[Bgbdylx]

Hello,

I've had my 99 Passat for 4 years and have had to change all my window regulators at least once in that time frame. Now my driver side front and passenger side rear window are broken again.

Every time this occurs I can hear loud popping once or twice before it completely fails. Without fail each time this happens I try to roll the window up and it sounds like paper crumpling inside the door.

The first 2 times this happened I paid a shop to do the repair but since have done the replacements myself. Each time I go on amazon or ebay and purchase the kit. The first time I bought the "rebuild kit" and it failed almost instantly... maybe 3-4 uses? Since then I purchase the kit that come with the metal stamped (where you just replace the speaker and the motor).

I'm constantly afraid to roll my windows down in this car!!!! Is there a higher quality replacement part that will actually last? I'd like to continue to drive this car for a while longer but the window situation is just ridiculous.

 

[Steve in Chicago]

I've used regulators from the dealer. Probably pricier then your amazon or ebay parts but they are dealer quality.

 

[Roostre]

The last time I had to fix my drivers' side door, one of the plastic pulleys snapped and shredded the cable. I ordered the kit from FCPEuro that you grind the rivets out of the steel door panel and bolt in the tracks, plastic bits, and cable. That was right at 2 years ago, and it has worked great since.

Before that, I had replaced the white plastic clips with the pink ones from the A6, they were working great as well before the original plastic pulley broke and destroyed the cable.

 

[PZ]

Do you clear all snow/ice from the windows before trying to open them? The reason I ask is that I have had only 1 actual regulator fail on all of the cars I have worked on over the years and that was on a B6 Audi. I have had window clips fail on my own car and one other, but it's just not that common down here.

 

[Roostre]

Do you clear all snow/ice from the windows before trying to open them? The reason I ask is that I have had only 1 actual regulator fail on all of the cars I have worked on over the years and that was on a B6 Audi. I have had window clips fail on my own car and one other, but it's just not that common down here.

I try not to open my windows when there is snow or ice, but I will clean them if I have to. When the plastic pulley failed on me, it was bitterly cold, -20F without the windchill. I know because I was 2 hours from home and the window fell into the door. It was so cold I couldn't get tape to stick to the plastic to cover the window. I ended up getting my emergency clothes out and driving home with them on, wrapped in my emergency wool blanket, with the heater and seat heater on high. Not pleasant, but thankfully I had all of my winter gear in there.

 

[Bgbdylx]

I don't roll my windows down when there is ice on them. Warm weather, cold weather... it makes no difference these things fail on me.

 

[sjtangb25]

Try not to slam the s*it out of your door each time would help as well. I hate it when people slamming my doors...

 

[Roostre]

Knock on wood, I haven't had the rear windows fail on me yet. I have read that there is a plastic pin that falls out of them as the common failure. Maybe this is your issue now? For the drivers side front window, what part is the actual failed part? If it is the white plastic slider parts, I recommend retrofitting them with the pink ones from the A6. They are actually a metal part coated with plastic. The retrofit is relatively straight-forward. There is a DIY somewhere on this site. I think I got the A6 clips from the local vw dealership for about $12 each.

Alternately, here is the regulator I put in 2 years ago and haven't had any trouble with it yet.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-window-regulator-passat-3b1837461my