NA Electric Window

tonycondon

tonycondon

Gastons CRO (Chief Dinner Reservation Officer)
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Mar 9, 2005
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Tony
Car guys-
I have a 99 Olds Alero. Today at lunch the passenger window had a catastrophic failure. Sounds like all the linkages that used to hold it up and roll it up/down are now sitting in the bottom of my door. Thankfully managed to grab the window and tape it in place. I just tried to take the insde door panel off and discovered its not as easy as I wished. Wondering if any of you know of an online resource for a service manual or something and how much you think it would cost to get the thing fixed. thanks
 
I have a long history of power window lifter failures in a Porsches, Beemer and Dodges. The Porsche fix was straightforward to do myself, although the part price was outrageous. The Beemer was impossible to do myself, and the part price was outrageous. The Dodge was likewise impossible to do myself, and the part price was less outrageous, but the 4 Dodge windows broke a total of 9 times in four years of ownership.

Not that this helps answer your question. But frankly it's a job I would pay someone else to do.
 
Some auto parts chains have the service manual CDs availble at a PC in the store. I last found one at a Trak Auto. (They still around?) You can print out the pages that show how to disassemble/reassemble the door and window. Don't do like I did. - Print out 5 or 6 pages and then forget to ask for them to take with you.

You know...

"...Step 83: Remove the actuator dimbleslammer."
"Assembly is the reverse process."
 
Tony, not only can I help you, but Ill get you the parts at cost. Its a vynal tape that broke inside of there, the dealer might try to tell you to replace the regulator, but dont do it.
PM me and Ill get all your info. This is what I do.
 
Ok Tony,
I checked into this further. I was wrong, its not the vinyl tape type, but a cable system. These fail too often. unfortunately, a new regulator is required. The dearler list price is 153.18 for a 2 door front passenger. however looking online i found the same part at A1 auto for 79.95 http://www.1aauto.com/1A/WindowRegulators/Oldsmobile/Alero/PLP1330394/302800
This is for the 2 door. The 4 door is simmilar, but you will need to get that info off the A1 site.
regulator.JPG


Hope that helps. wish it was easier
 
hooray, thanks, am i still to call you later?
 
Get the part, then call me. Ill find a alero out here to look at so i can walk you through the install. they are simple to do. I just cant picture it right now.
 
Pete (my better half) owns an auto glass shop. I recall him having to do one of these once. PITA. Good luck!!!
 
You cursed me. I read this thread and go out to my car ('95 Impalla SS w/125k miles) and I roll down the pax window and it tries to come up sideways. I managed to get it back up with help but now I have to take the door apart.
 
JRitt said:
You cursed me. I read this thread and go out to my car ('95 Impalla SS w/125k miles) and I roll down the pax window and it tries to come up sideways. I managed to get it back up with help but now I have to take the door apart.
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It probably just broke the plastic guide clip which retains the glass in the rear
track. No need to take it apart if that is the case, replace clip, snap glass back in track, problem solved.
Don
 
Don Jones said:
It probably just broke the plastic guide clip which retains the glass in the rear
track. No need to take it apart if that is the case, replace clip, snap glass back in track, problem solved.
Don
Click to expand...

Thats exactly what happened. Send me your address and Ill send ya a clip. I have tons of em.
 
haha michael you are keeping busy now! my parts will be here tuesday.
 
tonycondon said:
haha michael you are keeping busy now! my parts will be here tuesday.
Click to expand...

Ok Tony, Ill try and get you detailed instructions by then. Its pretty simple to install, if i recall, 8 10mm bolts hold the regulator and motor in place, then 2 more 10mm hold the glass to that. I just need to tell you how to get the pannel off, and i have to look at one to remember.
 
Michael said:
Ok Tony, Ill try and get you detailed instructions by then. Its pretty simple to install, if i recall, 8 10mm bolts hold the regulator and motor in place, then 2 more 10mm hold the glass to that. I just need to tell you how to get the pannel off, and i have to look at one to remember.
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Virtually all of the newer GM vehicles are riveted in Michael. I haven't seen bolts on them in a while, I wish, the rivets are tough to drill out. The remnants of the steel shank is what makes them tough. Might be wrong, I have employee's doing this stuff now and my memory isn't what it used to be.
Don
 
Don Jones said:
Virtually all of the newer GM vehicles are riveted in Michael. I haven't seen bolts on them in a while, I wish, the rivets are tough to drill out. The remnants of the steel shank is what makes them tough. Might be wrong, I have employee's doing this stuff now and my memory isn't what it used to be.
Don
Click to expand...

Agreed. Most "scissor" type regulators are riveted in. But not these type of cable systems. The rivets are quite simple to remove if you simply punch out the center shank with a punch. Then drill the head off. There are also head remover bits, that have a hole in the center that uses that center shank as an anchor.
If i recall correctly, this door is rather simple to replace.
 
well wonderful, the driver side failed now!
 
Quick file a comprehensive claim while you still have it :rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
That makes the McD's drive-thru very interesting. Ask me how I know. ;)
 
When I bought the Town Car the driver's window had the same failure. $25 regulator off of eBay later, it was fixed. It was a pain, but I got it done. Window regulators are annoying, but not at all impossible, at least not on the some 15 vehicles I've done them all.

You'll be fine doing it. Just be prepared to curse at it, and you'll likely need a drill... unless GM was smarter than Ford and used bolts instead of rivets to hold the window regulator in place.
 
the regulator is bolted in place. i already replaced the right side regulator as a result of this thread, im sure the left side will be just as easy. just bought a regulator off ebay for 60 bucks.
 
The driver's door handle on the Silhouette is broken. I have to crawl across from the passenger door and swing it open.

The mechanic tells me I need a new handle but I have feeling he never looked. I will.

I once came across a web site that let you put a parts request that goes into that network that junkyards and parts dealers have. Anybody know a good one?
 
Hey, when we have cherry (pop) rivets to remove on aircraft instead of drilling them out which is near impossible due to the steel shank in the middle, we grind the heads off with an angle grinder. It's a little touchy on airplanes but in a car door you could let er RIP.

Long live the ALERO!
 
Ah, the naivete of youth...
 
That said... What ever it takes! If you were a star trek fan (and you should be) we could summon the spirit of Scotty for some extraordinary engineering mojo or incantations.

Admittedly, a window crank isn't really life threatening though it is surprisingly inconvenient.
 
And always remember the Scotty rule of estimates...Tell the captain it'll take twice as long as it actually does. That way you always look like a genius :)
 
Someone told me that the rule of time when working on airplanes is to take whatever est., double it,then take it to the next increment of time. X number of min = x#hours, hours-days, days-weeks, weeks-months, and so on...
 
Pretty much same thing for costs
 
So I'm used to parts of my car freezing (it's parked outside :() but yesterday it got warm and now my driver's side window is stuck *up* on the back - It starts to go down but only the front part goes down, and after it twists a bit it sets something off and goes back up automatically.

As soon as we have some actual warm weather, I think I'm gonna tear apart the driver's door.
 
just be happy its up. my car is currently sitting in Matt Michaels T Hangar. (shhh dont tell him :)) Supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Now that you've posted this, the transmission will fall out of the car.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe, but the GM V6 FWD platform is one of the most bulletproof drivetrains that there is. With even the most basic of prevntaive maintenance, they can easily go 250,000 miles.

If only the window regulators were as well engineered.
 
SCCutler said:
Well, maybe, but the GM V6 FWD platform is one of the most bulletproof drivetrains that there is. With even the most basic of prevntaive maintenance, they can easily go 250,000 miles.
Click to expand...

You are correct. I have found that the GM and Ford drivetrains tend to be pretty well designed and hold up well, even if you don't do the maintenance you should. The Chrysler ones seem to have more issues, but so long as you stick to the rear wheel drive V8 stuff, it still tends to hold up.

The rest of the car... it depends. Ultimately it seems that the rear wheel drive V8 platforms (be it sedan or truck) tend to be the most durable.

If only the window regulators were as well engineered.
Click to expand...

That would be nice!
 
SCCutler said:
If only the window regulators were as well engineered.
Click to expand...

Agreed. And that's where opportunity in America comes from: design and sell a bulletproof aftermarket power window kit and get rich... (hmm, how many Aleros still out there?)
 
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