2001 Coupe.

I have about 45,000 miles on my Driver's side window regulator that was replaced under warranty several years ago.

I know this is just conjecture until I pull the door panel, but thought someone may have some incite as to what might be going on - or experienced this symptom before?

About a week ago when I was putting up the window with the door closed I heard a scraping sound (like metal on metal or glass on metal) toward the rear of the window as it was coming up out of the door for the first few inches, then silent the rest of the way up. Lowering the window - no problem. Tried this a couple more times - same thing, then I noticed some smear of grease on the lower rear of the window (about 6" from the back of the window and about 4" long x 1/2" wide). It was on the inside of the glass (which I have tinting applied). It did not scratch the tinting and can easily be wiped off, but something is obviously not right!

Oddly, if I open the door, the window goes up and down as it should with no noise, so apparently the pressure of the interior trim against the door frame with the door fully closed aggravates the issue.

What could this be? Is this a symptom of the regulator going out (the scraping and the grease smear)?

Before when my driver's regulator went out the window would "fall" a few inches when first starting to put the window down - completely different.

Really don't understand where the grease would be coming from?

 

It will definitely be an issue with the regulator. I had the same thing happen on the passengers side a few years ago. I can't remember for sure but I think one the cable had come partially off of one of the small plastic "cams" that was damage. Causing it to be out of alignment. You're lucky. Mine did a number on my tint as well.

 

Well... I swapped out the regulator tonight for a new AC Delco OEM unit. That fixed the problem I was having; however...

I was able to carefully remove and reinstall the tinted window without scratching the tint. I tested the window several times to fine-tune adjustments and all went smoothly. Then as the last step, I reinstalled the interior door panel and when I put the window up something sliced right through the tinting on the inside about 6 " from the front half way down the window from the top and about 1.5" wide - several scratches... DAMN! Had the same "grease" on it that the rear did originally.

What is doing this? It almost has to be touching the regulator channels or pulleys - right? Could it be something on the interior trim piece cutting the film?

With the new regulator there are no scraping sounds - quiet all the way up and down. As far as I can tell nothing is touching the tint now - just the first time I put the window up?