These instructions apply to the Isuzu D-Max Mk2 (TF) 2012-2020.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
If the one-touch (auto up/down) function on your Isuzu D-Max (TF, 2012–2020) has stopped working — usually after a battery disconnection or a flat battery — the driver’s window just needs re-initialising. It’s a quick job with no tools.
On the D-Max the auto one-touch feature lets you raise or lower the window fully with a single press instead of holding the switch the whole way. If it has reverted to manual operation — the glass moving only while your finger is on the switch — nothing has broken. The window motor has simply lost its memory of where the top and bottom of travel are, and it needs to relearn them. This is completely normal after any interruption to the 12 V supply and takes under a minute to put right.
How It Works on This Model
The D-Max window motor has a small position counter that remembers the fully-closed and fully-open points, plus an anti-pinch function that reverses the glass if it meets resistance on the way up. When the battery is disconnected, that stored count is wiped, so the module disables one-touch and anti-pinch until it can see a clean full-up and full-down sweep again. Re-initialising simply drives the glass to each hard stop and holds it there so the module can re-register the limits.
First, a Few Checks
- Sit in the driver’s seat with the door closed so the switch and motor behave normally.
- Switch the ignition on (engine can be off) so the windows have power.
- Make sure the glass and runners are free of ice, dirt or obstructions — a sticky channel can make the relearn fail.
- Have a few seconds spare to hold the switch at each limit; a rushed press won’t register.
Re-initialising the Window
- Close the door.
- Raise the window fully with the switch and keep holding briefly after it stops.
- Lower the window fully and keep holding briefly after it stops.
- Raise it fully again — one-touch should now work. Repeat for any other window with the feature.
If It Won’t Stay Set
- Hold at each limit longer. If you release the switch the instant the glass stops, the module may not log the endpoint — keep it pressed a moment past the stop.
- Do the full down-then-up sweep in one go rather than stopping halfway; a partial cycle won’t complete the relearn.
- Re-seat the battery connections if you’ve just done battery work — a poor terminal can drop voltage and abort the learn.
- Clear the runners. Grit, a mispositioned seal or a bent channel adds drag that the anti-pinch reads as an obstruction, so it stops short.
- Try each window separately — only the door with the auto feature needs it, but each is learned on its own switch.
- A worn motor or switch that can’t reach a clean stop may store a fault code — look it up on autodtcs.com.
Once It’s Done
Once the sweep is accepted, a single tap up or down should run the glass the full way on its own and stop cleanly at the top. Anti-pinch is restored at the same time, so the window will bounce back if it meets your hand on the way up. The setting is stored, so it stays put until the next time the battery is disconnected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my D-Max auto window stop working?
Almost always because the 12 V battery was disconnected, replaced or run flat. That wipes the motor’s stored travel limits, so the module drops back to manual hold-to-move operation until you drive the glass to each stop and let it relearn. It is a memory reset, not a fault.
Do I need a tool or a scanner?
No. The whole procedure is done with the window switch alone — no diagnostic tool, code reader or workshop kit. You simply cycle the glass fully down and fully up while holding briefly at each limit so the module can re-register the endpoints.
Which window has one-touch on the D-Max?
It is usually the driver’s window that carries the auto up/down feature. Re-initialise whichever windows have it; a window that only ever moved while held has no auto function to restore, so it needs nothing.
What does holding at the limit actually do?
Holding the switch for a moment after the glass reaches the hard stop lets the control module log that exact position as the end of travel. With both the top and bottom points stored again, it can run the window automatically and reinstate the anti-pinch reversing feature.
Do I have to hold the switch every time now?
No. Once the relearn is accepted, one-touch behaves as normal — a single tap runs the window all the way. You only need the hold-at-limit routine again if the battery is disconnected or goes flat and the memory is lost once more.
Could it be a fuse or the motor rather than a relearn?
If the window will not move at all, check the window fuse first. If it moves but only while held and the relearn won’t take, a tired motor, a dragging channel or a failing switch is the likely cause — and a motor fault can log a code you can look up.
If you’ve just reconnected the battery, see our D-Max battery guide.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Isuzu. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.