I have a 1998 legacy outback that has a moody driver side front power window lift it goes all the way up & down but goes 3 or 4 inches stops I press it again goes 3or 4 inches stops again. Any thoughts on what to be suspicious of switch or motor?

 

My vote is that it is a switch issue, otherwise the motor would not work at all. I am guessing that all the other windows go up and down normally.

 

I, too have a 98 Leggie, that had the switch go bad. Wife put window down on a cold January night, and window would not go back up. Got a replacement switch from a wrecking yard. Suggest you do the same.

if the window moves you know the window motor is good. The only other components are the switch and wiring. 

 

my vote is on the switch as well. 

Switch. If you accidentally spill something that remains tacky (like pop, coffee) it can cause switches to act up like that. 

dogman1955,

 

Been there, done that, and sometimes the fix is to clean the dirty switch contacts.

 

Get some electrical contact cleaner spray from an auto supply store or Radio Shack and spray it into the switch itself, and then cycle the switch several times to clean the contacts WITH THE IGNITION TURNED OFF! Give it 5 minutes to evaporate the fluid before you test the switch.

 

Sometimes the fluid can't get into the switch easily enough, and it is easier to do if the switch is pulled from the door panel. Then fire the spray into any crevices  in the switch you can find, and follow the same procedure as above. Worked for me. Good Luck!

The motor is drawing too much current and it's tripping the power window circuit breaker.

Couple things to try. First remove the door panel and lubricate the window regulator center pivot and the rollers with spray lithium grease.

Lubricate the tracks that the glass slides in (at the front and rear edges of the glass) with silicone spray. Work the window up and down several times to allow the grease to be spread around.

This will make it easier for the motor to move the window up and down.

 

Next check the wire connector on the motor for corrosion or dirt in the pins.