95 legacy drivers window crunch

[urabus1995]

The other day, after a bit of severe frost, when I used the auto switch to close my drivers window, when it got to about halfway up, there was a loud bang, and the window stuttered a bit, but it did manage to close itself. I tried it again later.

It seems to wind down not too bad, but on the way up I got the same crunch.

Is this thing about to pack up? Am I likely to break the window if I keep usin it? Not knowing yet what lies behind the door panels ,I am a bit in the dark about how it works. Also, while I am here, does the little grille thing in front of the speakers prise off, or do you have to remove the door panel to get access ? I am trying not to wreck anything by levering with screwdrivers etc.

[95Leg]

It's been about 2 years since I did this, so I might be a little fuzzy on the details.

 

Behind the panel is some sheet metal with access holes in it. Behind the sheet metal and hard to get at through the access holes is what you're interested in. There is the window motor, and then the "window regulator". The window regulator is basically 2 lengths of metal which are hinged together in the middle and form an "X". At the top of the "X" is a slider which the window is attached to. When you roll up the window, the two sides of the X come together, which pushes the slider (and the window) up. Going the other direction, the 2 sides move away from each other and the slider comes down.

 

I had a large knocking noise as well, which was caused by one of the sides of the "X", hich was broke, being pushed into the sheet metal.

 

Taking everything apart took a lot of time. You have to take off some trim around the door handle, and then I think everything else pop's off around the edges. It's small pieces of plastic that push into the sheet metal and then lock on, so it takes a little effort to pop them off, and there is the possibility of breaking them.

 

If you find out you need to take out the regulator or motor, you have to take off the window, and then move the slider down, unbolt the motor and regulator assembly and then keep trying different orientations until the whole assembly comes out the access hole in the sheet metal.

 

If you end up replacing it yourself, I bought a combination motor/regulator from thepartsbin.com for around $60, but had to transplant the wire connection from the original motor. It's worked fine for the 2 years or so it's been in there and was cheaper than the ~$100 regulator-only part from subaru.

 

Good luck and leave yourself plenty of time if you're going to do it yourself.....

 

FYI: Mine was broke on a cold day as well, but occurred when a local mechanic was unsticking a brake caliper for me.....I can only guess someone leaned across a half-opened window or something.

[ejlain]

Urabus- A WORD OF CAUTION!!

If you take on this project yourself be EXTREMELY careful when sticking your hands in and out of the access wholes in the metal door.

 

Years ago, my father was working on a similar project on a Ford van and when he pulled his hand down, he cut himself SEVERELY across the knuckles and severed arteries and tendons and, well it was a mess. In many vehicles, the edges of those access holes are RAZOR SHARP!! so be careful.

 

Hope I didn't dissuade you from working on your own car - just thought I should pass on that word of caution.

 

- Ed

[urabus1995]

Thank you 95LeG for that very informative post, and also to Ejlain for the word of caution about sharp metaledges. I shall take great care, or maybe even leave it to an expert. I was wondering , 95LEG if you have a 1995 Legacy? Mine is a japanese import, and I was told it was made in 1994, but the guys who got it for me seem to think it is actually the 1995 shape.The reason I am asking is that I am still trying to get a wiring harness for the stereo I am about to put in it. My local parts store have told me that there are two adaptors for 1994, it changed part of the way through the year. They have to order it in for me.

The unit that was in it said Subaru and Kenwood on the tape player . It is a big unit, with CD, and radio as well.Is that what was in yours?

[95Leg]

Sorry, I haven't taken out the original cassette player. I don't recall if mine says kenwood on it, but it is radio/cassette only, so it is half-height with open storage below it. I think on my previous subaru GL-10 I couldn't find the correct harness so I ended up splicing the original harness and a new one and then playing connect the wires.

 

Good point about the sheet metal. I usually wear some work gloves while working on the car, so I might have had those on when working through the access hole.

 

I don't want to scare you either, but changing out that regulator wasn't a whole lot of fun since the access hole is so small. It might be worth just popping off the panel and trying to see if something just fell on to the track though.