1997 Ford Taurus Power Windows

[koepfler]

About a month ago the rear window behind the driver's seat stopped working. Now, the driver's window is not working. The garage wants $240 per window to replace the motors. Some people are telling me that it is odd that both windows on the same side would go out around the same time. Has anyone else had this problem and if so what did you do?

[draasch]

take the door panel off and find the wires going to the motor...there will be two of them. take a piece of wire from each one on the motor and test it. put one to 12 and the other to ground...the motor should work in one direction...if you reverse the wires, then the motor will go the other direction.....if the motor works, them its doesnt need to be replaced.

if you have any questions, get in touch with me.... the number should be posted...

[TomV]

First check your fuses for continuity.

If you do not use the rear window very often, then it is probably not a switch. I have experienced this symptom with my rear windows several times and isolated it to the motors. I disassembled the motor and rotated the rotor through the brushes several times and put it back together. I reconnected it back and it tested OK. It appears that a thin insulating oxide-type layer of something has built up on the copper commutator through lack of use and exposure to air. This prevents enough current flow to turn the rotor. If this solves your problem then I suggest that you periodically use all your windows (once a week?) to remove this insulating layer before it gets too established.

If you use your windows very often then a switch is a likely culprit since the motor current is fairly high and would cause a bit of contact arcing when the switch is used.

Get yourself a Haynes manual to have a wiring diagram and other important info to troubleshoot this problem. After removing the door panel the motors are fastened to the door with 3 screws. You can probe the cable contacts that go to the motor with a voltmeter and check for 12 volts at the proper pins when the switches are depressed. This will isolate between the switches/harness and motor.

If you are not comfortable with the electrical side of automotive maintenance, I suggest you get yourself an estimate from the garage before work is done. It should be straight-forward to solve this problem and thus the estimate should be solid. It should be no more than an hour and a half or so to perform the diagnostics and repair.

The AutoZone price for a motor is $30.00 US. They did not have switches, probably about $50-75 at the dealer.

$240 per window seems a bit high, especially if they are looking at 2 of them.

[koepfler]

Thanks Guys! I will try your suggestions!

[MannyH]

I have a '97 Taurus and the driver's window wouldn't go up. My mechanic told me to hit the lower part of the door panel in the middle with an upward motion while pressing the up button. Keep hitting it until the window goes up. This trick works every time.

[TomV]

MannyH,

Bang away on your panel to your heart's content. If the switch or motor is bad that 'trick' will not work. All you will do is end up with the potential of a busted panel.

With the amount of flex in the panel you will not get that much impact force on a partially stuck motor. Most of the push will go to the right angle bracket, at the door handle, that the panel screws into.

It is much safer and more effective to perform the repair correctly.

[butlersp]

I have a 97 and the front driver side window will not go up. The other switches all work fine but the drivers side does not. When you push the switch for it to go in either direction there is a clicking sound. Any guesses as to whether it is the switch or the motor? Can the switch itself be tested by a dealer if I just brought that in for a check? Thanks

[oddauto]

So happy with this fix that I feel compelled to add it to this old thread.

Couldn't get my driver's side window to roll up, either (97 Taurus GL wagon). Same clicking you describe; loud click coming from relay in fuse panel when I press down, quieter click from inside door panel when I press up, but not a flinch from the window.

Removed the screw in the door pull well, pried off the arcing plastic backing piece behind the handle, then pulled the panel off, cracking off the segments on those little blue plastic one-time use attacher plugs. Unplugged the ... plugs from the power mirror, power locks, and power windows switches. Peeled back the adhered covering on the metal (ripping it over the one screw mount for the door pull screw) 'til I could see where the motor was mounted, forward of the pull and switches.

Tried banging on where the motor was mounted (as suggested in ... another forum) to no avail. Pulled the adhered cover just a little farther forward to reveal a small hole in the door metal through which can be seen the solenoid on the top of the motor. Tapped this with a small hammer, and up goes the window.

Good luck!

[TomV]

There is no solenoid on the assembly. The area where the wires are plugged into is the brushes/commutator. You jostled the two surfaces just enough to break through the resistive layer that had formed over the period of non-use between the brushes and commutator to allow current to flow again. Occasional (weekly/biweekly?) use of the power windows should keep the condition from occurring.

[fragmore]

I purchased a new motor for my driver's side door for $49.95 at a local auto parts supply.
I had a local body shop install it while I waited $40.00.