Drivers Side Power Window

[MSBfan]

Recently my '02 drivers window quit going down. The motor and assembly will go down, but the window stays up.

I could lower the window carefully with my hands, and it would go back up like it should, but if I wanted to take it down again I would have to do it with my hands.

Now its at the point where the power assembly still works, but the window acts like its stuck if I try to take it down using my hands, and only goes about 1 inch then sticks. But it will go back to its 'home' position when I use the up button.

I thought this would be a minor inconvenience and I could tolerate it for awhile, but I never realized just how much I use that window.

So, any ideas what may have happened, and how to go about correcting it? Also if its an easily fixed item, any online links that could be provided?

Many thanks for any and all info!!

[AutoService101]

Glass seperated from the regulator would be my best guess......

[BNaylor]

Sounds more like a bad window regulator assembly to me. The most common issue with Alero or Grand Am power windows. We've replaced both front regulators to include drive motors in our 4 door '02 Alero GL2.

[MSBfan]

Since I finally got around to taking care of this issue, here is my follow-up.

I scoured the internet trying to find the best way to tackle this, and after much research and a pretty complete YouTube video on the matter, I set about my repair Friday night.

I got the door liner off without a problem, and once that was done, I hooked the window switch back up, and went up and down with it a couple times. What I found was that the window regulator was perfectly fine, and the window clips went up and down the rails like they should.

However, the problem was that one of the sash clips was broken in half, and the other one came off the window completely and was going up and down with the window clip. So I removed the window from the door and decided to try and remove the broken clip. I was able to slide a putty knife between the glass and clip, and remove most of the clip, but on each side there was a lump of stuff that I couldn't chip off, and didn't want to run the risk of damaging the glass.

On Saturday, I called around to several glass shops, but each one told me that they didn't install clips alone, those came on the glass and I would have to replace the window. I wasn't too happy as I found the clips at AZ and Advanced for 8.99 but I was getting no definite answer as to the best adhesive to use.

I pulled an old repair invoice and saw that this regulator had in fact been replaced back in '03 along with the sash clips, but here we are today with a broken clip, and one that wouldn't stick anymore.

So I decided to save myself any future problems that putting clips alone on would bring, and since I had resigned myself to spending 105 dollars for a regulator that I now didn't need, I bought a new window that one shop had for 95 dollars cash-and-carry.

Got the car back home, put the window in the track, screwed the clips to the sash and away it went! Buttoned it all back up and all is well.

I was hoping that my power mirrors would start working again, as I though that the connection was loose but that wasn't it. Now to figure that one out.

[jratism]

My driverside window problem escalates as it gets warmer within the cabin. I have replaced, and have been told that my window regulator and motor and clips are fine but NOW it is the main control switch/box that is connected to all window buttons within the driverside door its self. I was shown, that it is a black box that has the widow switched connected to it and my best chance is to replace it so the driverside window, the only window that does not go down, will work again. Price $175 at a dealer or go to a bone yard and take my chances. Is this plausabile?? the heat effects blows my mind and also where other than a dealership is the next best place to get this Master Control Box?? Junk yard seems like I am taking a chance etc.... Also is there a proper name or part number that I can refer to this Control Box to?? Any help is appreciated.