2016 Altima Power Window Switch (lighted buttons!)

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estomax

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 20, 2017
Messages
326
Location
Seattle
EDIT: Changed title from Maxima to Altima. You want to use an altima power switch from a base model that does not have auto windows on both sides (anti pinch / encoder motors). see through the thread for more info.

Hey Guys,

I was hoping I could post a slam dunk and say this is a 5 minute mod to get lighted buttons, but I have run into a hitch so I figured I'd document the journey in case with the power of us we can solve it and make this a realistic option for those of us missing 'luxuries' in our leafs.

Basically, someone on the board said the maxima power switch looks identical to the Leaf, I verified on Ebay that indeed they look identical and their connectors even look identical. I went and bought one because I was feeling lucky and got it and sure enough, it plugs right in to replace the leaf window switch.

and what turns out, is that the passenger window on the maxima has a serial communication link, while on the leaf is normal button. the wires are on different output pins too, bummer! My only remaining plug and play hope is that putting a Maxima passenger window switch will make this work as they talk over serial, but I somehow doubt the leaf wiring harness has both options wired in. Everything else works just fine though! The passenger switch no longer works on the passenger side either, so my passenger window is completely out of commission which is not super ideal with this setup.

what I have so far is that I looked at the wiring diagrams of the two cars power window circuits (you can access them here)
http://www.nicoclub.com/manuals/Leaf/2013%20LEAF/PWC.pdf
http://www.nicoclub.com/manuals/Maxima/2016%20Maxima/2016%20Maxima/PWC.pdf


here is the glory shot though
5VVN8fl.jpg


Just posting this as a start of a small adventure, let's find a nice solution to our annoying window / door controls!

cheers,
Marko
 
ok, in my rush of research I am pretty sure that the maxima passenger window switch will not do the trick because the maxima power switch motor uses an encoder like the driver side on the maxima and leaf. However, I started taking the switches apart and comparing them and made another neat discovery.

The switches on both cars have see through buttons, the only difference is the presence of an LED on one and the lack of an LED on the other circuit board right below the button. The crazy thing is the LED circuitry is all there on both window switch PCBs! I can't find an LED component sitting around my house right now but I will test this tomorrow, I might merely need to solder an amber LED onto the board and voila - done.

some more pictures for documentation purposes:
first, don't be an idiot and scratch your trim like me. You need to pull up on the lower left corner, use plastic tools. Not a screwdriver because that was the closest sharp object :roll:
gf4iPym.jpg


maxima door lock button
qnuqIGA.jpg

leaf door lock button
xB9wRL9.jpg


maxima window disable button
5OtGo1A.jpg

leaf window disable button
C7pGDAV.jpg


proof that buttons are see through
EMzpR5m.jpg


circuit board out of the housing (comes out easy)
qDOX3oP.jpg


and the block diagram of the window functionality Maxima vs Leaf
vN6BCF7.png

that's all for tonight.

PS, one public information request, if anyone has access to a friend with a 2013-2016 Altima, they also have the same door switch, more similar to the Leaf, maybe they have LEDs in there already? can anyone confirm?
r1gNnOC.jpg


Marko
 
Funny: I was going to ask about an hour ago if maybe some of the switch components could be swapped to provide the lighted buttons but without having to deal with the different ways in which the switches are wired. If it's just a question of soldering an LED into each switch assembly that's a good outcome.
 
That was me that mentioned the Maxima switch. I'm happy that you investigated this further... I've been wary of modding this car (for now).

If you find a good LED to solder into this, please share a vendor/ part number so I can follow in your footsteps. Thanks for sharing and great post!

/subscribed
 
yeah i bought this car swearing i won't mod it. i have an illness obviously, can't help myself :)

i will test with a led diode tonight if that is really all i need and then order some that i can solder in, there are some 100 packs on amazon for 6 bucks for amber leds that seem to fit the possible bill. i am not planning to solder an SMD led in there, i am not a circuit board engineer :)

Marko
 
estomax said:
yeah i bought this car swearing i won't mod it. i have an illness obviously, can't help myself :)

i will test with a led diode tonight if that is really all i need and then order some that i can solder in, there are some 100 packs on amazon for 6 bucks for amber leds that seem to fit the possible bill. i am not planning to solder an SMD led in there, i am not a circuit board engineer :)

Marko


If you still have this part apart, can you snap a pic with a mm scale up next to those contacts and LED opening? I might want to go the surface mount route. Shouldn't be much more difficult if I can get the right size. You could even de-solder the ones on the Maxima switch and swap over.
 
great news!

that might be the drop in replacement for the people that don't want to solder. i checked the wiring diagrams and they match. it looks like the maxima has anti pinch on driver and passenger side which is why they have encoders, altima just has it on driver side, same with leaf.

who wants to order an altima switch to try? I am already down the path of the LED trick so i am holding out to try it.

i am still waiting for LED diodes to show up, i couldnt find my other stash, that is why i have gone quiet for a few days.

Marko
 
well I just bought an altima switch, will report back if it works. putting diodes across the terminals does not do the trick so unfortunately something else on the PCB is missing as well. It won't be worth my time to figure that out if I can just buy switches from an altima though. some cost in trial and error but ultimately we all want a pain free experience, hopefully I can find us a solution!

pyro if you still have the rental do the passenger and rear window switches on altima have a light too? looks like it might in ebay pictures..

Marko
 
Hey Marko,

I don't have the rental any more. The switch panel matched what I see listed on eBay for the 13-17 Altima. Both front windows have markings and are lit. I do not think the rears were, but I could be mistaken. I have one on the way as well.


Alex
 
Alright guys, the mystery is over, the 2013-2017 Altima master window switch has lights in the door unlock and window lockout buttons in addition to the main window button, which makes the light 200% better over the stock switch that has a light only in the main window button.

if anyone is missing a light there in the dark winter, buy this as an upgrade for 40-50 bucks. see pics below.
elPfQDM.jpg

uPVeaGc.jpg

CCBUuNe.jpg

n4dhLFZ.jpg


thanks again pyro for making that observation in the first place.

the passenger side probably has lights too.. i might just get one to match. i told myself i wasn't going to modify this car but i am ill i guess :lol:

cheers
Marko
 
This is ridiculous that they even have to put electronica on individual switches!! I always thought a switch is a switch... on. off.... this is too much for me...

As for me... I took the solution of making believe that I was touch typing..... And felt up the keys without looking, until my fingers did good work in the dark....
 
Mine came yesterday, so I'm glad it's going to work out. I got it for 30 shipped on eBay.

I would think that it cost Nissan more to reconfigure / reprogram their line to make a different (crappier) part.
 
Well, the switch set I got was marked as Altima, but it had auto up/down on both front windows and it does not work. Lights work, front window works, nothing else works. Sending it back.
 
did it have chrome strips along the tops of the buttons? in that case it was a maxima switch. I was pondering to keep the buttons and moving them over to the altima housing to have a fancier window switch but I couldn't justify paying that much for that little detail :)
 
7TLxNTx.jpg



Nope. But definitely different from the one you had. This one was marked as an Altima '13. Not sure if there was a difference between a base and a premium model maybe??

I was able to return this one, paying shipping, but the replacement that matches your, was only 24, so it's a wash price wise.
 
Maybe there was a small on change between 13 and 14? Some listings only say 14-16 not 13-16.

The auto up down means encoder driven motor, so same as the Maxima one i had basically. Probably an option so gotta watch for that.
 
and the altima passenger side also works to give lights to both buttons!
7sjwmE1.jpg


Nk2TyV2.jpg


iAyqHPJ.jpg


cheers,
Marko

PS, I will update the first post with info for anyone in the future stumbling on this thread.
 
thanks for this info guys! ordered my altima switches today on ebay, spent about 36 bucks total on both driver and passenger side parts. i should have them in by next week monday it says and ill install them right away.

its been frustrating actually, the fact that the switches are so low makes them down in a dark spot as well......Ive stumbled a few times trying to unlock the doors............ that i really pisses me off...glad to find this mod.

thanks,

-J
 
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