Question: 2000 C5 Driver's Power Window Motor or Regulator?

[Cerry]

My driver's window is not working at all. I hear a click when pressing the door switch either up or down. No Diagnostic Codes. After reading the threads, I was wondering if slamming the door, hitting the "special place" on the door, and/or hitting the power window motor works, does this indicate that the problem is the motor rather than the regulator?

 

[LLC5]

My driver's window is not working at all. I hear a click when pressing the door switch either up or down. No Diagnostic Codes. After reading the threads, I was wondering if slamming the door, hitting the "special place" on the door, and/or hitting the power window motor works, does this indicate that the problem is the motor rather than the regulator?

If you tap the door or motor when pressing the switch and the window goes up and down perfectly, then it is usually a bad motor. If it starts working, but binds or is slow when working, then it could be the regulator and the motor. The only way to test accurately is to remove the door panel and investigate. Good luck with it.

 

[Cerry]

:BOW Thanks so much for the speedy reply!

By "The only way to test accurately is to remove the door panel and investigate" do you mean "use a meter to verify if you are getting power to the motor connector. If you are, then you've got a bad motor"? (The second quote is from thread I found in this forum). Is there anything else I should know to investigate?

 

[Toms007]

Cerry, it sounds like you are on your way to troubleshooting the problem. But I wanted to Welcome you to CAC. As you have already found, We have lots of very knowledgeable people here to help out with these issues. I hope that you find you problem and get it repaired quickly.

 

[LLC5]

:BOW Thanks so much for the speedy reply!

By "The only way to test accurately is to remove the door panel and investigate" do you mean "use a meter to verify if you are getting power to the motor connector. If you are, then you've got a bad motor"? (The second quote is from thread I found in this forum). Is there anything else I should know to investigate?

Yes, remove the door panel and make sure that you are getting power (battery positive), and ground (battery negative), to the window motor and through the harness pins and to the pins on the motor. Back probing an electrical connector tells you if the circuit is good to that connector, but does not tell you if it is getting through the terminal connector and to it's source, which is why you should always check the pin fit of a connector in any faulty circuit. Good luck with it.

 

[Cerry]

:thanks: for the information. I'm slow, but will post my results when I get them.

 

[Cerry]

Update - It was the power window motor. The window has not been working for a couple of years, so it took taking the door panel off to give it a good bang! :bang The window is now working perfectly. We have decided to wait until the motor goes completely out before replacing it. For now, it's great to have a working driver's window.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[timfitz63]

Looks like my '98 Coupe has become a victim of the same problem: driver's side window will not operate, stuck in the "up" position. In pushing the button (commanding either up or down) I can hear the relay clicking, but the window remains motionless.

Checked fuses on a lark; all appear good. Tried some of the simple solutions offered in this and related threads (slamming the door, removing the plastic cover behind the interior door handle and tapping on the screw heads), as well as pushing down gently on the window glass while operating the switch; no joy... Next step, I guess, will be to remove the door panel and see whether some internal connection has come loose; or if I can breath life back into the motor by giving it a good whack.

Does anyone know if replacement motors are available? And how difficult they are to swap out? I have an '89 Firebird in which the regulator/motor went out, and in reading the difficulty (and strong potential for physical injury) in taking on that job as a DIY, I ultimately opted to call in professional help. Wondering (largely out of ignorance) if that's the best course of action with the C5 window motors as well...?

 

[gmjunkie]

Tim,The window reg on a C5 isn't bad,You can do it! Didn't I send you a disk a couple years ago?

You can get the motors AM and from GM.

Mine screwed up about 3 years ago on a Saturday,I took the motor apart cleaned up the armature and got a set of vacuum cleaner brushes from their assortment at the local Tru-Value.

Had to file them just a little to fit,It's been working ever since!


PS The motor isn't designed to take apart,But it can be done!

 

[timfitz63]

Tim,The window reg on a C5 isn't bad,You can do it! Didn't I send you a disk a couple years ago?

Yes, you did! And it seems I had it in my hands within the past few months as I was cleaning up, too. But unfortunately, I don't currently have access to a Windows-based computer on which I can view it (I've got a Macintosh). I guess I'll have to take the disk over to a friend's house and print out the relevant diagrams. But thanks for jogging my memory about the disk!

 

[Otter]

.. removing the plastic cover behind the interior door handle and tapping on the screw heads), as well as pushing down gently on the window glass while operating the switch; no joy...

Have had this issue on my 99 twice, first time it quit for a couple weeks, then started working on its own again for approximately 1 year. The 2nd time last spring, I ran across this thread and I tried the tapping thing by myself..tap tap tap on the screw heads, then tried the switch with no luck. Then I had wife hitting the down button as I simultaneously tapped(smacked) it 3,4 times and it broke loose. Know I will eventually need to replace the motor, but this has gotten me thru this summer.

 

[timfitz63]

Have had this issue on my 99 twice, first time it quit for a couple weeks, then started working on its own again for approximately 1 year. The 2nd time last spring, I ran across this thread and I tried the tapping thing by myself..tap tap tap on the screw heads, then tried the switch with no luck. Then I had wife hitting the down button as I simultaneously tapped(smacked) it 3,4 times and it broke loose. Know I will eventually need to replace the motor, but this has gotten me thru this summer.

I also tried tapping at the same time I was pushing on the down button, but it still refused to break loose. Maybe I just need to hit it harder? I was trying to go easy on it without knowing the right amount of 'umph' to put into it...

I didn't have the time right now to devote to a lengthy period of slamming/tapping/hitting/swearing/rinse/repeat, but will try again when I'm back in Pittsburgh in early October. Keep the tips coming, though! Thanks!