Author Topic: HOW TO - Fit electric windows  (Read 6063 times)

Offline Rmachines

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HOW TO - Fit electric windows
« on: 26 April 2009, 08:52 »
Parts needed:
Electric window regulators x2
Door loom x2
Window switch x2 (with mirror adjuster)
Dash loom x1 including thermal fuse
Door cards (recommended) or blanks to remove winder handle.
Two electric mirrors (recommended)

First off, the electric window loom stretches from one door to the other and simply plugs in to the connector blocks near the doors,  the other ends plug into the fuse box.  There are several smaller connectors, depending on the model of your car may or may not have these available to plug in to the fuse box, Most do so if possible just plug them in to the correct spare ones hanging down behind the fuse box, this enables things such as the back lights in the switches etc..  Although to have full working electric windows its only necessary to connect the smaller + power lead and the main power lead. The main power lead should have a thermal fuse already connected, this just clips to the top of the fuse box.

Step 1 (Door card removal)
Prise the door handle covers off with a flat head screw driver, behind this there are two large crosshead screws.  Undo these two.  Remove your window winder,  first off, wind the window down but leave a few inches, you will thank me for that later, Look at the base of the window winder, there is a ring which you simply push in with a screwdriver, it unclips and you can pull the winder off the shaft.  Next, you need to unscrew your door pin.  You can now prise off the door card, I recommend starting at the bottom, personally I grab the little storage part on the door card and give it a pull, otherwise, pop a large flat head screw driver behind the door card and pop all the retainers off, remove door card. Watch out for the speaker plugs, disconnect them now. Once removed you can either cut or peel the sound deadening foam away, early models just have plastic sheet.

Step 2 (removing the old regulator)
 
All you should need here is a 10mm spanner or ratchet, ideally both.  You may need to pop the winder back on to adjust the glass so you have access to the glass clamps, it’s usually quite easy providing the windows not closed.  Unbolt the two 10mm bolts that clamp the glass, it might be stuck in the rubber so give it a yank and raise the glass up by hand.  i use a garden peg or rolled up card to wedge into the glass to keep the glass up.  Unbolt the 2/3 10mm bolts on the door that hold the regulator in place, you can now remove the old regulator. 

Step 3 (removing the old loom)
There will be the old loom which feeds the central locking remove all of this and unclip it, pop the rubber boot off the door disconnect it and you can prise the plastic connector out.

Step 4 (fitting the electric regulator)
Hopefully it won’t be set to fully closed, when I got mine they were which makes it very tricky! But far from impossible,  Fit the regulator into the door,  its a bit of a wiggle, then hold the motor up to the area it sits in and pop the 10mm bolt in, move the other parts of the regulator until the other two bolt holes are lined up and nip them up.  Now you can carefully drop the glass down into the two clamps, ensure it’s seated properly into the rubber holders otherwise it might go crunch!  Tighten the clamps up.

Step 5 (Fitting the loom)

The new loom just clips in place of the old one, feed it through, plug in the central locking plugs, window motor, speakers, and window switch, you will notice there is a spare up at the top, at this point you might want to fit electric wing mirrors to that as they will just plug in and work!  There will be an extra plug on the drives side for the wing mirror adjuster switch.  Ensure its well clipped in and out of the way of the window mechanism etc... Feed the wires through the door DONT CLOSE THE DOOR! It will crush the door connector pins!  In fact you can go ahead and plug it in now.  Push and twist, then refit the rubber boot.

Step 6 (Dash loom)
Once both doors are all kitted up, you can feed the dash loom so it spans from one side to the other,  drop the fuse box down so you have access to the rear of it.  You can’t go wrong with the door ends of the loom, plug them in to the door connector, it will only plug in one way so plug that in both ends and move to the fuse box, There are a few different connectors for the lighting in the switches etc.. There should be the respective plugs hanging about up there, I’m not sure if all models would have this though.  There are two important things here,  the earth I have completely forgotten where it goes,  it either plugs into the fuse box earth block or to the chassis earth plug just up from the door connector,  it may even bolt to the body work, you will see when it’s in front of you so connect that up.  You may want to disconnect your battery now to be safe.  Plug the big red connector into the back of the fuse box, I’m not sure of the pin numbers but someone will be able to help with that.  There is a smaller switched ignition feed which also plugs into the fuse box.  Once everything is plugged in, you can reconnect the battery and see if it works, temporarily plug the window switches in to give them a go.

Step 7 (refitting door cards)
Easy bit now, refit the sound deadening foam or plastic as good as you can, use duct tape if necessary.  Hold up the door card, plug the speakers in, and feed the plugs for the switches etc.. through the correct holes in the door card.  Fit the door card on to the poppers, replace the two screws and spin the door pin on.  Now plug in the window switches and the wing mirror switch, this just pushes on.   Sit back and admire your work.


« Last Edit: 10 August 2009, 21:42 by boneybradley »
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Offline d4w50n

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Re: How to - Fit electric windows
« Reply #1 on: 28 May 2009, 10:15 »
Nice guide, forgot to mention though that you need to unscrew the inner lock before the door card will come off (IIRC).

I have a question though, I have an electric window regulator, with just wires coming off it, as in it's been stripped from a door and the wires cut from any connectors. Do you know of any way of wiring this to the existing connector in a door?

And in a working car with no electric windows, what work would I have to do to anything to install the electric windows in terms of wiring anything.

Pictures of where to plug things into the fuse box, and how to connect things to the looms would be incredibly helpful mate :-)

Offline zdebx

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Re: HOW TO - Fit electric windows
« Reply #2 on: 24 November 2009, 18:38 »
Awesomely helpful thread. I'm planning to fit electric windows into my Mk3 soon, so this will be VERY useful.

Pictures would be great, but I'll try to figure out everything without ;)

This should be stickied.
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billabong

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Re: HOW TO - Fit electric windows
« Reply #3 on: 10 December 2009, 00:13 »
Many thanks, I spent a few hours the other day getting the loom from a TDI GL. I may aswell fit the vacuum central locking whilst I am at it since the loom I took out also has wiring for the central locking pump ( I have a 1.4 Match)