Thread: Question about replacing window motor in 1995 Grand Prix

Hi all,

I'm trying to help out a co-worker that owns a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix. I've determined that his driver side power window motor is bad and needs to be replaced (he has the 4-door version.)

I pulled off the panel and unhooked everything but old motor and regulator are secured with rivets! Does anyone have any advice on the best way to remove the old components? I'd hate to just start punching them out and drilling stuff if it isn't necessary. I've also searched on Google and through these forums with little luck as far as instructions or photos.

Please help!

Drill out the rivets and pull it out?? Not sure what else can be done to it. OEM Ford window motors are the same way. I just use machine bolts and nylon nuts to reinstall and call it good. That way vibrations will not knock the nut loose after some time. Just be sure that the bolts you use aren't too long and get caught up in the regualtor arm or anything like that. Want to say 1/2" long is what I used.

Thanks. I was able to do the job this weekend and get everything installed and working again, but MAN it was a pain in the butt.

If anyone is trying to do this again in the future, here are some tips:
* The motor is riveted to the regulator, and the regulator assembly is riveted to the door. You must first drill out/dremel out the 4x rivets in the door that hold the regulator. Make sure the window is taped up so it doesn't fall. I don't remember the exact drill size, but it was something like 3/8".
* The replacement motor unit comes with 4x new bolts/nuts for the regulator and 3x new bolts/nuts for the motor (to attach to regulator).
* Once you have the regulator and motor combo out of the door panel, you'll need to drill out the rivets holding the motor to the regulator. These are pretty heavy-duty rivets and you need a drill bit about 3/8" and a punch. After you get two rivets out the coil-spring can then be carefully removed (remember the orientation of this.)
* Bolt the motor back into the regulator. The swing arm will only clear the bolts one-way, so use that as a guide to show you which side to place the nuts on (the orientation would be, when installed back into the door panel, the head of the bolts face the outside and the nut ends face the inside of the car.) This is also tricky because you have to fight the spring a little to get the motor gear to mesh back on properly.
* Bolt the regulator and motor assembly back into the car. Make sure to put the arm lever back into the track - you may have to hook up the power switch and move the motor a little to get it just right before everything is bolted back in again.
*I used a 90-degree bent screwdriver to hold one side of the supplied replacement bolts while I used a ratchet to tighten it back.

Sorry for the short write-up and lack of photos, but this info is better than anything else I could find.

Ohhhkay. Now the window is giving him more problems. This time, it is stuck in the DOWN position. When the switch is activated, I can hear the motor make a "click" sound (both up and down) but the window does not move. Any ideas what it could be? I just replaced the motor, so I don't think that is the problem. I also tried a different switch cluster and it is the same thing.

What could cause this?

Forgot to mention - I've checked the power window fuses on the passenger side of the dashboard and that fuse looks good.

The other windows all work fine, it is just the driver side (which was replaced about two weeks ago and was working fine for about a week.)