In this video I show how to replace the drivers door window regulator, I also show the difference between the right and wrong regulators, don't make the same mistake I made.
Finally a quality automotive video. You actually explain AND SHOW how ro do things step by step as opposed to saying "just pop that off" and then the video is cut with the door panel off. 10 out of 10. Well done sir
Thanks Dan, just finished mine, most difficult thing was being able to cut the upper cable to release the window. Tip regarding the plastic barrier, if you peel from the left you only need to go about 3/4 of the way to the right, just enough to get to the motor area, just kind of fold it over on itself until you are ready to install. For folks looking to replace theirs, be sure to check with local junk yards, I was able to find one out of a 2014 Legacy for only $30, and Subaru parts tend to be quite a bit stronger than aftermarket.
Thank you for posting. I am going to replace my window on my 2011 Legacy, by myself. Shop wanter over $500.00. I am 74, on a fixed income. This will save me some money. Thanks again.
Got the old actuator out and installed the new one. Got it all back together only to find the window was not in the track properly. Took it all apart again loosened the bolts on the lift and got it back in the track. Put it all back together and it works great. Your vid helped alot. Thanks again.
What was yours doing? Just making a small clunk noise? I just changed out my switch and that wasn't the issue after all. Mine also wasn't making all the noises of the one in this video, but rather one quick subtle clunk noise like it's stuck
Thank you thank you thank Dan. Great video. Took about an hour and saved about $700. Agree with your comment about the engineer who designed the black tar 👍🏼👍🏼
Thank you for the video sir! My wife’s driver side stopped working (stuck down) at the drive through just as it started to rain! Regarding the black sticky material,a trick I used to use was taking 2” masking tape, stick the tape on the black sticky stuff and doing small sections at a time, Yank the tape off quickly and most of the time it comes off cleanly! The trick is speed here !😉You can use what’s left stuck to the plastic to re-attach it plus tape. Thanks again for the valuable info.
Dan, thank you for making this video and especially for sharing the lesson on purchasing the right model with the 6 pin connector. I'm sure that saved me a lot of time. Thanks!
Thanks for the very useful video. Like everyone else, saved me hundreds $. Only $54 for the correct replacement (6-pin). If you search Subaru's parts catalog online, you can search by Vin number find correct part number which can then be used to search for aftermarket replacement. One suggestion for the black glue... WD40 works well to remove it from unwanted places (even concrete garage floor).
Hi again Dan, I just replaced the "window regulator and motor" in my 2011 Subaru Outback 3.6R, today. It has the 6-pin connector. I bought it at Advance Auto Parts, Dorman brand, $167.00. Thanks to your video instructions the installation went well.
Thx Dan; I did an old Studebaker trick! I added lock washers to all the fasteners to prevent loosening from road vibration. The use of bracket "ears" to set the regulator alignment is a welcome install feature. --Mike Elling, Sharon, Tennessee
Nice video, am ready to take on this project. btw, the 6-pin connector is for the optional automatic up/down feature. Not all cars have this, thus the 2-pin connector.
Thanks Dan..you definately are the man and you explained and showed it very well. Able to do mine a bit slower than you but you have saved me a lot of money. Thanks and Cheers from Perth Western Australia🖐🖐👍👍
Nice refresher from the last time I did one and a pretty quick fix. Your video was helpful and easy to follow. Goo Gone was a savior for that black tar and took it right off. My only hiccup was the motor was dead so I needed to snap the wire. Ironically I found a couple taps to the motor might have relieved me of the extra steps as I was able to activate later after snapping the wire.
Tommorrow 8/18/2021 I am told FEDX will deliver my regulator, cannot wait to install it. Will let you know the outcome. Great video, watched many times. I think I can do it.
Great video Dan, I could not have done this repair without you! I too fell into the 2 pin vs. 6 pin connector trap, thanks to Autozone not listing the product correctly. Instead, I bought the Brock branded regulator/motor from Amazon for $50 and it works fine. You are right about the nasty black tar-like substance holding the plastic sheet on! It took ages to remove the black tar from the door with Goo Off, but it did come off eventually; BEWARE if you do this repair, that black sticky stuff gets everywhere, on your door panel, hands, cables. The plastic sheet is described as a moisture barrier in another video, which states it is not essential, so I cut away the transparent goop covered parts and gaffer taped the soft rubber padding to the door instead. If you had a sheet of polyethene sheet to hand you could make a replacement easily. Remember to mark your cables before you unplug them from the door panel; even better take a few photos with your phone. There is one where the socket is hard to find when you plug the cable back in. Otherwise, it's a pretty simple, straighforward job. The only tool you need are screwdrivers and a 10mm socket. The other video had a good tip to lubricate the rubber window tracks with WD40 before you finish - good idea. AGain, great video - thanks!
Thanks so much for making this insightful video!!! I have a Subaru Outback with an intermittent drivers side front window that I’m hoping is the switch. It doesn’t make any grinding noises like yours did, but I thought I better check this video out in case I have to replace the regulator/motor and deal with the tar from hell. Thanks to your video, I know what I’m up against if it comes to that. Thanks too for letting us know about the 2 pin vs 6 pin connector. I can imagine your frustration after getting everything out, putting in the new part and having the window not go up smoothly. 🤬All the best to you and take care!
Be sure to check to see if your cars window motor has 6 wire plug or 2 wire plug before ordering new assembly. As shown in video you will waste a lot of time if you get the wrong one.
Very Helpful! I received the Non-auto mechanism first. It was replaced with the correct one. Somehow I missed the piece about calibrating the window...it didn't work properly. Then, the "Ah HA"!....and it works properly now. With the driver window half way down, there is a little bit of play in the window? If I hold toward the mirror and then toward the rear, the play is a wiggle from front to back. Is that normal??
Very Informative vid especially concerning the 6 wire plug vs. 2 wire plug. Also, I agree 100%...."Special place in hell for engineer" that approved use of tar glue. Geeeeez
As soon as the parts arrive I will be fixing my mom's 2011 Outback front passenger side window that's stuck down currently. When trying to operate the window I don't hear any sounds coming from the regulator/motor inside the door at all, I'm just going to replace the parts which hopefully should fix the problem, I already checked the fuse which is fine. Will replacing the passenger side window be relatively the same as the drivers window shown in the video? I'm assuming it will be but just thought I'd ask, thanks! Also, if the window has somehow come out of the track, is it easy to get it back into the track? Awesome video by the way, very helpful! I love Subarus, I still drive my first car going on 10 years now 2010 Outback.
It should be mostly the same, only difference might be the window switch and that's about it, but before you go changing parts, take a test light or voltmeter and make sure you have power and ground at the window motor connector inside the door, if you don't have power or ground when operating the switch, then chances are you may have another issue
Call your local Subaru dealer and ask for the parts dept, give them your vin number and ask for the correct part number for the window motor/regulator, write it down and search online
Great video this helped a lot. Ran into the 2 pin problem myself. Can I ask where you were able to find a 6 pin prong? Why would they even sell a 2 pin to begin with?!? Crazy
So i believe the difference is the anti-pinch option that Subaru offers, the non anti-pinch I think has just 2 wires while the anti-pinch has 6, it was a little frustrating trying to figure that out. The correct part # is 61041AJ03B, I ended up calling the dealer with the VIN and got the correct part# and then just searched it on Amazon
Sorry about that! I was watching this in 95° sun trying to fix the issue lol. Seems to be a little bit more complicated. I originally thought the issue was a switch so I had ordered one from the parts store. When it came in, the switch is faulty and will not operate however will operate the window. If I use the Subaru switch, I have the intermittent lifting of the window, but if I use the aftermarket, the auto function works it goes up and down, Everything works. Kind of confused lol. I will probably return this motor though and try to get one with more pins Thanks
Interesting, I just installed a new motor that I purchased from Oreilys and I think I may have the same issue where the motor plug is a two prong vs a 6 prong.
We had our mechanics replace our regulator but the cat now smells intensely of chemicals. I wonder if it’s the black sticky stuff. Did you have this issue?
Have a 2012 legacy were the passenger window slightly jerks going down but going up is fine. I've oiled the sides of the window hoping it makes it smoother but with no fix. Do you think the motor is the issue?
HELP! I replaced the passenger side motor and regulator in my mom’s 2011 outback and the window still only responds going DOWN for the driver and passenger side switches. The window will NOT roll up for either the passenger or drivers switches. Ugh.
You can still remove the door panel with the window up, then once the panel is off you should be able to manipulate the window to go down by hand if the regulator is bad, usually the cable is broken enough that you can manhandle the window down enough to remove it from the regulator track
@@theman9764 So I don't have loose cables and my window doesn't sound "crunchy" like yours. Please forgive me for bugging you with questions but I cant find much info. Back story the last year my driver side window button intermittently wouldn't work then eventually died completely/ wouldn't work. It died in the up postion which I was happy about but now won't roll down ever. I checked fuses - was good, and then ordered a new drivers side window switch and it didn't fix anything. All 3 other windows have worked fine, drivers window doesnt. So I ordered a new regulator - it says with motor. Is a regulator / motor same thing? I attempted to start this and got up to the point of the 10mm bolts to remove the regulator and couldn't get the window down to get those top bolts on the inside so I put the door back together. I'm going to start at it again and see where I can get but not feeling confident 😆
@@harleycase331 first thing i would do is get a test light or voltmeter and see if you're getting power to the window motor going in both directions, if you have good power and ground, then the window motor itself is likely bad, at that point just cut the steel cable in the regulator and then the window should come down easily
I had to cut the cable on the old regulator. I cut the cable at the bottom first, and the window still wouldn't move. When I cut the cable at the top of the old regulator, the job went smoothly. It would have been possible to get the two bolts out eventually, but access is very limited.
@@theman9764 looks like a-cutting I will go. Motor was previously diagnosed as failed, with window in the "up" position. On oem Subaru motors, there are 3 screws that can be loosened from the motor cover to access the cable and gear, and manually lower the window. On my car, it appears the motor was replaced previously with a remanufactured part by Cardone, and there are no such accessible screws. Wondering how tough that steel cable is, and if common snips will cut it.