Window Regulator

Rob Hawkins provides a general guide to the typical problems associated with window regulators and how to renew a complete assembly.

Window trouble can often start with something that doesn’t need immediate attention, such as a slow winding mechanism, then escalate to a window that won’t open or close or gets stuck somewhere in between. Many problems are due to a lack of routine maintenance – lubrication mainly, or else blown fuses, a sticking relay switch or a dislodged electrical plug – which can be rectified fairly easily.

If you’re not so lucky, the cables that operate the window regulator may have broken or the motor could have burned out (especially in freezing temperatures where iced-up door glass provides excessive resistance). Such disasters usually mean the window regulator assembly has to be replaced. Secondhand assemblies are often available and are usually cheaper than new ones, allowing a complete assembly to be replaced.

Manual windows suffer similar problems to electric windows, including a lack of lubrication and broken cables, so the following steps apply to most window winding mechanisms.