Auto-closing windows

Fiat 124 Spider switch assembly

Desired outcomes:
Unlatch open top to close > window goes down less than an inch, rather than half-way
Latch closed top > either close windows then, or when the lock button is activated
Unlatch closed top to open > window opens all the way, rather than half-way

---

I noticed in this video showing how the windows are controlled while the MX-5 RF top is being opened and closed (at least outside the North America market):

• windows (if closed) only drops less than an inch prior to both opening and closing the top
• windows return to the fully closed position after the top is closed (as long as you keep the “Close Top” button engaged)

After all, if you are caught in a rain storm, why would you want the windows to open halfway while you are closing the top?  But, that is minor in comparison to the window being left halfway down (or all the way down) while you are in the process of closing the top and exiting the car as the soft top currently behaves.  I’m sure it has something to do with U.S. laws resulting from someone getting their fingers injured while the windows were closing on their own.

It would seem that the logic we desire already exists in the module, since the desired movements already occur while the door is being opened and closed:

• Open door with windows closed > windows go down less than an inch.
• Close door with windows closed > windows return to the fully closed position.

That is why I’m following the progress of sergey’s (known as ssh16) “Automatic roll-up windows” project, especially when hitting the lock button while the top is closed) on either:

• the key fob remote
• or the exterior door handle (with advanced keyless entry option)

The exterior door handle lock button is my preferred lock procedure, since I turned off the walkaway automatic door lock feature and I never need to remove the remote from my pocket. Ideally though, I feel that the windows should close as soon as the top is latched into the closed position.

Ideally, no extra modules/hardware should be required; I hope instead that it just requires a addition/triggering of code or perhaps we’ll have to exchange the window switch module from another market (or Mazda vehicle) that also has the door lock function (Europe MX-5 does not), since that logic may also be programmed into the same module.

⇓  The European 124 window switches do not have the door lock switch, so I bet they don’t have the door locking options in the Infotainment system either.

⇓  Sergey, keep in mind that even though the underlying switches in the 124 Spider (shown in top photo and directly above) are the same as the Miata’s (shown below), hopefully they are easily separated from the trim bezels, so that the new part you develop may work with both versions in both vehicles 😉

Miata MX-5 switch assembly

---

Sergey also has another project Key Fob Controlled Windows that may prove to be more popular, and less expensive.  His demo video is below.

In his current implementation,  when you double-click on the lock button, the windows will go up, and when you double-click on the unlock button the windows will go down.  Communication with the window switch is done over the LIN circuit, which goes between the two doors.