Power window mechanism - device, features and reviews

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

From time to time, every car owner has to lower the windows in the car. It doesn’t matter what it is connected with - with the need to smoke while driving, hand over any documents or just ventilate the cabin. At first glance, the operation of the power window seems very simple - you press the button and wait until the window opens. But not everything is so clear. Well, let's take a closer look at the power window mechanism and how it works.

Characteristic

Based on the word itself, it becomes clear what this element is for.

So, the power window is a device that allows you to lower and raise the side windows in the car. There are various types of these mechanisms. They differ both in design and in the principle of operation. Let's take a closer look at the power window mechanism.

Varieties

First of all,these elements differ according to the type of drive. There are:

• Mechanical windows (in common "oars"). They are powered by a special handle on the door card, which resembles an oar. With the effort of the hand, we move the glass in the right direction.
• Electrical. They appeared a little later. Here, unlike the previous ones, an electric motor is included in the work. It is he who creates the efforts that the car owner previously had to use with his hands. Now, in order to lower or raise the window, just press the appropriate button. Further, the electronics will do everything by itself - the signal is transmitted to the reversible motor, and it begins its movement along the rail. Typically, such a switch is located in the area of \u200b\u200bthe door handle. Depending on the configuration of the car, there may be two or four such power windows.

Also, the power window mechanism is different in design. We will talk about this below.

Design and principle of operation

Regardless of the drive, the power window mechanism is divided into two more types. It can be single or double lever. Let's start with the first one.

A single-lever window regulator mechanism is used on VAZs, as well as on some budget foreign cars like Nexia. The design of the element includes a gear, a lever and plates. The latter are bolted tightly to the glass and allow you to move it in the desired position. There is a slider at the end of the lever. What it is? The slider is a device that movesplate along the rail along with the glass. This is usually a plastic roller with a small amount of lubricant. The principle of operation of such a front door window regulator mechanism is very simple. When the driver presses the button or twists the "paddle", the gear wheel is activated. It moves up and down the rail. And since the glass is connected to the plate, it also moves in a given direction thanks to the slider. If this is an electric window regulator mechanism (in Nexia, these are found in GLE trim levels), this process is controlled by an electric motor. It is he who moves the gear wheel in the direction set by the button. There are no cables here - only wires.

Now about the double-lever window mechanism. It also comes with both mechanical and electrical drives. The design has a gear wheel, a plate with bolts, a slider and a lever. But in addition to the main one, there is also an additional one. A cable or a reversible motor is used as a drive element.

Sliders are attached to the second lever in two places. One moves the plate with glass, the second moves only along the plate, which is attached inside the door. There are two gear wheels. They are on the left and right side of the drive gear. What is the advantage of such a design? As the reviews say, with double-lever mechanisms there are fewer problems with skew. Also, reviews say that such mechanisms are more reliable and durable. And the process of lowering the window is a little faster.

Faults

There are several symptomsindicating a malfunction of this element. When do you need to replace the power window mechanism? It is necessary if, when raising and lowering the window, extraneous sounds are heard or the glass is jammed in one position. If the drive is electric, it may close jerkily or not respond at all to pressing the buttons. In the case when the mechanism is mechanical, it is possible to state a break or stretching of the cable. Less commonly, sliders and gears fail.

Are there other reasons why the power window mechanism does not work? Often problems with it arise due to blockage of the rail and foreign objects getting into the grooves. Also, grease can dry on the rail, causing the window to be pulled back tightly (while lowering as it should).

Replacement

How to remove the power window mechanism with your own hands? Regardless of whether it is electrical or mechanical, the principle of dismantling is the same. So, since the mechanism is hidden inside the door, you first need to remove the trim. On different cars, it is dismantled in its own way. In most cases, you need to find the screws holding the handle under the plugs and unscrew them. If this is a mechanical window regulator, it is necessary to remove the stopper, and then the "oar" itself. Next, gently pry off the edges of the skin and pull it out. It is attached to plastic "bugs" - it is recommended to stock up on new ones, since they are disposable. If ESPs are installed, you need to disconnect the wiring from the central control unit for raising the windows. The next step is to removebody motor and black hatches. Then unscrew the bolts on the plate that secure the glass.

Please note: during dismantling, the window must be in a raised state. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to remove the power window mechanism. This applies to both electrical and mechanical components.

After that, remove the cable from the side rollers and from the glass mount itself (if any). We also take it out from the top slider. Then we unscrew the bolts securing the mechanism to the door (with a key of 10). Usually there are two or three. Now you can safely remove the old power window. The new element is installed in reverse order.

Minor breakdowns

Sometimes a window falls inwards and never rises again. It may seem that the power window mechanism has come to an end. But it's not. The case is hidden in two plastic fixing parts. They can be seen after disassembling the door card. These parts can also fail. They are sold separately, so if they fail, it is not necessary to fork out for a new power window.

Helpful advice

In order for the window mechanism to last as long as possible, manufacturers recommend periodic maintenance. What are these works? Once every 1-2 years, it is recommended to remove the casing and lubricate the rubbing parts.

This is a gear wheel, rack and plastic sliders. During this time, debris can accumulate in the mechanism, which is also needed.clean together with old dried grease. As the last one during maintenance, you can use "Litol-24". This is a very thick lubricant that adheres well to the mating parts of the power window.

Conclusion

So, we found out what a window regulator mechanism is in a car, how it works and how to replace it. As you can see, this operation can be done by hand. And so that the mechanism does not need repairs, do not forget about its maintenance.