Most vehicles nowadays have power windows. Power windows have more electrical and mechanical components, meaning there is more that could go wrong. If your power windows stop working, you might need someone familiar with your car’s electrical system to repair.
1) The Window is Sticking on the Track
You may find your windows work alright, but they occasionally get stuck partway through their motion. You might need to press the power window button a few times to get the window to “un-stick” and move into the closed or open position.
That tells us that the window glass itself is getting caught on the tracks on edge. Over time, dirt, dust, and grime can get into the window tracks. This can create more friction and cause the window to stick, even though the power window motor works fine. In this case, you’ll want to have the window tracks lubricated, so the window glass slides up and down smoothly.
2) A Blown Fuse or Burned Out Motor
When you attempt to activate the problematic window, what do you hear after you press the switch? If you hear a whirring or clicking noise, you know that electricity is getting to the motor. But what if you don’t hear anything? That tells us that you have an electrical problem. If the fuse associated with your power windows has blown, you may need a new fuse installed, and the whole system checked for problems. Or the motor itself inside the door may have just burned itself out. You’ll need to have the engine replaced by a factory-trained professional.
3) Faulty Window Switch
Another possible electrical problem that keeps your power windows from working is a faulty window switch. If the switch itself stops working, even if power is getting to the window motor, and the window motor is in good shape, but the window still doesn’t respond to the switch, the switch itself might be wrong.
One way to figure out if it’s a bad switch is to try other forms of rolling up the window — for example, if you suspect the passenger-side window switch is broken, try the button on the driver’s side that rolls down the passenger-side window. If it works, you know the passenger-side control is probably the culprit.
4) Failed Window Regulator
The window regulator is the metal arm that connects the window glass to the window motor. Over time, the window regulator can fail in a variety of ways. It may become disconnected from the motor or from the window glass itself. When the window regulator becomes damaged, an expert technician will need to disassemble the car door to remove the old regulator and replace it with a new one.