Window Motor Regulators

I'm really curious to know if anyone else has had to replace any of the window motor regulators in their Grand Prix.

I'm on window #2 at $460.00 a pop. Last time it was the drivers window and I was told it just wore out. This time it was a back seat passenger window that probably hasn't been down a dozen times since I bought the car in 1999....

Love my GTP, but at 40,000 miles have had to replace 2 window motor regulators, THE TRANSMISSION, the air conditioning unit, and repairs to the moon roof shade that just decided to stop sliding one day.

Wow dude. That's quite a bit to go wrong at 40K miles. Hope it was all covered under warranty. I like the GTPs, have driven a few at work. The new Comp G's look to be sweet too, but I haven't seen any yet.

As for the window regulators, never heard of them going so soon. Water leaking into the door maybe? Keep an eye out on eBay, things like that come up often, and you might be able to save some $.

Window Motors are one of the things that many GP owners have replaced often along with the tranny.

Ive never had to replace the Window motor, knock on wood, but am on my 3rd tranny.

Try searching www.clubgp.com on possible causes on the motor failures and used motors.

Window motors and the regulators can be purchased together or seperate. Buying just the motor is cheaper now because you don't have to buy the whole reg/motor assembly.

I'm really curious to know if anyone else has had to replace any of the window motor regulators in their Grand Prix.

I'm on window #2 at $460.00 a pop. Last time it was the drivers window and I was told it just wore out. This time it was a back seat passenger window that probably hasn't been down a dozen times since I bought the car in 1999....

Love my GTP, but at 40,000 miles have had to replace 2 window motor regulators, THE TRANSMISSION, the air conditioning unit, and repairs to the moon roof shade that just decided to stop sliding one day.
Mine was broken for 3 years. I wasn't about to pay $319. for the part. I found one for $185. Just fixed it yesterday. The problem is the design. It has a metal braided cable that raises and lowers the window. When you stop the window during up or down movement the cable will fray causing it to lock up.The design looks good on paper but........... Remember that the dealer is there to make big money. P.S. It wasn't hard to fix. A couple of bolts and an hour of my time. Also had trany fixed.Burned out second gear.$1,625.00 (ouch)

Mine was broken for 3 years. I wasn't about to pay $319. for the part. I found one for $185. Just fixed it yesterday. The problem is the design. It has a metal braided cable that raises and lowers the window. When you stop the window during up or down movement the cable will fray causing it to lock up.The design looks good on paper but........... Remember that the dealer is there to make big money. P.S. It wasn't hard to fix. A couple of bolts and an hour of my time. Also had trany fixed.Burned out second gear.$1,625.00 (ouch)

Replaced the passengewr one on my 98 GP....I did it myself. I think the part was 145. Must be a common design flaw.

Recently the rear passenger side window in my moms 2002 Grand Prix wouldn't roll down, then it started working and hasn't stopped since. But last week the passenger side window stopped and still hasn't started working yet. Fortunately they are covered under warranty.

I have a 2000 SE and I have two motors that are down. Both of the Passenger Side Windows are shit. The entire panel on the drivers side door has been replaced on top of that. My twin bro had a 99 SE and he had the same problems....

I have a 1998 GTP and have just recenly replaced my 9th window regulator on my car. I still have 3 broken ones that I am now waiting to see what Pontiac Customer Assistance will do. I refuse to spend anymore money on these things. It cost me around $500/window. It is absolutely ridiculous. The problem is due to several factors, bad design is definitely one of them, but heat (if you live some place where it is always hot) affects them as well. It is a known defect according to several service managers for GM, but they will not recall it since it is not a safety issue. I have had no other problems with my car other than the window motors, but it is enough to sway me not to buy another one. I was also informed that this problem is not just limited to Grand Prix's and that GM still uses these window motors in their 2004 models. It is ridiculous to pay this kind of money to fix windows (3 of which I never use) If I had any clue how to repair them myself, I would.

I have a 1999 Grand Prix (purchased new) and have had to have 4 motors replaced so far... seem to average about 1 or two a year which is really annoying. Some seem to go in pairs, and even those windows that I've maybe rolled down once or twice for the life of the motor! If anyone has a step-by-step guide to replacing these motors/regulators, please do broadcast to the list (I saw that tschic43 in this thread replaced his in a couple hours... hint hint... ) :o) Please share the wealth if you can... thx.

I work on these cars for a living my shop does 50 cars a day and we may change 10 regulators a year!! SO I feel that it is not a major problem but it only affects a small percentage of cars.

I don't know if that's what my problem is, but both of my back windows have started whining loudly when they are rolled up or down. I generally use all of my windows, I open my sunroof and roll all four down a couple of inches, or I'll roll down just the back ones a few inches. I don't want to have to replace those, I've already got to replace my exhaust and possibly my power steering pump. I don't have the money!

I work on these cars for a living my shop does 50 cars a day and we may change 10 regulators a year!! SO I feel that it is not a major problem but it only affects a small percentage of cars.

Mr. Moderator, you just don't want to hear about the problems, but I know 3 other people and they have all had to replace a couple of window motors, the service manager at the dealership I go to in Arizona told me that it is a known defect and GM has done nothing about it, but they get anywere from 5-10 cars a day with that problem. It is not affecting a small percentage of cars, it is affecting any cars with stock regulators in them.

yea my grand prix gt window motor is goin out now and if it cost as much as yall say it do that window can stay up for all i care. i aint bout to pay no 2 300 dolla fo my window to get fix. i rather turn the a/c on freeze then pay fo crap like that.

My daughter just bought this car for her self eariler this year. And now she is having problems with her front driver window not coming up. Is there anyway we can get this thing up until we find the part for it? any help is greatly appreciated.

Take the door panel off, and see if you can push the window back up.

I had my window get stuck down and it turned out that the 2 screws that hold the glass to the lifting mech. had fallen out. So the thing was still going up or down but the glass wasnt attached.

Removing the door panel is pretty easy. Just unbolt the 2 screws that are near the inside handle and the rest is just clips.

Tim

I replaced one regulator with motor because(They told me that the motor did not came by itself) a year ago thinking that it failed but was the window switch. The one I took out was covered with dirt and when reinstalled it was working fine.(My car originally flooded up to the roof, got it really cheap before major overhaul recently) and all the actuators and window motors are still working ok and the car is 98 and has 80k miles on the odo now.

I have a 97 GP and the driver window quit working. All others worked though. My husband decided to tear the panel off and replace the motor himself. I thought what does he have to lose by trying. Here's a website that helped on how to do it.

http://www.a1electric.com/grandam.htm

It's for a Grand Am but they use the same Bowden Cable System. He did find different answers when calling around for the part. Some said you had to buy the motor with the regulator, others said you could buy them separately. He's ordering the motor through NAPA for about $95 exchange.

Also had the tranny go out at 17k miles. My sister's went out on her 98 GP at 40K!!

I had 3 windows out on my 99 GP. Took it to my body shop he had a driver's side switch in stock and it fixed it (only about $85). Checked price on the other doors and they cost less than $30 each. He said one of his friends took his GP to the dealer w/ the same problem and they tested it and said it was the motor(big bucks). Instead he had the body shop guy changed only the switch and it worked fine. He said their test method must not be considering the switch. It's worked for me on the driver side door and he's ordering the passenger side now, yeah!!!

I have a 98 GTP that I bought in '00. Had to replace the trans. the first time at under 50K miles and then again ~12.5K miles later... Third tranny is still alive at 85K miles(knock on wood)(probably because the wife drives it now!).
As for window regulators, I've got one sitting on my desk at work now and I'm marveling at the poor quality of the components and the stupid design. Hmmm..., metal cable supported by plastic clips, guides, and pulleys, no wonder I've had to replace my window regulators 9 times in four years? And I've got two more dead ones right now...
So the regulators have now cost me more than both transmissions! What a joke.
Also, I live in the Phoenix area so I definately buy the statement that heat is a contributor to these things breaking. Makes me glad GM has that big huge testing facility a few miles from my house!

I'm wishing I was in the business of making high quality after market window regulators, because someone could probably get $300 each easy for an assembly that didn't break...

Are there any particular model years for GPs, which are easy to break window motor?

I believe GM used the same assembly from '97-'01 at least. Not sure if they used it more recently than that...

I read and read and read anything I could. They suggest banging the door while working the switches. It didn't work.

I checked the wires right up to the motor for continuity. That test passed.

I applied 12 volt (one wire connected from the ground, the other from the plus side of the battery, using alligator clips and a jumper cable) to the motor terminals. The motor doesn't turn.

I was frustrated so I decided to unscrew some screws. Removed the motor/regulator from the door by removing the three bolts. Then separated the motor from the regulator. (I dont' know why nobody sells just a motor, when it is so damn easy to separate them. Oh, I know. Because people don't know.)

The banging on the door didn't do it. But taking it apart did it. I applied 12 volt again to the motor. Now its working!!!

I think the motor and the regulator joints were not right. So, my advice is this. don't just bang on the door. Bang on the motor, of couse not too hard. If still not working, take the motor and regulator off the door. And separate them to see how the joint looks inside.

For God sake, don't take it to a dealer, or a shop.

I've had issues with the cable assembly, not the motor. And they aren't cheap anywhere that I've seen them... But thanks for the info, I'm sure I'll have a motor die within the year!

EBAY-EBAY-EBAY
Only go to the dealership as a last resort. I have been going to ebay for various different parts on different car and haven't had a problem yet.


Ebay Motors Should the first place to go, bare minimum you can get
an idea of what you'll have to spend.

Is the motor bad or is it just the cables?

I just priced a motor for my front passenger door on 2000 grand prix - $108 from dealer. Didn't seem too bad to me. He did say that it was motor only. Both dealers I called had a problem looking up part number and had to check with someone? I think there may have been a change in part number (and hopefully updated design!) I also have checked for power right up to the leads that connect to motor and I do have power there. I need to remove the motor/regulator now. Can you separate them before removing them, or do you have to remove as a unit and then separate? My window is currently up. How do I separate from window? I don't want my window to suddenly fall and break!

hammer2

Thats amazing, 3 transmissions... my 97 GT has 48k miles, how can you tell when the transmission is going bad? When it shifts gears theres a little bit of a hop going into 3rd but nothing drastic. Is it almost a given that i will eventually have to replace mine since they are poorly constructed?

its kinda irritating that my window motor didn't work, its a big hassle to my daily road trip, i think i better replace it with a new one, i need a high quality **Link edited out by Moderator** window motor that gives me comfort for driving.

its kinda irritating that my window motor didn't work, its a big hassle to my daily road trip, i think i better replace it with a new one, i need a high quality window motor that gives me comfort for driving.

Sorry but please check the date of the thread and do not resurrect old threads. This one is well over 2 years old. Thread closed.

Also, I highly recommend not wording your posts where is looks like advertising. :eek: