Ok I have to replace my window regulator but how are the aftermarket ones for around $60 compared to oem $200?

 

First, dissasemble and make sure that your current regulator doesn't just need lubrication.

 

I pulled the door card off today and didn’t see anything broken however the cable in the plastic sheath by the speaker moves quite a bit in the up position. It goes down ok but going up if I help it will lift. Sounds like a lot of grinding too.

 

What is wrong? Is it that the window doesn't go down? If this is the issue chances are you don't need anything but to clean the window motor armature ... it is something you can do at home with only a few tools.

Remove door card...

Remove the speaker (some say you can do this without removing the speaker, but in the long run it will be easier if you do) ...

With an adjustable wrench loosen the two large window glass keepers (the tech books will call for a hex key, but if the window is up you can not get it in position to do so) remove window glass...

Remove the window regulator assembly hardware (this has thee bolts holding the motor to the door and two on the lower door sill - these you get to from under the door and pay attention to the position of the plastic clips, they are the window angle adjusters - they keep the glass tight against the seal so you don't get wind noise when at highway speeds), and you have a few bolts front and rear of the door frame. On the inside of the door the regulator has two cable clips, these clips hold the regulator cables out of the way when assembled. Don't forget to un-plug the electrical connector from the motor

Sort of fold the regulator assembly in on itself and pull it out of the door...

look at the motor on the regulator, see the four screws? loosen and remove the screws and slowly pull the bottom half the the plastic body cover off. watch for the contact leads (spring loaded) when you separate the body to expose the motor armature...

With a dry soft rag wipe off the contact residue from the armature, then using some fine grit sand paper lightly scuff the motor armature and again wipe off with a clean dry cloth.

Reverse the steps to assemble remembering that you will have to slightly fiddle with the contact leads to get them seated to allow the motor body to be reassembled.

Once you have the regulator assembly loosely installed and cables back behind the keepers connect the electrical connector, power the car and test the operation of the regulator, stopping it about halfway down inside the door. this will make it easier to replace the glass and tighten the keepers. Once the glass is back in and the keepers tightened, run the window all the way up, remember since the door is open it should automatically lower about 1/4 inch ... (if it doesn't work you need a new regulator assembly, or at least the motor)

Tighten all the hardware and try to put the lower adjusters back in place... NOTE: moving the bottom adjusters toward the interior of the car decreases the glass tightness against the seal, moving the adjusters away from the interior increases the pressure the glass has on the seal... you may want to adjust this a few time prior to putting the door card on and heading down the road at 80 mph.

Finish reinstalling everything...

You should be able to do this job in your driveway in about two hours (even if you have never tired something like this before)

There are a number of YouTube videos you can watch to get a better idea of the steps...

Best of luck.

Motor On!

 

Thank you first of all for your time but found out what was wrong. The cable came off the bottom front pulley and after reinstalling I cleaned the tracks and lubed everything then I saw the culprit. The upper rear cable had the inner metal sheath pulled out of it then I found several bad cracks in the plastic blocks that ride up and down the track. I put it back together and operated twice and started grinding again. Said screw it and ordered a new one.

 

I just got a new one (Search Mod Mini on You Tube) and replaced it. The polarity on the connection is wrong so up is down and down us up but it works now.