Driver's side window stopped working

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Aaron
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Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Aaron »

I'm working on selling my 88GT, but it's got a few issues that need to be resolved first. The driver's side power window worked for a while, then began sporadically working. Sometimes it'd work normal, other times not at all. Recently, it stopped working altogether.

Now I'm assuming it's the motor/regulator assembly, since that's the most common failure point. Am I right? In my experience with other cars most catastrophically fail all at once, so I figured I'd ask.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Shaun41178(2) »

It takes 5 minutes to pull the door panel and put a vom on the motor wires to verify if there is power or not when you push the switch. If not then verify out of the switch.

Seeing as how it sort of worked and then didn't and then did and them didn't, I would think its a wiring or connector issue
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Emc209i »

The 12 volt feed goes directly through the window switch in the center console. Your problem sounds like a gummed up switch to me, but it could be the regulator or motor. The physical switches can be swapped between left and right. Try using the passenger switch to roll down the driver side window. If it works, you know its the switch.

It's easy to take the switches apart to clean them, but you're probably just ready to sell the car, so buy a new one. Putting a new motor/regulator in is a bitch fyi.

Shaun beat me to it.

Edit to add: it's easier to take the center console apart than the door panel, because sometimes the panels rip due to age and being cardboard. You should try the switch first to preserve the door panel if possible.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Emc209i wrote:The 12 volt feed goes directly through the window switch in the center console. Your problem sounds like a gummed up switch to me, but it could be the regulator or motor. The physical switches can be swapped between left and right. Try using the passenger switch to roll down the driver side window. If it works, you know its the switch.

It's easy to take the switches apart to clean them, but you're probably just ready to sell the car, so buy a new one. Putting a new motor/regulator in is a bitch fyi.

Shaun beat me to it.

Edit to add: it's easier to take the center console apart than the door panel, because sometimes the panels rip due to age and being cardboard. You should try the switch first to preserve the door panel if possible.

Ditto.
If you weren't selling it, I'd recommend window accelerators and/or faster motors that someone on Pfiffle found and adapted, but...
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Emc209i »

While we're on the subject, might I point out that I've installed the Rodney window accelerator for a friend on a stock car with 20 year old windows and motors. I've also rebuilt the stock OEM system on my own car; new motors, felt guides, greased and cleaned tracks, switches, everything. The new OEM system was better in every way over an old worn out system with the accelerator boxes. Just like cleaning out the lock system in the doors, cleaning out the window tracks and guides made a 25 year old piece of junk car feel like a new one.

I've seen the Piffle motor conversion. Looks nice, but I like the heavy, torque, old school system the car came with. When its all greased up and new, it's stupid fast and very powerful, enough to force my arm up and off the window when I'm resting it there. The SUV rear motors look like they have a much smaller motor body, and I know they lift a much lighter window than the Fiero's, so I wonder how much torque is lost despite their speed - most of which I attribute to a new motor.

The window accelerators Rodney sells also take up a ton of space under the center console.

I'd like to try the new motors, but if someone asked me now, I'd tell them to skip the accelerators, buy new OEM motors and work over the doors. Simple, powerful, and roomy under the center console. Less is more.

Food for thought. If anyone works on Fiero's anymore.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Aaron »

Thanks for the info Emc. Will, I've seen that thread before, and if I wasn't selling the car I'd absolutely do that. But a new motor from rockauto is like $18.

I checked the switches today, and the driver's side switch still controls the passenger window fine, so it's got to be either wiring or the motor. I'll take apart the door panel this week and check.

Thanks again
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by emod19 »

Check where the wiring passes through the door jamb. The wires can break in the harness where they flex when opening and closing the door. It can cause an intermittent open circuit.

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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Aaron »

Tested voltage at the motor with the door open and closed, and got 12v with switch activated both times, and that seal through the door opening looked good. Ordered the new rockauto motor, $23 shipped.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Good troubleshooting. Nice to see you have the patience to do that nowadays :wink:
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Aaron »

I'm totally done with this car sadly. Once I start working on it I'm good to go, it's the getting started that is unlikely.

Also ordered a new power inverter, seems the Speedhut gauge overlays stopped working and the internet says the inverter is the usual failure point.

I looked through a few DIY's for this window motor, and it looks to be a complete and royal pain in the ass. NOT looking forward to it. And to add insult to injury, my door panel is in pretty sad shape with missing clips and torn/damaged holes where clips should be. Might be able to 1/4 of the clips back connected to the panel, but I doubt if even that many.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Aaron »

Well the DIY's helped, but it was still hell. It's back together now, working smoothly. I never knew Fiero Windows could move so as they do with a new motor and clean tracks.

Still need to put the door panel back on, and put the inverter for the gauges in. But it's getting there.

Look around at 88GT values, it seems like they're pretty high right now. Hoping to get 4k out of this car.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

The whole classic car market is on fire. Fieros might start to go up. Third gen F-bodies are, 2nd gens already have.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Aaron »

I really don't want to fuck with it, but considering it's still taken apart, it'd be stupid of me not to take apart and clean the door lock mechanisms, as they're sticking. Should do the passenger side also, but I'm not confident that'll happen.
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Re: Driver's side window stopped working

Post by Emc209i »

Locks

Aaron,

The worst gummy spot is the physical lock itself at the very back of the door. It's in plain sight with the exterior door panel off, but you can get to it via the access hole on the interior side with the interior panel off and the window up. This lock gums up due to dirt and debris that gets past the dew strips at the top of the door.

Step 1:
The trick is to use a heavy duty cleaner to remove all of the junk without compromising the metal latch or plastic fasteners. I used chlorinated break cleaner in the past because it was non residue, but since then have learned a lot and know that chlorinated cleaners attack protection coating and ferrous metals, so probably best to use non-chlorinated cleaner even though it leaves a residue.

Step 2: is to drown the entire latch assembly in white silicone grease or some petroleum based lubricant. Petroleum based is important because it will stand the test of time. Spraying penetrating oil or something lightweight will last very temporarily.

Image

You wouldn't believe how much dirt and sand gets hung in the top of that latch, where the lock actuator rocker is.

Step 3: The second hang point is the lock rods which run the length of the interior door. The coating on them oxidizes, so they have increased friction where they snap into their plastic clips on the door (pictured below). Trick is to unclip the rods from the door clips and polish the sections of the rod that ride inside the clip with steel wool, sandpaper, or the like. Then coat with a petroleum based lubricant to prevent oxidation.

Image

Step 4: Clean and lubricate the two exterior lock cylinder backs (where they connect to the rod). Put a drop of machine oil or WD40 inside the tumblers (or buy new locks) and you're golden.

I can give the interior latches about a half push or pull and they continue to slide on their own and "thock" into lock or unlock position. It's a very satisfying sound, "thhhock". Contrast with dirty latches where you have to forcefully push or pull the latch the entire way. I added power locks and a keyless remote. You can hear the door unlock from across the parking lock. It's very loud and clean engagement noise. Small things like this make a big difference.

Anyway..

Hard to believe I did all of this nonesense back in the day. Owning German and Japanese for so long makes me wonder how crazy someone would have to be to do all of this for an American car. I suppose it's an antique now... I'll go with that. I'm not crazy, it's an antique. Heh.

Is this your crashed car, or the one you moved everything over to?
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