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1976 Power Window Issue/Motor?

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Old Apr 13, 2026 | 06:33 PM
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Default 1976 Power Window Issue/Motor?

Hi all. I have a 1976E with power windows. I'll keep this question to the passenger side, as that's what I decided to tackle first. The window will move with the switch. However, it gets hung up both at the top and bottom, meaning I have to push the glass up or down before it "catches" and then the motor will move it. This is with the door open, the glass centered pretty well and not catching any weatherstripping. To my surprise, when I took the panel off, it appears like a previous owner switched out to a quality regulator that looks relatively new, the teeth look good with everything greased really well. The motor was obviously changed out as well, looks to have a 2016 date. It appears to have "S4215" stamped on it as well. I'm thinking maybe it was a cheap motor that has gone bad. Would a bad motor cause these symptoms? Or, looking at the picture below, the mounting plate does not look flush...maybe the bolts are loose and therefore not allowing it to engage properly? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Here's the pic:
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Old Apr 15, 2026 | 11:44 PM
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That bolt looks like it backed out. It also looks like there are possibly two others that were either not installed, or fell out and are lying in the bottom of your door. I would definitely make sure all the bolts are in and tight. It could be causing the gear to initially bind. If that doesn't fix it, I would consider the motor. Sometimes when those motors start to go out, they can be weak, They are not strong enough to overcome the inertia of the window, but strong enough to keep it moving once you overcome the inertia by pulling up or pushing down. Hope this helps.

MajD
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Old Apr 15, 2026 | 11:55 PM
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Originally Posted by KeithColiseum
Hi all. I have a 1976E with power windows. I'll keep this question to the passenger side, as that's what I decided to tackle first. The window will move with the switch. However, it gets hung up both at the top and bottom, meaning I have to push the glass up or down before it "catches" and then the motor will move it. This is with the door open, the glass centered pretty well and not catching any weatherstripping. To my surprise, when I took the panel off, it appears like a previous owner switched out to a quality regulator that looks relatively new, the teeth look good with everything greased really well. The motor was obviously changed out as well, looks to have a 2016 date. It appears to have "S4215" stamped on it as well. I'm thinking maybe it was a cheap motor that has gone bad. Would a bad motor cause these symptoms? Or, looking at the picture below, the mounting plate does not look flush...maybe the bolts are loose and therefore not allowing it to engage properly? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Here's the pic:
Does the motor make sounds when it's at top or bottom and not moving the window? If it's silent then I'd lean toward the motor being the problem.
Once the motor is moving the window does it move pretty smoothly for the full up or down? If not, then I'd be looking at the wheels and tracks to be sure there is no binding there.

Originally Posted by MajD
That bolt looks like it backed out. It also looks like there are possibly two others that were either not installed, or fell out and are lying in the bottom of your door. I would definitely make sure all the bolts are in and tight. It could be causing the gear to initially bind. If that doesn't fix it, I would consider the motor. Sometimes when those motors start to go out, they can be weak, They are not strong enough to overcome the inertia of the window, but strong enough to keep it moving once you overcome the inertia by pulling up or pushing down. Hope this helps.
MajD
There are just those 3 bolts.


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Old Apr 16, 2026 | 01:49 PM
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Thanks for the input. I don't believe the motor makes a sound when it gets caught up, and yes, the window does move really well and freely when the motor is pushing it up and down. I think I'm going to change the motor out, and see if that fixes the issue...I actually do have a replacement ready to go. I will say that I have everything open and the job looks pretty straightforward and accessible. But I am pretty concerned about that spring. I know about the safety bolt and certainly will install it before taking off the motor, but man, I really don't want that thing to pop!
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Old Apr 16, 2026 | 09:41 PM
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If you are leaving the regulator in the door with the window attached and rollers in the tracks then you can remove the motor without any drama or trauma. The spring is kept in position by the window and hardware. It's also wound to provide up assistance to the motor, not down, so it's not trying to pull the window downward without the motor in place. The spring is only an issue if you remove the regulator to work on it away from the door.

Remove the three bolts you show in your pic, the plate is what holds the motor to the regulator, and once removed, the motor will pull out.
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