My 01 lesabre has had 3 of 4 windows fail. 2 of the cables failed and the window just dropped. Dealer fixed them under warrenty then fudged invoice to screw GM. Now the driver's window is acting up. Goes down about 1/3 of way, then locks up. Takes 2 people to get it back up again. Question is: How the ell do I get the door panel off to access the motor assembly. Found 1 screw behind marker light, and one behind door latch insert, but they don't seem to do anything.

 

i dont recall how the last one i worked on went together...have you removed things like assist handles, etc?

 

Oh Yeah, Popped everythinh I could. I think if I an get the wood grain moulding off the center panelI'll be home free. Just can't get it off without breaking something.[img]smileys/smiley7.gif[/img]

 

how about this. call a buick dealership, parts dept. tell them what youre doing, and they shold have a schematic that will very likely show what is holding it on. i may be a clip system that you basically have to break.

 

To get the panel off you must go to the panel that houses the window switches, insert a small screw driver @ the front off the switch were it meets the door panel. You must push a spring loaded clip there that allows the switch assembly to come out. Once out you will see additional screws there that hold the door panel on. You will also have to remove clips around the outer edge of the door panel all the way around except for the top of the panel. If I remember correctly you will have to remove the red reflector on the door panel with a screw driver to access a screw also. Then you should be able to remove the panel.


I have replace all of the window motors in my 1991. When I replace the motor I found it much eazier to cut a hole in the door sheet metal that is between the window motor and the door panel. Doing this lets you access the rivets that hold the motor in place. Drill them out, replace the motor with 1/4 inch bolts. You will never miss the metal you removed from the door. I learned this method from a Buick mechanic, saves hours of labor.

 

The 2000 lesabre's have one screw behind the light/reflector near the latch. Remove that screw, then remove the bezel behind the inside door handle. Then you have to go around the outer edge and pop the retainers with a door panel tool or a big flat blade screw driver might work. Now the really hard part, there is a stupid design retainer right behind the armrest handle that you pull the door shut with. You have to lift the door panel up off of these retainers while keeping all the other retainers form snaping back in. It is very hard to do and I have broke alot of them doing it. But if it does break then you can use screws to put it back together.


At some point Buick redesigned these and I think it was in 2001. It is easy to tell the difference. When you remove the bezel behind the inside door handle, if there is a screw behind it holding the panel on then your panel doesn't have the stupidpain in the butt retainers that you have to lift the panel up off of.


I will say that the retainers going around the outside edge of the panel are some of the hardestto pop retainers I've seen GM use on their door panels but they don't usually breakalthough they feel like they are going to when I'm poping them.