Double question: 99 Vette

Window not opening, makes clicking when button pressed only...any suggestions?

Window motor was replaced by GM once, do they honor this, or no warranty?

 

Sounds like a Door Control Module relay failure. Try banging on the door panel while holding the switch in the desired position of travle. You can also try grabbing the accordion tube between the door and door frame and shake the hell out of it and see if that makes a difference. Try those two things first.


BC

 

You window motor regulator assembly is either dead or dying. Common problem with the C5. I replaced the assembly two years ago on my 2000 and problem fixed.

 

This is a common problem. My 04 did the same thing . I could bang on the screws under the cover that is located under the arm rest with a hammer on a screw driver in the screw slots and the window would work for a few days. Since then, there was a thread on this forum about the motor getting in a bind when the window is fully up . Seems as there is no stop for the motor. It appears to load up and quit. I now stop the window just short of lock up at the top and my window has been working well for two months. I already have a new regulator assembly to install, but I dont plan to use it until the old one fails.
Hopefully, someone on this forum can figure out what the real problem is with this window problem. It doesn't make sense to me that the motor can be made to work again and again by banging on the door if the motor was bad. My experience is that when a DC motor is fried, it stays fried. I think it is another design flaw, because it is so common, and why is almost always the passenger side. I dont buy the idea that it relates to low usage relative to the driver side. The most logical thing to me is that the motor is tripping out when it forces the window up against the stops and gets hot . Just replacing the regulator assembly probably wont fix the problem permanently.

 

Have having gone through the same thing, I agree with your thoughts. Except I worked on it on/off over a 10 hour period and it had plenty of time to cool down (if heat was an issue).

Even when I applied direct +12 volts to the motor, it would not move. Following day (after door was buttoned back up for going on a club event), I tried the window and it has been working ever since (2 months ago).

Plasticman

 

Try reading this link. It covers what Bill said here and more. Good luck.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-g...w-problem.html

 

Have read through that completely before (yes, all the various posts and it is very informative), but if you apply 12 volts across the motor directly, and it still does not move, it sure is not a relay or control module!

Plasticman

 

That is absolutely correct, as long as a return path to the ground was also provided. In other words, you not only have to give it +12 volts, but you also have to ground the other lead back to the battery negative side.

 

I had the same problem with my 03 Z. I pulled the door panel off and tapped the motor with my plastic hammer. Has not missed a beat in 4 months now.

 

Yes, I put 12 volts (B+ and ground) across the motor (disconnected the motor electrically on both sides from the vehicle's circuits).

Not to be a smart azz, but check out my profile (I know a little something about motors - having designed more than a few). Understand you are an electronics tech. and where you are coming from.

Plasticman

 

Sorry about that, you and I know what we are talking about but I always try to explain it so others who read the post can understand and benefit from our conversation.

 

I have had almost brand new motors stick, so I knew the motor was not the problem.
My theory (along with a few others) is that since the window does not have limit switches and stops only when the window regulator is driven up against the stops and stalls the motor, the drive mechanism and motor just gets in a bind and sticks. I think the combination of being driven against stops, and the added pressure of closing the glass against the weatherstrip, eventually binds the drive mechanism. As the nylon gears wear, the problem can be magnified.
You might try bumping the window down a fraction of an inch from full up to unload the motor and drive gears. I have been doing this for several months and neither of my windows have stuck again. You can hit the down and up buttons quickly enough so that the glass only drops about 1/16", and the glass will still seal in the weather strip.

I have removed the housing on the motors and the armature and brushes look brand new. If the window gets used a lot, there may be debris from the brushes that need to be cleaned out, but most of the time the motors are not the problem.

 

Your idea has merit. But rather than bump it down a tad, I am waiting for it to fail "up" again, and will completely remove the motor step by step and see what is actually "stuck". I want to find the cause (and ultimately the cure). I like a good mystery!

When it stuck up (only time it has for me since purchased last Sept.), I tried all the bumping of the door processes that I found on previous posts (while hitting the down switch), and it still would not move. Connected 12 volts directly across the motor and still nothing. Yet, the following day, it worked perfectly, and has ever since.

Thanks,
Plasticman

 

I'm with you plasticman, I really would like to know the cause and cure.
It is very curious to me that the problem exist mainly with the passenger window. Is there any design difference between driver and passenger side. Also, why so many stuck dc motors? It just doesn't make sense to me. I don't plan to replace my regulator until I understand the root cause because the replacement will likely fail as well.

 

One reason that the passenger side window may stick more than the driver side, is that the driver door is opened and shut more than the passenger door on most cars. (so it gets jarred more often)
I have seen very few motors that have actually been worn out. A few have failed because the drive cables get frayed, but that still is not the main cause of failure.

It is a baffling problem. I replaced both the window regulators on my car with brand new parts, and the passenger side window stuck after only a few months. It was only operated when I rolled it down to check to see if it was still working. It started working again, and has not stuck since I bump the glass down about 1/16".