Window dilemma

can you elaborate on the first paragraph?

 

If it was my car, I would just not open that window any more. The windows on both our Prii work fine, but especially with the older one, I will generally not open the driver's side window, even at a toll gate. I will open the driver's door and pass the money through the gap instead. It's not quite as convenient, but is only a slight delay that will not normally annoy the drivers behind me. I started doing that after having to replace the power window motor in our '96 Mercury to the tune of something like $300, even though I did the work myself. I am told the power window motors on the Prius are better designed, but now that I'm in the habit of doing it that way, I don't see any reason to change.

 

Never had a problem with mine - but past experience (particularly on one VOLVO) - it was always the switch, never had a motor fail.

 

IF......they had it back in the shop long enough to actually test while it was failing, then it is likely that the motor is intermittent.
The other possibility is that they are just guessing, as there is a switch or three involved also.

If the motor is failing, it might help to "slam" the door while holding the switch.

 

Others have already said this - but the switch and/or wiring are likely culprits as well.

Depending on how much "diagnostic" time the mechanic put in, he may just be guessing it's the motor. You say he didn't charge you for looking at it, so I doubt he even had the door panel off.

I've had window motors fail before, and they can be a bear to replace and cost a good buck as well. Also had switches that fail and they're easier to replace and much cheaper.

I'd hate to not be able to use a power window at all. The likelihood that you'll forget just once, roll the window down and then not be able to get it up is very real. (unless you pull the fuse!). A more likely problem is that someone else (spouse, valet parker, car hiker, mech at a dealer) will roll the window down and have it not come back up.

See if you can do a little diagnostic work yourself, find the actual problem, and fix it. Otherwise, it's just a mater of time until Murphy rears his ugly head and you have a window down 100 miles from home in a thunderstorm.

 

you went to toyota for what, to find out what was wrong and determine a price to repair?

did they charge you? did you get a work order? did they tell you what they did?

it's hard to determine anything with lmost no information.

 

sorry

 

Chill please.
When you ask a question in a place like this you will get back all KINDS of answers, some good, some questionable, some BAD and some totally off topic.
If you let that upset you, it will grind YOU down and the others won't usually care that their response was inappropriate.
Let it roll off.

 

You said "went to Toyota" so I assume this means a Toyota dealership. Don't do that. Ask/search around your area for a locally owned, independent place that works on/at least partly specializes in Prii, and go there whenever you have problems with the car. There are such shops virtually everyplace by now. Generally speaking, you are far better served this way.

To go back to the question of elaboration, a window can "stop rolling up" because the motor is bad or electrical connections / switched are not sending power. Or a window can "stop rolling up" because of a mechanical issue (e.g. a jammed window regulator). So when you hit the switch to roll up the window, did it just seem dead - as in nothing even "tried" to happen? Or did it seem to "try" to so something? Different kinds of problems.

If it was just electrically dead, then I'd first assume a bad switch or electrical connections before jumping right to "bad motor." But this is why you just need a local shop. If you're worried, find one and take it there. Tell them what happened and ask them to just check it over. Alternatively, it's really pretty easy to pull those door panels, clean up electrical connections, eyeball the regulator and such.

 

The OP's (rostasi) problem description tells me it could be motor, wiring or switch. That the window worked AFTER the door was open/closed/slammed, and that the problem then reoccurred, doesn't eliminate anything. It's an intermittant. We hate those.

The diagnosis requires answering this question: does the motor get the right signal to go up/down from the switch & wiring?
That requires opening the panel, and making voltage measurements when the window is in the 'fail' mode. Might be tough when the window is all the way down in the door panel...

Alternately, when window is in 'fail' mode, pull the switches and measure voltages. Wire across the switch terminals necessary to get the window to move. (you probably need the wiring diagramme for this). If the window moves, it's likely the switch. If the window doesn't move, then it's likely the motor. Since the window went down, it's likely that it is NOT the wiring (possible, but unlikely).

This is a painful debug exercise since the window can get in the way of (relatively) easy access to the wiring. Plus the wire harnesses need the door panels removed to get access; that's painful.

Best of luck with the debug and solution process...

 

OR there is the time honored method of testing for an intermittent motor:
Operate the switch and then tap on the motor with the butt end of a screwdriver.
If it then runs, then odds are GREAT that the motor is going bad.

 

I've seen many times when it rains and the switches get wet they don't work, and once they dry it works again.
Not on any of my prius though, mine always work. however the door locks are different story, have one with three dead ones now.