Hi!

I got great help here last time (seatbelt light: thanks,
hyundaitech!).

So now I have another small challenge. The driver's window won't go up
on my wife's 2003 Tibby GT. I've got the door panel off, and my
question is .. what next?

For example, could it just be the switch? How do I test that? Is
there anything else I should test?

If it's the motor that's the problem, then it appears that I can detach
the window (by unbolting it from the carriage) and pull it up through
the slot, and then unbolt the motor from where it's mounted to the
interior door frame, and then slide that contraption .. ?down and
through the frame holes? .. or ?up through the window slot?

How much should I expect to pay for a used window motor? New ones
appear to be around $80.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

I'm presuming the regulator isn't the problem since you've got the door
panel off and you make no mention of the window attempting to raise when
you activate the switch.

Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
problem in the motor.

If nothing happens, then you're back to doing electrical testing.
Usually, the issue is indeed the motor. So, I'd recommend unplugging the
motor and putting a test light between the terminals in the harness
connector. Then move the switch to the up and down positions. If the
lamp lights in each position, the switch is good and you have a bad motor.
If the lamp only lights in the down position, you have a bad switch. If
the lamp lights in neither position, you'll need to check the wiring to
the switch.

 

I'm presuming the regulator isn't the problem since you've got the door
panel off and you make no mention of the window attempting to raise when
you activate the switch.

Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
problem in the motor.

If nothing happens, then you're back to doing electrical testing.
Usually, the issue is indeed the motor. So, I'd recommend unplugging the
motor and putting a test light between the terminals in the harness
connector. Then move the switch to the up and down positions. If the
lamp lights in each position, the switch is good and you have a bad motor.
If the lamp only lights in the down position, you have a bad switch. If
the lamp lights in neither position, you'll need to check the wiring to
the switch.

 

I'm presuming the regulator isn't the problem since you've got the door
panel off and you make no mention of the window attempting to raise when
you activate the switch.

Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
problem in the motor.

If nothing happens, then you're back to doing electrical testing.
Usually, the issue is indeed the motor. So, I'd recommend unplugging the
motor and putting a test light between the terminals in the harness
connector. Then move the switch to the up and down positions. If the
lamp lights in each position, the switch is good and you have a bad motor.
If the lamp only lights in the down position, you have a bad switch. If
the lamp lights in neither position, you'll need to check the wiring to
the switch.

 

It worked!

I took a long flat file and beat the crap out of that motor, and the
window went up, all the way. Cool .. now she won't have to worry about
rain, and I have time to get a replacement motor.

Thanks again!


hyundaitech wrote:
> Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
> move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
> a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
> problem in the motor.

 

It worked!

I took a long flat file and beat the crap out of that motor, and the
window went up, all the way. Cool .. now she won't have to worry about
rain, and I have time to get a replacement motor.

Thanks again!


hyundaitech wrote:
> Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
> move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
> a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
> problem in the motor.

 

It worked!

I took a long flat file and beat the crap out of that motor, and the
window went up, all the way. Cool .. now she won't have to worry about
rain, and I have time to get a replacement motor.

Thanks again!


hyundaitech wrote:
> Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
> move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
> a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
> problem in the motor.

 

Oliver wrote:
> It worked!
>
> I took a long flat file and beat the crap out of that motor, and the
> window went up, all the way. Cool .. now she won't have to worry about
> rain, and I have time to get a replacement motor.
>
> Thanks again!
>
>
> hyundaitech wrote:
> > Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
> > move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
> > a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
> > problem in the motor.

That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
Are they really worth the trouble?

 

Oliver wrote:
> It worked!
>
> I took a long flat file and beat the crap out of that motor, and the
> window went up, all the way. Cool .. now she won't have to worry about
> rain, and I have time to get a replacement motor.
>
> Thanks again!
>
>
> hyundaitech wrote:
> > Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
> > move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
> > a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
> > problem in the motor.

That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
Are they really worth the trouble?

 

Oliver wrote:
> It worked!
>
> I took a long flat file and beat the crap out of that motor, and the
> window went up, all the way. Cool .. now she won't have to worry about
> rain, and I have time to get a replacement motor.
>
> Thanks again!
>
>
> hyundaitech wrote:
> > Plug your switch back in and try to raise the window. It still won't
> > move, right? While holding the switch in the up position, give the motor
> > a good whack with a wrench. If the window begins to go up, then there's a
> > problem in the motor.

That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
Are they really worth the trouble?

 

"Mooron" <mooron@mooron.com> wrote in message
news:1152278316.282562.324680@s53g2000cws.googlegr oups.com...

>
> That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
> Are they really worth the trouble?
>

In my opinion they are. I've had them for decades in cars and have had
scant few problems with them. If one were to base a preference on failures
that rank in the infrequent category, one certainly would never consider a
car in the first place. Lord knows - the whole car suffers more than just
an occasional need for attention.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

 

"Mooron" <mooron@mooron.com> wrote in message
news:1152278316.282562.324680@s53g2000cws.googlegr oups.com...

>
> That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
> Are they really worth the trouble?
>

In my opinion they are. I've had them for decades in cars and have had
scant few problems with them. If one were to base a preference on failures
that rank in the infrequent category, one certainly would never consider a
car in the first place. Lord knows - the whole car suffers more than just
an occasional need for attention.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

 

"Mooron" <mooron@mooron.com> wrote in message
news:1152278316.282562.324680@s53g2000cws.googlegr oups.com...

>
> That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
> Are they really worth the trouble?
>

In my opinion they are. I've had them for decades in cars and have had
scant few problems with them. If one were to base a preference on failures
that rank in the infrequent category, one certainly would never consider a
car in the first place. Lord knows - the whole car suffers more than just
an occasional need for attention.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE@alltel.net

 

Mike Marlow wrote:
> "Mooron" <mooron@mooron.com> wrote in message
> news:1152278316.282562.324680@s53g2000cws.googlegr oups.com...
>
>> That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
>> Are they really worth the trouble?
>>
>
> In my opinion they are. I've had them for decades in cars and have had
> scant few problems with them. If one were to base a preference on failures
> that rank in the infrequent category, one certainly would never consider a
> car in the first place. Lord knows - the whole car suffers more than just
> an occasional need for attention.
>

Exactly.

Power windows have cost me $9 and 30 of my own labor minutes above the
initial purchase expense. They usually increase resale value on a
vehicle. I've broken manual window handles (and getting good exact
replacements isn't always easy/cheap) and torn clothes on them.

If you're mechanically/electrically clueless and plan to keep the car
'forever' I can see the manual window option being smart. If you have
any troubleshooting and repair skills power windows are *very* simple to
maintain and shouldn't add a significant amount of extra hassles to any
vehicle purchase.

Now if you've got annoying kids/people that like to play with the window
buttons theres no way to get around that. The same applies to manual
windows - theres usually some weak plastic part involved in the window
mechanism - almost like a "mechanical fuse" to keep from putting too
much pressure on the glass.

But, hey, who needs power windows when theres air conditioning?

JS

 

Mike Marlow wrote:
> "Mooron" <mooron@mooron.com> wrote in message
> news:1152278316.282562.324680@s53g2000cws.googlegr oups.com...
>
>> That reminds me why I don't like power windows.
>> Are they really worth the trouble?
>>
>
> In my opinion they are. I've had them for decades in cars and have had
> scant few problems with them. If one were to base a preference on failures
> that rank in the infrequent category, one certainly would never consider a
> car in the first place. Lord knows - the whole car suffers more than just
> an occasional need for attention.
>

Exactly.

Power windows have cost me $9 and 30 of my own labor minutes above the
initial purchase expense. They usually increase resale value on a
vehicle. I've broken manual window handles (and getting good exact
replacements isn't always easy/cheap) and torn clothes on them.

If you're mechanically/electrically clueless and plan to keep the car
'forever' I can see the manual window option being smart. If you have
any troubleshooting and repair skills power windows are *very* simple to
maintain and shouldn't add a significant amount of extra hassles to any
vehicle purchase.

Now if you've got annoying kids/people that like to play with the window
buttons theres no way to get around that. The same applies to manual
windows - theres usually some weak plastic part involved in the window
mechanism - almost like a "mechanical fuse" to keep from putting too
much pressure on the glass.

But, hey, who needs power windows when theres air conditioning?

JS