Thread: Window regulator/motor

Hello all

I have a 97 grand prix 2 door (coup?). Both of the windows on my car seem to roll down just fine, its when I roll them up that I start having the issue. The passenger side is iffy sometimes, if I roll it down sometimes it will roll almost all the way up (slowly) then stop with an inch left, and then its a pain in the butt to get it the rest of the way up (cant pull on it, it wont help any) and the driver side just started going up slower. I know that its the regulator/motor assembly, but I have some questions. I've been reading around/searching to try to find my answers but to no avail.

First, Does anybody know if the motors and/or regulators from the 4 doors will work on the 2 doors? Also, will older models and newer models work on my car? And does anyone have pictures of the whole thing (higher quality than the ones part stores have online)? I also heard that the regulators/motors on Bonneville work VERY well, and that people rarely have issues with them. I was wondering if I could use them on my car. I'm headed to a junk yard tomorrow to look for them pieces and would like to know what to look for. Also, if anybody has replaced their regulators/motors on a 97 grand prix 2 door, how hard is it?

Originally Posted by Liquifire

the two door motor regs are different from the four door models. I believe the two door models come as a regulator/motor kit and the four doors come separate. This is probably because the two door model would need a bigger motor due to the window size. I dont believe the bonneville stuff would work on the two door for the same reason. Any 97-03 two door motor/reg should work on your vehicle as far as I know. I have replaced mine it is not hard. It took about a half hour tops.

Thank you for the quick and thorough reply. You wouldn't happen to have any pictures of the assembly or motor would you? Also, do you remember which tools you had to use so I can make sure to stock them when I go out to the junk yard tomorrow?

Originally Posted by m1sterb0b

Hello all

I have a 97 grand prix 2 door (coup?). Both of the windows on my car seem to roll down just fine, its when I roll them up that I start having the issue. The passenger side is iffy sometimes, if I roll it down sometimes it will roll almost all the way up (slowly) then stop with an inch left, and then its a pain in the butt to get it the rest of the way up (cant pull on it, it wont help any) and the driver side just started going up slower. I know that its the regulator/motor assembly, but I have some questions. I've been reading around/searching to try to find my answers but to no avail.

First, Does anybody know if the motors and/or regulators from the 4 doors will work on the 2 doors? Also, will older models and newer models work on my car? And does anyone have pictures of the whole thing (higher quality than the ones part stores have online)? I also heard that the regulators/motors on Bonneville work VERY well, and that people rarely have issues with them. I was wondering if I could use them on my car. I'm headed to a junk yard tomorrow to look for them pieces and would like to know what to look for. Also, if anybody has replaced their regulators/motors on a 97 grand prix 2 door, how hard is it?

You going to Parts Galore on 8 and Grosbeck?

Originally Posted by lorenzojay

You going to Parts Galore on 8 and Grosbeck?

I don't even know where parts galore on 8 and grosbeck is! The place I'm going to is in muskeegon.

Now, my dad and I were going to "rip" one of the panels off my car and replace the "tape" because were assuming THAT is the reason its not going up and down correctly. We were told by a man at a junk yard that if the window goes down flawlessly but has troubles going up, then its the "tape", and that the motor itself is just fine. My dad said that it would be the same reason that the driver door is now going slower up. The driver door window since getting colder out doesn't want to go up quite very fast. he said its partially the tape and that the grease has gotten cold and we need to put more grease on it.

I'm skeptical. I've heard a LOT of people saying that it is the motor. Now, I don't know much about this peticular thing. I know nothing when it comes to car window controls. I know that GM needs to learn to make a better one, but no more than that.

Now, I was reading in the "how to" section about how to replace the motors (with no pictures sadly) and the person who wrote it kept saying "cable" instead of "tape". Its making me think that the way that the 2 door and the 4 door works are different. My dad had a 96 bonnivile (I drove it for a while) and it used a notched plastic piece called "tape". He said thats the part that needs replacing. And now reading here thats saying "cable". If ANYBODY has a picture of the assembly in and/or out of the door It would help my confusion a LOT more. I don't want to open my door just to see it. Can anyone also answer my question of whether its an actual cable or a tape and would it be more likely to be the motor or the cable/tape (whichever it is) that would cause it to go down perfectly but the one only go up little bits at a time, sometimes more, sometimes almost all the way, and then the driver side to just go really slow.

Thanks for the link. Also, I was trying to find a picture of the "tape" I was talking about, thats just what my dad called it. I Think its called the window lift ribbon. Its a plastic ribbon with notches in it and the window motor has a gear on it that sticks through those notches lifting the window or lowering it. It needs to be greased up and sometimes those notches break and thats what my dad thought the issue was.

I think that that link you gave me will help out a great deal, I hope that I can find some pictures lol. My friend says that he's replaced quite a few window motors and he says that he has the right tools to open a door and prevent those plastic connectors that look like pine tree's from being ruined. Maybe he will have a bit more of a clue on how to do it (I don't feel comfortable doing it myself quite yet).

I replaced 3 (two new and one used) of the 4 window regulators in our '99 and notice that the two new regulators move the window very slowly compared to the two that are not new. Is there a "break-in" period on these where they'll begin to operate better and more easily? The passenger side, front won't go all the way down and seems to have a tough time going all the way up (this is one I replaced with a new regulator - A1 Cardone brand).

Originally Posted by Jakegday

no. did you replace any of the motors?? or just the regulators?

motors and regulators together

yeah, I kind of didn't think that was normal and really didn't think there was a break in period, but wanted to ask. I'll keep an eye on them, for sure. Right now, the important thing is that they operate and I can get the windows tinted shortly.