Passenger window not working- why?

[tdorsey835]

My passenger side window has stopped working. At first I thought it was the switch, but the switch on the driver's side doesn't operate it either. Also, with the car and the radio off, I can hear the motor 'click' for just a second when I depress either side's switch. Before this happened, the window would operate, but was temperamental. Any suggestions where to start? Thanks.

[don911]

I'd first make sure the glass didn't pull out of the channel. Not the door channel, rather the channel that goes up/down and is part of the linkage. The glass is just pressed into the channel and can pull out as the felt gets old.
Push the switch like you want to roll the window down and hold it for a second or two. Then grab the window and see if you can push it down. If you can manually move the window down, it's pulled out of the channel.
I had this happen on the drivers side. If the window is still in the channel, I'd guess it's the motor but that's just a wild a$$ guess.

[ruf-porsche]

Loose connection at one of the switch?

[tdorsey835]

Thanks guys. loose connection was what I was thinking, but if that was the case, then pressing the switch wouldn't cause the clicking sound in the motor. There is definitely some electrical connection happening there. Don I'll check the glass coming loose from the channel, but it seems to me I would be able to hear the regulator going up and down without the window. No? It almost seems as though the motor is getting power but stuck in place.

[88911coupe]

I have had similar problems (on my '88) and did the usual replacing switches, cleaning contacts, etc. none of which helped. I had to roll the darn window up manually using the allen wrench and much to my surprise it started working again. This has been the scenario for about a year now. It will work for a long time then suddenly stop(in my case it's the driver's side only that's tempermental) I don't really understand why running it up and down manually a couple of times seems to fix it, at least temporarily.
Good Luck

[tdorsey835]

How do you roll the window up manually with an allen wrench? I want to try this because it seems as though the motor wants to run but the window is stuck. If maybe I could get it down and back up once, it would free it up? Thanks Buck.

[cab83_750]

Talking about windows, my passenger side would roll down normally (i.e., at the same speed as the driver side), but rolling up is snail-slow-pace. Any feedback? Hopefully, Troy does not mind me rolling my issue into his!

If Troy does mind, my apologies!

[Keith Perry]

It's the switch. My '82 SC Targa did the same, click, but no movement. New switch and it works fine. I borrowed a switch first. Apparently the passenger switch on the driver's side is in series. It wouldn't operate until I changed out the passenger side. Be gentle when prying and reinstall before the wires droop. I used a hemostat to hold the wires this side of the hole.

[Keith Perry]

Okay, Okay, maybe it's not the switch. After I had the same symptoms as you a month or two ago, and got it working by swapping in a new switch, I went to put up the passenger window last night and nothing, other than the click. I swapped the passenger switches into the driver switch and they all worked for the drivers window. I took off the passenger side door panel and the four bolts that hold the lifting mechanism and hand pulled the window up with some pry leverage from below the bottom track. Doing this closed the window and dropped the motor mechanism down to where I could access the three bolts holding the motor to the lift mechanism and took the motor out. The winder wouldn't spin at all. I removed two torx or star bolts (I used a vice grip to loosen them) to break apart the motor from the winder. Apart, the winder spun freely, but the armature in the motor didn't, at first. I squirted some white lithium grease down a red tube extension and also did the top receptacle for the armature, as well as the long spiral drive gear, which was absolutely dry, with grease accumulated at the bottom end, where it was doing no good. Reassembled and voila! it works again. So maybe it isn't the switch.

[tdorsey835]

Keith, thanks for the update. I recently ordered 2 new switches and installed them but no difference- still didn't work. I have been meaning to take the door apart but was putting it off. This makes total sense that it is stick because I can hear the motor trying to lift the window. Now that youv'e paved the way- I'll be into it this weekend. Question- did you lubricate the motor itself (internally) or just the parts and pieces of the lift mechanism? Thanks.

[Keith Perry]

Hi. I'm not so sure I should have, but I did lubricate the top end of the spiral gear by squirting some grease into where it seats in the winder mechanism, before putting the motor and winder back together, and shot some grease into the base of the motor where that end of the armature is seated, thru a small hole at the base of the motor. I put a lot of grease on the spiral gear. I'm also looking for a replacement motor to have sitting on the shelf for when I need it. And I greased every connecting point on the various parts of the lift mechanism. Oh, and I took the speaker out of the door to have access to the motor.

[Sam King]

I had the a similar problem with the drivers side on my 79SC. I ended up taking the motor out of the door. (A real pain.) I dissassembled the motor to find one of the brushes was stuck. It looked like it had been arcing and the buildup caused the brush not to move with the spring pressure provided. I moved the brush back and forth a couple of times to free it up, added the same grease on the worm gear as above. Assembled everything back in the door. (A real pain.) It works perfectly now. Even better than the passenger side. Took about 2 hours start to finish. (A couple of "cool off" breaks included.)

[caliber60]

How long does it take to remove the door panel to access to the motor??

[bkrygier]

The question is how long does it take to put it back together?
I had to replace mydrivers side window regulator. Lot of screws and clips . 101 Projects haspretty good visual aids. Its also a good time to replace window seals if you need them