veggie. Conclusion it would hurt like hell for a 3 year old but thats all.

AoP

I am not sure I am man enough to stick my fist in

Fist?? That's not manly, a real man would stick something far more sensitive and precious in then that!!

Good Point,but me Wallet was upstairs.

[Jitar]

Ar Ar Ar

[WarpSpeed]

Mr Crabby? Don't ask me how I know that, well actually I have a Sponge Bob addicted 8 year old..