Stuck power window?

[Bob Dillon]

This is a weird one. I parked my car at the drugstore today and the driver's power window wouldn't go up. It just quit all at once-no previous problems or symptoms.

Went home and pulled the door panel off and checked for connectivity. I had power to the switch and solenoid, which clicked when I tried the window. Also, the motor seemed hot.

So, pulled the motor off (only three bolts) and tried it again. The motor then turned freely! I moved the window up and down manually. It wasn't stuck, but I put some grease in the channels anyway.

I re-mounted the motor and tried the window. It worked perfectly! Slobbered the door back together (man, it's busy in there!) and rode around for a while trying it out. Everything seems to work perfectly now.

What the hay? Figured I had a burnt-out motor for sure. Anyone had a similar experience?

[Archon]

Sort of common on the 2000+s. They either get bound up mechanically, as there will be quite a pop when the motor is taken out, or the motor starting and stopping in the same place creates a problem. Many times, giving the door a good, hard slam closed, while depressing the switch, will free things up.

[teleplayer]

Yes, once in a while my driver's side would not go down, I had to punch the side of the door panel while holding the switch. I thought it might be the "express" control module, but it was not. I finally took the motor apart and sanded down the commutator, now it works like a charm.

By the way, I disabled the express window function, it drives me nuts when the window goes all the way down when I don't want it to.

[willwren]

That happens occasionally on the Zilla. I just bang the door panel with my fist while operating the switch. Up she goes every time. A couple times a year.

[Don Mega]

Interesting... I am having the very same problem with my 99 SLE. I am gonna go try pounding on the panel while I work the switch. As of right now my driver side rear window wont go down at all and I have noticed passenger side rear is doing the same thing. Basically it goes down when it wants to.

[93RedSled-SSE]

When the driver's window died on my '93, it was the express down module/relay... mounted to the door frame. I disconnected it and jumpered the plug until I found one at the yard.

[DaBlackPearl]

My driver's side rear door window won't go down from any switch. It may be a stuck motor also. HMMM?

[bonnevillain]

That happens occasionally on the Zilla. I just bang the door panel with my fist while operating the switch. Up she goes every time. A couple times a year.

my 95 was the same way.. sold it like that

[Bugsi]

My driver's side rear window just stopped working yesterday. I'll pull it apart and check it out, but not long ago I was looking for a lockout switch mod or a simple way to disable the rear windows anyway, because my two boys in their kid seats in back think it's fun to make the windows go up and down with their foot, and then they toss their juice cups out the window.

Someone said their solution was to smack the kids, so I gave that a try and the problem went away.
-And now the window won't work. Grrrrr.

[willwren]

Mark, try my advice above. It might just start working in the kid's favor again.

Smack the DOOR, not the kids.

[Bugsi]

Smack the DOOR, not the kids.

Crap! I've been doing it WRONG!

[Bugsi]

. . . AND the window started working again today.

[Jrs3800]

I had those issues too... Until I replaced the Switch pod several years ago... Its never happened again...lol

[Don Mega]

. . . AND the window started working again today.

So did mine! One quick little bump on the door panel right by the window motor and VOILA!! Works like a charm now.

[Bugsi]

So did mine! One quick little bump on the door panel right by the window motor and VOILA!! Works like a charm now.

Mine is hit or miss, I think the problem for mine is in the switch in the driver's door, rather than a problem in the door with the intermittent window (driver's rear door). Smacking the driver's rear door doesn't seem to do anything, fiddling with the driver door master switches seems to get it to work most of the time. Grrrr.

[Icebound]

..


The "mechanical binding" theory is the usual answer.

I left the mounting bolts a little "loose" about 4 years ago, and never had the window stick since.

One day I make look back in there to see if they are working their way off