Window mechanism (window regulator) for your car

Your Window mechanism (window regulator) worn out? » Read more about common malfunctions • Repair • Replacement manual

Comfort and safety with the window regulator

A window regulator is a mechanism in the doors of cars for winding up and down the window. In addition to fresh air supply, a window regulator enables passengers to leave the car in an emergency situation. Window operation is nowadays often electrically powered. In cheap cars the manual window winders with a crank are still often found.

Window regulator function

The components of the window regulator are:

• side window
• guiding rail
• lifting mechanism
• drive

The side window in the door is tightly fixed to a guiding rail, moved up and down by a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism is operated by a crank or powered by a small electric motor. Power windows have another advantage apart from the comfort: the driver can operate all windows from his chair. This is not possible for car windows with a crank.

Defects of the window regulator

A defective window regulator is a nuisance. It is announced way in advance and therefore you can act quickly before the entire unit fails. A gradually failing window regulator is often noticed through the squeaking and gnashing noises when the mechanism is operated. The window moves increasingly difficult. In the worst case the window falls into the door. This is undesirable, though not a hopeless situation. Still, the car is now permanently opened to wind, rain and unwanted visitors.

Repair of a window regulator

For power windows, acting systematically is recommended. Start with the switch. Often, a weak contact is the cause, which can be repaired by cleaning or replacement of a window regulator button. You save yourself a lot of unnecessary work. In a defective window regulator, the lifting mechanism is often damaged. Water penetrating in the door can cause the metal and wiring of the mechanism to rust. The connection between window and rail can become loose. When that happens, the window slides from the rail and falls sideways into the door. To repair the window regulator, remove the door panel. The foil in the door is glued, can be cut open, but has to be correctly be glued back again. Damaged foil allows water to penetrate the interior of a car, causing mould. The lifting mechanism can generally be removed without any problem. Important is not to damage the window. Lift it out of the door carefully and lay it aside. This allows you to replace the lifting mechanism and the rail at your convenience. Unfortunately, motors of power windows are often interconnected with the lifting mechanism and their separate replacement is not possible. If the motor is burnt through, the entire unit has to be replaced. With the prices for these spare parts this is no longer a problem.

Purchase of new window regulators

Is there anyone who still remembers the latest flagship of Peugeot? The 605 was one of the last big cars with real class. Only the window regulators of these beautiful cars gave up the ghost prematurely. In the pre-internet era these modules were so expensive and susceptible that replacement didn't pay off. These times are past. Even for this car which is on its way to become a real classic, these spare parts are now available at 100 EUR (c. £90 per piece). For modern cars these prices lie even lower. The calculated price for a new window regulator depends for a great deal on the car and type. The cheapest modules can be found for less than 50 EUR (c. £45). A system operating a double insulated power window of a Mercedes S-class is of course slightly more expensive. Nevertheless: ordering branded quality you generally only replace these parts only once in a car's life span. In that case, the higher investment in a quality product is reasonable.