Window Clip Guide Madness (long) - cheap fix -
 

One day I was sitting around in traffic and my buddy was driving. When all of a sudden, he tried to roll up the window. <clunk>, and it just fell right into the door!

I called around and found out that audi doesn't sell individual window clip guides for the a4. You have to buy the whole darn assembly for ~$120. Screw that!, all i need is the guides. So here's what I did.

A little research and I found out that Audi does sell guides for the A6, so I ordered some thinking some major modifications and maybe it would work.

Anyhow, here's the culprit:
<IMG SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/61743/pict0008.jpg">
What a piece of crap!

Here's an A6 guide: (PN: 4B0-873-463-A)
<IMG SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/61743/pict0013.jpg">
Looks a little beefier.

There are two guides per window. I started with the rear guide in the drivers window. After picking up the debris from the previous sorry excuse for a car part, I simple slipped the A6 one into place. It fits perfectly except for where it attaches to the metal window support. But it is in the right place. Here's what I did.

First take off the window supports.
<IMG SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/61743/pict0015.jpg">

Then drill and file each window support to fit that square plastic tab in it.

Easy as pie, the rear one fits perfectly as you can see from this picture:
<IMG SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/61743/pict0018.jpg">

Then comes the front one. This one's not positioned so perfectly. It was frustrating at first because it snaps on to the cable, but its a good 1/4" from where it needs to be. Eventually I drilled very small holes in the new window guide and attatched it to the cable clamp with steel wire.

Here's the other one:
<IMG SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/61743/pict0016.jpg">

Adding it all up, 2 window clip guides ~$8 plus 3 hours of my time @ $35 per hour = $105; and altogether the grand total is $113. All in all, I saved $7 over the whole $120 assembly.

forgot to upload this picture
 

<IMG SRC="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/61743/pict0017.jpg">

$113 plus 6 beers = $123

you should submit this as a tech!

Great solution Steve! Questions...
 

Wow, this is a great solution! Questions for you:

Are the front and rear guide part numbers the same? I see in one pic you have 4B0-837-463-A...is that front or rear?

To attach the front guide, you drilled holes in the new guide and attached it to the cable clamp with steel wire. I'm not sure I understand that. One hole in the guide with wire fed through and then wrapped around the clamp?

Thanks!

What a great fix just hope it lasts long!
 

Oh BTW instead of wrapping metal wire around the metal clamp i drilled two holes through the window guide and window braket then screwed them both together. this way you can use the original clip for the metal bracket! Worked a treat!

Just in case someone stumbles on this old thread suggesting a 'ghetto fix' of the B5 A4 (and Passat B5 for that matter) window regulator clips fix:
While the OEM (Audi, VW; just like most others (BMW, Jag, Saab, etc) do not offer the frequently failing 'clips', I have found manufacturers in Europe for the clip, and stock them now (here in the US).

They are exact fits for the stock regulator, no dremel, drill, tie wrap.

More info here:

www.regulatorfix.com

Also listed in my ebay store: RegulatorFix
And on Amazon under Regulatorfix

Just fyi.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ozob94n09...ont%20left.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dl1vf1rj3f...nt%20right.jpg

Good find! I'll bookmark that site in case I ever need to fix my window in the near future.

thx just ordered a front drivers set

You already have tracking information for you priority shipment!