The driver’s power window on my 90 Camry has begun to make a loud bang when I start to lower the window. It works normally although. Would this be possibly indicative of something going wrong? How hard is it to open up the inside of the door to see the mechanism and look for problems? Could something be hanging up or coming loose?
Yes, something is going wrong, and it will only get worse. Perhaps the window mechanism has come loose and is banging against the door as it starts to move.
The door panel is held on mostly by plastic connectors that pop apart and back together again. If you start prying at the bottom rear corner of the panel you’ll see how the connectors come apart. There will be a few screws, too, which may be difficult to locate. Check around the arm rest for plastic covers hiding screws.
If there is a plastic sheet under the inside panel you must keep it intact and replace it when you put the door back together.
What confuses me is the power window controls and the power door lock lever on the inside of the door panel. How would these disconnect if the inside panel is to come off?
The switches can be pried out of their receptacles and disconnected, or disconnected after the panel is loose. You should probably disconnect the battery before you start this project.
There is also a plastic trim piece around the inside door handle that has to come off. It’s usually held in place by a Phillips head screw.
It might be worth investing in a Haynes service manual to guide you through this. They are inexpensive but contain lots of useful information about things like this.
You may have a bolt loose enough to interfere with the window travel. The window may be hitting the bolt so the window may break if not repaired.
A very close inspection is required. Remove the handle retaining screws and switches and pry off the panel. Be prepared to replace some plastic clips.