Grinding Power Window Problem

Power window recently stopped working on my 95 Trans Am.

It started by making a popping or clunking noise when the window was going up. This happened a few times then one time it stopped about 2 inches from the top and just started making a grinding noise similar to the headlights when the plastic gears wear out. I can roll the window down fine, but it won't go up. I can pull the window up manually without resistance almost to the top, but it falls back down when I let it go. You definetly can hear the window motor working, but it sounds like it's grinding on something.

I was hoping someone might know what this is. I'd like to get the parts before I rip apart the car. The previous owner said the window motors were replaced about 2 years ago. It's too bad because the window used to move quite fast for an F-Body.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Here's my guess... the gear on the motor is not making proper contact with that of the assembly. The nuts/bolts likely wore loose in the door meaning they're slipping when the window needs full contact on the way up. I'm guessing the grinding noise is the window motor just rubbing on the gears of the assembly instead of engaging.

So hopefully its just a nut or bolt loose, worst case scenario is that the holes the nuts or bolts go through cracked allowing the motor to flex around when it shouldnt... I have no clue how u would fix that...

That is a strange one. Just take the door panel off and look in there. The whole thing is pretty simple. It will be pretty obvious what is wrong.

While your in there you may want to look at www.autotrix.net

I took the door panel apart and although the window is loose, I can't see anything broken or wrong. When I attempted to put the window up the motor sounds like it is grinding inside. I'm thinking a new power window motor, is it possible that a gear inside the power window motor has stripped out?

I took the door panel apart and although the window is loose, I can't see anything broken or wrong. When I attempted to put the window up the motor sounds like it is grinding inside. I'm thinking a new power window motor, is it possible that a gear inside the power window motor has stripped out?

did you try using the window with the panel off to see where the grinding is from? it could be from the gears above or maybe from the motor itself...

Yeah, I have the interior panel off the car now, I plugged the window switch back together and tried to roll the window up. The noise is coming from what I'm assuming is the window motor. Whatever it is appears to be riveted on to the door, or maybe held on to a braket that's riveted to the door. It's located towards the front of the door and is the only thing that makes any noise at all when I hit the switch.

The window is about 3-4 inches from the top right now, I could try to roll it down more, but I really don't want it to get stuck any further down. I've been lucky it hasn't rained for the past couple weeks.

I ended up just needing a new window motor. The gears inside were stripped out. A local mechanic charged me less than $150 for the motor and labor.