1997 Driver Door Power Window Problem

[jasguild]

I have 1997 Camry and every so often my driver side power window stops working. It will go up half way and stop. After a few minutes, it will continue to go like 2 inches at a time. Some times it may take me as much as 30 minutes to get it all the way up back.

Anyone else has this problem?? Any practical solution??

Thanks

jasguild

[Luna2]

Originally Posted by jasguild

I have 1997 Camry and every so often my driver side power window stops working. It will go up half way and stop. After a few minutes, it will continue to go like 2 inches at a time. Some times it may take me as much as 30 minutes to get it all the way up back.

Anyone else has this problem?? Any practical solution??

Thanks

jasguild

Take it to the dealer, possible bad motor.

[jasguild]

the car is out of warranty. Any links or suggestions on testing and doing it myself??

Thanks

jasguild

[Luna2]

Originally Posted by jasguild

the car is out of warranty. Any links or suggestions on testing and doing it myself??

Thanks

jasguild

On my 97 Olds, the moter had a thermal breaker on the inside of the motor, which would open (when hot) and close (reset when cool) because of excessive current. I replaced it ant the lift parts with a unit baught from Ebay. Some tweeking had to be done, but it works faster than the OEM and was less than 1/2 the price of the OEM even with the shipping. Took me 2 hours to complete because of 1st. time, looking for tools, and the addition of hardware, to replace the rivits. I am very happy with the install. Depending on your repair abilites, I would call this silghtly above average due to the adjustments to make the window track true and have no binds going up or down. If the elevator parts are OK, get just the motor. Should then be just remove, reinstall, plug and play. GOOD LUCK!!!!

[jasguild]

Originally Posted by Luna2

On my 97 Olds, the moter had a thermal breaker on the inside of the motor, which would open (when hot) and close (reset when cool) because of excessive current. I replaced it ant the lift parts with a unit baught from Ebay. Some tweeking had to be done, but it works faster than the OEM and was less than 1/2 the price of the OEM even with the shipping. Took me 2 hours to complete because of 1st. time, looking for tools, and the addition of hardware, to replace the rivits. I am very happy with the install. Depending on your repair abilites, I would call this silghtly above average due to the adjustments to make the window track true and have no binds going up or down. If the elevator parts are OK, get just the motor. Should then be just remove, reinstall, plug and play. GOOD LUCK!!!!

but my problem is that if this is a common defect with the motors, buying another one may have the same defect.

jasguild

[carlo$]

either a bad switch.

a bad regulator.

a bad thermal switch.


sounds like a bad thermal switch. look at the online manuals and maybe you can fix it yourself. it sound like an easy to do project.

[Luna2]

Originally Posted by jasguild

but my problem is that if this is a common defect with the motors, buying another one may have the same defect.

jasguild

The motor (mine) was abused from staying in Alaska for over 2 years, and trying to get the inside warm enough to "unstick" the window with the motor and not going outside and work the ice out of the offending seals, then use the motor. The problem with the motor is too much current (a protection device protects the wiring) which could be cause by any number of things. Mine was nine years old, I expect it to work properly for another nine years, if I keep the car that long.

If you can measure the current [pop your fuse and put the amp meter between the two pins, in series with a fuse]. Compare the bad window current with the others, you will have the info you need to know if it is the motor, breaker or switch.

[CharmCityES]

this is in the wrong fourm....this belongs in the gen 3-4 section
anyways, this is a common issue with some older cars....it could be the switch, regulator, motor, or thermal switch....if you know something about electrical troubleshooting, this is a relativly easy fix...just test wach componet to isolate the faulty one, and replace it...sounds to me as if all the elevator mechanisms are fine, it should be something minor like the above mentioned...all can be sourced from ebay, dealer or auto parts store/ pick and pull
check this site www.camrymanuals.com under the gen 4 section to see how to take the door panel apart and how to replace the nesessary componets

[toyomoho]

You need to localize the problem.

Which you have the manual info, use a voltmeter to test voltage output to the motor. If the motor stops working but is still receiving power, then it has a problem. If the motor is not receiving power start checking the switch circuits.

[CharmCityES]

couldent have said it better

[jasguild]

I will be honest I am not the best with electrical stuff. I can get by and fuddle around with my volts meter but most of it testing will not be based on science but on logic and guessing.

Anyway I like the idea of localizing and isolating the problem. I think I may have some more hints as to what the problem is.

I noticed that all the switches on the driver door are acting wierd. For eg, pressing the electric door lock on the driver side, only sometime locks the driver door. In addition it does not always lock the passenger side door and rear doors. If you lock and unlock the electric lock from the driver door, continuously, after a while, it only moves the lock button like 1/4 way. At that point it takes like 4 hits continoulsly to move the lock to the locked position.

However, when I am on the passenger side, it locks all doors without a problme except the driver door.

When you coin this problem with the other problem I am having with the window, its almost like everything that is powered from the driver door is underpowered.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Luna2]

Originally Posted by jasguild

I will be honest I am not the best with electrical stuff. I can get by and fuddle around with my volts meter but most of it testing will not be based on science but on logic and guessing.

Anyway I like the idea of localizing and isolating the problem. I think I may have some more hints as to what the problem is.

I noticed that all the switches on the driver door are acting wierd. For eg, pressing the electric door lock on the driver side, only sometime locks the driver door. In addition it does not always lock the passenger side door and rear doors. If you lock and unlock the electric lock from the driver door, continuously, after a while, it only moves the lock button like 1/4 way. At that point it takes like 4 hits continoulsly to move the lock to the locked position.

However, when I am on the passenger side, it locks all doors without a problme except the driver door.

When you coin this problem with the other problem I am having with the window, its almost like everything that is powered from the driver door is underpowered.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Replace the switches in the drivers door, they are corroded and making intermittent contact. The drivers door gets the most use / abuse and the switches have been wet repeatedly. (Best guess tied to my experience with my olds, drivers door only switch problems.)