It has been bugging me *forever*:

Window is stuck in closed position.
-Fuse is good.
-Motor pulls current when I activate the switch, window won't budge.
-When I take the door panel apart, and start unscrewing the motor, after about 2 screws, it "unblocks" itself and starts working again.
-I have adjusted the window angle, no avail.
-I have changed the motor, no change.

I am getting tired of taking the door apart every few weeks/months. Any suggestions are welcome before I ditch the whole farking setup and install manual winders.

 

Have you tried replacing/swapping window switches?

The (stupid) way the 964 window electrics are set up, if you have a bad switch somewhere it won't work. For example I had a half broken switch in my drivers door for the passenger window. I did the same tests you did and couldn't figure it out for the life of me and was worried I had to replace the motor. I cranked the window back up and to my shock the window would go down via the switch but not up.

I happened to read it could be the switch itself on the forums so I swapped the drivers window switch for the passenger switch and the drivers window stopped working and the passenger window started working! Ended up costing me a $20 switch instead of a $200 motor.

 

Yes, no effect. The switch is good, I can tell the motor is activated, as the interior light gets slightly dimmer, and I can hear the click of the motor, followed after a few seconds by the safety override stop (thermoswitch?) inside the motor.

There is obviously a mechanical blockage somewhere, except I am on the 3rd motor, 2nd parallelogram, and 2nd glass support rail.

 

I guess my situation doesn't help you but behaved the same way with the broken switch.

Window was stuck down and it was only because I heard the click of the motor that I realize it was working on down(thus how the window got stuck in the down position).

I cranked the window up by hand and sure enough it went down (and stayed down) until I fixed the switch. 1 broken switch in the loop for me meant no passenger window up from EITHER switch(driver door or passenger door). Everything felt like a seized motor or blockage like you say but it wasn't.

 

George, I used have a sticky window. It used to only go down half way, then stop. There is a bolt you can use to adjust the angle of the lifter mechanism (circled in red). You'll also need to loosen the two circled in yellow before adjusting it.

 

Back on top. HELP AGAIN!
Spent an hour or so yesterday, took the panel off, the vapor barrier, pored at evertything for a while, loosened all bolts and heard a "tick", of teh mechanical type. the window worked again. Buttoned it back up, while testing for function.
This morning, arrived to work, went to lower it for the garage opener... STUCK!
Oh cr*p. I am seriously pondering going to RS manual windows.

If only there was a clear reason. No cracks, misalignments, damaged wires, bent rails. 2nd mechanism, 3rd motor, still does it.

Seriously, no one ever had this happen? I am stumped.

 

OK, here's a couple of ideas:

Have you checked to see if the actual window frame has not gone out of alignment? (it can be removed for when you're painting the car etc). When you loosen the bolts it allows enough play in the mechanism for it to re-align itself and therefore works?

Have you tried winding the window part way manually to un-stick it when it won't work with the switch and then try again with the switch to confirm that it is a mechanical and not electrical issue? (Rather than having to dismantle the whole door each time). You can access the bolt by unscrewing the tweeter and then piercing the plactic membrane.

Have you checked for a bad connection in the wiring?

Anyway, just a few ideas! Good luck!

 

Andy,
Good idea on the tweeter thing. I was not aware of that. Special wrench needed?
The wiring *seems* ok. By that I mean no naked wires, no oxydation, connectors in good condition.
It is definitely a mechanical blockage of some sort, but I can not put my finger on it.

Can it be that the window goes past the upper limit of its travel, due to worn felts and possibly misadjuted frames?

 

There is a wrench for the window in the tool kit - circled below - the procedure is also outlined in the owners manual!

 

Oh yeah, I vaguely remember that. Thank you!

 

A normal hex tool or hex bit will work too if you don't have/can't find the Porsche tool from the tool kit. I can't recall the exact size, maybe 5mm or 6mm (IIRC)

 

OK, I got back into it. I have non-original tweeters, but in the original grille/support, so that I could remove the tweeter easily.
I could indeed see the motor and its axle, but since it has been changed, the replacement does not have the hex shaped hollow axle, only a round hole....
However, I could easily tap the motor gear with a punch and a hammer, and it freed up and worked again.
Very smug, I cycled the window, and refitted the speaker. Put the tools away, and......
Yup. Stuck again. OH CRRRAAAAPPPPP!
This time, I figured I'll try with the onboard tools. Scredriver, speaker off, place the screwdriver tip on the motor gear, remove a shoe and tap (hard), presto. Free again.
This is a less than perfect situation, but I know I can free it if needed. I don't know how to solve this. I guess the window is going too high, bringing the motor/gear in a binding spot. I won't dismantle the setup during this winter, though.
Any further ideas welcome!

 

If it only gets stuck in the fully closed position it does sound like the mechanism is going to far in that direction. AAnyway, at least you have an easier fix for the winter in the meantime!

I'd almost be inclined to get a couple of peices of A4 paper or something and fold it over the window itself and then try to close it - in theory the paper should stop it going quite a high. Then if it still opens again afterwards you know that it's the problem. The risk is though that the window will become properly stuck closed instead!

 

If only it did that every time.... The *only* constant is it gets stuck in closed position. I think I will change the felt guides next.