Reinitialise the Electric Windows

If the one-touch (auto up/down) windows stop working on your Peugeot 2008 Mk2 (P24, 2019–present) — usually after a flat or disconnected battery — the window motor has lost its learned end-stops and anti-pinch reference. Re-teaching it takes seconds per door, no tools. This is completely normal and not a fault: the glass will still go up and down while you hold the switch, it just won’t run on its own or bounce back when it meets your hand until you re-initialise it.

Why It Happens

The window controller remembers the fully-closed position so one-touch can stop correctly and the anti-pinch can work. A power interruption clears that memory, leaving only hold-to-move operation.

How It Works on This Model

Each front door on the 2008 has its own motor with a position sensor, and the module counts pulses from that sensor to know exactly where the glass is. From those counts it learns the top and bottom limits, drives the one-touch motion, and watches for a sudden increase in resistance so it can auto-reverse if something — a finger, a scarf — is trapped. When the 12V supply drops, even briefly, the learned count is lost and the anti-pinch defaults to the safest state: manual hold-to-move only. Re-teaching simply lets the module re-count the travel and re-establish the closed stop.

Getting Ready

• Sit in the driver’s seat with the door closed — a door ajar can upset the learn on some cars.
• Switch the ignition on (engine can be running or just ignition live).
• Make sure nothing is in the window channel and no one has an arm resting on the sill.
• Check the 12V battery is in good shape — a weak battery can make the relearn fail or need repeating.
• Do one window fully before moving to the next so you don’t lose track.

How to Re-initialise a Window

1. Sit in the car with the door closed and the ignition on.
2. Pull the switch up to fully close the window and keep holding for a couple of seconds after it stops.
3. Release, then press the switch down to fully open and hold a moment at the bottom.
4. Pull up again to fully close and hold for a couple of seconds at the top.
5. Release and test one-touch up and down — it should now run on its own.

Repeat for each affected window using its own switch.

If One-Touch Still Doesn’t Work

• Hold a little longer at the fully-closed stop — the controller needs to register the top limit before it will store it.
• Make sure the door is shut and the battery is healthy during the learn; a voltage dip mid-relearn will abandon it.
• Run the full down-then-up cycle without releasing early — stopping halfway leaves the module without a complete travel count.
• If you used the driver’s master panel, try again at the door’s own switch, then repeat from the master.
• Check the relevant window fuse if a motor is completely dead rather than just non-auto.
• Let a frozen or stiff window free up first — ice or grit in the channel adds resistance that trips the anti-pinch and blocks the learn.
• If it re-learns but keeps dropping back to manual, have the motor and regulator checked — a worn one can lose its count on its own.

What Happens Next

Once the top stop is registered, a single tap should run the glass fully up or down on its own, and the anti-pinch will bounce the window back down if it meets an obstruction near the top. The setting is stored, so it holds for good — you’ll only need to repeat this after the next time the battery is disconnected or goes flat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my 2008 windows stop going up automatically?

A battery disconnect or flat battery wiped the learned closed position, so the module dropped back to safe hold-to-move mode. It’s a protective default, not a broken switch or motor. Re-initialising each window from its own switch re-teaches the travel and brings one-touch and anti-pinch back in a few seconds.

How do I reset the auto window on a Peugeot 2008?

Hold the switch up to fully close and keep holding a couple of seconds after it stops; if it still won’t auto-run, press down to fully open, then pull up to fully close and hold at the top again. That full down-and-up cycle lets the controller re-count the travel and store the closed limit.

Do I have to do every window?

Only the ones with one-touch — re-teach each from its own switch. On many 2008s the driver’s window is one-touch both ways while the others may be one-touch up only or manual, so relearn whichever ones no longer run on their own. Manual-only windows need nothing done.

Do I need a tool?

No — it’s done entirely from the window switches, with no diagnostic tester or trip to a garage. The only time you’d need help is if a window stays completely dead after the relearn, which points to a fuse, motor or regulator issue rather than a lost calibration.

Will the anti-pinch work while the window is un-initialised?

The obstruction detection depends on the learned travel, so until you re-initialise it the glass only moves while you hold the switch and the automatic auto-reverse is not guaranteed. That’s exactly why the car drops to hold-to-move — it won’t run a powerful auto-close it can’t safely monitor. Relearn it before relying on one-touch.

Could a warning light appear after the battery was disconnected?

A battery disconnect can leave several unrelated systems flagging until they re-calibrate on the next drive, so a light is not unusual. If one stays on, read the fault code to see what it is before assuming it’s the windows. You can look the code up on autodtcs.com.

This is the step most owners miss after battery work — see our 2008 battery guide for the full disconnect and reconnect sequence.