Auto Glass: 2006 Camry Power Window Failure, camry xle, 2006 camry

Question
QUESTION: Ben, my 2006 Camry XLE's driver side front power window failed last week- as I was rolling it up, it made what sounded like a loud grunting/grinding noise, and once up, would not come down again, although it sounded like there was something going on in the door when I hit the switch.  I took it to my dealer; they opened it up and said that the tabs had broken off of the window, and that was the problem.  Took it in the next day, when the part arrived, and they then told me that the motor was bad too.  I wasn't happy with that, and asked my local mechanic, who gave me an estimate about $100 less than the dealer to replace the motor.  

Here's the interesting thing- as the dealer brought my car up, the lot guy rolled down my window.  I asked him to roll it up, and he did, but once it went all the way up it came down about half-way and froze. We did this a couple of times, when it occurred to me that this might break the tabs on the new window we had just installed.  The tech came out and did something- not sure what- to get the window to stay up.

So, the question is, what's going on?  If it were the motor, I can't see that it would go up and down smoothly.  If it were the switch, it wouldn't get the signal to send up and down.  I'm confused, but would like to know what to tell my mechanic to check for, because I'm not eager to sink another $400 into the window if there's a simpler solution.

Thanks so much for whatever you can tell me- JC

ANSWER: Hello John,

Your window motor may not need to be replaced if you can get it to "re-program."  

The problem you describe is related to the "auto up", "auto down" and "up interrupt" feature that is built into this window system.  In order for these features to work properly the window motor must "learn" where the up position and down position are.  This is typically done as follows:

1.  With the door closed, turn the ignition on but do not start the car.

2.  Use the auto up feature and allow the window to go all the way up and then automatically reverse and come to rest at the mid point.

3.  Press and hold the window switch down until the window reaches bottom, then immediately lift and hold the switch up until the window reaches the top and then immediately release the switch.

4.  If the window again returns to the middle position try repeating step #3 a couple more times.

5.  If the window continues to return to the middle position try step #3 again, but go up first and then down.

If none of this works you can always get the window to stay up by lifting the switch and holding it up for a few seconds after the window has reached the top.

Now that you know more about how this system works, I think it is at least worth a try to get the dealer to do the re-programming at no cost to you.  Ultimately the dealer may need to take the door panel off and remove the window motor from the window regulator in order to get the motor to reprogram, but it seems to me that the dealer should be held responsible for creating the problem.

Ben  ... the power window guy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you, Ben.  I tried your suggestions, but no luck, it kept going down to the 1/3 rolled down position at the end of the cycle regardless of my taking it up and down.  I was able to get it to stay up when I was done testing it, which was a relief.  

Is what's wrong here something that is programmed into the motor itself, is it something the regulator should be controlling, or something else?  Would like to understand where the control for that programming you mention sits.

Not real excited about going back to the dealer- what would you suggest I tell them when I call?  That both the motor and switch seem fine, and that I think it just needs a programming reboot so that the motor figures out where to stop at both ends of its range?

Thanks again for the guidance!

JC

Answer
Hello John,

The electronics side of the power window systems is not my strong suite, so I don't know exactly where the "programming" resides.  However, I am aware that the Toyota procedure for re-programming involves removing the motor from the regulator and applying power to it until it has made several revolutions to "erase" the old program so I am guessing that at least some portion of the "memory" is in the motor.

(See the information provided at:  http://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-first-generation/477249-window-reprogramming.)

As for your conversation with the dealer, I recommend that you only speak with the service manager.  Explain that when you brought the vehicle in due to broken glass mounting brackets that the switch and motor worked perfectly, so anything that affected the performance of the switch  / motor must have been done by their technician and is their responsibility.  You might want to print out the information referred to above and show it to him: especially the portion about the stupid glass technician.

I believe they know the responsibility is theirs.  I think they know that they can re-program the motor.  I think they are just trying to take advantage of the situation.

Good Luck, Ben  ... the power window guy