Ken and other car experts ... We have a 2001 Town & Country. The driver side window had not been giving us any trouble. Saturday it would not go down and has not since. The passenger window is working fine. Any suggestions what may be wrong? Is this something we can fix ourselves?
I haven't put my ear to the door yet ... will do that later. I did not hear any noise when we tried it over the weekend. The window is not moving at all ... not even a vibration.
The window motor is probably out. Every car I've had (that had automatic windows) I have had to replace at least one window motor. :?
We have periodically had the same problem with our T&C. Push in the button really hard and jiggle it up and down. That has worked for us. It's a temporary fix...the connections are going bad and need to be replaced.
Had to replace the motors on my truck several times. Part of it comes from when I used to 4wheel and get water and mud in the doors. Craig
From a guy who keeps the power windows working in a 40-year-old Caddy and a 28-year-old Caddy.... First thing I'd suspect would be the power window switch. When you work the switch, can you tell if it's putting any kind of load on the car's electrical system (headlights dim slightly, idle changes slightly, etc.)? Next, I'd check the wiring, especially where it flexes each time you open and close the door. It's not unheard of for the wiring inside the insulation to break right at that point where it flexes all the time. The windows can also do weird things if the lockout switch on the driver's door is hosed. A little diagnosis to see if power is getting to the motor before you go ahead and replace it might save you some $. My experience is that replacing parts without doing diagnosis gets very expensive unnecessarily.
Maybe a little tuner cleaner in the switch would do the trick, especially if soda or something got in there? On old Caddies, the contacts wear down, and you have to take the switch apart and build them up to restore it.
There is no response when we try the switch. It's weird because it was working one day then just not the next. Would the motor in that window also control the passenger window or the rear window vents?
No. Each window has its own motor. It could very well be a problem with the motor, but it seems to me that it could also very well be that no power is getting to the motor due to a wiring or switch problem. I'd have it diagnosed. I've had good luck at PJ's, on Highway 210, and definitely recommend them very highly, but I've never had them look at an electrical problem.
Update on my 2001 Town & Country window issue... Here is the funny thing with the window... it stopped working last Nov. One day in the spring (April, I think)...it just started working again. It worked all spring and summer ... some times sounding slow or strained. Then one day last week it stopped working again (weather was muggy and kind of cold) but it worked over the weekend. The passenger side window is now starting to show the same problem. Would the window motor be affected by the weather? Should I assume that is the problem? I know this is going to cost a small fortune to change out the motor ... especially if I have to do both windows. :-( What are your best suggestions for where to take it? Another question ... over the weekend the A/C was not working properly. It would only blow if turned on the highest setting. What could the problem be there? I'm seeing huge $$$$ to get some work done on this van soon and missing the honda accord I had a few years back. That accord never gave me any problems and had 150K miles on it.
Any idea why my rear passenger window (driver's side) will go down, but will not go back up when the driver tries to put it up. The driver can lower it, but not put it back up? I have to reach back and put it up. Weird...and a pain if I happen to hit that window by mistake!
Just bumping this one, because I think it got lost in the shuffle. Anyone have any idea what's happening with my window??? (original post below)
Curious- your's sounds like a bad window switch- one side of the switch (in this case the contacts that make it go up) are probably dirty or bad. I'd see how much a new window switch costs for that car and if it's not too much- try it. Certainly alot cheaper than even 1 hour of mechanic's time. It may also be possible to take the switch apart and clean it- but be very careful to put it back together correctly or you will be buying a new one. NCmom- your AC problem sounds like a bad resistor in the blower fan circuit. I don't know specifically about your T&C but on some vehicles this part can be replaced separately and is not too expensive- but on others it is part of the switch or part of the whole Heat/AC control panel and it can be VERY expensive. The resistor basically reduces the power going to the fan so that it runs at different speeds- when it goes bad, it won't allow power to get to the fan, thus it works only on high speed- because the resistor is being bypassed when the fan is on high. Not sure about the windows, but it's probably either the switch or the motor- or a bad connection somewhere in there. My father in law is having a similar problem with his T&C and has been asking me to look at it for a week or two now- when I have time.... Good luck, and be sure to post up what you all find out. Rig
Rig, thanks for the suggestion. Can I buy a switch at an auto parts store or do I have to go to the dealer. I'm hoping not the dealer, because the Isuzu dealer is in Durham! Sure don't want to have to drive there! I have an Isuzu Rodeo.
