Pontiac Grand Am Window And Blower Motor Problem

Question:
We have a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am gt coupe with power windows. Why does my passenger window pop out when closing. Is there an adjustment?

Answer:
Well, not really an adjustment. That assembly is common for the regulator to be worn out or bent, which would need replacement. The window may have come out of the front or rear track, or a guide may have broken that holds the glass to the regulator (regulator is the mechanism that is attached to the glass and has the motor riveted on to it). You will need to take the door panel off, run the window glass up and down and see what is going on in there.

If you are going to replace the regulator, you can buy a used unit at any junk yard or a new assembly at any parts store. A used one will come with all the parts including the motor. If buying a new unit, it will not come with the motor, so you will have to drill out the rivets and swap the motor to the new window regulator assembly. The rivets are very large an require a large rivet gun to install. Keep your fingers clear of the moving parts.

Question:
I Just bought the car from my sister. Says the following has happened for years. 2002 Pontiac Grand Am. The blower motor comes on while the engine is off every hour or so. Runs for about 10 seconds. Never causes a low battery situation. Doesn't seem to be normal, but I guess it could be to prevent a/c odor smell from mildew. Didn't see anything about it being a feature of the car in the owners manual. Is it normal?

Answer:
Yep, you got it exactly. It is to help dry the evaporator coil and case to prevent mold and mildew. It is called "After blow". Not all models have this feature. Normally on models being built to ship to warmer states. GM even has a kit that can be installed on vehicles that were built without this feature for people that live in high humid locations..

When the A/C runs, moisture builds up on the evaporator core. This core is similar to the 'A' coil in your home A/c unit. Moisture then runs off the core and into the housing then out the bottom drain. This is why you see water dripping under the passenger side of cars when the air conditioner is on, especially in very humid air conditions.

If you live in a dirty air environment, dirt will build up on the core and hold the moisture which in turn will promote mildew. Also, the drain can get restricted and hold water in the case- again, causing mildew.

There is no adjustment to this system, so i comes on and off as it is programmed. It monitors battery voltage to make sure it is not going to cause a dead battery.

For cars that do not have this, this problem can also happen because of a shorted out blower motor resistor module. The fan will not come on and off, but will stay on and drain the battery, The module is located under the passenger side of the dash, near the blower motor. It is a fairly inexpensive part that can be purchased online for about $35. Just 2 screws hold it into the bottom of the dash. Sometimes the electrical connector also melts, so that would need to be replaced as well. You may ant to pop that out and look at it to see if it looks burned.