Chrysler Repair: Power windows: Sebring/Stratus, flashlight bulb, circuit breakers

Question
QUESTION: 2001 Stratus. Daughter says none of the windows work. Says her cigarette lighter doesn't either. Checked the fuese at the ind og the dash, seem ok. any other ideas?

ANSWER: Hi Brian,
There are also a couple of circuit breakers on the fuse board at the end of the dash. Circuit breaker 2 (which is next to fuse 14) provides power to the windows so try resetting that breaker. The power outlet/cigarette lighter is powered by fuse 2 in the power box that is under the hood in the engine compartmennt (20 amp) so check that as well.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: OK, now I really did it. I was messing around with the metal arm (switch) that is next to fuse 14 and I pulled it along with the fuse out. I take it that it just plugs in with the fuse? I hope. I plugged it back in with the fuse in the top prong. Is this even the arm you talk about? I don't understand how it "switches" anything.

Thanks again Roland for your help.

ANSWER: Hi Brian,
Fuse 14 is for the radio and has no relationship to the windows, so just put that one back in its socket.
There should be another circuit breaker next to the window breaker, it is for the power seats.
It should be correctly positioned so make it look like that one, or if you think you broke it use the seat breaker temporarily in the window breaker socket. You can buy a new breaker at a parts store or a dealer parts counter. You could also check the suspect breaker by measure for continuity across its two contacts with an ohm-meter or a continuty checker or evan with a battery and wires and a flashlight bulb, if necessary. Once you are sure it is 'closed' and conducting once more put it in the socket and try the window. I would check the passenger window first as the driver window could be shorted/jammed and that at least would give you a better chance at testing the window circuitry. Of course it could also be a shorted wire between the circuit breaker and the switch in the driver door that is poping open the breaker.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'm just not sure on how to reset this switch? I really don't see a switch. I honestly just see a metal arm that plugs in with fuse 14. Is that what you are referring to or should I be looking for something else? Please help.

Thank you

Answer
All I can describe is that just next to fuse 14 (and thus it is adjacent to the diagonal edge of the fuse panel) there is shown to be another socket that is the same size as a fuse socket and it is labelled C.B. #2 and that means circuit breaker #2 and it is what provides power to the power window switch in the driver door. Similarly next to fuse 12 is circuit breaker #1. I am looking at an '03 manual, but I have reason to believe that it is exactly the same in the '01 model. Let me know if that doesn't agree with what you see. The '99 manual has the same layout except that the nearest fuses to the window circuit breaker sockets are labeled 15 and 14.
Once you sort out the c.b. question, if you find that the c.b. 'opens' as soon as you insert/reset it, that would mean that the wire from the c.b. to the switch in the door is shorted to ground. Probably is has fatigued at the hinge where it flexes everytime the door is opened. The wire is colored tan and there is a 15- pin disconnect at the hinge area on the body side of the opening (it is on pin 13).
Roland