97 Grand AM power window issue.

1997 Grand Am 2.4L SE

About a year ago all of my window motors started to slowly die. The windows would work for short amounts of time and then just stop. After a few mintues they would work again. Eventually my driver door window stopped completely.

Today, I decided to try and fix this. We pulled the door apart and ran a direct source of power to the motor to ensure the motor was dead. It was. So, we headed to the junkyard and picked up a functioning motor. Once we got the new motor home, we hooked it up to the existing switch and it worked just fine. Thinking the problem was fixed, we replaced the motor assembly. Once in, we again used the switch to move the window. It moved...for a short amount of time. Using both the switch and direct power from the battery, the motor continued to start for a short amount of time and just stop moving. It acted as if it were hooked up to a dying power source. It would shoot right up, but when you went to send it down, it would go down slowly to a dead stop. I'm very confused. This is a functioning motor/regulator. It did this with both the switch and direct feed from the battery.

Do any of you know what might be wrong?

thier is a relay in one of the fuse boxes, it may be malfuctioning.
Also are all the moving parts inside the door working freely? May need some lubrication.

thier is a relay in one of the fuse boxes, it may be malfuctioning.
Also are all the moving parts inside the door working freely? May need some lubrication.


Since it's doing it when I run a direct power line from the battery to the motor, I think the window is rubbing somewhere. Seems to be the only thing that makes sense.

Check all of your adjustments & lube the tracks, but i'd guess the motor you got is getting weak. With the assembly out try running it and putting a little force on the linkage, see if you experience the same thing you do when its in the car.

I had a motor go bad in my 95 grand am, tore it apart and seen it was bad brushes on the motor that gave the failure, had a motor for an 87 e150 ford van laying around, it used the same motor, swapped the motors and all is still running strong (1+ yrs). I wouldn't guess there are many motor manufactures out there, can't believe someone doesn't offer a rebuild kit for the motors. If you find where you can buy rebuild kits please PM me telling me where to get them. Now my passanger side window motor is getting weak.

I remember when you could buy rebuild kits for starters and altenators, seems to me you can find them you just hav to dig around and ask.
I've done the brush swap on a few motors here and there, two brushes are OK, four brushes - you need more hands!

Four brushes are when you get your buddy to come over, the beer is worth it. On my T/A power antenna I noticed they put little sheet metal tabs that you could put the cable attached to the brush on. Basically push in the brush, hook the cable, do the same on the other side, drop the motor most of the way in, then take a pick to release the cables, push motor the rest of the way on. Worked kinda slick.

Still can get some starter rebuild kits, completley rebuilt my s10 blazer starter for $40, found out afterwards all it needed was a few shims, but I got out cheap anyhow. I've never rebuilt an alternator, since I don't have the right tools for getting the pulley loose, and the fact that you can't get the rebuild parts anymore.

Four brushes are when you get your buddy to come over, the beer is worth it. On my T/A power antenna I noticed they put little sheet metal tabs that you could put the cable attached to the brush on. Basically push in the brush, hook the cable, do the same on the other side, drop the motor most of the way in, then take a pick to release the cables, push motor the rest of the way on. Worked kinda slick.

Still can get some starter rebuild kits, completley rebuilt my s10 blazer starter for $40, found out afterwards all it needed was a few shims, but I got out cheap anyhow. I've never rebuilt an alternator, since I don't have the right tools for getting the pulley loose, and the fact that you can't get the rebuild parts anymore. Most of the time you dont need to remove the pully to rebuild the alternator. Unless the front bearing is bad. Also a good place to look for brushes is a generator shop. I have not run in to an alternator that I could not get brushes for yet. It's the armatures that are impossible to find.