Home    Repairs

Installing a Window Regulator

This procedure outlines the steps for the replacing the driver's
window regulator.  I'm sure it is applicable to the passenger
side and probably the rear doors as well.  It's difficult to fully explain
every step so you'll have to use some common sense.  Make sure
you take a good look at where things go and how they fit before you
rip things apart.  If you don't know how to properly remove the
interior door panel then hit the Repairs link above and study that
procedure first..

First steps:
Remove the door panel, door speaker and the membrane (carefully).
Roll the window down so that about 20mm is protruding from the rubber
weatherstriping.  Now disconnect the battery.

Remove the nut from the forward part of the regulator arm and then pull
the arm/bracket out/down from it's channel.

It may require some pressure to get it out.  Don't break your window
and remember not to bend the new arm when reinstalling.  It's a good
idea to wrap the end of the arm/bracket in something so that it won't
scratch the window.  Ditto with the new one.

Now you have to slide the rear part of the regulator arm out of it's
channel.  Tilt the rear of the window up and the slide will move toward
a cutout in the channel.  This is the most difficult part...and it's really not
that hard.  It may take a little time to get it out and you may have to
connect the battery and roll the window down (very carefully) a tiny
bit.  As you pull up on the rear of the window you'll see how you'll have
to maneuver things in order to get the slide near the cutout.

Once it's out then the window will be free of the regulator.  Slide it all the
way up and wedge something rubbery between the door and glass so it
stays up.  Make sure it's secure or the window will fall and chop your
hand off......or it may just shatter the glass.

Now remove the five nuts that secure the regulator assembly.


Unscrew the wires from the connector block.  Note which colors go where.

Actually, the next step is the hardest part.....pulling the regulator out of the door.
Be patient and don't force anything.  It'll come out eventually.  Here is a pic of it
in all it's glory.

Unbolting the motor is pretty simple.  I'd recomend cleaning the gear and then
relubing it.  My new regulator came with grease already installed :) so there was
no need to add any to the slider parts or pivot points.  Oh, when you install the
motor make sure you move the reg arms so they are in the down position...as in
the photo.

Installing the new regulator is easy.  Just insert it into the door with it's three bolts
facing toward you (the other two bolts are on a slide that can be separated and
installed after the regulator.  Bolt the reg back onto the door and then install the
top slider and two nuts.  Reconnect four wires to the connector block.
Insert the top reg arm into the top slider and then the bottom slider by tilting the
window again.  You may have to connect the battery and adjust the regulator
up or down a bit.  When the sliders are all in then level the window and bolt
the forward arm/bracket back on.  Incidentally, you should apply thread lock
to all the bolts before you install the nuts.

The top slider is adustable by the rear-most nut and controls the tilt of the window.
I'm not sure what the forward arm/bracket adjusts for....height?  I just installed the nut
in the same place as the old one.  If you look on your old bracket you should
see the marks that the old nut left.

When everything is tight you can now reconnect the battery and carefully and
slowly roll the window up.  Procede with care.  The motor is powerful and
it's easy to bend or break things if the window is out of adjustment.  Make sure
the window goes all the way up into it's channel and that it glides in the rear
vertical channel.  Adjust accordingly.

Now reinstall the speaker, membrane and door panel.

Fin