How to Replace the Driver Side Window Motor in a 1996 Toyota Avalon
Yes. It does happen from time to time. One day you get behind the wheel, try to roll down your power window and all you get is a humming sound or worst of all, nothing happens. After years of service, the teeth on the power window motor gear box may strip or the motor itself may short out and die. Fortunately, this is not a major problem. The 1996 Toyota Avalon comes equipped with a window regulator and motor assembly, which you can replace yourself in a couple of hours without special tools.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Wrench
- Phillips-head screwdriver
- Torx bit
- Ratchet
- Allen wrench
- Door panel removal tool
- Ratchet extension
- Socket
- Masking tape
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Removal
-
1
Lower the driver's window completely.
-
2
Disconnect the ground (black) battery cable using a wrench.
-
3
Detach the handle, arm rest and other accessories from the driver's door trim panel as necessary to remove the panel. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver, Torx bit with ratchet, and Allen wrench, if necessary.
-
4
Detach the door trim panel from the door frame using a Phillips-head screwdriver and a door panel remover tool. Slightly separate the panel from the frame and lift it off the door and move it aside.
-
5
Remove carefully the plastic cover from the door frame. Avoid tearing down the plastic sheet so that you can reattach the cover to the frame during the reassembly process.
-
6
Unfasten the two mounting bolts from the bracket at the bottom of the window glass with a ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.
-
7
Pull the window glass up carefully through the door frame, out the door and lay it aside in a safe place.
-
8
Detach the inside door panel frame, if the car is equipped with one. This frame resembles a bracket that goes across the door frame and is held in place by three bolts and four retaining nuts, depending on your particular model. Use the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.
-
9
Unplug the electrical wiring to the window motor and other accessories inside the door frame that might prevent you from removing the regulator and motor. If necessary, label the wires for better identification during the reassembly process.
-
10
Unfasten and remove the equalizer arm bracket from the door frame with the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket. Basically, this is the regulator slider arm bracket.
-
11
Unfasten the regulator mounting bolts from the door frame using the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket. Remove the regulator and window motor assembly from the door.
Installation
-
1
Place the new window regulator and motor assembly in position inside the door frame and hand-start the mounting bolts. Tighten the bolts using the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.
-
2
Attach the equalizer arm bracket to the door frame and regulator with the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.
-
3
Plug the electrical wiring to the window motor and the rest of the accessories.
-
4
Attach the inside door panel frame, if equipped, with the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.
-
5
Slide the window glass down carefully through the door frame.
-
6
Position the window glass on the mounting bracket and tighten the two mounting bolts using the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.
-
7
Connect momentarily the ground (black) battery cable using the wrench. Roll up the window to check for motor and mechanism operation. Detach the ground (black) battery cable again.
-
8
Install the plastic cover over the window frame. If necessary, add extra masking tape to make sure the plastic sheet covers is tight around the door frame access hole.
-
9
Install the door trim panel, tighten the mounting screws using the Phillips screwdriver and push the panel plastic pins through their mounting holes on the door frame.
-
10
Attach the handle, arm rest and other accessories you removed from the door trim panel. Use the Phillips-head screwdriver, Torx bit with ratchet, and Allen wrench, if necessary.
-
11
Connect the ground (black) battery cable using the wrench.
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