How do you change window regulator in 1998 Acura RL 3.5?

Answer 1

If you are moderately handy and careful, this is a reasonable DIY project.

The biggest challenge is removing the interior door panel without damage. It is fastened around the outside edge - sides and bottom - by plastic clips. It is fastened through the middle by various screws. Once these are all removed or undone, the panel lifts up, out of brackets that hold it at the top.

Remove the screws first. There is a little trim piece at the back of the door handle inset that you can pop out with a small screwdrive, and an Philips head screw behind that. There is another philps screw in the middle of the door below the armrest. This actually stays in the panel, but you need to unscrew it. There is also one in the middle of a round rubber bumper near the top outer corner of the door.

Definitely get a tool from your local auto parts store that is made for sliding under panels and gently removing clips. I happen to have an AmPro tool I purchased at a local auto parts store. Without this, it is very easy to have them pull through the door panel or break, both things you want to avoid. There are two clips along the bottom, and two on each side.

Once you think you have these all removed, the panel should lift straight up and off. If not, you probably missed something. Go back and check, do not force it.

A helper is handy here, since you now will need to remove the wires and cables holding the panel close to the door. The door handle and cable is one. There is a flat aluminum clip at one end of the latch assembly on the back of the panel. Remove the single screw in the middle and voila, the handle assembly is now detached. There is a wire harness plug into the bottom of the window power switch, and into the door light at the outer end of the panel. Each of these need squeezing from the sides of the connectors to pull them out. The ash tray also needs to be removed. Open it, and use a screwdriver to press down on the rod that goes from side to side at the top. It should be obvious once you see it, it is what holds the tray in place. This then lets that assembly come out.

Now remove the speaker (4 screws and a squeeze connector for the wires), and the speaker enclosure (4 screws).

Now you will be faced with wires - held to the panel by clips, some trim pieces on the upper corners of the door (each with a small white clip). Use that tool again and gently remove any clips that are still into the door.

Call your helper again, to assist in removing the plastic barrier that is no longer held in by any clips, but on really gooey stuf along the edge of the door. I used a razor knife as I pulled it away, to keep it from stretching in long strings and really making a mess. Definitely helps to have someone who can hold this up as you are removing it.

Now you should have reasonable access - albeit tight - to the regulator and motor. Still that gooey stuff around the door, try to keep it off of you, wires, and other parts.

The motor and cable coil assembly is held in place by 4 bolts (metrics) that are in keyhole sockets. This is very obvious, it is to the upper inside of the door. You can loosen the bolts, and slide it up and out. The other part - the track and slide for the windor - is straight up and down, smack in the middle of the door. As I recall, it has two bolts at the top and two at the bottom. Also a bracket that the bottom of the window sits in. Before you remove this, attached the window in some way so it does not slide down and in your way. An old rag or paper towels over the top of the door frame, and Duct Tape around that and on each side of the window should do the trick.

Oh, and there is a squeeze connector where this is wired in the center of the door, too.

Assembly is just the reverse of all this.

You can get a new regulator assembly and motor from Auto Parts Warehouse for about $90.

I have not been able to locate a source for replacement clips. Very easy to damage the ones that hold the wires in place, so if these do not snug up during reassembly, consider some silicone caulk to hold them in place to prevent rattles. Make sure this caulk fastens them to the door and not just the flexible plastic sheeting.

Definitely a lot of labor involved, give yourself plenty of time and don't rush.

Oh, and if you need to drive the car before you get it fixed and want to keep the window up, you can use a wire tie around the slide mechanism and through existing holes in the door to keep the window in place. This is at the upper part of the door, so you need to remove the panel completely but might be able to cheat and not remove all the plastic sheet. This is also something to consider if you don't want to invest in a new regulator, but just want to make sure the window doesn't come down by itself.