3-second answer: Dead + no sound = switch, motor, or power (test with a test light at the motor connector — if power arrives and nothing happens, it's the motor). Slow/crawling = worn regulator (the cable or gear) or a dry track — lube the tracks first (free). Grinding = regulator gear or the plastic slide — regulator time.
The test order (10 minutes)
- Switch first — swap sides with the passenger switch; if the window works, the switch is dead (the $15 fix).
- Power at the motor — unplug the motor, test for 12V when the switch is held. No power = wiring/switch/relay. Power + no motor = motor.
- Tracks — windows that worked for 30 years then slow down: clean + silicone-lube the tracks. Often "fixed."
- Regulator — if it clunks/grinds or the glass tilts, the regulator is worn. Swap it.
The swap
- Door panel off (see door panel removal).
- Remove the glass bolts (support the glass! It drops).
- Unbolt the regulator (rivets on some years — drill them, use bolts on reinstall).
- Reverse, lube the tracks, test.
Parts
- Regulator: ~$40-80 aftermarket (fine for these)
- Motor: ~$30-50
- Switch: ~$15-25
- The door glass itself is the expensive part — never let it drop onto the door bottom.
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Threads
- FTE search: window regulator · power window