Including my newest addition, I have had 3 sl series saturns. I always buy the base models with no power anything simply for commuters since they get such good miles per gallon. But the three I have had (ranging from 97s-2002s) have all had this issue with the manual window feeling very tight to roll up and down. I have ignored it in the past cars because they were not too bad but this latest one seems like I am about to break the roller right off the door panel lol. I have looked on google, searched this forum and others but cant seem to find anything. Since all three of mine have done this I find it hard to believe that no one else has had the problem. Can this be fixed simply by pulling the panel and greasing the components or will I have to replace the assembly? Thanks.

 

The driver window on my '93 wagon is the same way -- hope you find an answer.....

 

First I'd pull the inner door panal and check see for anything going on. Next I'd lube all moving parts and the tracks.

 

Good advice ................................. take it.

 

If you're going to pull the door panel, you'd better know what the hell you're doing. The door panel actually comes off from the outside. Check youtube. There are several videos that show you how to do this. Don't ruin your door panel by ripping it off from the inside.

 

Both the inside and outside come off..............and if you rip off either your going to have a problem.

 

Thanks for the good advice guys! I am definitely going to pull the panel to see what is going on in there. I hope I can just put some grease and loosen it up buy I will have to see. Pulling the entire mechanism out may be more work then its worth. It opens and closes. Its just tight.

 

Hopefully, it's just the old grease that gotten stiff and you can clean it out and put some white lithium grease on the tracks and rollers. Could also be that a screw or rivet has come loose and has a track in a bind.