'02 Accord Power Window Motor/Regulator Change but Window Closed

[benjamming]

2002 Honda Accord V6 with power windows but should be the same for 1998-2002. Car has ~284k miles on it. It looks like motor has died.

What's the tip/trick for removing the power window motor/regulator when the glass is all the way up? The regulator & motor come together as a unit & are removed as such. Is there a way to get the window down to access the 2 bolts that attach the glass to the regulator? It needs to be lowered ~4" I think. Or is it a matter of trying to figure out how to remove the 2 bolts in place?

The regulator post goes all the way down to the bottom of the door so it doesn't appear removing all other bolts & then manuevering the assembly down would be a viable option.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[ctechbob]

You can cut the cable to the regulator once you get in there. Should let you freely move the window.

 

[D60]

Are there no holes in the door skin for a socket to pass through?

 

[ctechbob]

Are there no holes in the door skin for a socket to pass through?

There should be that as well.

 

[D60]

There should be that as well.

I have no idea how Honda did it but my '07 F150 has access holes spaced just right for glass pinch bolts. Obviously, VERY different application to compare a Ford truck to a Honda car

I've also drilled holes in the inner panels of GMT400s for access to certain things.

 

[benjamming]

Once you move the window down a few inches, then there are holes to access the bolts with a socket just like every other typical vehicle. But most, if not all, require that the window be lowered some before the holes can be utilized.

I drilled (3) 1/2" diameter holes in the door skin of a '03 F150 to remove the motor only. Is drilling holes in the door skin really the only solution here too? This access issue has to be incredibly common as I can't imagine door motors fail in precisely the correct location but rather the vast majority (>99%?) of the time the bolts aren't lined up with the holes in the door skin at the time of failure.

 

[benjamming]

There is a cable from the motor to the top of the regulator & another cable to the bottom of the regulator. Cut both or is just one necessary?

 

[ctechbob]

There is a cable from the motor to the top of the regulator & another cable to the bottom of the regulator. Cut both or is just one necessary?

Make sure you're holding on to the glass before you do it. I'll always run a few strips of blue painters tape up and over the window if I'm doing it myself. A helper is the easiest way.

Should be able to just cut the one that runs to the top, but you might have to cut both. Part is junk so it doesn't really matter.

 

[Trav]

2002 Honda Accord V6 with power windows but should be the same for 1998-2002. Car has ~284k miles on it. It looks like motor has died.

What's the tip/trick for removing the power window motor/regulator when the glass is all the way up? The regulator & motor come together as a unit & are removed as such. Is there a way to get the window down to access the 2 bolts that attach the glass to the regulator? It needs to be lowered ~4" I think. Or is it a matter of trying to figure out how to remove the 2 bolts in place?

The regulator post goes all the way down to the bottom of the door so it doesn't appear removing all other bolts & then manuevering the assembly down would be a viable option.

Thanks,
Ben

It looks like there are 3 different types of unit for this car depending on if it is a sedan, coupe or front/rear if a sedan.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

You can cut the cable to the regulator once you get in there. Should let you freely move the window.

That's what I did on my sons CRV

 

[Nukeman7]

2002 Honda Accord V6 with power windows but should be the same for 1998-2002. Car has ~284k miles on it. It looks like motor has died.

What's the tip/trick for removing the power window motor/regulator when the glass is all the way up? The regulator & motor come together as a unit & are removed as such. Is there a way to get the window down to access the 2 bolts that attach the glass to the regulator? It needs to be lowered ~4" I think. Or is it a matter of trying to figure out how to remove the 2 bolts in place?

The regulator post goes all the way down to the bottom of the door so it doesn't appear removing all other bolts & then manuevering the assembly down would be a viable option.

Thanks,
Ben

Unplug the wire that comes off of the old broken window regulator motor and cut off the connector plug from the motor's pigtail (not the wiring harness plug!).

There will be two wires leading to the motor...the colors will depend on which door position (e.g., red/blue & red/yellow for right rear window; blue/white & blue/yellow for right front, etc.). Strip the insulation and apply 12V power from a jump pack or battery. If the window goes up, just reverse the polarity to make it go down and vice versa.

 

[benjamming]

@Trav It's a sedan. Driver's window.

 

[Nukeman7]

It's a sedan.

Doesn't matter...the '02 Accord window regulator motors only have two wires, regardless of door position.

 

[benjamming]

Unplug the wire that comes off of the old broken window regulator motor and cut off the connector plug from the motor's pigtail (not the wiring harness plug!).
View attachment 239311

There will be two wires leading to the motor...the colors will depend on which door position (e.g., red/blue & red/yellow for right rear window; blue/white & blue/yellow for right front, etc.). Strip the insulation and apply 12V power from a jump pack or battery. If the window goes up, just reverse the polarity to make it go down and vice versa.

I'm not quite following. Sorry.
"unplug the wire that comes off of the old broken window regulator motor..." That's the connector shown in your picture already unplugged, right? So, unplug it is what you're saying?
"...cut off the connector plug from the motor's pigtail but not the wiring harness plug..." There's only one plug which I just unplugged.

 

[ctechbob]

Unplug the wire that comes off of the old broken window regulator motor and cut off the connector plug from the motor's pigtail (not the wiring harness plug!).
View attachment 239311

There will be two wires leading to the motor...the colors will depend on which door position (e.g., red/blue & red/yellow for right rear window; blue/white & blue/yellow for right front, etc.). Strip the insulation and apply 12V power from a jump pack or battery. If the window goes up, just reverse the polarity to make it go down and vice versa.

His regulator is broken. Powering the motor isn't going to help matters

 

[Nukeman7]

I'm not quite following. Sorry.
"unplug the wire that comes off of the old broken window regulator motor..." That's the connector shown in your picture already unplugged, right? So, unplug it is what you're saying?
"...cut off the connector plug from the motor's pigtail but not the wiring harness plug..." There's only one plug which I just unplugged.

Yes, cut off the plug that you just disconnected on the old motor (it is the same one shown in the photo I posted). Just don't cut the other connector (i.e., receptacle) that is part of the Accord's door wiring harness.

His regulator is broken. Powering the motor isn't going to help matters

The nylon anchor/guide piece(s) are what breaks in Honda regulators. The stainless steel drive cable loop never breaks, so powering the motor will still lower the window, albeit in a somewhat herky-jerky motion. I have used this procedure on 6 or 7 different broken Honda regulators to successfully lower the windows. Cutting the drive cable is my last resort if the motor is burned out.

 

[mk378]

so powering the motor will still lower the window, albeit in a somewhat herky-jerky motion.

Why would it need to be jumped to a battery instead of simply turning the key on and pressing the button to power it up the usual way?

 

[Nukeman7]

Why would it need to be jumped to a battery instead of simply turning the key on and pressing the button to power it up the usual way?

He can do that if he is careful or has a helper. You have to remove the door panel to see the access holes that have to align with the two screws. The wires to the window switch in the door panel are very short and the plug must be disconnected to fully remove the door panel.

 

[The Critic]

It has been a while since I’ve done one, but I managed to do it with some amount of struggle. Sorry, I no longer remember how I did it, but I don’t remember it being exceptionally miserable.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Yes, cut off the plug that you just disconnected on the old motor (it is the same one shown in the photo I posted). Just don't cut the other connector (i.e., receptacle) that is part of the Accord's door wiring harness.


The nylon anchor/guide piece(s) are what breaks in Honda regulators. The stainless steel drive cable loop never breaks, so powering the motor will still lower the window, albeit in a somewhat herky-jerky motion. I have used this procedure on 6 or 7 different broken Honda regulators to successfully lower the windows. Cutting the drive cable is my last resort if the motor is burned out.

On our CRV the cables were bound up somehow. Powering the motor was pointless