Power window capped out

[hornian]

On my '01 Dodge Ram. Only the one on my drivers side. It will roll down fine, but won't roll back up most of the time. I baisically have to sit there and hold the button up for about 5 minutes before it goes up again, and then it goes up fine. Is there anything I can do short of taking it to a shop (I don't think I can afford it right now, with school going on I can't work that much and I'm just covering the bills and such right now)?

 

[Dead Horse]

It is either your switch itself (doubt it), or your window motor is or has gone out.

Try taking the electrical panel to the switches off the door and check all the connections on the back of it. This is probably not it but it is worth checking.

If it is the window motor, it is a ***** to replace on some vehicles but it can be done. I have only done it on a GM before. You need to go order it from Autozone because they probably don't keep it in stock. It will be 75% less from Autozone as opposed to the dealer.

Take the door panel off and expose the track and the motor. On GM's, you kind of need two people at some point because the track has a spring mechanism that is very difficult to secure with just two hands.

Once you get into it, it is pretty self explanatory. You will also probably need to buy some extra door panel clips (the clips that secure the panel to the door) as they break often. They are cheap though.....

 

[horn4life]

It sounds like it might be cathcing on something if it does indeed eventually roll back up. Go to the auto parts store and buy some of the body part plastic pop-in latches. then take off the interior door material. there is probably one screw in the base of the molded handle where you pull the door closed and two or more along the bottom. After that you can just tug GENTLY on the door and it should gradually come off. Usually you have to lift up to get it off comeplete as it usually mounts in the lip of the window opening.

Then remove the protective plastic CAREFULLY and see what's going on. It could be falling off the track, need some white grease or work great once the door enterior is off. If it works great then it's haninging on something.

They moters are indeed a ***** to change. So you probably are not helping yourself by holding the button down for 5 minutes....

 

[Nacho]

same thing happens in my F-150. except i don't hold the button down. i just press it 50 times until it's finally down. i have a feeling it has to dow with the one-touch-all-the-way-down thing - it's been happening for over a year. someone mentioned putting some graphite down in there to make it easier, but that's just a bandaid. no ******* way i'm taking the door apart. i tried messing with the electrical in my brother's landcruiser, had to step away for an hour and now i have absolutely no idea what goes where.

your 2001 is no longer under warranty? i thought i was the only one dumb enough to get the 3 year with my lease.

 

[Dead Horse]

don't be afraid to take the door apart, it is an american vehicle and is relatively user friendly to work on.

If you get confused, use the other side for comparison. If you break the plastic clips, it is no biggie. In fact some dealerships will give them to you and it takes 10 seconds to put them in.

 

[BigWill]

Sounds like a bad relay to me. I would try that before I yank the door apart.

 

[jmatt]

Maybe one of these will help:

The Link

The Link

 

[accuratehorn]

If you hear the motor running in the door when you are pressing the switch, then there is nothing wrong with the switch, relay, electronic control module (if your model has one for the windows) or the wiring (most likely).
Either the motor is old and worn out, or the window is binding in the tracks, which could be clogged with dirt or worn out, or most likely of all-the part called the window regulator is worn out. This always happens in the driver's door, because it gets used 1000 times more than the others.
In some models the regulator (the metal piece that raises and lowers the window) comes with the motor, but usually it is separate. It gets loose and sloppy in its operation, which puts it in a bind, which causes the motor to work too hard, which also ruins the motor. So you could replace one piece, then find out you need both. Also, some regulators are riveted to the doors with large pop rivets, which require drilling out of the door once you get in there, and a large pop rivet tool to replace when putting it back together (only on American cars, foreign cars wouldn't do that to you).
Now are you glad you got a car with power windows? Don't forget about the six motors in each 6-way power seat that are just waiting to cost you hundreds of dollars, the heated electric outside mirrors-ditto. Why can't they make a simple, easy to repair car like they used to? Consumers demand all this stuff, but they have no idea how much extra it is going to cost them in a few short years.