Hi I just joined the forum. I have a '97 Crown Vic with 135K and everything's worked fine until today. Rolled down the windows to air out the car and when I went to roll them up the passenger rear window won't budge. You can hear the motor running so it's probably some type of linkage or something out of alignment.

Does anyone know what special tools, if any are needed to take off the inner door panels and everything needed to access the window's mechanical assemblies?

I want to try and fix this myself as I don't have hundreds of dollars to pay a dealership or mechanic for something that may be relatively simple. Based on what I am hearing I'm pretty certain the switch(es) and motor are fine.

Thanks!

Judy in Vancouver, WA.

 

From what you described, the window regulator has failed. The only repair is to replace the regulator. This may or may not be something you would want to try as the window needs removed from the regulator and re-attached. There is a real possibility the window can shatter. The regulator can also cause harm to you also as it is spring loaded. Here is a video.
How To Install Replace Rear Power Window Regulator Crown Victoria Grand Marquis 92-11 1AAuto.com - YouTube

 

if the motor is running and you can lift or lower the glass by hand while activating the up down switch you problem may be in the motor system.
Within the motor gear box are three nylon or plastic buttons about 1/2" thick by 1/2
" diameter. These buttons desingerate over time and cause the gears to "slip". These buttons are cheap on ebay. Tricky to get motor off with out "unwinding" the regulator cable off of its capitvated spool but easy once you have done one.I have had to replace these on all four of six Crown vics I have owned. I think Ford has gone to a different system some time in mid 2000. I searched Ebay under "crown vic window motor bushings" < crown vic window motor bushings in eBay Motors | eBay >
and found them for $1.29 for two sets of 3 (6 total) 1979-2006 Ford Crown Victoria Power Window Motor Repair Rebuild Kits

Good luck BTW if you do need a new regulator you can get them from $19 to $50 on ebay