The driver's side sliding door motor appears to have died on me. None of the buttons will open or close the door. When manually operating the door, it is very hard to move the door. When this happened under warranty (miles ago), the dealer replaced the motor. I don't have the cash to pay for this right now. Is there a way to disengage the motor so the gears inside turn freely and the door opens more easily until I can replace the motor?

A second question: how involved is replacing the door motor myself?

Thanks!

 

I have the same problem with my 02 T&C..Would really like some advice on this issue as well.

 

Had tha same problem with my '01 T&C.
Dealer said something went TU inside the motor and the motor had to be replaced.
The motor sits on top of the main metal strut the lower cog sits on that rides the toothed track.
It must be a pretty easy repair as it was a 30 minute job for them ... they did it while I waited.
One thing I did notice though is the door does not seemt oseal as tightly now as it did before but that may just be my impression.

 

According to my dealership the answer to your initial question is NO.

 

I had the same problem. The dealer said it was a bad motor that was causing the drag. He suggestedto removing an E-clip on the small gear on the bottom rail. This disengaged the drive gear from the motor. The door operates manually without any drag. It was also a cheap fix.