Replacing window motor on Subaru Forester 2005

Vizzy

Ok,I have a 2005 Forrester but yesterday the driver side window just stopped working.
The motor on the window will still run when you push the switch but the window is now basically a "free unit" ( I can pull it up or push it down by hand)
I took off the door panel but the motor and the other mechanicals are extremely difficult to get at.
I suspect that either the cogs on the motor are worn or are slipping on the motor axle but I cant tell until I can get at them.
Any advice on how to get it out and maybe a few tips if it the "cog wheel" is simply spinning on the axle ?

Hope I make sense,thanks in advance.

Vizzy

Mods, I think I posted this in the wrong forum.
Can you move it to "DIY car maintenance & repair"

Thanks

Lex Luthor

also try isdc.com forum

Vizzy

Lex Luthor wrote: »

also try isdc.com forum

Yeah,tried that but only one thread on this and that only outlined the problem that others had but no solutions.
Thanks anyway.

Anan1

Here's a thread that might help: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/power-window-clunking-16070/index2.html

www.subaruforester.org is a great site, i'm sure if you have a good trawl through it you'll find more relevant info. If it all begins to sound like too big of a PITA then ring Seán in Castle Subaru - I don't know what he'll charge, but he's a very decent guy.

Vizzy

Thanks Anan,
I had found that site alright but I probably need to trawl a bit more through it.
What I was hoping to do was take out the bit of the regulator that attached to the motor(with the cogged gear in it) because I suspect that the gear may be simply spinning on the motor axle,then weld it up and replace.Not sure if this is possible though.
This is the third motor/regulator to go into the same door and at €226 +VAT plus fitting its getting expensive.

Anan1

How long ago did the last one go? The part itself should carry a warranty.

Vizzy

About 18 months the motor went but my mechanic said that when he went to fix it there was a lot of rust on it.(He also said that if it went again not to come back it was that difficult to get out).
I have since found a Haynes manual on E-bay so I might go that route.
Since I bought the car in 2006 this is the only part that I've had to replace(except brakes,filters etc)

Traditional

hi i have the same problem , window motor clicks but no movement , did you get it sorted , as i need to get mine done , any help would be great

SleeperService

Traditional wrote: »

hi i have the same problem , window motor clicks but no movement , did you get it sorted , as i need to get mine done , any help would be great

Haven't had this issue, but I've heard the driver's window switch can cause trouble andd lead to motors burning out? Not sure if that's any help...

Vizzy

Traditional wrote: »

hi i have the same problem , window motor clicks but no movement , did you get it sorted , as i need to get mine done , any help would be great

By pure coincidence I checked back on this thread tonight( fate ??).
Anyway I fixed the motor twice since.

I'm not a mechanic(far from it) but I'm reasonably handy at DIY.
You don't need a lot of tools either-a medium Phillips screwdriver ,large Flat head screwdriver, a socket set/spanners and possibly a vicegrips.

Depending on how handy you are you should give yourself about an hour to an hour and a half to do the job.
An indoor area is great too(given the time of year) cos you will get to a point where you will have no window and if it rains then you are banjaxed.

Anyway read the stuff below in full before you attempt the job and hopefully it will make sense.


First thing I will say is don't bother with a second hand motor cos I think that there is a design flaw in the way the motor is fitted (you'll see what I mean when you get the motor out)so chances are the second hand motor will not last.
Good news is that you can buy one on E-bay in the USA for about a third of the Irish price which is about €250(sorry to ruin your night) and it will be delivered in about a week. Just be careful that you order the motor for the correct door.

Below is an update that I did when I fitted the motor the first time.

"Ok lads,here is the update.
I managed to speak to an ex Subaru mechanic and he advised, that as Senna said above, this seems to be a bit of a problem with the Forrester.
He told me that it would almost certainly be the motor and not the regulator.(even if you can hear the motor running the gear system is probably shredded)
I gave up on the secondhand route and went and bought a new motor(€285 )
So this morning I set about it myself.
As it turned out it is a fairly easy job,but fiddly.
1.There is only one screw in the door card(in the "grab pocket" that you use to pull in the door to close it)Once you take this out the whole switch assembly ban come out.
2.You also need to take off the "surround" of the door handle(you can leave the handle on the door)
3.The door card itself is secured to the door with clips so use a large flat head screwdriver to unclip the card,then you just slide it up a bit and it should lift out.
4.You should then see a plastic coating on the inside of the door. Remove the 3 screws holding the speaker and unplug it. Then take off the plastic coating. It is glued with a sort of black mastic so if you take off the pastic carefully it will go back together nicely when you are reassembling everything.
5. Key thing to remember is that you must take the window out(or at least disconnect it from the regulator assembly).There are 2 bolts holding the window glass and you need to move the window down about 1/3 of the way so that you can see these through the "inspection holes" and then you just slacken them off a bit, then you can remove the glass from the regulator assembly.
6.Then you just undo 4 bolts and 2 nuts and the whole regulator and motor can come out. Once out you just unscrew the motor from the regulator and replace.
7.Next bit of advice is to replace the four bolts first and then the nuts this is because the whole assembly is "skewed" off centre and needs a bit of jiggling to get to fit.
8.Once this is done you are on the home straight, you can now reconnect the window switch panel to get the regulator in to the down position and refit the window.
Motor does not even need to be reset to ensure the window will open and close the correct amount.
BTW I also took the old motor apart and it is full of water and rusted.
The whole job took me about an hour but that was because I didn't know what I was doing to start with. I reckon I could do it in half the time if I had to do it again.
The above is just a synopsis of how to do the job but if any one needs help you can PM me your number and I will walk you through the whole job."

Best of luck and as I say above if anything is unclear, PM me your number and I will talk you through it.

SleeperService

Nice, thanks vizzy. Good for future reference!

C'mere - has anyone had success getting a spare remote key for a 03-08 forester (without paying 300 to dealer)? Subaru seem to use different keys for different models in different countries. I have a key with 2buttons but it has seen better days.

Also, any success with replacing head unit but retaining steering wheel controls?

(sorry for turning this into the lonely forester owners question thread...)

biko

Start a new thread for the head unit in Audio forum please.
Keys goes in main Motors forum.
The reason for this is that it's better for people reading a thread that stays on topic and doesn't get hijacked - particularly in a speciality forum.

littlevillage

Hi guys,

Great thread. I have an 08 Forester and the same problem. I sort of got it fixed by an independent garage a couple of years ago, but it broke again within a matter of weeks later.. didn't bother bringing it back, been driving around for the past two years without drivers window opening. No biggie, to be honest.

But just got back from the CVRT (replacement for DOE) today ...and car failed because of non opening Drivers side window. Money grabbin MOFO'S are getting stricter and stricter !! ..

Mine is a commercial so use CVRT, But I presume it will be the same with the NCT.

Anyway, I need to get this sorted now .. in the next 3 weeks.

So will document my endeavours.

Vizzy

littlevillage wrote: »

Hi guys,

Great thread. I have an 08 Forester and the same problem. I sort of got it fixed by an independent garage a couple of years ago, but it broke again within a matter of weeks later.. didn't bother bringing it back, been driving around for the past two years without drivers window opening. No biggie, to be honest.

But just got back from the CVRT (replacement for DOE) today ...and car failed because of non opening Drivers side window. Money grabbin MOFO'S are getting stricter and stricter !! ..

Mine is a commercial so use CVRT, But I presume it will be the same with the NCT.

Anyway, I need to get this sorted now .. in the next 3 weeks.

So will document my endeavours.

If you need any tips, PM me.