The common causes of power window failure

Sep 25, 2023

Have you ever had to open your car door at a fast food drive-through window or a drive-up ATM and struggle to reach out and grab your food or money?

If so, you’ve likely been the victim of a power window failure. Like many automotive-related problems, power window malfunctions aren't common but can happen with little warning.

Front driver-side windows malfunction most frequently because their motors and window regulators – which control the window's up and down movement – are used the most, mechanics say. But it can affect all windows and even power sun and moon roofs.

"We’ve been seeing this happen even on newer cars – cars that are 6 or 7 years old," says Robert Benet, general manager of Green & White Automotive in Spring, Texas.

Benet says it's important to take your car to an automotive professional as soon as possible. Malfunctioning windows can be a safety issue if people have access to your car through an open or partially open window.

"If it's down, you may not be able to bring it back up," Benet says. "And if it starts raining and you don't have a garage for your car, you could have a problem."

Window malfunctions are typically caused by a faulty window regulator (also called a window track), or a broken motor, cable pulley or window switch. Sometimes it can be a combination of those things.

One of the biggest reasons power windows fail is because of snow and ice, says Al Karam, owner of Classic Automotive Repair in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

"It freezes the door glass to the frame around the windows," Karam says. "The window regulators are not made to break ice free, and it prematurely wears out the window regulator mechanism."

Power window issues can be intermittent or permanent. Intermittent problems can cause windows to stop working temporarily only to work again and have more problems later. A permanent problem is when the windows fail to work again.

Overheated motors often cause intermittent problems, Benet says. When the motor – located inside the door – cools down, it may start working again. A technician will more than likely need to take off the door frame and check the motor and the wiring.

Benet says one of the biggest problems he sees is when the window regulator and cable come apart. The cable can break or come off the pulley.

"When some regulators start to fail, you can actually hear a crunching type noise when the cable is not winding up properly," Karam says. "It's always a good idea to repair the regulator issue as soon as possible so you can keep your car secure and keep the elements or debris out."

Master switches (the button you hit to raise or lower the window) supply power to the motor and can also malfunction.

Benet says a typical power window repair costs between $325 and $475. Karam says a common repair is to replace the motor and regulator assembly, which typically costs between $275 and $400 depending on the car's make, year and model.

Tom Moor, Angie's List/MCT

(This article originally appeared on angieslist.com.)

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