Squeaky Windows !!

20vt Tony

Active Member
Oct 16, 2006
169
0
Edwinstowe, Notts
To remove door cover one gets brave.....
1) Prise carefully the black cover on the side of the window switches, it will eventually come off, remove screw hidden deep at the end nearest the lock, with some wriggling the whole switch unit will come off (cannot remember if there is another screw....). Unplug cable from switch.
2) Remove speaker cover - prise off carefully. Remove speaker (4 screws and unplug cable) and store carefully
3) Remove fabric trim by carefully easing from backing
4) Should now be able to see some of the mechanism. Reconnect window switch and lower window about 5cm - assuming it can still be moved.... 2 bolts on the slides should come into view. Tape up the glass to the window frame to hold in position. Loosen these two bolts - they fix the regulator to the glass. Once loose then drop mechanism clear of the glass. Disconnect switch again.
5) Now undo remaining screws to remove the moulded inner part of the door that the regulator is fixed to. 2 screws at the bottom - loosen a long way, no need to remove (yet), and an assortment of other screws that are (fairly) obvious. Now comes the fun bit - on my door anyway - the door lock area. There is a white plastic bit that is fixed to the moulding and the door lock. Now I couldn't see how to remove this and so drilled out the obvious plastic moulding plugs that held them together and used a bolt in re-fitting - must be a way otherwise though
6) Carefully disconnect door pull cable at the inner handle end, small clip.
7) Remove (ping!!) the black cover that hides the mirror connector and disconnect mirror cables
8) Lift moulded unit upwards and then outwards to reveal (knackered) regulator. Fixing is obvious, but ensure electrical cables go back the right way to prevent fouling the mechanism. Assuming you have the SEAT unit, then swap them over (easy and obvious) and in the great Haynes manual tradition replacement is the reverse of removal.....
9) Also have jump leads handy.....ignition needs to be on to move windows up and down, radio is on for company, the windows are moved a few times, the ignition gets left on, the interior light is on and the battery is a few years old and the wife is not happy......

Have some pictures to hand (will try to attach in due course) and with some web trawling there are also some guides out there. Would be able to do it in under an hour with a little more practice - allow a long afternoon the first time!! Enjoy.....


Cheers!
 

PDaddy

Full Member
Aug 22, 2004
213
0
nightmare of a job, I only got so far on my passanger side I ended up getting the garage to do the work, now my drivers side is showing the same symptoms.. another 140euro down the drain, why is it my fathers 94 ford mondeo has never had an issue like this (all electric windows working fine) there should be a recall.
 
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pdh 14a

Mr Fussy
Jan 21, 2008
836
0
Swansea
Wow,what a job that was! i got it all stripped then got very confused! thank god my new apprentice used to work for a vag main dealer,and only live 4 miles away :D

Still used up 5 hours of my life though! :cry:
 

dans

Guest
Well, mine are squeaking to. Followed the above and had a quick look and the cables still seem ok. I've lubed them up with silicone spray. Will see what happens.

Thanks for the write ups and pics above. I would still be staring at a door card in bemusement if it wasn't for them! Very much appreciated guys.

Cheers,
Dan
 

chouman

Active Member
Apr 24, 2011
34
0
Bonnie Scotland
Thanks robint, I've been putting this job off for nearly 2 months. I bought my regulator from W Livingstone Seat, Glasgow as I was sure I'd never manage to rethread the cables, and having now done the job I know I wouldn't have managed!

Thanks to the step by step instructions and good pictures, I was able to get the old regulator out fairly easily. Reassembly was a nightmare though! It's all back together now and took around 3 hours start to finish. If I had to do it again it would probably take half of that, but I really hope to never do this job again!

Thanks again.
 

20vt Tony

Active Member
Oct 16, 2006
169
0
Edwinstowe, Notts
Finally got mine fixed after about 6 months of not working. Fancied doing it myself as above, but eventually gave in after reading other posts of it being a bit fiddly and got my local vag specialist to sort it, just waiting for the drivers side to go come the summer now!
 

skard

Active Member
Dec 29, 2011
397
0
UK
Bumping an old thread...

Mine has started groaning lately, so have advised the mrs not to use the window until I get the kit.

Has anyone used the ECP regulator? Comes in about £60 or should I go for the genuine one at about £110?
 

pdh 14a

Mr Fussy
Jan 21, 2008
836
0
Swansea
Bumping an old thread...

Mine has started groaning lately, so have advised the mrs not to use the window until I get the kit.

Has anyone used the ECP regulator? Comes in about £60 or should I go for the genuine one at about £110?

I'd go genuine,and go to Dave at Sere motors (a trader on here),he does them for £90 unless they have gone up :)
 
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skard

Active Member
Dec 29, 2011
397
0
UK
I've bought a ton of stuff from David so will use him if I get genuine. The car may not be a keeper though so if the ECP one is good at half the price I'd prefer that, must womdered if anyone had used it?
 
Dec 5, 2007
888
0
N W Leeds
My passenger window started squealing/howling terribly, especially if door had been in direct sunshine/heat.
So most of door card stripped off - two wire/cables checked - not frayed but showing early rust along lengths that were visible. The black runner that the cable bears against and the plastic sliders guide up and down was quite gritty/mucky /rough to touch on hidden back surface, and using mirror this was confirmed, so all claeaned with bent wheel brush as much as possible and lithium grease sprayed liberally along cables as much as possible and squirted along the length of black metal runner. I loosened the glass securing bolts and operated window up and down several times, retightend ensuring glass in correct place in rubber seal/frame at top.
Problem solved, so far. Window smooth and no howling/screeching
In conclusion i suspect initial problem is general muck on runners and early rust on cables.
 

skard

Active Member
Dec 29, 2011
397
0
UK
I am borrowing the Altea again tomorrow so intend to strip down the door card and see what is going on.
Thanks for the tips.
 

skard

Active Member
Dec 29, 2011
397
0
UK
Today I tried fitting the non OEM regulator I got on ebay - I shouldn't have bothered, just didn't seem right and that was £40 wasted. I would only buy genuine if I still own the car next time around.

Old wires were fine so a bit unsure why it was screeching, I just cleaned them up and liberally put some marine grade silicone compound I have, and the old regulator seems ok.

To reiterate what others wrote, this job is a bit of a farce.
 

Big Ejit

Wassamarranow?
Aug 8, 2007
119
0
Brum
Managed to identify the squeaky part of the window regs in both front doors on our 54 plater. Both front windows had been squealing for the last 2 summers and now they are fixed after 20 mins per side and a bit of lube.

After cleaning and lubing up the cables and sliders, the noise was still there. I then found the white cable pulleys at the top of the black runners close to the exterior door handles were the problem. Managed to get loads of silicone spray and oil behind each and they stopped squealing immediately. 2 months on and still no noise plus the windows run up quicker than ever.

How to verify the pulleys are at fault - With the middle section of the door trim off and the window switch reconnected, lightly pinch the middle of the pulley against the black runner between thumb and finger and inch the window up on the switch. You should feel it vibrate as it squeals. (Careful you don't trap your fingers! Its your own fault if you do)

Now bung lots of lube in behind it!:D
 

bobbycfc

Active Member
Jun 6, 2007
200
1
Motherwell
Well after threatening for a while, and me deliberately not using the window, today I went to Edinburgh airport to pick up my dad . Got to the car park and , without thinking, lowered the window to get my ticket at the barrier.
Lifted switch to bring window up and just heard a deep grinding noise and the window raised by about 2 inches then died. Nothing would get it to shift!

So phoned my local mechanic in Motherwell, drove all the way back with the window down (thankfully not raining) and by that point Euro car Parts had delivered the new regulator. An hour later, and £90 lighter, I drove out with a fully working window again.

Glad I didn't attempt it myself!!
 

lumor

Active Member
May 18, 2011
57
0
Drivers window packet in last month, been driving around with it duck taped up after cutting the wires through the gaps. Ordered an aftermarket regulator for £43 only to find the motor connection all wrong and the door card clamps missing from the rails.

Ordered cable kit for £12 off ebay have put it all together but no where have any of you mentioned how many turns of each cable I put in the cog....any answers please? :shrug:
 

Dandle

Active Member
Dec 17, 2007
40
0
Ashford
Drivers window packet in last month, been driving around with it duck taped up after cutting the wires through the gaps. Ordered an aftermarket regulator for £43 only to find the motor connection all wrong and the door card clamps missing from the rails.

Ordered cable kit for £12 off ebay have put it all together but no where have any of you mentioned how many turns of each cable I put in the cog....any answers please? :shrug:

Trust me don't bother with the £12 kit just write ot off to experience or sell it on. It is a pain in the backside to fit and will only break in a few months time, which means you will be pulling the whole door apart again. The only real fix is a new genuine regulator which isnt that expensive and comes complete with runners and everything, on top of that it is far easier to fit.
 

lumor

Active Member
May 18, 2011
57
0
Yes I saw your previous comment, but I'm going to put it down to lack of grease or grease choice :whistle: The wire is exact same thickness I can't see why it wouldn't be up to the job :confused: Besides only needs to last a couple of months to sell the donkey on :rofl:
 

Dandle

Active Member
Dec 17, 2007
40
0
Ashford
Yes I saw your previous comment, but I'm going to put it down to lack of grease or grease choice :whistle: The wire is exact same thickness I can't see why it wouldn't be up to the job :confused: Besides only needs to last a couple of months to sell the donkey on :rofl:

Its not the wire its the ends that wont hold on, the cables arent made as well as the OEM ones.
 
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