Driver power window on my ‘04 LX is acting weird. For awhile it’s been slower than the other windows but still functions fine up and down, never any problems. Earlier today, it was completely unresponsive while the other three windows worked fine. When I would engage the switch, I would hear a little noise but no reaction by the window. Just ran a quick errand (5 hours later) and the window is working normal again. What could this mean?
Power window acting up - what could this mean?
- Thread starter dstewart3ss
- Start date
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Look up window actuator motors on the forum. Then change them. $10 part, $5 in epoxy. 1 hour. Search YT for the Land Cruiser Project window fix.
- Thread starter
- #3
Is it common that when your actuator motors need to be replaced that the window will stop working completely and then randomly work again? And when it was NOT working earlier today, the truck had been sitting since Saturday....wasn’t like I had worn the motor out earlier in the day.
Extremely common. I’ve changed 4 of my 5.
Has it been hot weather wise?
I'm going through something similar and here is my experience.
First, I'm not sure about the epoxy. There are cases there the plastic attachment points on the glass break off and there are ways to fix them with epoxy, but when that happens the mechanism goes up and down just fine, but the glass is freely hanging or fallen there unattached. This happened to me before I replaced the side window with a used one.
Second, so I get this used window ($100 shipped, not bad) and I get it installed, but it isn't tinted (beyond factory bronze hue) and I want it to match the passenger side. So I get this done and at the time the tint installer takes a card wrapped in a cloth or similar and really cleans out the channels where the window rides. After tint I immediately notice a much smoother window glide up and down. Before the passenger side was quicker (less use), now the driver side is slightly faster (great!)
Final act, when replacing the glass myself remember I said, 'you know you should really replace this window regulator and motor since you're in here'. But I didn't! Fast forward a few weeks and while my driver window is still fast when it works, one time it didn't (luckily it eventually came to life and I haven't touched it yet). So darn, I knew then I was going to have to take it all apart again.
Lessons, for a SLOW window, cleaning the channels definitely helps. But where it doesn't work the regulator and motor are almost certainly the problem. It may be possible to get them separate (maybe only replace the motor, for instance), but it looks like they should basically just be bought as a pair. I normally buy OEM, but looking at taking the door and glass apart again, I wish I had just gotten anything halfway decent while I was in there.
First, I'm not sure about the epoxy. There are cases there the plastic attachment points on the glass break off and there are ways to fix them with epoxy, but when that happens the mechanism goes up and down just fine, but the glass is freely hanging or fallen there unattached. This happened to me before I replaced the side window with a used one.
Second, so I get this used window ($100 shipped, not bad) and I get it installed, but it isn't tinted (beyond factory bronze hue) and I want it to match the passenger side. So I get this done and at the time the tint installer takes a card wrapped in a cloth or similar and really cleans out the channels where the window rides. After tint I immediately notice a much smoother window glide up and down. Before the passenger side was quicker (less use), now the driver side is slightly faster (great!)
Final act, when replacing the glass myself remember I said, 'you know you should really replace this window regulator and motor since you're in here'. But I didn't! Fast forward a few weeks and while my driver window is still fast when it works, one time it didn't (luckily it eventually came to life and I haven't touched it yet). So darn, I knew then I was going to have to take it all apart again.
Lessons, for a SLOW window, cleaning the channels definitely helps. But where it doesn't work the regulator and motor are almost certainly the problem. It may be possible to get them separate (maybe only replace the motor, for instance), but it looks like they should basically just be bought as a pair. I normally buy OEM, but looking at taking the door and glass apart again, I wish I had just gotten anything halfway decent while I was in there.
Ha. We are talking windows, not door locks. Ignore me. I should stick to working on work time and Mudding on Mud time.
- Thread starter
- #8
It’s been hot, yes....August in Charlotte is high 80s to mid 90s and very humid.....and I have been leaving the car outside all day for the past two weeks with a third car currently in the stable....so it’s definitely been more exposed to heat/sun directly.
- Thread starter
- #9
Hahaha - this is funny - all good man! I was pretty excited when I saw $15.
ramangain
Clarksonian disciple
Clean out the window channels and get some fresh grease where the motor spins and interfaces with the regulator. Shower everything with gentle kisses, reassemble, and pray you don't have to do it all over again when replacing parts to fix it on round 2.
I was wrong about the regulator and motor being usually sold together. Looks like they tend to be separate on this vehicle, whether oem or aftermarket. Aftermarket motor is about $85 at rockauto. I'll may try greasing it but mostly expect to go with that motor eventually. If I have to go beyond door card removal I will stop there and order motor immediately.
- Thread starter
- #12
Ok so I’m hopeful I solved the driver window....applied some spray silicone, seems to be working better and no signs of stoppage. Time will tell.
Now I’ve stumbled on a different issue with my passenger front window. From the master switch, passenger window goes up and down with ease using both manual and auto up/down. However, on the passenger door switch, the window only responds when I use auto up/down....trying to raise and lower without auto up/down yields no response. This makes me think something is wrong with the switch?.......BUT......
Here’s the other wrinkle....after playing around with the passenger window for awhile, it randomly stopped on its way up after going up ~3 inches. Let it sit for a second and it went up the rest of the way. Then rolled it all the way down again. When tried to raise the window, got no response from either switch. Waited maybe 30 seconds and it went up a little bit and then stopped. Waited another 30 seconds and it went up the rest of the way. So now I’m scratching my head. Mind you this is all being done without the engine running. So I crank the engine, wait a few seconds, and the window goes back to working normal time after time.
Can anyone make sense of this? Or thoughts on where I should focus my attention?
Now I’ve stumbled on a different issue with my passenger front window. From the master switch, passenger window goes up and down with ease using both manual and auto up/down. However, on the passenger door switch, the window only responds when I use auto up/down....trying to raise and lower without auto up/down yields no response. This makes me think something is wrong with the switch?.......BUT......
Here’s the other wrinkle....after playing around with the passenger window for awhile, it randomly stopped on its way up after going up ~3 inches. Let it sit for a second and it went up the rest of the way. Then rolled it all the way down again. When tried to raise the window, got no response from either switch. Waited maybe 30 seconds and it went up a little bit and then stopped. Waited another 30 seconds and it went up the rest of the way. So now I’m scratching my head. Mind you this is all being done without the engine running. So I crank the engine, wait a few seconds, and the window goes back to working normal time after time.
Can anyone make sense of this? Or thoughts on where I should focus my attention?
Damn, just had this exact same thing happen when I just went to store which led to come start searching the forums. One thing I noticed is an intermittent clicking from the driver side 4 window switch panel. My assumption is the switch is becoming worn after 21 years and 240K miles and the connection is not being made completely in the switch panel. I suspect this could be your issue as well as I'm guessing (without a wiring schematic) that the passenger window control routes back through the main driver switch control.
Would really like to hear if this is another common problem presenting like the actuator.
Symptom:
1) Window works completely normal at same speed as other windows
2) Suddenly window moves incredibly slow, or not at all
3) Driver shuts door, or drives down road and window moves at normal speed
4) Intermittent clicking from window control panel driving down the road.'
5) Switch feels incredibly touchy
Would really like to hear if this is another common problem presenting like the actuator.
Symptom:
1) Window works completely normal at same speed as other windows
2) Suddenly window moves incredibly slow, or not at all
3) Driver shuts door, or drives down road and window moves at normal speed
4) Intermittent clicking from window control panel driving down the road.'
5) Switch feels incredibly touchy
