After searching the forums for DIY fix for dropped left rear window, I decided to perform my own diagnosis and see where I stand. Turns out, the switch was fine and the motor worked in both directions. After feeling around in the door, I discovered that the mechanism is very simple. A metal slug on a wire loop is rotated in either direction by the motor, sending it straight up and down a track. The slug is snapped into a large green carrier clip that is attached to the window by two screws. Well, the slug had simply broken out of its green carrier. The result was that the wire loop would move, but not take the window with it. So, I inserted several cotter pins through existing holes around the wire to secure it and squirted some glue on the whole thing for good luck. I checked it today after letting the glue set over 24 hours and everything looks good. I have some pictures and can post them if they would be helpful, but I'm wondering since this was so easy if it's the same problem everyone else has with window regulators. I didn't have to remove the window or any parts really, just the interior door panel. I feel like $0.75 of glue and cotter pins instead of $450 at a dealer for a new regulator is too good to be true after reading other posts. Any thoughts?

 

Please post up some pics...my passanger side window is grinding like crazy when you go up/down. If I can see pictures of this wire loop thingy maybe i can see where my window is messing up!!

Also did you have to replace those plastic door panel clips? I heard that they almost always break off when you remove the door panel (one time use). How much $$$?

 

Those clips are cheap, I always buy a few when I have to take my doors apart.

 

Last week my right rear window went down, but when I went to raise it, a loud pop signaled the end of its ability to move upward under its own power. I was able to pull the window up by hand, but over the next few days I frequently experienced the window "dropping" by itself. This combined with my ghost sunroof was a very impressive display of automatic and spontaneous ventilation.

The posts on AW scared me a little with talk of dealers charging $400+ for this repair. Even DIY parts cost $100+. Well, that's good beer money, so I decided to see what I could do. For about $0.75 worth of glue and cotter pins, I repaired the assembly and now my window works again.

The basic idea is that the window motor turns a gear/pulley which rotates a wire cable loop along a vertical track. The window is attached to the wire cable with a green carrier clip and is pulled up and down the track. Hopefully the pictures will help explain.


After removing the inner door panel and foam cover, the door looks like this. I cut off two small unnecessary sheet metal supports with a Dremel in order to have more room to work inside the door, but don't do this if you don't feel comfortable with it.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/01_cimg4274_copy.jpg">


Pull the window motor off of the door and gently let it hang.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/02_cimg4273_copy.jpg">


You now have to remove the green carrier from the black plastic clamp that holds the window. There are two Torx screws on the back. Just feel around and they are easy to find.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/03_cimg4306_copy.jpg">


With the green carrier removed, you can see the that the damage allowed the wire cable and slug to pop out of its spot and move independently of the carrier. When this happens, the wire cable moves, but doesn't take the window with it, resulting in a window that will go down, but not up, or vice versa.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/04_cimg4269_copy.jpg">


This is a picture of the black plastic clamp holding the window without the green carrier. Once the carrier is removed, you can just slide the window to its closed position so it's out of the way while you work.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/05_cimg4294_copy.jpg">


A very simple diagram shows how the motor rotates a wire cable loop, causing the metal slug to travel up and down the vertical window track, raising or lowering the window.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/06_cimg4268_copy_loop_w_carrier.jpg">


If you reach around the back of the vertical window track you can find the wire cable with the metal slug on it. It may not be in the middle, so feel all the way to the top and bottom of the track.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/07_cimg4283_copy.jpg">


I used vise-grips and a c-clamp to hold the wire cable in the carrier and to keep the whole thing stable while I glued it.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/08_cimg4293_copy.jpg">


For additional security, I inserted cotter pins above and below the metal slug through holes already existing in the green carrier. Make sure you bend the legs of the cotter pins out flush on the back of the carrier so there are no clearance issues. A little more glue all over the whole thing and it's good to go.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/88110/09_cimg4301_copy.jpg">


After letting the assembly set overnight, reasseble the door in reverse order.

These steps worked for me, but I bear no resposibility for any damage or loss to your property. Any work you perform is at your own risk. OK, I feel better... GOOD LUCK!

 

that is excellent!!...You have fixed it "right" ..it will never give you problems again,,,

 

maybe this should be in the tech articles

 

Happen to have a part number for them? Also how much $$$?

 

Don't have a part No, but the dealers know them as breakaway clips. about $1.50-$2.50 each.

 

i only paid $100 for a new regulator at a euro parts store here in Los Angeles

 

I just had my rear window fail in the same manner.