How do you replace window regulater in a 2003 Dodge Durango?

Answer 1

Remove the door panel by removing the holding screws. The screws are Phillips-head screws located under the armrest, one in the door latch, and some at the bottom of the door panel. The door panel can then be removed by popping out the plastic catches around the perimeter (this requires careful pulling so as not to break them). Lift the door panel upward to disengage the top from the window slot. If the door panel is not budging, carefully check that you have not forgotten to remove a screw.

There are about 3 electrical connectors connecting the electric mirror, possible a speaker, and the window motor and door lock controls. Pull the door panel away from the door to access these connectors. They have snap locks that can be squeezed to disconnect them.

The window control unit can be snapped out of the door panel, but I usually just leave it in place. You will need to reconnect the window switches to active the window regulator to test the new regulator when you are finished.

You may have to peel some of the plastic sheeting that is glued to the door with sticky black gunk. Just try not to get too much of this stuff on you, but the semi-transparent plastic sheet can be pushed back into place when you are finished. Usually you are going to need access to the bottom holes and it helps to have visibility to find the bolts you are going to need to loosen. Use a socket driver (most bolts are 10 or 11 mm).

Locate the clamp at the top of the regulator slide trolley that holds the bottom of the window. There are two bolts that clamp the bottom of the window in place. If your old regulator is broken (you're replacing it, duh), you will need to push the window downward or upward to find the door holes that allow you to access the bolt heads on the clamp. I have used a 1 x 1 piece of a wood board about a foot long or so to prop the window in place by threading this board into the door (push up through the big holes in the bottom, then set the bottom of the board on the inside bottom of the door). Alternatively, you can have someone hold the window up, or generously duct-tape it place.

Once you take the clamp bolts out and pull the window upwards out of the clamp, the window is free to drop, so be careful (it's pretty heavy). Pull the window up out of the way and Duct Tape or prop it to keep it out of your way. Once again, it's heavy, and you don't want it falling while your hands are inside the door and acting like a guillotine.

The window regulator unit is held in place by 6 screws (4 hold the slide, and 2 hold the motor) that are easily accessed on the door. Find the connecting wire to the motor and its connector and remember where the hole in the door where it comes out. You will need to put the new regulator's connector out through there. Use a flashlight to verify that the wire goes to the motor, so you know you have the right connector. Not all the bolts holding the motor need to be completely removed, you will notice that once they are loosened, the motor should slide upward a little so the bolt-heads can slip through the widened slots in the door metal.

Remove the slide first, and the last screw on the motor while holding the motor at the bottom to keep it from falling by putting your hand up inside the door. Once it is loose, slide the motor up and sideways slightly at first to free it, then thread the slide and motor out the bottom hole (looks impossible at first, but can be done).

Insert the new regulator back into place through the bottom door opening, bolt the motor in place first. Be sure to re-thread the motor's connector and wire out the proper hole first, and don't it caught between the motor and door when you tighten the motor's bolts. Position the slide and bolt it back in place. Check to be sure that you have not caught any wires or the window cable between the door and the motor or the slide. If a bolt is difficult to go in, or something seems funny, stop and check.

You can now lower the window (remove the duct tape) to the slide trolley and it should rest there before you bolt it. At this point, you may need to reconnect the window switch to raise or lower the window to align the bolt holes in the door so you can tighten the window clamps. It is easy to pull the window up out of the slide trolley, so be careful. Also, keep your hands and fingers clear while all this stuff is moving, as there are lots of pinch points in there.

Clamp the window, and test run to see if everything is smoothly running before you close up the sheet plastic and snap and screw the door panel back in place. The door connectors will snap back (they only fit the connector they were intended for). Don't forget the speaker and window motor connectors.

I hope this helps - I am writing this from memory, (I've done this on my 2003 Durango, on the driver side) so some details about how many bolts are there may be wrong.