TTAC Commentator KalapanaBlack writes:
My mother has a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora 4.0 with 60,000 miles. There have been four or five problems with it since new, but it hasn’t been as disastrously unreliable as I feared a $40,000 knock-off Caddy would be, especially given the “reliability” of the other K and G-Body sedans.
The problem: about two weeks ago, she attempted to roll the passenger side front window down and noticed that it wouldn’t budge. I thought it might loosen up with repeated closing of the door, but that didn’t work. The window lock button is not engaged, and the window refuses to work for the master (driver side) switch or the switch mounted on its own door.
The G-Body FWD big sedans (LeSabre, Bonneville, Aurora, Park Avenue) are infamous for their power window troubles, however this is different than anything I’ve heard of. Usually they fall into the door or the motor goes out or the track breaks off.
This, however, is stuck all the way up, failed sometime when not in use, and the switches cause a clicking noise not unlike someone pushing “up” on the switch while the window is already all the way up, however in this case, it’s all the way up and experiences that behavior while trying to roll it down.
Furthermore, no Oldsmobile dealers exist any longer, Chevrolet dealers won’t touch the G-Body or Northstar (Aurora) V8, and Cadillac dealers want over $100/hour of labor, and that includes simply looking at it and providing an opinion.
Sajeev answers:
How ironic, as I had this problem on my Mark VIII just last week. Same symptoms. It’s an easy fix (for me) as the usual fail point is a set of three Gummi Bear-ish bushings that dry rot and render the window motor useless. With any luck, you’re in the same boat and a plastic part bit the dust. And you might find the replacement part in the Dorman catalog.
However, after searching the Aurora forums and Rock Auto, I am quite uncertain. Your problem is either the window motor or the regulator which should be easy to spot with the interior door skin removed. If you haven’t made the time to find a non-dealer, non-franchise mechanic with a strong local reputation to help, get off your keister and do it.
We all know GM dealers are hurting for cash right now, and a fully depreciated Aurora in the service bay is like the goose that laid the golden egg. And makes new car salesmen weak in the knees. But we all know there’s no replacement for Oldsmobile’s finest, right?
Bonus! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom:
I’ve heard the horror stories of replacing glass-jaw worthy window regulators, and that truly sucks. The consumer demands a durable power window system, but there needs to be a singular fail point to ensure your car doesn’t double as a Ginsu knife on your pet, child or inebriated significant other. So don’t mess with a good thing.
While some folks replace the plastic “junk” with a metal part (in the case of my car, replacing the bushings with metal nuts from a hardware store), they are asking for trouble. Or handing down some bad karma to their car’s next owner. So think before you act, and maybe leave well enough alone.
[Send your technical questions to mehta@ttac.com]
The motor is toast. Forget the dealer, google a local window /electrical guy. Here in Canada its usually around $200. Don’t buy the cheapo motor!
I used to own a 1995 Eldorado ETC with a similar problem. It would often get stuck in the up or down position. I don’t know what caused the problem but the fix was easy:
All I had to do to fix it was remove the interior panel and locate the window motor. It was right under the panel on that car and held in with 3 screws. It wasn’t inside the door like most cars. Unscrew the motor and pry it off. It would make a loud pop noise but them would go back in just fine. Once it was back in it worked fine.
This happened maybe 6 times in the 1 year i owned the car.
Now I don’t know if the Aurora has the same window motor as the ETC, but it’s worth giving it a shot. It only took about 15 min from start to finish as well.
Once the door panel is off, you should be able to visually determine if there is a problem with the regulator. If not, then use a digital multimeter to determine whether the problem is the switch or the motor. RockAuto.com has the motor and the regulator, but for the switch you’re likely going to have to do an online search for one through a salvage yard or check GMPartsDirect.com.
ooh the awful world of Power window. why is it that most American cars tend to suffer from that problem?
I have 2 American cars, and one of the reasons i bought a 3rd Japanese one built in Hiroshima are the both the power window failures, and central locking system failures. I know people with German/Frensh and Japanese cars that never have these problems regardless of the age of their car. I’ve heard of brands that croak and die, and everything stops working except the power locks and Windows.
in my case, first it would be the switch, if not, possibly the belt, if not that it could be both. and if not all the above, it’s the motor (brushes usually) or any combination of the above three choices. if your lucky the fuse might be the culprit, but that is what i usually check first and most of the times it’s ok.
Power Windows are usually an easy DIY fix. just don’t force those measly plastic gears. get a voltmeter, some basic tools and go about checking the fuse, then switch, then if both are Ok check the motor. if the belt or other mechanicals are busted it should be obvious while you attempt to check the motor. well the usual trial and error troubleshooting always works for me….
How bad do you want to open this window?
Why not wait until the power door locks fail, and fix both at the same time?
I suspect that the motor is rusted, a common GM problem. The fact that Rock Auto stocks replacement motors reinforces my view that it is a common problem. The fix is a new one.
Bob
Guys, please correct the 1995 Aurora link.
My 3-series sedan had 3 window regulators replaced in the past 3 years at $300 a pop.
Lesson learned, buy a coupe with fixed rear windows next time.
I’ve either personally had window regulators go out or close friends that have had them go out on German, Japanese, and American cars. Lesson: Nobody has a clue how to engineer reliable power windows. Don’t even try the “German & Japanese cars don’t do that.” spiel.
Don’t single out American makes.
In 1998 my ’91 Accord’s passenger window regulator joined my previous car in the sky.
In ’06 my ’98 Audi A4’s rear drivers window quit functioning in the up position.
In the case of the Audi, that window has not moved ever since. Nor have I felt the need to spend the time or money to fix it. My 1987 Nissan with manual windows… never failed me.
The passenger-side rear window regulator failed on my wife’s Trailblazer. We don’t want the kids opening the window anyway.
I secured a block of wood inside the door to lock the window in the up position and unplugged the motor.
I agree with Packard, check the switches before assuming it’s the regulator. You say it failed on its own, not under load; that sounds more like a switch failure than a burned out motor. Also remember, the passenger window is wired through the driver’s side and passenger’s side window switches. If either one failed, the window would be disabled. I recommend checking out the car’s service manual and using a multimeter to diagnose the problem. I don’t know about other areas, but my city’s main library has a reference section full of service manuals for just about all American cars made in the last ten years or so. The service manual will tell you how to get to the components and what to expect to measure on each of the wires.
American power windows really are just as reliable as Japanese and German…Redwood said it right, no one knows how to make a power window that can last for 10+ years regularly. I think that power windows actually stay more reliable the more often they’re used. I’m willing to bet that passenger side window hadn’t seen much use in the 8 years they’ve had the car. In my experience, the rear windows (i.e. less used) fail more often than the front.
On another note…absolutely beautiful car! 60k miles, 2001…that’s a gem.
Recomend going to an independent auto glass repair shop. They are in door panels all the time and should do a quick and proper fix. Ask around for one in your area that has helped a friend.
Or if you want the “fun” of putting a door panel back on correctly DYI.
Oldsmobile power window regulators were bad across the entire line of sedans: alero, intrigue and aurora. I owned an Alero for 8 years and spent lots of time on the user forums. This is a common issue.
It sounds like the master window switch.
In my experience it’s been European models, by far, that have the worst electronic issues. Most American and Japanese models are perfectly fine. The master window switch on the last gen Chrysler minivans was one exception to that rule. But otherwise, this isn’t an area where there’s a huge difference.
I can attest to the unreliability of my German engineered power windows. VW regulators of the 1990s to about 2005 are notorious.
But the real bastard in the door is the lock – the vaunted German Engineer who decided that a pressed pin that falls out just after the warranty expires should be summarily executed. Or perhaps promoted and given a raise for creating so much service work…
Oldsmobile power window regulators were bad across the entire line of sedans: alero, intrigue and aurora. I owned an Alero for 8 years and spent lots of time on the user forums. This is a common issue.
I must have gotten lucky, then: drove the hell out of an Intrigue for 5 years up to 135K miles and never had any window trouble. But the blower motor? Different story.
Hello all!
My Mazda dealership also services Oldsmobile(and other GMs) as we were a former Olds dealership as well.
Diagnosis of your window is relatively simple, I do this all the time:
1) Remove the door panel and disconnect the window motor 2-wire connector from the motor.
2) Place a 12 volt testlight across the disconnected wire harness terminals. Operate the switch both up and down–the light should come on in both cases. If not, you have a switch or wiring problem. Usually just the switch.
3) With a 12 volt battery and 2 alligator test wires, connect the wires to the motor terminals, connect one wire to either battery terminal, then touch the other wire to the other battery terminal–if the motor doesnt come down, reverse the leads at the battery and try again. If still no movement, you have a motor and/or a regulator problem.
I have had Olds with both a failed switch AND a bad motor.
I replaced the same rear window regulator in my 2000 A4 twice. But the real icing on the cake was the German method for power door locks: a vacuum pump in the trunk! The door locks, trunk lock and fuel door are all relying on that one hideously expensive pump. I found a replacement for close to $1000 online….
I have taken my door panels off about 20 times now for various problems (window coming off the track, alignment wrong, strange noises, broken track wheel…). It’s a pain the first time you do it, after the first time it’s easy as you’ll remember how everything goes. Just don’t force anything, be patient and go easy. An independent glass shop will definitely be able to get the job done quick and relatively cheaply if you don’t want to DIY.
@SpacemanSpiff:
Forget that $1K noise for a fine precision German vacuum pump. Go get this one for 1/3 that amount. It’s intended to operate vacuum power brakes on vehicles with camshafts and/or turbochargers too big to generate enough manifold vacuum; it will make puhLENTY of vacuum to pop your locks. If your original pump has an integrated vacuum reservoir, go junkyard hopping: GM cars and trucks of the ’80s have a spherical vacuum reservoir under the hood, about 6″ diameter, that’ll do fine. I had the misfortune years ago to find myself all too often under the hood of an ’80 Stinkoln Town Car with no fewer than four vacuum reservoirs, each shaped and sized just like an ordinary coffee can. Add a couple of check valves and some hose adaptors and you should be all set.
Similar problem. Turned out to be a defective switch.
Don’t even think about taking it to a GM dealer or using a new GM part. Both are ridiculously expensive. Try an independent garage or glass shop. The same switch is probably used in a zillion GM models. Should be easily sourced and relatively inexpensive from a wrecker, ahem auto recycler.
Duplicate post. Sorry.
Thanks for the post and all the helpful comments guys. I’m printing this for future reference so I can get around to it. All too true about the whole of Oldsmobile’s line with regards to regulators. I’m also not surprised to see a TrailBlazer owner post, and the multiple 3-Series posts. A friend in med school with an ’07 335ix just had her fourth rear window failure. She gave up and used duct tape. Classy German car, med school student, duct tape haphazardly applied to the rear window to hold out water. It’s been that way for months.
Anyway, I’ll have to get around to this. More pressing issues reared their ugly heads yesterday (my beloved 2002 Diamante was declared a total loss – not thanks to a wreck, but the reckless work of a supposed mechanic shop). To follow are a grueling lawsuit to cancel the $1400 labor bill, recoup the $1200 in parts that I bought myself as well as the $1000 rental car bill for multiple months in Hertz cars, and an attempt to scrape up enough to get a new car. I’m looking at a $1300 ’94 Volvo 850 with 185,000 mi on it tonight as emergency trasport. The past couple of days have sucked hard.
Anyway, again, thanks. I’ll follow up eventually, even if it takes a year. Local big auto recycler priced me only $20 for a new master switch, and are throwing in the passenger door switch for free, from a 2002 3.5. I’m hours from home at college, so I should have them installed sometime next month. At that price, it was too good to pass up for even a glimmer of a chance that I won’t have to take the door panels off.
FWIW, this is the exact vehicle in question, at 12,000 miles. You can even spot the window in question: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2nd_gen_Oldsmobile_Aurora.jpg
I was wrong about the current mileage. Just over 54,500 as of 7/19.
Oldsmobile??? Isn’t that the equivalent of the Dodo bird????
Those damn american cars…..
Just to give the Aurora owner a ‘heads up’ I just had my power windows rebuilt on my 1989 Taurus S.H.O.
It cost me a Whole $300 for both!
This ‘bad old’ american car is still daily driven and I dont think that 20 years is too bad for a power window!!
I really hate to think that you would have to pay more than that at an independent garage.
If you are looking for a reason to get rid of it,Get rid of it!
and by the way…..I wonder how much a 20 year old window rebuild would be for a non domestic….ouch maybe!