hi sages with direct experience r and r ing the window motor- how much work is it to replace the driver door power window motor(isit a full 5F job). checked clipcity(dealer) wants 600 checked indie wants 250. to hell with either. has worked perfectly for last 5 years. wondering if recent cool weather here on tobacco road in se fla has something to do with it. anyway window will go down with switch but up doesnt always work- press button no soap , no motor sound, no straining sound).also suspect switch may have gone to hell. other windows work fine. dont think motor has been replaced since car new. did this job back in 80on 76 dodge. another switch on driver armrest has a black and white dot on each side which i think shuts off back doorwindows or locks, never use it no longerhave little twirps riding in back. hope you can give me a 5 step or less shortcut and tutorial if youve done this job. anxiously awaiting your salvation. thanks tons my bruthas,oldduke

swap the switch with one from the rear seats...then if the problem open it up and clean it.

thanks new mex and other sages- will take switch out , take it apart, clean it and slap it back in . hope switch isnt shot although rock auto has some listed for sale from uro. regards oldduke

Gotta agree with the others. It is most likely just a corroded switch. Had same problem years ago on my 90 240. Removed and cleaned switch and contacts. Reinstalled, voila - fully operational!

A few months ago I actually had to replace a rear window switch in my 850. For a long time it exhibited the same behavior as yours. Window would lower fine, but I would need to help raise it with my hands. Finally, the window died in the open position. Pulled old switch and it literally fell apart in my hand!! Ordered new switch (>$20), replaced and all is well...:)

Agree. The problem is the switch

hi blues- but what is the tipoff that the switch is stinko. certainly would be much easier to repair that. other than statistically speaking these motors rarely go to hell, it is 25 years old. last night it was cooler again as i turned off easy street onto tobacco road and the window wouldnt go up . worked the switch and pulled the window a few times and it went up. did cuss. uncle moe bet me its the switch too. if hes right i have to take him out for steak and schaeffer. should have kept my mouth shut. thanks tons oldduke

oldduke wrote--"but what is the tipoff that the switch is stinko." The fact that the window would consistently go down indicates that the motor itself works.--Dave

The trickiness is in the fact the switches have multiple contacts in each, and they all need to function. That gets even more complicated when troubleshooting a window other than the driver's window, as one switch can be the reason another switch isn't working.

A study of the wiring diagram would explain, but in the absence of that effort, take it on faith -- the window problems are rarely in the motor. Most are in the switch contacts, and after that, the wires in the door jambs.

http://cleanflametrap.com/91wdm100.jpg

http://cleanflametrap.com/91wdm101.jpg
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

700/900 FAQ

Step 1: Read Matt's reply.
Step 2: Read Dave's reply.
Step 3: Head out to your car with your screwdrivers. Don't forget the Torx.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

"A nickel isn't worth a dime anymore."

Changing out the motor is not hard--but the motor is not likely the problem. The switches carry current and have rather soft contacts which burn/build up a layer of carbon(?). Check the operation of the window switches at the rear doors. If they work consistently remove the screws holding your choice of armrest and slide the switch out towards the door (kinder to the plastic than trying to just pry the switch out). Do the same with with the driver's door switch panel.
The switches just pry off the trim panel. Plug the rear switch into the front window harness and give the motor a test with the new switch. Snap the new switch into the panel and you're good to go.
You can then "overhaul" the reluctant switch. They just pry apart and have pins and slots to assure alignment on reassembly. Inside you'll find stamped metal "rocker" contacts, and a spring and ball for each. I scrape the crude off all the contacts and use either grease or vaseline to hold the parts in place as you snap the works back together. -- Dave

OldDuke,

I don't have experience with the motor replacement or repair yet, but maybe some day.

What I do have experience with is removing the drivers side switch array and repairing that, which solved the problem of the passengers side window being intermittent as you describe. It would go down fine, but would not always go up.

I removed the switch assembly and took the whole thing apart and cleaned it. While I was in there I flipped all the contacts around so that the one side that had no ware, would be getting ware. I also placed dielectric grease on all the contacts to help slow down and/or prevent corrosion which is what has caused your window to not work reliably any longer.

Search the site, FAQ and the web on how to take the switch apart and flip everything around. It probably took me about a half an hour to do all this from start to finish and now all the windows on my friends 93 work as they should.

Let us know how you fair.

Good luck.

Matt

As others have mentioned, always go for the simple fix first. Might be all you need to do is slide the connectors down almost off the switch and back up again to restore electrical contact.