Diagnose Window Motor and Regulator Problems and Repair Part 1

[toniccb13]

HI I have a 1996 Honda Civic my power windows don't work at all the motors were both changed out first the passenger window motor was changed and both windows worked and after a few days they both stop working so they changed the driver side motor out and they still do nothing you can't hear anything happening what do you think is wrong

[chuchum3]

My Honda Element's driver window works intermittenly while the passenger side works fine. When it doesn't work, you can only hear a click when the button is pushed but nothing else, no motor noise, nothing. First i suspect the regulator but i was told it could be the master switch itself. Any info is appreciated

[APDTY]

@chuchum3 It could be either, to verify, you would have to pull the door panel off, and check for voltage and ground AT the window motor when you are pushing up and down on the switch, if the motor gets voltage and ground in both directions, but doesn't move, the motor is bad, if it doesn't get voltage or ground in one or both directions, it's likely the switch which is bad.

[chuchum3]

@APDTY Thanks. I will check

[boarderwrj]

@APDTY Good info early in the video about listening. I have a 2001 Honda Acoord coupe and the passenger window started acting up yesterday while driving home from Las Vegas on I-15. This is a power window. The window "rolls" up to the weather seal (almost completely closed) then makes a "jumping" noise. Kind of a mechanical clunk, clunk, clunk until I release the power window button. The window then slumps down away from the weather seal approximately 1/4 inch. What do you think?

[APDTY]

@boarderwrj Your car has a "Scissor Style" window regulator, If you go to our site (the link is in the description) and search for part number 740-490 you will see what I am talking about. I am willing to bet that a couple of the teeth on the very end of the regulator are worn/broken off which won't let the window go up all the way.

[somminlikeapimp]

@hey i justbgotna 2000 buick lasabre the driver window works but none of the others do.

chuchum3

[47stephen]

Ho bradda you get em do have any other videos on auto repair? anyway mahalo im diving in

[qasion]

Greeetings everybody

Today I changed a regulator and motor on Buick 2002 Limited,rear right. It's working fine. I compared it to the front right,, I noticed it's not as smooth. Any idea?

[APDTY]

@qasion The track that the window rides in may need some lubricant, when the rubber guides get old, they will 'grab' the window as it tries to go up and can cause the window to not go up smoothly.

[qasion]

@APDTY Thanks for the tips,,any idea what to use to remedy?

[MsDevilDog87]

My window on my 03 dodge ram litterally froze shut during this winter, and i hit the window button and it has the auto down feature and it seems that it has fallen off the tracks. I can grab the window and slide it up and down and i can hear the motor going when i press the button but the window wont go up or down with out me grabbing it and putting it where i want it. ANY help would be appreciated.

[trmulligan]

thanks for your help!

[trmulligan]

Yes only on the auto down feature does it do this

[APDTY]

@trmulligan It sounds like your motor might be going out, when you use the auto-down feature, it actually puts a lot of strain on the motor because it forces the window down, and then will continue to try to roll it down for a few seconds before it stops. It's as if you held down the window switch for a few extra seconds every time you roll the window down. It sounds like the gears inside the motor might be stripping, and that noise you hear is the grinding of the gears.

[trmulligan]

I have a 2005 Frontier and the driver side window works ok but when the window is rolled down all the way there is a whining noise that occurs for about 5 seconds then it stops. Any ideas on this?

thx

[APDTY]

@trmulligan Does it only do it if using the "Auto Down" feature?

[hightechjunkieva]

Great vid, thanks alot!

[artgeek09]

Thanks for the video! I have a '99 Nissan Maxima and the drivers side front window is having some issues. What happens is when I try to bring my window up, the back half of the window seems to go out of track. The front half (closest too the hood of the car) seems to try to stay in track. The motor sounds fine - just like the motor on the other working windows. I can get the window to go up properly if I guide the window with my hand as I'm pressing the button. What do you think the problem is?

[APDTY]

@artgeek09 It sounds like an issue with the regulator, but there is really no way to tell for certain until you get the door panel off and physically inspect the insides of the door.

[bashi786]

The passenger door window on the driver's side will not go down both from the driver's door switch and the actual door switch itself. All other windows go down from the driver's doors witch and the door switches themselves. Have any ideas on what the problem could be?

P.S. great video...very informative and easy to follow. Also, thanks for taking the time to help your viewers with their problems.

[APDTY]

@bashi786 It sounds to me like it's probably the motor itself, your next step in checking it would be to remove the door panel, and while pressing the various switches for the door that has the issue, check for both Power AND ground at the window motor connector. If it has power and ground in both directions, replace the motor. Otherwise it's going to be a trickier electrical issue.

[glithches]

I have a 06 ford focus hatchback and the driver side window is going down fine but when going up and nearing the top it make a loud thundering noise,,,it sounds like its going to shatter,,,wondering what you think,, thanks,,,,maggie

[APDTY]

@glithches Hi Maggie, it sounds like either the regulator is failing or the motor gears are beginning to strip, unfortunately like most window problems, there is no easy way to tell which of these is causing the problem without having the door panel off. What needs to be done is to have the door panel off and watch the window mechanism while the window goes up and down to see what is happening. Good luck!

[LongDreadZZ]

Very informative video! I have a 96 Chevy Impala SS,and my drivers side window has issues! It only works when it wants..and I hear the noise you're talking about,when it goes all the way up,but only closes halfway! It's a grinding,or turning sound.. I have to pull the window up,with my hands sometimes!

Any idea? Also..it works sometimes,or it either stays up,and doesn't roll down.

Thanks for your help!

[APDTY]

@LongDreadZZ it sounds like you might have the same issue as "dude9131" who posted below. Your next step is to pull the door panel and physically inspect the power window components to see if you can find out what is causing the issue

[dude9131]

I have a 89 pontiac firebird. The driver's power window will only go up and down a little bit. It will go all the way down if you push it down by hand, but otherwise it only opens about an 8th of the way and closes back. Any idea what the problem could be? A mechanic said probably it was the gear in the motor but he didn't do an extensive diagnostic.

[APDTY]

@dude9131 It is definitely a mechanical issue. Your next step in diagnosing will be to pull the door panel off and actually watch what is happening when you try to roll the window down. Stripped gears in the motor could be the cause, but so could stripped teeth on the regulator.

[562salvador]

i have a audi 98 a6 where can i buy the window clamps i have the regulator clips but i need the window clmaps that attache to the regulator clips (or guide)

[APDTY]

@562salvador Unfortunately I was not able to track them down for your car, they likely have to come from an audi specialist or dealership.

[sixt9coug]

Hey man, I have a 1994 Ford Mustang and I have problems with BOTH of my windows. When I roll down the driver's window, It will go down smooth, but then continue to run-on even after it has hit the bottom (or top) It will just cycle and "clunk" until I stop pressing the button. (I have a vid on my channel of it doing it)

My passenger window will do the same thing and just clunk over and over again if I hold the button. This window will lightly hang up partway but will always make it up or down.

[shane1243]

hi, yesterday i put my passenger window down (98 taurus), it was working fine, not running slow or struggling or anything, but when I went to put it back up, it was totally dead. neither the switch on the passenger side or the driver side will make it move, however the other switches on the driver side still work all the other windows. any ideas? thanks.

[APDTY]

@shane1243 It could be a couple of things, first thing to check would be to pull the door panel off, and with all the switches plugged in, try to roll the window up, while doing that, check across the two wires going to the window motor for 12V. if there is 12V, then it's the motor that has gone bad, if there is NOT 12V, then it is something electrical, most likely one of the switches.

[dougfrmdaeast]

2000 camaro motor runs but I have to manually push the window down and pull it up help me out

[APDTY]

@dougfrmdaeast It will be tough to figure out exactly what the problem is until you get inside the door. Based on the symptoms, it's obviously a mechanical failure, it would have to be one of the following things: 1) Gear inside the window motor is stripped. 2) The regulator itself is broken, and no longer connects to the motor to the window or 3) The regulator has detached from the window glass, and the glass is free to move up and down.. To determine which it is, you need to get in the door. 

[EvelKnievelCadaver]

Motor dis-mounted from regulator. Window does not manually slide up and down easily (lots of friction). Put WD-40 everywhere to try to ease the friction. No such luck. Is this a sign of a bad regulator? Where ever cable is visible, it is intact and wound correctly inside spool. Window has maybe 1/8" of play (at the most) from left to right and side to side.

[APDTY]

@EvelKnievelCadaver Sounds like it is probably the regulator, the last thing to check would be to unbolt the glass from the regulator,, and move the regulator by itself, and the glass by itself, whichever is causing the friction will be your culprit.

[Goodwrench496]

what could be wrong with a window that comes up slow,but when you pull up on the front of the glass it comes up normally. this is a 2005 ford expedition.

[APDTY]

@Goodwrench496 Could very well be the regulator starting to fail, if the window Shifts forward when going up, it will drag against the rubber seal and cause it to go up slow.

[kreativesailor]

she look really sexy with that wind blowing her hair.

[itsDUBZ]

my window has fallen down you can pull it up but just slides down 2004 jeep cheroke grand

[APDTY]

@itsDUBZ That is a good sign the regulator has gone bad, your truck has a cable style regulator, and when the cable snaps, or a pulley breaks, the window will no longer have anything to support it.

[APDTY]

@itsDUBZ That is a good sign the regulator has gone bad, your truck has a cable style regulator, and when the cable snaps, or a pulley breaks, the window will no longer have anything to support it. The only way to fix it is to replace the regulator assembly.

[melmore123]

@itsDUBZ Just happened to me in my 01 Grand Cherokee about 2 hours ago.

[ThouHastEnabled]

Thank you for your time with making this video. It has helped me diagnose the issue with my girlfriends suburban. Cheers

[aiyic]

Bingo!

[xxtinxtinxx]

I don't know whether or not you still check your youtube page, but after watching your video, you helped me out A LOT!!! Compared to the other videos concerning this problem, you are the only one who really talks and explains what I need to do to fix this problem, Thank you once again for you knowledge and help.

[Bigshawn250]

very helpful video. i will try this.