Why Does No One Make A Truly Heavy Duty Power Window Motor

Corbin Dallas · February 5, 2009

I peek in here from time to time as needed for service related issues mostly. The wealth of knowledge is immense.

Can anyone please tell me why there is not a truly heavy duty motor made for us to replace our power window motors when they inevitably die in the middle of a snow storm. This usually occurs after you roll down the window to get the ticket for the thruway between Syracuse and Buffalo?

The picture I paint may be a bit too vivid for some of us, but I'm serious!

If there is a mod/link for a long lasting motor, then please post it. I can Tim Taylor along with the best of them, but am flying blind here.

I for one am sick of replacing the aftermarket ones every two years at best. The OEM did not last much longer when I tried that.

I have a 2000 Silverado and have gone through 3 replacement assemblies. 112k on it, so my driving is not inordinate.

I did recent search and found that the general consensus is that of acceptance likened to a brow-beaten spouse.

Someone please get me off my soap box.

alaska511 · February 5, 2009

I have an '01 Tahoe. Spent it's whole life in Alaska. Not 1 of the 4 have failed yet.

I guess I have had good luck.

I did have a rear switch come unplugged once.

bowserb · February 5, 2009

My current buick has had one motor go on it, I ask myself this question too............other than that I havent had a whole lot of problems with them............

Rochester huh? where at?

I have some family up in the fairport/penfield area...........Love the city, Genny Light, and Garbage Plates

btw Go Amerks!

VMax2007 · February 5, 2009

I have never replaced a window motor, or had issues with one.

lvlagnum · February 5, 2009

Hello everyone.

I know it sounds weird but both I and my father had power window motors go bad on our two trucks. His was on the driver's side which normaly faces south towards the sun when parked and mine was on the passenger's side which normaly faces south when parked both at home and at work. I'm wondering if the heat that must build up inside the door when the sun is shinning on it, especially in the summer months, has anything to do with it? Is there something in the mechanisms or motors that can be dammaged by intense and prolonged heat?

Cheers, lvlagnum.

Bowtie2Sierra · February 5, 2009

I did recent search and found that the general consensus is that of acceptance likened to a brow-beaten spouse.

Is it just me or did anyone else find this statement absolutely hilarious?. I laughed my a$$ off when I read it. I think this is a good analogy for the way I have felt about other issues...it could be worthy of a signature quote.

To comment on your situation, I have never had a power window motor fail nor do I know anyone that has ever had this problem either.

satori · February 5, 2009

I'm with the OP. I've replaced a number of them. I put two in my wife's old '92 Blazer when she had it and three in her current '98 Buick. The front drivers one has failed twice and the right front has failed once. The rear left has needed to be replaced for over a year now, but who uses that window anyway? I have a feeling that the right front on my '05 Tahoe doesn't have much time left. It really drags on the way up and almost stops mid-way. The drivers side drags a little in the middle too.

satori · February 5, 2009

I have an '01 Tahoe. Spent it's whole life in Alaska. Not 1 of the 4 have failed yet.

I guess I have had good luck.

I did have a rear switch come unplugged once.

I heard that in Alaska, if you roll down your windows you'll freeze solid within two seconds.

Z71Adrenaline · February 5, 2009

Sounds like you are just a lucky one, man. Between my dad and I, we've logged over 410k miles on our past and his present GMT-800 trucks and we have had none go out, whatsoever. It must be the colder climate where you live.. I'm not sure where you'd get a better part, though. I know of some Jeep and Nissan guys that have this problem, so I guess it isn't isolated to any one brand or model.

Corbin Dallas · February 5, 2009

Rochester huh? where at?

I have some family up in the fairport/penfield area...........Love the city, Genny Light, and Garbage Plates

btw Go Amerks!

I'm in Henrietta. Grew up with Genny Cream Ale on my old man's tap in the garage. That's probably why I don't drink the stuff now. Too many headaches made me switch to bottled Blue Light.

Plates are still the best...Could go for one right now @ 7:30AM. I still get them for lunch now and again at work.

Riverjet502 · February 5, 2009

My former silverado I had the drivers & passenger window motor/regulator replaced as they kept getting slower & slower, Then when it got colder out I would have to help raise the drivers side up by pulling it up. My Dodge I think must have had a 40 hp electric motor on the windows because it always worked like a guillotine going up and down no-matter what the temp was outside there were fast. So I believe there is a difference in motors/set-up? My current silverado is not as fast as what my dodge windows were but are faster then my previous silverado's motor/regulators..

mdauwald · February 5, 2009

F-bodies are notorious for this with their long doors. We have found that the Autozone replacement motors last much longer than OEM. Case in point I replaced my window motor in my 99 during 2000 under warranty. I replaced it again in 2002 with an Autozone replacement and it's been fine ever since.

Corbin Dallas · February 5, 2009

F-bodies are notorious for this with their long doors. We have found that the Autozone replacement motors last much longer than OEM. Case in point I replaced my window motor in my 99 during 2000 under warranty. I replaced it again in 2002 with an Autozone replacement and it's been fine ever since.

That sounds encouraging. Plus I get the 10% FF discount!

Thank you.

Spurshot · February 5, 2009

The guys in the "snow belt" must have quite a bit of extra load put on by snow/ice stuck to the window. This could be making the motor work a lot harder and cause the failures. I had a roomate many (25) yrs ago from back east tell me nobody he knew back there would buy a car with power windows due to the reliability issues.

I've replaced a couple on the El Camino after a few hundred thousand miles, one on a 82 Z-28, but so far, none on my trucks. I really don't use the motors that often, since I leave the heat/ac on yr round.

Guymoe · February 5, 2009

Just a little tip....About once a month roll your windows down and spray silicone spray in the channel that the glass slides in front and back.This helps the glass move up and down the channel with less friction = less wear and tear on the motor and regulator assembly.I tell all my customers this when I replace door regulators (done quite a few) and I also do it on my own truck and had no problems...