Editor's note: this article discusses modifying the power window motor with the correct plastic plugs (cheap) or non-approved metal bolts (even cheaper). The non-approved metal parts have been proven to lead to bodily injury and worse, especially if children or animals ride in the car. If you have any doubt, buy the proper plastic pieces.


Problem: window motor runs but is ‘stripping by’ and will not raise glass or may raise only with assistance of pulling up on the glass.   This is such a universal problem that you virtually cannot own a car with this type of window lift for any time at all without running into this, especially now with aging vehicles.  However, the solution is as simple as it is ingenious, as you will see.





First, the motor/lift assembly must be removed from the door. It will be helpful to get the window into a raised or mostly raised position if possible. The door panel comes off first. There is a tubular piloting rod for the window which will need to come out so that the motor/lift will have clearance to be removed/replaced through the door inner opening. Remove its two fasteners at the top and bottom of door frame and angle it to remove it downward through the window slider. The motor/lift assembly is secured to the door frame by four aluminum rivets if it has not been previously removed. Unplug its electrical connector. The rivets will need to be drilled or cut out. I use a small angle grinder.   After the rivets have been cut, the assembly will fall free and will only have to have the lift arm moved out of the window slide by moving the assembly slightly forward in order to then remove it rearward through the doorframe opening.

Now, with the motor/lift assembly at the bench, remove the three fasteners holding the motor/drive to the lift. Use care as the lift will have some spring pressure and travel as the motor unit is removed. With the motor/drive unit separated from the lift, you will observe a single Phillips-head screw remaining holding the backing plate. Remove this screw and then the backing plate. Lift out the steel drive gear. Now you will see the cause of the trouble -  ‘chewed up’ pieces of plastic within the ‘ three-lobed’ center of the larger nylon ring gear. 

Though the first thought might be that the nylon ring gear has failed that is invariably not the case and therefore a replacement for it is usually not needed. The only replacement need is for those three plastic ‘slugs’ that fit into the three lobes between the two gears.

These parts are available at your local parts store from Dorman under the HELP! brand name. The part number is #74410 and it comes with three slugs, enough for one window motor.

Oddly, a common hardware item, ¼" nuts (the type that fit a 7/16” wrench) are an exact fit. Six will be needed. Remove remaining chunks of plastic from the ring gear lobes. You don’t have to get every little scrap or have to remove the grease already present. De-burr the bottoms of the three lobe openings in the ring gear with a screwdriver. Stack two of the ¼" nuts in each of the three lobe openings, then set the steel gear on top of them and start working it down into place. A little patience will help, as well as maybe turning the nuts slightly so that their flats face the center. If the nuts come out of position, just start over. It will go together quickly, with maybe a tap or two on the gear. Even if there were to remain some play between the gears this would work, but the fit is so precise and perfect that it ’s scary. Add some grease and replace the backing plate/Phillips screw. The lift will need to be held in position against its spring pressure in order to reattach the motor unit. Insert assembly back into the door and insert the lift arm pivot into the window slider. Re-install the pilot rod. Reattach the motor/lift assembly to the frame with short ¼" bolts and nuts. The lower two fasteners will be more difficult to insert and nut. Having a smaller arm that can reach through the doorframe opening helps. Reconnect the power plug, test the lift, and replace door panel.

Have you ever seen a better, cheaper fix for anything?