I recently got a quote for the repair of a motor of the rear 1/4 window. I didn't ask for a new one, just make it work. The sticker shock was over $900, that was on top of the $1200 they charged me to fix my rough idle (which they did not fix, but did take $800 for their time and labor to change some gaskets and rubber hoses). I told them not to do anything else with my car and to forget about repairing the motor.
After I got the car home (idling rough) and I calmed down, due to feeling I had just gotten taken. I pulled the motor and regulator and decided that I would try to fix the motor myself, I opened it up, used extra fine sandpaper and carb cleaner, cleaned the brushes and all electrical contacts and put it back together and reinstalled it. Took a total of about 30 min. and it works fine. Amazing that master mechanics can't clean the brushes, but have to replace them with $900 units.
Try to fix it yourself first.

 

Was this a dealership? Dealership techs are not given the time to fix broken parts, as they are usually paid flat rate. A dealers price of say $126 and hr. might pay the tech $35 flat rate, so it is easier and quicker to replace parts. Just 15 yrs. ago mechanic independent shops were on a job by job basis and could take the time to repair, that was when we were getting paid $8-$10 and hr., not flat rate and the owners would get $45-$60 an hr. The lesson here is either get a manual and tools and do it yourself or pay the piper.

 

Jagfixer, you are correct, but the piper can be a little expensive. My point is, I will have to try to fix it myself, before I pay those prices. Also, this was not a dealership, but a so called foreign car expert shop. Regardless, I got the window fixed and I'm now working on the rough idle, which they did not fix either.

 

MY 1/4 window motor froze in the down position . Checked all the electrical components , found it was the motor itself . They are quite easy to get out without taking the the roof off . Took the motor apart and found that the factory had put so much grease on the gears that over the next 24 years it dripped down into the poorly sealed electric motor . Cleaned it off , put it back together , it now works perfectly . Do not need much skill just 3-4 hours . Hope this helps someone else .

 

Can l send you mine ...lol I never know from day to day which 1 and if, they will go back up. They have been behaving the last couple of times, after l gave them a "time out" by unplugging the relays on up for a while.

 

Thank you for that post. I had the exact same problem and your explanation did it. Cleaned off the thick coating of grease on the commutator contacts and brushes and back on the road. I wasn't able to find these AC Delco motors so it was good that it was just a cleaning of the old one. Let's me keep the XJS more stock too. Thanks again SGK. Tom

 

I find the quality of the parts makes it easy to disassemble, clean and lube. They usually work after that. Thats one thing I love about these cars.

 

replace the relay. get a sealed one. should be less than $5. common problem.

 

93GreenConvert, Seems that you have been working on the idle problem for a long time.
If you ever get it fixed, please post.
Cheers, RagJag