Emergency window fix for rear regulator failure.

[J.Belknap]

This is an emergency window fix for rear regulator failure.

You'll need one 12" or longer zip tie. Two if you want a backup. I prefer wide & metal-lined.

Remove door card and top of vapor barrier.

Push up on window.

Ziptie(s) go under regulator clip. Tighten super tight with needlenose. Sorry for potato-phone pics but fairly obvious. Example is rear left window.






Remember to re-fit vapor barrier (seam roller tool helps a lot here!) and tape off door card clip holes until repair time.

[J.Belknap]

Attached is a how-to on removing the door card and replacing the E53 rear regulator.

Things youll want to replace for a rear regulator job:

Regulator (1)
Window Clip (1)
Vapor Barrier (1) (Again, buying a seam roller tool helps a lot)
3M 08612 Window-Weld 3/8" x 15' Round Ribbon Sealer
Door card gasket clips (9)

[Ricky Bobby]

Just glad to see you didn't have it crash all the way and have a broken window J!

Good luck on the repairs, I'm going to preventatively "refurbish" my front regulators over the weekend.

[J.Belknap]

Stuff happens! Will be better than new after repaired.

GL with your PM's sir.

[Ricky Bobby]

Thanks, definitely subbed to see your updates on the repairs as to what had failed on them. If its the clip holding the cable in place on the track then I will do the rear ones as well, I have front "track clips" coming from www.regulatorfix.com and as far as I know I will be one of the first posting on here about them.

[J.Belknap]

99% chance it's the same dumb cable clip failure that happens to all of them. You hear a "ker-chunk" noise right as the window closes and that's it. RIP regulator.

Going to reinforce the new regulator cable clip with strategically placed zipties if possible.

Curious on your www.regulatorfix.com parts. Please report on quality/fitment.

[Ricky Bobby]

^Will do for sure JB, I'm hoping to get away with not ripping the vapor barrier, when I replaced my door carrier in mid 2012 I reused it and did not rip and all sealed well.

I've heard reports of people doing the preventative zip-tie fix on their regulators and gotten years of service, so hopefully these new clips are in fact a superior design.

You and I are both fixers/engineers in thinking when it comes to the vehicles we'd rather have parts that are superior than continuously replacing a faulty design (tip of the hat to your Mann Hummel install).

Been a while since I was looking at the window assembly but should I try to replace the black window clips first, and then the actual cable clips? Or other way around?

[J.Belknap]

Really happy with the Mann setup, keeps the oil where it should be... thank ya.

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

should I try to replace the black window clips first, and then the actual cable clips? Or other way around?

IIRC you'll have to tape up window and remove reg for cable clip replacement.

[z168]

glad you got it remedied. If I had to pull the door card and vapor barrier I might as well replace the regulator at that point, regardless if I was on a trip

[J.Belknap]

If I had a spare LR regulator in the trunk, I absolutely would have replaced at that point.

Being that I didn't, I wait for parts order to come in without worry of rain/theft/etc.