The power window motor in your Ford Contour operates the window regulator to raise and lower the window glass with the push of a button. It is not uncommon for these motors to wear out and break: The small teeth in the gearbox that transmits rotating motion from the motor to the regulator may strip; the motor armature may short out or burn, rendering your power window inoperative.
To reach one of the front or rear door window motors, you must remove the panel and weather cover from the door. The door panel comes equipped with some screw mounting covers. However, the screw cover located next to the side mirror is mounted flash to the trim and almost impossible to remove without destroying it, says John Haynes in the “Ford Contour Repair Manual.”
On the inside handle, you can reach the retaining screws by carefully prying off the cover first. Once you pull and unplug the power door lock and window switch, look for the remaining panel retaining screws under their covers around the outer edges of the panel. Once you have removed the panel mounting screws, lift the door panel up and off the door.
The door window motor is attached to the door metal frame by three screws. After removing the screws, carefully dismount the motor drive gear from the regulator, then unplug the motor electrical connector. On some Contour models, however, you must remove the window glass to gain access to the motor.
On the front door of these models, you can lower the window to align the regulator-to-glass mounting bolts to the window frame holes for disassembling. Then remove the weather strip from the door to raise the glass manually through the window frame and out of the vehicle. Now you will be able to loosen the regulator retaining bolts from the door frame and the motor mounting bolts from the regulator.
On the rear door of these models, the procedure requires another step before you can remove the glass. First, remove the regulator-to-glass mounting bolts by lowering the window and aligning the bolts to the holes on the window frame. Loosen the bolts and remove the window weather strip.
With an assistant’s help, raise the glass to a near closed position and remove the regulator bolts. Let the regulator fall to the bottom of the door. Then remove the glass by lowering it into the door and than out through the window frame. After unplugging the motor electrical connector, you can remove the regulator and motor out of the door frame.
