This morning when I got in the car to drive to work I tried to roll the windows down a crack for a little fresh air, and the passenger window refused to go down. At least it's stuck in the up position!

When I press the up button (on driver or passenger switch) it does two clicks in the passenger door--tick, tock. When I press the down/auto button, there's one click--tick--then when I press it again there's another click--tock (I'm assuming this is because of the auto down function). The clicking sounds like it's coming from behind the door panel, at the trailing edge of the speaker grille. Sounds like a solenoid or relay or something.

Prior to this I noticed no odd behavior, in sound or mechanics.

Thoughts? Motor? Regulator?

 

Any clicking in the door should be a door control module relay. One for up and one for down. They are probably not the issue.

Probably the motor or regulator as you said.

Here is how to get inside the door to look.



http://www.vetteessentials.com/instr...or_handle.html


Mr. Sam

 

you could take your flat hand and rap it on the glass a couple times maybe unstick it maybe not ??????

 

Thanks again Mr. Sam. Wouldn't the fact that it doesn't move at all be indicative of motor? If it was the regulator, wouldn't it try to move but get stuck or something?

 

Tuff call. You probably would hear the motor struggle/hum if the regulator was "stuck".

You should know shortly.


Mr. Sam

 

Funny you should post this. Mine stuck in the up position a few days ago. It also happened a few years ago when I first got the car. It makes the tick sound also. Last time I read on here to bang on the door and it worked. I havent tried it yet but I will. Hope it works again.

 

LOL! I would try the POUND and BEAT method before you get too wrapped up in disassembly.

Seriously, just use the flat hand and hit the inside of the door panel a couple of times while holding the switch in the lower position.

Also try opening the door and grasping the rubber accordion tube (between the door and the door frame) and give it a good shake. The connection for the door power is WELL KNOWN to have damaged female pins causing issues like this and some other weird electrical problems.


If that doesn't allow the system to work, then you can go deeeeeper.

 

LMAO!

GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE!

 

+1.

My driver window on my C5 FRC was always acting up, and a few wide open door, shaking rubber accordian while pressing the window up/down button seemed to work for years.....until the window regulator finally took a crap.

If you must replace the window regulator, I highly suggest to do both at the same time. Yes, this will be twice as costly, but you do not want to get caught in a situation where the window is fully retracted and fails. I would consider it "peace of mind".

Besides, if you get rock bottom parts and labor at a local dealership for the one side, you can always negotiate a further discount for doing both at the same time. My dealership gave me a 15% discount for doing both sides at the same time.

Lastly, if you or anyone else does the job, make sure you run masking tape (stickier than blue painter tape) on the inside edges and the outside edges of all exposed glass that mates up to a plastic or rubber molding seal at the lower side (going down into the door and near the mirror). This will expedite the realignment process and make reseating the glass a snap. I did this for the tech and he said it made the reinstallation so much easier.

Good luck. And while you can find window regulators for cheaper online, I went with OEM and had the dealership do it for the warranty aspect. If the cheaper ones crap out, you start the journey all over again.

 

Been there as well with the passenger side window and the Pound and Beat Method worked SO WELL it hasn't given me a problem since

 

I will try a little percussive maintenance on y'all's recommendation.

ETA: Didn't seem to work. I can't see how whacking the door panel is going to help, since in Mr. Sam's video it looks like the guy whacks the sheet metal where the motor is mounted, and I don't see how wailing on the plastic panel is going to transfer enough force to the motor to jar it.

 

 

Do the same thing but give the door a good hard slam shut..

 

This. I actually did this just yesterday to my car when I realized the passenger window wouldn't go down (again, probably the 3rd time this has happened).

Open driver's side door (for air vent so door shuts easier).

Open passenger side door.

Press the 'window down' button on the passenger side to make the window motor start to want to go down, and then immediately slam the door. I don't mean go to town on it like you found it in bed with your wife, but shut it quite a bit harder than usual. Yesterday it worked first try, but I remember one time I had to slam progressively harder until it finally un-jammed (gotta press the window down button each time so that the motor is 'working' when the slam happens).

I know it seems silly, but it really does work.

The first time, the fix lasted for a couple weeks; the second time was probably about a year or more ago. I am certain if I just bothered to use the window more, it wouldn't stick.

 

This is one of the few areas that I have repaired on my car , so will try to pass on my few understandings.

I think the fact that you hear noise means the pound slam and wiggle repair methods will not work, because the noise is the motor turning against the spring loaded screw drive , slipping out of gear to avoid damage.

The motor drives a worm gear, and if , in fact, the noise is the drive slipping, you will have to open the door panel and check the function of the wire travel .

These windows travel on a wire and pulleys, not the usual scissors deal. It could be something is dry or off line in the pulley wheels.

The motor is a closed can type, with nowhere to exhaust the dust worn off the brushes in the motor. So they pile up over time and , being conductive, short the motor when the pile gets big enough.. Shake it enough to move the pile a bit, and function is restored.

I just remembered, in researching my problem, I came across advice that said to cut the wire. Don't do it, unless you want to go to "new skills school" while trying to fix the dang window.

It is easy, clean, logical work, but you might break a few panel fasteners if you are winging it without a book. They are plastic and keep the edges tight. The main panel fasteners are two screws behind the door handle, they carry the workload. THe rest of the stuff is just remove and replace. Be careful around the plastic cover sheet sealing the inner door workings. Although it doesn't look like much, it is spendy to replace down at the dealership. When I saw the price, I was glad I was careful with what looked like just a sheet of plastic, which is what it is, until you have to buy one, I guess.

Your noise report leads me to believe the problem is downstream from the switching and motor, since the noise indicates some type of function.

IN my case, I had a switching noise, and a voltage change, but no action, so I bought a new motor from Auto zone and then unscrewed and replaced the old one.

I did not mess with glass adjustment, since that did not change with the repair, and would fall into the "new skills" part of repair work that I always seek to avoid. Not that I am against learning, I just prefer to know what I am doing, whenever possible. Because, as you know, it seldom goes as was expected when the job was planned. It could be my skill level, or perhaps a voodoo curse, I can't decide.

I once read a story about the old days of Rolls Royce. They had hired a mechanic from another company, who kept a large sledge in the bottom of his tool box, used at his previous work to adjust bumpers once in a while , as they came off the line. He was fired as soon as they saw the hammer, saying tools like that have no place near the body work of Rolls Royce cars. I always think of that story whenever I see a suggestion to pound or beat as a method of repair. Not that I don't know how to use a hammer, I just like to know why, and the reason for the expected results before I start pounding away. .

 

I have used the door slam (while holding down the window switch) method a few times on my 03 Vette passenger window.

And in fact have also had to use it a few times on my 05 Dodge Magnum rear passenger door as well!

Works every time!

Plasticman

 

Is it easier to replace just the motor without the regulator, or easier to replace both as a unit?

 

I only bought the motor, so can't really say, I would assume less parts would be less work, I do know the cost was quite different. i can see no reason why some say to replace the entire assembly, other than some places only sell the entire assembly.

I only replaced the motor, so had to remove the speaker and loosen a few things to gain access , plus worked a few things blind, by feel.

I have a convertible and had read many post about the window adjustment being best left to experienced repair, so I wanted to avoid a long term snag. I stayed as far away from the regulator, other than to admire the design over heavier doors, as possible.

Once you loosen the regulator, use care with the glass, as it might get scratched if it hits something.

My only real frustration was replacing the motor. It came out easily, but I couldn't install it as expected. Others posted they just replaced it as one would expect, but I couldn't find the angle or something. I had to screw the entire motor to get the worm drive into the gear mesh.

I was concerned about motor shut off, but everything stops and starts in the correct positions without any work from me.

Plus I found the somewhat expected long forgotten socket down in the bottom of the door , the source of noise in some turns. A small clunk since I have owned the car.

 

Anyone have response on this.....looking for same advise my left window crinkled/grinding sound on down but quiet on up.


Looks like it would make sense to just replace both with a AC Delco unit? Does the regulator come attached to the motor?

 

So...I went to Disney World for a week. I drove the car to the garage at work because it's closer to the airport and I already pay for the garage there (why should I pay for parking at the airport when the cab to and from the airport is cheaper?). Left the car at the garage for a week. Came back from Disney, and the window works.