How much does it cost to replace a power window regulator

Home » Auto Repair » Average Cost to Fix a Car Window Regulator

• • Posted on
  • in Auto Repair
  • on October 7, 2013

  The car window regulator in your vehicle is the component system that controls the raising and lowering of the side windows in your car. There are two primary types of window regulators; automatic window regulators use an electrical mechanism to raise and lower the windows in the vehicle according to a switch that you flip. Mechanical window regulators have a detailed system of gears and interlocking parts that require the passenger or driver of the vehicle to turn a small knob on the inside of the car door in order to raise or lower the window. The cost of fixing a broken window regulator on your car is dependent upon a number of different factors, the most important of which is typically whether the window regulator system is automatic or mechanical.

  Cost of Fixing a Mechanic Window Regulator

  A mechanical window regulator has a lot of different gears and components, but these systems require no outside electrical power in order to function. Thus, the process of fixing a window regulator of this type is not usually an expensive fix. The procedure entails taking apart the car door in order to access the interlocking gears and other components of the window regulator system. The worker who is servicing your vehicle will then have to determine at which point in the system the components have fallen out of alignment. Typically, the process of replacing the broken or misaligned component is a relatively straightforward one, and oftentimes the piece itself is small and very inexpensive.

  The largest component of the cost of fixing a mechanical window regulator is typically the cost of dismantling the door and putting it back together again once the window regulator system is repaired. The labor involved in the process is usually several hours. Thus, the costs of fixing a mechanical window regulator usually range from a couple of hundred dollars up to about $500, depending upon the exact cause of the problem. If an entire mechanical system must be replaced, the cost may be higher still.

  Cost of Fixing an Automatic Window Regulator

  Automatic window regulators are designed to control the windows in your car electrically. There are a number of more expensive components in this system than in the simpler mechanical one, and accessing and repairing them can be more difficult. Thus, while the process for repairing an automatic window regulator involves many of the same procedures (i.e. dismantling the door, etc.), the costs can be higher. Depending upon the damage and the problem with the system, the cost of this repair can be several hundred dollars up to well over $1000.

  In order to find the best deal on your window regulator repair, be sure to shop around for the cheapest options. Consult with different mechanics in order to get a sense of the estimated price of repairing the vehicle; you can make your selection based on these price quotes.

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Aren’t power windows great? There’s nothing worse than a car sitting in the hot sun for hours and hours, then hopping in and needing to relieve the interior of the 200-degree air that festoons it, and having to reach around and hand-crank each window to find that relief. Pushing a button makes life much simpler, and cools things off much faster. It’s when you push the little button and the window doesn’t go anywhere that matters can really get hairy. There are several things which could be the cause. You could have a bad relay; there could be a short in the wiring; or, the window motor may have simply had enough. If the latter comes into play for your vehicle, here’s a look at what it’s going to take to fix it.

What All Is Replaced?

If you’re lucky, just the window motor. As we all know in the automotive world, however, there are always those unfortunate incidents that can happen. The first thing you need look at is, is the window that has become inoperable still in the up, or at least partially up, position? If so, then you probably won’t need to worry about replacing the window itself. When most window motors fail, they’ll simply freeze in one position, holding the window in place wherever it froze up. However, there are times when the window regulator can fail or the motor can fail and shoot downward at an excessive speed. When this happens the window itself could actually fall down into the door and break. There are other times when you’ll be replacing the window regulator as well as the motor. That’s only because the two come as one unit on certain models. Your technician should be able to tell you if you happen to own one of these models.

What If It’s Just the Motor?

Then you’re in luck. The average time to replace a power window motor is 2.1 hours. That averages out to roughly $120 to $150 in labor time plus the cost of the motor itself. This can usually bring the entire job to a total of anywhere from $200 to $300, depending on make and model. Keep in mind, however, that the labor time is an average here. There are several models whose labor times creep up into the four- and five-hour ranges. Look for the labor price to hike up anywhere from $100 to $200 in these instances.

What If the Regulator Is Part of the Motor?

You’re going to be in roughly the same area as far as labor times go. It will be the parts prices that will cause your bill to raise here. Most aftermarket parts manufacturers don’t make the window motors that come as a unit with the regulator. This leaves the consumer with only one option – buying parts from the dealer. What may have been a $50 window motor aftermarket is now a $300 window motor/regulator combo from the dealership. If this is the type of motor which the model sitting in your driveway is equipped with, be prepared to spend a nice chunk of change on this handy little combo pack.

(Please remember that these repair prices can also fluctuate based on geographic location, as well as vehicle make and model; and that these numbers represent averages, not actual prices offered at any specific repair facilities.)

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