Help! C5 Window will not go up!!!!

caseyk · 03-19-08, 09:08 AM

I experienced a problem yesterday with my driver's side window.I took the top off and rolled the windows down,I noticed a scraping type noise coming from the driver's side window.I attempted to roll the window back up up and it would only come up about a 1/4 of the way. I took the door panel off along with the speaker. I looked inside the door and tried to raise and lower the window.I could not figure out what the problem was.I hear the scraping noise and the window stops,about 1/4 of the way up! After about an hour of staring at it and trying to figure it out

,I was finally able to force the window all the way up,but it was very difficult

.Time was of the essence when I was doing this because it was getting ready to rain and I wasn't in my garage so I had to quickly put everything back together.The window motor works fine,I think it may be something to do with the tracks that the glass rides in? I saw,what looked like, some adjustment screws on the bottom of the door where the tracks mount to the door.Do you think this needs adjusting or something?If anyone has had experience with this ,I would really appreciate some guidance concerning this issue.I am very puzzled about this.I thought it would be really obvious when I removed the door panel,because the noise is terrible.

gmjunkie · 03-19-08, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseyk

I experienced a problem yesterday with my driver's side window.I took the top off and rolled the windows down,I noticed a scraping type noise coming from the driver's side window.I attempted to roll the window back up up and it would only come up about a 1/4 of the way. I took the door panel off along with the speaker. I looked inside the door and tried to raise and lower the window.I could not figure out what the problem was.I hear the scraping noise and the window stops,about 1/4 of the way up! After about an hour of staring at it and trying to figure it out

,I was finally able to force the window all the way up,but it was very difficult

.Time was of the essence when I was doing this because it was getting ready to rain and I wasn't in my garage so I had to quickly put everything back together.The window motor works fine,I think it may be something to do with the tracks that the glass rides in? I saw,what looked like, some adjustment screws on the bottom of the door where the tracks mount to the door.Do you think this needs adjusting or something?If anyone has had experience with this ,I would really appreciate some guidance concerning this issue.I am very puzzled about this.I thought it would be really obvious when I removed the door panel,because the noise is terrible.

You will have to take the window and then the regulator out to find it I think!! My guess is one of the rollers broke on the regulator!!

caseyk · 03-19-08, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmjunkie

You will have to take the window and then the regulator out to find it I think!! My guess is one of the rollers broke on the regulator!!

Thanks for the feedback.I am getting ready to go on vacation up to Spokane,Washington,so I will get started on it when I get back.I will be checking this while I am there,this will not be a fun job.

caseyk · 03-26-08, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseyk

Thanks for the feedback.I am getting ready to go on vacation up to Spokane,Washington,so I will get started on it when I get back.I will be checking this while I am there,this will not be a fun job.

Does anyone have experience with taking the regulator out of the door to replace the roller? If so, could you give me some pointers? Once I get the door panel off, I am not sure what to do next.Do I have to take the glass and all the tracks out,or can I just unbolt the regulator?Also,is the roller going to be a dealer item?? Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.

Dad · 03-26-08, 02:58 PM

Maybe this will help.

DRTH VTR · 03-26-08, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseyk

Does anyone have experience with taking the regulator out of the door to replace the roller? If so, could you give me some pointers? Once I get the door panel off, I am not sure what to do next.Do I have to take the glass and all the tracks out,or can I just unbolt the regulator?Also,is the roller going to be a dealer item?? Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated.

The GM service manuals are a very good investment. It is a three volume set and retails for about $175. They can be found for less. I bought mine used on e-bay for about half of that.

Here is a link to Helm: http://www.helminc.com/helm/product2...W4A0MT9S8F4V55

caseyk · 03-30-08, 10:59 AM

Thanks for the feedback,I will let you guys know how it comes out,as matter of fact I will take pictures ,step by step in case someone in the future may need it.

gmjunkie · 03-30-08, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caseyk

Thanks for the feedback,I will let you guys know how it comes out,as matter of fact I will take pictures ,step by step in case someone in the future may need it.

There not hard,There actually purdy simple compared to C3's and C4's,But My guess is you will need a regulator,the rollers and cables are not replaceable!!!I looked in my Photo files of my Z06 for some photos,but didn't find them,I know I took some when I had the regulator out of the left door, but I took over 400 Photos while I was repairing the car!! I just can't find them!!

Sorry!!

caseyk · 04-08-08, 10:06 AM

Greetings,
I finally got a chance to take my door apart and check it out.I found out that the cable jumped off one of the rollers at the bottom.I also noticed that where one of the cables connects to the window motor has a blue plastic locking mechanisim that keeps the cable in place,it was broken on one side.I looked down in the bottom of the door and noticed that where the channel is anchored to the bottom of the door had come loose(the channel sits on a stud ,loosely, and a rubber sleeve fits over the stud and prevents it from moving during operation,I know, I should've taken pictures....sorry!).The rubber sleeve worked its way up and allowed the channel to move while going up and down(probably why the cable jumped off the roller?).This is all I could come up with.So, I re-installed the sleeve and made sure it was tight.I put the cable back on the pulley.I looked at the broken plastic retainer piece that goes to the window motor and pretty much left it like it was.I tried it out several times ,it made a little noise coming back up,so ,I sprayed a little WD-40 on the tracks and the rollers and it is pretty quiet now.As for how long this will last ,I don't know. It only takes a handful of tools to remove everything,so I am keeping them in the car in the event my window gets stuck again.I am going to try and get as much out of this as I can,I priced the entire window regulator assembly and it lists for $ 335.00.I am not ready to spend that kind of money right now.I am getting married in 18 days so things are a little tight right now.The main thing is ,I can take the top off and ride with both windows down ! Again ,thank you all for the feedback !!

Dad · 04-08-08, 11:05 AM

Sounds good except for one thing, WD-40 is not a good lubricant for window channels, in fact it can wash out the lubricant that is in there. Just a suggestion to those using it would be to use PB Blaster's GDL, Garage Door Lube. It is safe to use on metal, plastic, delrin, teflon, and even wood, tack free and stainless. It is a lubricant, not a "Water Dispersing" fluid as is WD-40.

It does what it claims and rid me of some of the most awful sounding plastic wheel screeching on my garage doors, and is now used on the door hinges, window rollers, nylon clutch pivot bearings, and the like on my vehicles in place of white lithium.

Don't throw out the broken regulator; it might be a good one to see if a piece can be made to repair it. Let me know; I have the machines to do most machining projects and would give it a try.

caseyk · 04-08-08, 12:43 PM

That sounds great,I will definitley hang on to the old regulator when I change it out, I will send it to you and see what you can do with it.I understand your point about the lubricants.It doesn't take much to pop the door panel off,I will get some PB Blaster's GDL.Does the auto parts store carry this or do I have to order it from somewhere? Thanks so much for the feedback. I'll keep everyone posted on the window issue,who knows it might tear up on me this evening on the way home from work!!!!

Dad · 04-10-08, 10:52 AM

Post a picture of the broken plastic part and we'll see if making one is in the cards. Don't plan on shipping the complete regulator or we'll have as much in shipping as if a new one was purchased.

Try http://www.fichtnerchevrolet.com/ and see what their shipped price would be for a regulator # 10417572.