Installing OEM power window regulators & push button switches

This write-up was actually done after-the-fact. I didn't do it as I was installing it, but I had to take my door panel off to fix a PL actuator, so I thought I would take the opportunity to document the process.

This power window circuit is not logic-protected & controlled as factory power windows would be. THERE IS NO SAFETY FUNCTIONALITY AS YOU WOULD HAVE WITH FACTORY-INSTALLED POWER WINDOWS, SO INSTALL AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Also understand what is happening at both ends of the window travel: The motor is under full power, and is stalling out when it's at the end of its travel. This creates a huge current draw spike. If you keep pressing the button when the window is fully up or down, it will probably result in a blown fuse. Once again, this is NOT like factory installed power windows, which have built-in overload protection.

I will break this write-up into 3 segments:

- Door panel removal
- Window regulator remove/replace
- Wiring

Here's what I bought:
The PW regulators came from Rock Auto, and were $60-ish each.

Illuminated push buttons:

Ulincos® Momentary Pushbutton Switch U16B1 1NO Silver Stainless Steel Shell with Blue LED Ring Suitable for 16mm 5/8" Mounting Hole (Blue)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G00GHQY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



You will also need 4 of the typical 12v automotive relays that are very common.

Mechanically, I consider this a very easy mod. Electrically, it's a bit more moderate-level. You should have good basic wiring skills before attempting this. It's slightly more complex than, say, wiring up driving lights thru a relay.

DOOR PANEL REMOVAL

Just a few details on this, in case you haven't done it before. The pics really only highlight the fastener locations. Once all the fasteners are out (4 total: 3 screws and a plastic retainer), pull the door panel off. There's a good place to grab ahold of it near the front-bottom area, and give it a tug. I would highly recommend some plastic trim tools to start prying from the bottom edge of the panel.

I highly recommend one of these tools to remove your window crank. You may be able to remove it without one, but it ain't easy!




Plastic retainer: push the center of this retainer in to release it, and it should then pull out easily. Before reinstalling this, push the engagement pin back out as shown.




Remove the screw behind the door latch assembly:


Now remove the 2 screws from behind the door handle. Pry from the access point shown here. After removal, the door panel itself should be ready to remove.



WINDOW REGULATOR REMOVE/REPLACE

With the door panel now removed, unplug the main speaker and remove the screw shown:



Now carefully pull back the plastic that covers the door. It's stuck down with some seriously sticky mastic, so some force is necessary. Just take your time and be careful to not stretch or tear the plastic more than absolutely necessary. It does not need to be fully removed, just peeled back enough to access the window regulator bolts.

Here's a bench pic of the window regulator (driver's side shown). There are 3 bolts that hold the main body of the regulator on, 2 bolts on a short secondary support rail, and 2 bolts for the actual window attachment (the long rail).



Now remove the access panel:



With that out of the way, lower your window until you see the bottom window support rail bolts thru the access hole in the door:





First, remove the 2 bolts that attach the bottom edge of the window. I did this entire job by myself, but it would be really helpful to have a 2nd set of hands here. With the window detached from the regulator, you'll need to pull it up out of the way, and either use some really good suction cups to hold it up, or use a piece of wood wedged up from the access hole. This wasn't a great method, but it worked.

With the window completely detached from the regulator, remove the 2 bolts from the short rail, and then the 3 bolts that secure the main body of the regulator. Note in this pic that the power regulator is shown, not the manual. The power regulator has provision for 4 bolts. I only used 3 (I will probably add the 4th someday).
The trickiest part of this was trying to position the new power regulator into place, turning it to find where the bolt holes lined up. After you have installed these 3 or 4 bolts, next attach the short support rail with 2 bolts. Note that one end of this rail has a locating tab. Be sure to get this installed correctly.

With the new power regulator now in place, lower the window and attach with the 2 bolts. I should mention here that you will need a 12v power source so you can actuate the window motor to raise or lower the window support rail into place (see previous pic that shows the access hole). I used a 12v Milwaukee drill battery. You could probably use an 18v, but I really wouldn't go any higher than that. 6v would probably also work on this. If using 18v (not really recommended) do NOT travel the motor to either full extent of its travel. At 12v the motor will simply stall out. At 18v, it could potentially damage the regulator.



If you haven't already done so, you will need to run 2 wires into the door, thru the accordian tube. This part was especially fun. I had already run the PW wires at the same time I did my power locks, so I was already pre-wired this far.




With everything in place, it would be a good idea to use your 12v source to run the window up & down a couple times to be sure everything works ok. Once you are satisfied all is well, put everything back together. Don't forget to plug your speaker back in!

WIRING

There are several switch location options. I opted for the center console location. Keeping the switches grouped together simplifies wiring somewhat, with all wiring converging to a common location. Manual trans guys, I guess you're on your own here, as the console location won't apply.
Study the 2 schematics until they make sense to you, as it really helps to understand exactly how this setup works. Both schematics are almost the same, the only difference being that on one, pushing the button supplies one leg of the relay with +12v (the other relay leg is grounded), and the other one, pushing the button completes a ground circuit to the relay (the other relay leg being +12v). The grounded switch method is the one I used, for no particular reason other than I felt it was easier to wire that way. Without going into too much basic electricity detail, you will notice that both legs of the motor 'rest' at ground. When 1 relay is energized, it removes ground and feeds +12v, so the motor is now powered. When the other relay is energized, the same thing takes place, on the other leg of the motor. Hence forward/reverse motor action.




You can do your relays however you wish, I opted to construct a relay pack, keeping all 4 together. I soldered most of the connections, although I used the spade connectors with the motor wires. You can use relay sockets or use all spade connectors if you wish. Just make sure your connections are clean and solid. Relay sockets would be the preferred method, IMHO. And I will probably revisit this some day and redo it using them. For where the relay pack is located, it didn't require a lot of taping up, as it's all plastic around it, nothing to short out on.




The center console cover is retained by 6 tabs, 3 on each side. Carefully pry it straight up from the bottom, and pull it over the shift lever (takes some doing). Remove the front cup holder inserts, and pull the cup holder compartment straight up to remove.



After poking & prodding the fuse box for some time, and realizing that the PW fuse locations were apparently not 'hot', I opted to grab power from the 'Power' outlet in the dash. Removal of this socket and tapping the power wire as shown. I had to pull rather firmly to get enough of the harness thru far enough to tap the connection. Fishing the wire from the power port to under the console was a chore.




Since my switches are illuminated, I had to bring parking-light power to the location of the new switches. You can tap into this right at the shift console, as there is a light there. I opted to wire it from my remote start module since as it looked like a safer place to tap into. The little light that illuminates the automatic shift gate is attached to a rather delicate looking wire. You'll notice (and perhaps wonder) why my buttons are located farther back, and not centered with the cup holder. That is because there is a piece of plastic coming off the back of the shift gate that would have interfered with the buttons, had they been located any farther forward.



The final installation looks like this:




... and works like this!

https://youtu.be/Oa04PZD03As

I'm more of a window person than an A/C person. I live less than 1 mile from work, and go home at lunchtime. Both windows get cycled up & down 4 times a day. I'm happy to report that they've performed flawlessly since I installed them about 2 months ago.

 

Great write-up.