Repair Power Window Motor in your Car
With today’s cars getting to become more and more electric it is no wonder there is a flourishing market for electric window repairs. The market is making millions each year because people are to afraid or think they do not know enough about cars to open there doors take the panels off and replace the electric motor of the window. Well I can tell you I am certainly no car expert but when my window went out I was just as skeptical. But after my dealership told me that it would cost 400 dollars I decided to try it myself and see if I can just use a little elbow grease and see if I can replace it myself. To my surprise and disbelief I was astounded by how easy it actually was.
When the window first broke I thought it was possible just a windows regulator. But, doing a little research online I was able to find that it may not be that at all but possible dirty electrical socket or contacts not connecting to the button so I should check those first. On most newer model cars the switch for the power windows goes through the master switch located on the driver’s side door. Sometimes you can use a small piece of steel wool and clean the contacts off the bottom to remove some of the grim that has collected there over time.
Finding that I had some grim and dirt on my electrical contacts I cleaned them off and slid the connector back in place but the window was still not moving. At this point I suspect that it was the motor that has burned out in the door itself. Finding that the vast majority of cars have pretty much the same setup in window regulators from Honda to the new GMS it sounded quite basic. Here are the steps I took to replace it and if you need a schematic there are free schematics all over the internet for every model car to walk you through the replacement as well.
1. Remove the door panel for the affected window.
2. After removing the panel you want to locate the bolts that are holding the window motor in place. If the window is in an upright position you may need to manually lower it to see them all correctly and access the bolts.
3. Remove the bolts and pull the motor out, disconnect the wiring harness to the motor and since you probably bought a new one from the parts store it is just a swap in from there. If you order from a parts store online may not be a factory brand but you can save a ton of money so keep that in mind.
4. Replace the bolts you took out with the original moor and reinstall the plastic barrier back to its original spot. Make sure there are no wires sticking out that may get caught when putting the door back on.
5. Engage the power window switch and the new regulator should work unimpeded.
Of course, follow your car's repair manual for specific instructions.
Granted this is a general outline of the process that I took and every car is different. But my main point in all this is that it is not really as hard as people make it out to be. So having a little more confidence now you should be able to handle the task of replacing that window motor unimpeded. When you take on the price of window part plus at least several hours of labor you can imagine it will be quite high. Now you can just DIY and save a great deal of money that you can allow to go to other bills or a nice dinner at outback for your family and congratulate yourself on a job well done.