OP, remember to take the necessary precautions so you are 100% sure the window won’t break loose and fall down while your hands are inside the door. The window is quite heavy and could do a lot of damage to your hands and arms.
Thanks for the ongoin feedback, folks. Here’s an update:
The suction cup has arrived, and I’m using it to safety the window (picture #1). Thankfully, @Tester , the nuts/bolts for the regulator line up with the holes when the window is fully elevated in this car. So I’ve had no trouble removing all the nuts from the regulator/motor bolts.
However, I’m having trouble getting enough separation at the top of the window to actually remove the window from the regulator. You can see the bolt stick through on picture #2 (and picture #3, close-up–the lower bolt in both pictures). Any suggestions for this anybody?
@GeorgeSanJose , no, I don’t have a wiring diagram. If the regulator seems to work well, I’m going to presume that it’s the motor, although I’ll also test the motor with a test light once it’s removed.
@BillRussell , no, I didn’t pay the mechanic. His shop is very reasonable, and he agreed to do a quick diagnosis for free…may have had something to do with the fact that I was there with multiple/questions issues (i.e., future business), and the fact that the power window was a potential (but unlikely) insurance claim for a minor hit-and-run. Of course, he wasn’t too interested in telling me how I might do it myself, nor of clarifying whether or not the regulator was still good–since, as I said, he could only order the combined unit from his source. I went away to think about this, and other issues.
Thanks for the rest of the feedback. If/when I get the unit out, if the regulator seems to be working well–how do I test this??–then I’ll save myself some cash by just ordering a replacement motor.
Finally, incidentally, after removing the door panel I found two loose parts (one swimming in the door well): Picture #4. Any idea what either of these are for?
Thanks!
Install the nuts on the glass lift plate so the glass doesn’t drop when you lower it. Tap on the motor with a small hammer while holding the window switch in the down position. You should lower the window about 4" to align the three lift plate nuts with the three holes in the door. In this position there should be enough room to remove the glass. Without any frame around the glass it will be unstable in the raised position, you should remove it from the door.
Got a used part for windstar, failed regulator, all one piece, $200 I think, had to drill out the rivets and replace them with bolts.
If you decide to buy a regulator/motor for the window, consider new Dorman parts. I found they worked the best for my Buick Regal. Since they are aftermarket, they manufacture for many car brands. The price is very attractive.
1aauto sales the window switch for $35 http://m.1aauto.com/2001-toyota-solara-power-window-switch/y-mo-c/2001-401-35
… I actually would try that first. Just doesn’t sound like a bad regulator unit. But it’s probably cheaper insurance to replace the motor/regulator for future use.
@Nevada_545 , thanks for your comments. Strangely, perhaps, the three nuts/bolts on the glass lift plate are aligned when the class is in the (current) fully-up position. (They’re the three holes visible in the centre of the first picture.) It makes sense that lower the window would provide more space in the door to slide the glass off the bolts, but I’d have to lower the window all the way down to the large working space in this case, I think. (Does that makes sense?)
If I am able to lower the window by flipping the switch and gently hammering the motor, how will I raise the window again? (I haven’t ordered parts yet, since I’m still trying to determine if the motor & regulator are both shot, or whether it’s just the motor. Some folks are suggesting the switch, but my test light seems to suggest that the switch is okay…)
Your feedback is appreciated!
If you can’t get the window back up you’ll have to cut the cables inside so you can move the window freely but once you do that there is nothing that will hold the window up as it’ll just keep sliding down. I did this on my car. I think if the window lowers by tapping it with a hammer then you are looking at a bad motor. Just imho
The service manual states that this is the position in which the window can be removed;
14. REMOVE DOOR GLASS
HINT:
Insert a shop rag inside the door panel to prevent scratching the
glass.
(a) Open the door glass until the nuts appear in the service
hole.
(b) Remove the 3 nuts and door glass.
NOTICE:
Do not damage the door glass.
HINT:
Pull the glass upward to remove it.
15. REMOVE WINDOW REGULATOR ASSEMBLY
(a) Remove the 7 nuts and window regulator assembly.
HINT:
Remove the window regulator assembly through the service
hole.
(b) Disconnect the connector.
If you cut the regulator cable you will be replacing both the regulator and motor.
Not sure if you’ve tested it but this could help you also finding the main source of the problem. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2tLmH05UKwk
Once you have the window low enough to access the screws that hold it to the regulator, remove the screws. The window will go up when you push it up, but will fall down unless you tape it in place. If you do this, you will probably have to tape it to the door to keep it up until you fix the regulator issue. I’ve done this, but only when the failed regulator did not hold the window up.
@Nevada_545 and @jtsanders , the three nuts from the glass-lift plate appear when the window is fully elevated (as it is now, since it stopped working). I’ve reattached a close-up showing this. I can get the nuts off easily enough, but I can’t find enough space in the door to bring the glass forward (towards me) to get the bolts off the regulator (pictures #2 and 3 above).
Also, without being able to remove the regulator, I can’t access the motor to tap it using a hammer. (It’s mounted to the rear of the speaker, in picture #1 above).
Does this make sense? I hope I’m not missing what you’re trying to explain to me! I’m at a loss to know how a mechanic would remove the glass and/or the regulator at this point!
Any suggestions/clarifications appreciated!
On most cars the door glass is disconnected and removed in the mid position. The service manual for this car states the the window can be removed when the three nuts are aligned with the service holes. You may have to remove the outer belt line molding for additional clearance.
I would just tap on the motor with a hammer and lower the window. If you don’t have a small hammer that will fit inside the door use a screw driver to strike the motor.
You have to lower the window to gain access to the rear of the window as @Nevada_545 implied. It looks like you have a suction cup to hold the window in place (red thingie on window in photos). If that works well enough, you would not have to tape window in place.
@DIY_Wannabe: Were you able to fix the window problem? I can’t figure out how to remove the window motor. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You have to remove the interior door trim panel, then pull back the plastic vapor barrier. The window motor should now be visible inside the door, along with the lift mechanism attached to it.
Thanks @jtsanders for your quick response.
In the coupe, the motor for the rear window is hidden behind somewhere and I am not able to see it. I have removed all the trims. I can send you a picture but don’t know how to attach it in my reply.
The coupe has fixed windows, they don’t go down.
If you have a convertible remove the back seat and side trim panel to access the window regulator and motor.
@Nevada_545 - Here’s what it looks like with all trims removed. Don’t know where the motor or regulator is and how to remove it. Please help.
Here’s some more description of the problem and the troubleshooting that I have done so far:
My vehicle is 2001 Toyota Solara Convertible Coupe.
The small rear passenger side window is stuck in the down position. I asked the dealer to fix it up but they could not find the problem after charging me for 4 hours of labor. According to them, the switch is fine and the motor is fine and they said that they moved the window up by manually applying the battery to the motor. They didn’t show me what they did and had disconnected the wire going into the motor.
I have checked the voltage coming to the faulty passenger side window motor and have compared it with the voltage with the driver side window motor. Both wires seem to get the same voltage but the polarity is reversed. Multi-meter red wire to motor red wire and multi-meter black wire to motor green wire shows positive voltage while the close button is pressed on driver side motor but gets similar negative voltage on passenger side motor.
When I started troubleshooting it myself, I connected the wire back and pressed the open button. The window opened properly but now it is again stuck in the down position.
Does this mean that the motor is fine but the issue is with the regulator? What does the regulator do anyway and where is it located?
Also, according to the wiring diagram, there are 4 relays which control the up and down motion of the rear windows - 2 for LH and 2 for RH. Could the problem be with one of the relays? If yes, how do I troubleshoot a relay?