Electric window sticking

[Joe87]

Hi all,

Posted in this section as I reckon it's a mechanical problem rather than electrical.

I've always had a problem with the passenger window being very slow to open and close - particularly on the way up. I don't open it often so it's never bothered me much, but now it barely move - takes about ten seconds to open an inch or two, and even longer to close. Even pushing it doesn't seem to help any more. Driver side is completely fine.

Any idea what that problem could be? Mechanism gummed up? Window seals gripping it too tightly? Knackered motor?

[Tim_R]

Its likely that the grease used to lubricate them when new has dried out and turned into something solid and sticky, I think your only option is going to be to take it apart and clean it and re lubricate it. Is it a dealer fitted aftermarket system or factory fit?

[Joe87]

Factory fitted as far as I know. Thought it might be something like that - how much of a job is it?

[Tim_R]

It's not too difficult, but can be fiddly and a bit frustrating.



That's a photo of the winder of my factory mechanism. I found that the large gear and winding drum had pretty much seized solid on it's spindle. I ended up cleaning it out with brake cleaner and WD, removing the motor and unwinding the cables and working the gear by hand until it spun easily. I ended up using a spray grease on the spindle before putting it back together. The fiddly part was winding the cable back onto the drum because as one end winds on as the other winds off and it took a few goes and a selection of choice words getting that right again.

Edit: Forgot to say that I couldn't get the gear and drum out of the housing which made it harder than it should have been.

[Joe87]

Thanks mate, looks like that's probably the culprit. Once I've got it out of the door it will probably all make more sense :)