jackwebb

First maintenance action on my new car, and its only a few days old!

The driver’s side window will now go down. I tested the window when I bought it, and today it won’t go down. I have searched and found a C5 thread that recommended slamming the door while holding the button, I tried this and it didn’t work. The lights dim when the button is depressed and the relay (under the dash?) makes noise at points. I removed the door panel and had a look inside, but am not sure what I should… pry, beat, kick, or pet to try and get the motor moving. Am I screwed? Should I just go get a new motor? Anyone changed one before? Any suggestions?

Any help will be appreciated.

Joe

Kubs

It sounds like a motor or bad connection somewhere. I you have a voltmeter test all the connections before spending money.

However, if you do need a new motor, I am selling the ones out of my '90 because I am turning it into a race car. They work great but I dont need them anymore. $50 each or $80 for the pair shipped in the US.

jackwebb

Thanks but they are $49.50 new

anyone know how they come out? it has power to the old motor.

pcolt94

Installing a motor is not a fun job. When I got my car and not long after my passenger motor went bad. I got about 80% of the job done but needed some help because I could not get the window down to continue with the repair. There are some other factors I did not know also but even now that I do I would rather not do that job.

Generally the bearings go bad in the motor and it will cause a excess current draw and that’s why you see the lights dim when you try to put it down. Of course the brushes could be toast also. There are a lot of threads with pictures and experiences to draw information from in the Forum. I can tell you the big rivets have to be drilled out to get to the motor. And I think if you hit the motor while power is on it, it may release and come down to the point where you can reach the nuts and bolt to continue. Some people use nut and bolt in place of the rivet. I would use self locking, low profile.

Churchkey

Have a rubber hub cap mallet? If so give the inside of the door a solid rap while holding the window switch in the down position. The engine should be running, a few more volts through the system helps.

Strike the door panel one foot forward of the rear edge & six inches up from the bottom. Several raps may be necessary.

If the window still does not move the motor will need replacement.

Luck.

tyzak

my passenger window would not go down on my '87 vette. I snipped one of the wires and jumped it and the window went down. That told me the motor wasnt bad, so I switched the window switches and it worked! Cost me 6$ for a new switch. You never know...

pcolt94

Lucky lucky

I tried external power on my motor also but did not have the luck you did. Bad switch was not in the cards for me.

Ape0r

I just put in a $25 window motor from rock auto. Be prepared with a rivet gun and a drill to swap out the motor, the old one is riveted into place! New motor came with nuts/bolts, but still had to remove and replace other rivets to get off motor.

Process is like this:

1. Remove outer door panel (bunch of screws, including three in the handle bezel, one of which is behind the light, which must be pried out)

2. Pull of wiring and crap

3. Remove inner door panel (you will have to detach some crap from behind it

4. Loosen felt pads that guide window, unbolt window from regulator

5. Fenangle window regulator out of door

6. Replace motor and reassemble

My factory window motor operated intermittently because of a cracked brush. Futzed the brush the first time and it worked steadily for a few months, then died completely so I replaced.

Took about 3-4 hours each time.

On edit, the window motor zip is selling for $50 is the dorman motor - autozone sells it for $55 and rockauto sells it for $25.

jackwebb

That’s awesome, I’m glad I hadn’t ordered it yet… thanks

jackwebb

So I spent most of last evening troubleshooting the window. I tried jumping it straight to the battery like tyzak suggested (note for future attempts – if you apply power to one let you need to ground the other or depress the switch to complete the circuit) it didn’t work. I gave up and put the car back together; figuring I would order the motor, or the motor regulator assy, and replace it. It was in the high 30s today and the roads were dry, so I decided to go for a “spirited” drive, after work. About 15 minutes in I decided to check the window, just for the hell of it... the window works. I am sure the motor needs to be replaced, but I am in no hurry to pull this thing apart. Thanks for all the input gentlemen!

Chapindad

My passenger did the same thing. It would work one day and then not the next, drove me crazy. It was a bad motor. It really is not that hard to do. I got a friend to help me with the window and it took some puzzle skills to get it out and in but really over all the project was not bad and it made me very happy.

jackwebb

Now I am not so sure it was the motor… when I first tested the window (day I picked up the car) it was jittery, up and down now it’s very smooth. I think it may have been stuck, I was worried every time I operated the window today, but it is working fine. I am going to remove the panel one more time and grease everything up, if the motor stops again I will replace it… I may just order it for $25 and keep it until it goes out.

Chapindad

Trust me. I went though the same thoughts as you, including replacing the switch. Because the motor replacement seemed like a pain so I tried wishing it away. It did not work.

fake

Did any one contact Bowling Green? The management there should be fired. The C4 since 1984 has had problems with windows and hardware. Thats not good enginering! The goverment should make GM build replaceable parts for twenty years as a punishment. I am unhappy for are american cars dont keep are people employed because of quality!

George6488

They sell the motor alone and I replaced mine without removal from the car. They also sell the motor mounted with a new actuator. I believe the whole unit is $185???

The motors are riveted to the actuator and they don't like to separate easily. I drilled the tops off of the rivets and slide the motor off the remaining studs. The rivet studs remained firmly anchored to the actuator frame. I very carefully drilled holed into the studs about 1/2" deep and then tapped the threads. Be very careful not to bottom out the tap and clean the hole while tapping often. The new motor slid onto the studs and I used new bolts with larger washers into my newly tapped holes. Everything tightened up and worked great. Getting the window and the attached actuator frame out of the door can be done but will not be one of your better days in life.

If I had to do it over............I would buy the new motor and actuator frame as a unit.

BrianCunningham

dealing with the door panels is the worse part of that job.

take pics of everything, individual connectors on the switches, at least mine anyways

jackwebb

Well summer is almost here and my window has stopped working all together, so it’s time to fix this thing even though I have been putting it off for a year. ordered a motor for $15.00! from Rockauto, and spent 2 days getting the old one out. When I saw the clearance on the rivets I knew I didn’t want to mess with it, so I took it to a local body shop who said they could install the new motor for $30. If this works and goes back together it will be a big savings over the whole assembly for $270.

MANLEYONE

Rubber Mallot work on Mine. Am ordering a motor.