Power Windows Failing

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Hi,
3 out of my 4 power windows have stopped working. They have stopped working one at a time over the course of over a year. When each one fails, the driver switch and the seat switch associated with the window both do not work. When the switches are pushed there is no sound. How would you troubleshoot?
Thanks

2

Don’t need to troubleshoot. 3 of your power window motors have failed. Replace them. Expect 4th one to die shortly.

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3

@Mustangman is very likely correct. You can confirm this by seeing if there’s 12V at the motor when you push one of the switches. You’ll need to remove the door cards to do this.

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4

My logic… One still works, so not a fuse. Each failure, neither switch worked, so not a switch failure. Same failure each time so it is unlikely it is a wiring failure

That leaves bad motors as the cause. But…

As @texases points out… it could be a broken wire at each door, so test it before you swap it.

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5

Thanks, I figured it would fail while in use…appreciate the reply.

6

Also expected sounds…

7

+1 for both above… But also make sure you have not pushed the window lock out button on the master (drivers) switch… just incase the last one stopped due to the window lock… lol

8

Multi meters are your friend. Switch contacts good, power at switch? Power at motor? Motor not worky? Problem identified.

9

Once the switches/motors/wiring are repaired/replaced, good opportunity to also lube the entire mechanism before replacing the door cards. That will help keep it working smoothly. Don’t forget to also clean & lube the two side channels in the window frame where the edge of the window runs up & down.

Believe it or not, I’ve never once in all my years of driving ever had a window motor fail. Why? I’ve never owned a car w/ electric windows :wink: … lol …

10

Me either. What could be easier than the old-fashioned way? Turn the crank, window goes down. Turn it again, window goes up. Simple, easy, and rock-solid reliable.

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11

Then again, I have owned 6 vehicles with power windows, and none of them ever needed to have repairs done on the window mechanism.

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12

Me either. Last vehicle I owned with a mechanical window crank was my 1984 GMC pickup. We’ve owned 7 vehicles totaling well over 1,000,000 miles and never a window crank motor failure. Maybe living in the south and the higher temps has something to do with it? Heat is not very friendly on electronics.

13

Electronic systems are more reliable than mechanical systems. I had trouble with power windows on a 1998 car but not since then. We kept that car for 14 years. We had other cars for 15, 12, 6, 10 and 10 years since then and no problems with power windows. I didn’t include the newest cars that we still have at 4 years and 6 months. No problems with them either of course.

14

I am on window regulator #6, I think, on my Chevy Avalanche All 4 at least once and the driver and passenger fronts twice in 151K miles and 19 years. And it is never the motors, it is always the mechanism. Weak design.

It is a well known problem with these, Suburbans and Tahoes. Every parts store locally carries a full car set. Takes 20 minutes to swap one out if you have some experience.

If you don’t use the windows much, they last longer. In the heat, I open all 4 windows open 3/4 inch when I park to keep the interior cooler (black truck!) so they’ve gotten a bit more use in the last decade.

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15

I’m ALL for less is better and my DD and hotrod both have crank windows, but damn I hate not being able to hit a button and roll them up and down most of the times… I have owned a lot of vehicles and most had P/W and much easier to use… When my daughter was looking for her next vehicle, she said that she new I wanted her in a Toyota of some kind, but she said it better have P/W’s this time… :rofl:
BTW I also have an old truck with P/W and an older Infinity that has been sitting for a while with P/W’s, so it is a lot easier to roll the window(s) up/down on a 4 door while driving with Power vs crank… Just saying… :wink:

And yes I have replaced a few motor/reg in my vehicles over the years and it is well worth it… Especially in the South…

16

I was sold on power windows the day I played around with them on my grandma’s '60 Rambler. Took me till '96 to have them in my own car.

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17

I’ve replaced a couple regulators over the years. Same as Mustangman, never the motor or switches, the mechanism gets worn out or sticky after 10-12 years. That causes the motor to work harder and eventually trip the over current protection. Same thing happens with manual cranks but there’s no limit on your arm :slight_smile: I tried to get cheap once by cleaning and regreasing the slides but it only lasted about a year and back to the same issue. Changing them out is relatively easy and then they work for the rest of the car’s life for me.

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18

Title of this thread is “power windows failing”. If electronic systems are more reliable, how do you explain the OP’s power window failure?

19

I too have never had a power window failure. I thought I had a problem two winters ago on one, but it’s been fine since. Not like that old 57 Buick where the windows would fall down in the winter. Stuff has gotten better in 50 or so years.

20

George, you have an engineering background, no? Does the failure of one system constitute a systemic condition? Are you implying that mechanical window controls never fail?