Window and Door Latch Repair

[marcandfiveonettes]

I want to try to repair the window rolling mechanism in front driverside door. Also I want to try to repair the outside door latch on the rear driverside.
Anyone have any sucess getting in there?

[arbskynxnex]

Oh yeah. You need to pull the inside panel. There should be three screws on the panel, on down low, one in the inside door grab handle, and one on the plastic bracket under the inside door latch. Pop the inside rubber off at the top of the panel, the one against the window, the door panel should pop off. Then you take off a bunch more bolts. The FSM has all the details on how to do it, it is fairly easy to get to everything.

*Oh yeah. Clean the old grease off of the window regulators (WD40 works great) and put new lithium grease on it.

[hberdan]

It is easy to get into the door and remove the regulator, see the FSM. If the problem you are having is that the window will not stay closed, and find that a few the teeth on the regulator are damaged and do not mesh properly--you will be better off replacing the regulator than trying to repair it.

[Petros]

If your door handle and window is just stiff and sticky, it is an easy fix: spray the window tracks with silicone lube, and all of the crank mechanism (the window regulator), and the door handle first with carb cleaner, blow off and than with lithium grease, or the very least WD40 (that light of an oil will not last long). Usually the rear door handles just get stiff from lack of use, would be rare to wear one out. Also spray that will light machine oil, it will also keep moisture from freezing in it. I have found my rear door handles will stay "up", not allow me to open the door. lubing them well solves the problem. It likely gets that way from dust and corrosion in the handle pivots.

IF your window regulator is broken or just worn out, than it needs to be replaced. These are the same in all of the Tercel models '83-86, and wagons to '88. might even be the same in the manual crank up corollas too. IF you can not find any where you are there are plenty around here in the wrecking yards. Let me know and I can find one for you and ship it. Where do you live?

[marcandfiveonettes]

The problem I am having with the drivers window is that it will not go all the way up.
It will go down, and it will go back up again, but it does not make it all the way closed before the knob just starts to turn. I'm sure I can make more sense of what is going on after I open it up, but basically, it is getting stuck and then the knob is just slipping, turning infinitely and not moving the window at all. there seems to be a clicking at this point as if there is a gear it is pushing up against but not quite grabbing.
I live in Nashville, TN.

[Highlander]

Sounds like a bad window regulator with a few teeth being damaged. I found that the window seal in my wife's car ('85) was pulled down out of the rear corner causing it to not close all of the way. To fix, I rolled the window down, pulled up gently on the seal while my daughter rolled the window up, it slid right back into place, and I made sure to tug hard enough to get a little extra length up there so the problem didn't just recur.
Anyway, sounds like you're in the market for a new regulator.

[Petros]

I agree, it sounds like the window regulator (the crank mechanisum inside the door). IT should be replaced. it is possible the door crank handle spline is stripped out, an inspection of it once you get it off will tell you if it is the crank handle, but I think that is unlikely.

If you can not find a replacement locally, let me know, there are usually good ones around here in the wrecking yards.

[ARCHINSTL]

See member keith's XLNT treatise on fixing this - with his usual great pix!
https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... +regulator
I just made it a Sticky in the Repair Guides Forum; it will be something that most of us will be needing in the years to come.
Tom M.

[dlb]

i need some clarification on which parts of the window mechanism require silicone lube and which parts require lithium grease.

also, what's the difference between these two products?

[Petros]

I use silicone on the window tracks and all rubber parts. The lithium goes on the metal or metal and plastic parts, including the coil spring.

lithium grease is technically a soap, a compound made from the reaction of lithium hydroxide and stearic acid (forms Lithium stearate). It is not corrosive, clings well to metal, water resistant and very high temp, so hold up better than regular grease.

Silicone grease is for use on rubber parts since it will not soften or react with rubber.