Window won't come down
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Tucson Arizona
Window won't come down
My passenger window in my C5Z randomly stopped rolling down. I click the button on both the passenger and driver door and I can hear what I assume is the actuator click to try to put the window down, but it doesn't move. What do you guys think is the problem?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,146
Likes: 203
From: Edmonton Alberta, Canada
Just a suggestion, try wiggling the wiring harness between the passenger door and body, sometimes this helps as the wiring over time can break down in this area with opening and closing the door. Also with very little use the motor can freeze and needs a manual turn or two to get it to function but you have to access the motor...try above suggestion while activating the switch at the same time. Good luck. Rob
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
If you can hear the relay click, most likely the motor is just stuck.
Sometimes you can free it up by hitting the door panel where the motor is mounted while pushing the down button. If you have the door panel off, tap on the motor.
If you get it to work, you might try bumping the window down 1/16 inch or so from full up. Maybe that will unload the motor in the opposite direction so that it is not in a bind against the stops. I have installed all new regulator assemblies and still had them stick, so I am still searching for exactly what happens. Since there are no limit switches and the motor just runs until the window hits the stops, my theory is that the motor and drive just locks up. When you shut the door, the glass pushes up into the weatherstipping and puts even more pressure on the motor. One forum member says he adjusted the stops downward so that the glass is not forced into the weatherstrip as hard, and his window has been working.
I found that I can run the window up, and then hit the down and up button quickly enough that the glass only drops about 1/16th of an inch, but it does reverse the drive mechanism and unload the motor and gears. As you probably already know, if you just hit the down button quickly, the window goes all the way down (auto-down feature).
Sometimes you can free it up by hitting the door panel where the motor is mounted while pushing the down button. If you have the door panel off, tap on the motor.
If you get it to work, you might try bumping the window down 1/16 inch or so from full up. Maybe that will unload the motor in the opposite direction so that it is not in a bind against the stops. I have installed all new regulator assemblies and still had them stick, so I am still searching for exactly what happens. Since there are no limit switches and the motor just runs until the window hits the stops, my theory is that the motor and drive just locks up. When you shut the door, the glass pushes up into the weatherstipping and puts even more pressure on the motor. One forum member says he adjusted the stops downward so that the glass is not forced into the weatherstrip as hard, and his window has been working.
I found that I can run the window up, and then hit the down and up button quickly enough that the glass only drops about 1/16th of an inch, but it does reverse the drive mechanism and unload the motor and gears. As you probably already know, if you just hit the down button quickly, the window goes all the way down (auto-down feature).
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Apr 11, 2009 at 10:34 AM.
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Wichita Kansas
I had this exact same problem you are having ,when I would push the down button it would make a clicking sound , I had to take the door panel off and tap on the motor while pushing the down button and it freed up the window. A month later it happened again this time I was able to slam the door while pushing on the down button , it took several tries but it finally went down. Since then I have been keeping the window bumped down about 1/16 of a inch , it has been a year and I have not had any problems with the window since.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,699
Likes: 16
From: Sun City- Menifee Calif.
I had this exact same problem you are having ,when I would push the down button it would make a clicking sound , I had to take the door panel off and tap on the motor while pushing the down button and it freed up the window. A month later it happened again this time I was able to slam the door while pushing on the down button , it took several tries but it finally went down. Since then I have been keeping the window bumped down about 1/16 of a inch , it has been a year and I have not had any problems with the window since.
Same here, Been having the same prob. It would work for a few months, then stop for a few months then out of the blue start working again. I`ve been leaving it down just a tad the last few weeks & its still working. Had everything replaced under warrenty in `05. Funny how it always seems to be the pass. window. 
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Tucson Arizona
Well I pulled the door panel off and tapped on the motor. Didn't work. I unbolted the window, still doesn't work. Funilly enough I left my keys in my ignition with my car on the street overnight. Good thing I live in a nice neighborhood 
Still doesn't work. Looks like I'm gonna buy a new motor assembly.
Still doesn't work. Looks like I'm gonna buy a new motor assembly.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
I had this exact same problem you are having ,when I would push the down button it would make a clicking sound , I had to take the door panel off and tap on the motor while pushing the down button and it freed up the window. A month later it happened again this time I was able to slam the door while pushing on the down button , it took several tries but it finally went down. Since then I have been keeping the window bumped down about 1/16 of a inch , it has been a year and I have not had any problems with the window since.
Also, my theory on why the passenger window seems to quit more often than the driver window is that the driver door gets slammed more. At least on my car it does since I rarely carry a passenger.
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: Hattiesburg Ms
Well I pulled the door panel off and tapped on the motor. Didn't work. I unbolted the window, still doesn't work. Funilly enough I left my keys in my ignition with my car on the street overnight. Good thing I live in a nice neighborhood Still doesn't work. Looks like I'm gonna buy a new motor assembly.
Still doesn't work. Looks like I'm gonna buy a new motor assembly.
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Enger NRW
It always seems to be the passenger side. I had the same problem. Instead of buying a new motor assembly, I removed the motor and opened it. It´s very easy to do. My problem was that the coals were dirty and the grease was alittle hard. So I cleaned it and moved it by hand to make it work. Reinstalled everything-it worked very fine since then. It was a lot cheaper than a new assembly. Just try, it´s easy.....
Greets
Dieter
Greets
Dieter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
I think the key is to reverse the motor by running the window up, and then bumping the glass down about 1/16" so the drive gear and motor is unloaded.
And it is not ALWAYS the passenger side. I have had both my windows quit working. Since I replaced them and tried the above, both still work.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 2
From: puyallup wa
Just in case people are still having issues and it doesn't seem to be the motor check the connectors. I had all the symptoms of a bad motor, hitting it hard enough even seemed to temporarily fix it but I was just shaking the connectors to get continuity unknowingly.
Here's more detail if it helps.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/c5-tec...onnectors.html
Good luck.
Here's more detail if it helps.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/c5-tec...onnectors.html
Good luck.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 306
Likes: 5
From: New Orleans Louisiana
Slamming the door, banging on the armrest and then removing the little plastic insert and banging on a screwdriver inserted between the 2 screws all while holding the down button didn't work for me. I decided to remove the door panel and speaker (A lot easier and quicker than I thought it would be) and tap the motor. I gave it one light tap with a hammer while holding the down button it and it immediately dropped down, and continued to work every time I tried it while re-installing the door panel.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 13
From: Redding California
I know this is an old thread, but yep, banging the door armrest vigorously while holding the window button down will usually make the window work again, and often for a long time.
If eventually you decide to fix the problem in a more permanent way by installing a new window regulator, here is a good how-to video.....and also a good place to buy your regulator from.
.
If eventually you decide to fix the problem in a more permanent way by installing a new window regulator, here is a good how-to video.....and also a good place to buy your regulator from.
.
Last edited by allred; Mar 13, 2014 at 10:31 PM.
