Just Repaired Front Window

[Paul & Wendy]

Hi all,
last year, it was the RHS rear window that failed - this year, the RHS front failed on my wife's '03 2L cabrio.
Here in Australia, the dealership was not even sure if a repair kit was available and from past experience with the rear window, the parts would cost a small fortune. Managed to source a genuine repair kit from a seller in the UK for 42 uk pounds plus 14 pounds p+p. The part number was 1Y0-837-462-J.
First tip - if you have removed the door panel to investigate the fault, then have to wait for the parts to arrive, remember to take the door panel with you when you need to refuel! I was 35km away at work and the fuel light was on so not enough fuel to get home....no problem until I realised at the fuel station that I could not open the filler cap!(wife had to drive over with the door panel that was lying in the garage).
As far as fitting is concerned, reasonably straight forward job. After removing the door panel, that consisted of 2 screws behind the door handle and 3 screws along the bottom, the rest was push studs and disconnecting the various wiring connectors, etc. Behind the door panel is another panel that is held in place with about 10 ish screws - the separate window motor is fixed by 3 screws to this inner panel. This all has to be removed.
Initially, I tried to replace the broken wires whilst the glass and vertical runner guides were in place but this was the wrong way to go. Not only is it difficult to reach where the cable ends fit the window mounts, but the tension to get the final cable fitted makes it impossible - you have to remove the glass (only 2 bolts) then remove the entire window guide system (only 1 bolt top and 1 bolt bottom on each side).
Once the window guides were out, I found that the final fitting of the last section of wire was easier if you turn 1 guide over, ie not in the figure of 8 as in the car - this appeared to give marginally less tension on the wires. Even then, it took 2 of us with screw drivers to force the final section of wire over the last pulley wheel - not technical, just required huge amounts of force, all the time trying not to get stabbed if the screw drivers slipped.
After that, its just the reversal, ie replace the 2 guides in the door frame; replace the glass; replace the inner door panel; reunite the window motor with the new regulator; reconnect the wiring; then refit the door panel.
All in, took me about 1 hour to strip down, 1 hour to replace the regulator, then 30 minutes to refit everything.
Happy to offer advice to anyone wanting to try the repair themselves.
Paul

[Paul & Wendy]

Hope that I have managed to attach some photos of the inner door panel and the failed wire / window regulator. paul

[Palafox]

Great write-up. The broken cable picture begs the question why VW don't use a direct drive assembly instead of a cable system most japanese cars do and never fails.