Hey guys, I'm hoping you can help me figure this out. I have a 4th gen prelude.

Short version:
Window went down but wont go back up but motor still makes a noise when I push up, just the window wont move. Even if I pull the window up, it can still easily be pushed down. Whats the problem?

Long version:
So today, completely randomly, I roll down the windows like I always do then when I got home, I go to close them and the drivers side window wont go up.

Here's what I know so hopefully it can help you determine what is going wrong. The window will go down fine. When I press up, the motor will make the sound as if its turning but nothing will happen. The only way to get the window up is to pull the window up as I press on the up button and then it will stay up and closed BUT it can easily be pushed down again.

I've read a lot of threads and a lot of them aren't complete with the solution. I'm guessing it's either the motor or the switch and I don't have the money to buy one and then find out its actually the other so I'd like to make sure which component is the problem. I would like to test the motor but I'm not sure how since I'm not very good with electrical.

If it goes down fine, still makes a noise when I push up and will still kinda close but can easily be pushed down again, does it sound like the motor or the switch? I plan to mess with the switch some more tomorrow by taking it apart and checking for some kinda corrosion but would a switch really be the culprit if it can still be easily pushed down? Or is it none of these and its just off track making it very hard to push the window up but easy to come down.

Sorry for the wall of text but I wanted to be as descriptive as possible.

I hope some of you can help me out. Thanks!

 

sorry.... it's not the motor or the switch, your window regulator has crapped out. it's no big deal tho, just pop off your door panel disconnect your electrical plugs. tear off the plastic dust sheet, and undo the regulator from the bottom of the glass. then undo the regulator from the door and remove it.. the motor should be part of the regulator, your only looking at about $50 for a used one from a part yard. hope that helped

 

Thanks for your reply.

What makes you so confident that it's the regulator? Isn't the regulator just the metal bracket pieces? That would be my last guess since its just metal pieces connected to bolts so unless I forced my window down and something bent, I'm not sure how it could be this piece. So please explain.

What I would like to do is bypass the switch to move the window up just to make 100% sure the switch is not the issue. I just don't want to buy a new part then find out it wasn't the problem. Maybe its even possible to use the passenger side switch just to test it? I took a bunch of picture so maybe this will help someone tell me which wires to cross to get it to move the window up and bypass the switch. Lots of other info in the pictures as well.

 

I had to replace one once, it was the regulator. GL

 

UPDATE

The problem was actually the motor, not the regulator. The gears on the motor and regulator were fine but something inside the motor was messed up.

Replaced the motor from advance autoparts for $50 and its working great now. I'm not even sure that I had to take off the regulator and the window out. If anything, maybe just the window. Then take off the 3 10mm bolts that attach the motor to the regulator and put in the new motor. It's tight in there so it would be kind of hard but I think it's doable.

Hope this helps someone else in the future.