Solara 2001 Window Problem

[solara_01]

Hello fellow Solara owners and lovers!

I have a 53K mile old 2001 Solara SLV V6 with some issues. I hope you can help me narrow down the problem with my driver's side window.

One very random day, I decide to roll down my window when suddenly I hear this loud thud sound on the door and the window only goes down about 3 inches and is stuck there. I was able to hear a very faint mechanical sound when I used the window button when this first happened, but now I don't think I can really hear it anymore... Continuing with the story, I drive a little further to find that my window is slowly moving down on it's own by force of gravity. Later when I was able to stop, for fear of rain getting into the car or theft, I tried pulling the window up with my hands and it kind of stays up, but with no strength. You can push it down and it will go down easily. When I called the dealer they said they charge $125 just to look at it and the parts/labor(separately) can run me from $300 to $600 dollars. ARE THEY KIDDING ME!!!??? Maybe if I was millionaire, I would have no issue with that!

Anyways, it's raining here in California and I need to do something about this ASAP. (':o')

If I can hear a very faint sound of some sort, does that mean I only need to replace what I think is a window regulator and not the motor?

Oh, yeah, I also did some searches for a 2001 Solara window regulator and couldn't find anything available except through a salvage dude on ebay. I think $200 should be the max to fix this, does anybody agree? Feel free to ask me to elaborate. I would REALLY APPRECIATE any advice. You guys are great!

[woa_its_j3ff]

u want to knwo something even funnier.
my solara. 99.
my window was being rolled down less than a week ago and i heard a "BAM" and then after that my window wouldnt roll up. for the entire day iw as stuck driving wiht my driver window down in 40 degree weather. (i rolled it down cuz i was smoking. anyways, i took apart my door panel, and found out the window was on the track but the cable that was part of it had fallen off the pulley. Toyota dealership is charging me 160 dollars to just look at it. Fu<k that, so i just ghetto rigged it and now my window is up, but there is a 1 cm gap between the window and weather stripping because it's so heavy there is nothing I can do about it.

and the window is now not functional, it's gonna be a bitch in the summer.

my guess is maybe the same problem I have (the cable).. or possibly something else.
hope things work out for you cuz im pissed about htis.
I dont know even know what's going to happen once winter starts.

with all that said, welcome to SG, you can get any solara help here.

[ThatVietGuy]

I think your best bet is to take apart the door paneling and look at the motor and related connections.

[SolAraB]

Hey guys wats up..........its funny this is the second problem i encounter on the site that happened to me too...its like deja vu. haha. Anyways if your problem is the same as mine all you have to do is just get a new "Window Regulator" Any toyota dealer can order it for you and i spent about 100 dollars plus tax i think......take off door panel first (Very easy) and look at the metal cables...if one of them is snapped you need a new regulator.......and have a pro install it!!! cause if you dont it will just snap again...it is very sensitive when you put it in!!! And if it decides to snap when someone is putting it in then take it back to toyo dealer and tell them the pro installed it and the window was perfect for about 5 mins and the thing snapped again....there is lifetime warranty on it. Sorry if there is a lot of writing .....just ask me if you need any help......i can only try though..... oh and dont forget haha ^^^^ just like it was said earlier just ghetto rig it to stay up until you fix it......you can use some wood and ziptie it to the broken regulator to hold glass up until you fix it....

[solara_01]

Thanks for your input everyone.

SolAraB: So what you are saying is to just order the part from the dealer and then have it installed by a professional at another place? Doesn't the dealer charge premium for any parts? I've seen window regulators with and without the motor. How can I tell if I need one or the other? Hmm, is it just me or does it sound like this window problem has happened a few too many times to many people?

If or when I do get this fixed, my advice would be to open and close the window very sparingly.

[SolAraB]

Actually i know a couple of pros that have worked with random regulators......and he just came to my house and did it...i gave him like 75 bucks for his pocket just to put it in....and usually these things arent supposed to snap like that but toyota windows are so tight when they close that they stick to those rubber peices and when you pull them down there is pressure on the regulator and eventually ware it down.....if you still hear something in your door panel like your window motor trying to work just get the regulator.......cause motor can get a bit pricy

[solara_01]

Hey Solara Peps,
I was able to have someone look at my window and found out that the cable broke on the window regulator. The guy told me that I need to replace the motor as well since the cable is attached to that. I can't seem to be able to find that part except from the dealer who quoted me $361.68 for both the regulator and the motor. Does this sound right to everyone. Geez, why did this have to happen now in the midst of all the holiday shopping bills. Argh!

As a side note, how much should I give this guy that will be fixing my window? He's a friend of a friend, so it's not like I can take him out to a nice dinner or something.

Thanks!
Solara_01

[Solarafreek]

^^^Look at a salvage yard for the part before buying anything from the stealership.