busted window lift cable

I have a 2004 Explorer. While rolling down the drivers side front window today, I heard i noise inside the door, as if something like a penny had dropped. Then the window shook a little. Ater reaching the bottom it will no lnger roll back up at all. I does make a grinding noise while the button is depressed. I took off the panel and took a peak inside. I found a cable with what looks like a busted plactic clip on the end. I have never had to work on a window before. Not sure how to proceed, and the itty bitty holes to look through are not too helpful for a novice. Any help is appreciated.

You need a new window regulator.

Yes - as stated above, you need the complete window regulator assembly now.

The same happened on my brother's 04 F150, driver's side window dropped into the door then trying to get it to come back up, the cable got all skewed as well.

The newer pwr window design is retarded - and Ford (or the Contractor who supplied the parts) should have NEVER used PLASTIC rollers or guides for the regulator cable. These guides/rollers are what break, thus causing the window to get stuck, or fall all the way down into the door. The repair is ordering a complete regulator assembly.

Currently no one makes a METAL guide or roller for regulator assemblies in these trucks - and it's only time before the "new" assembly fails in the same manner as the original.

Dealer cost to fix on an F150 is close to $700 - that's including the cost of the part and the labor for R&Ring. I would suspect the cost for the same fix on an Explorer is close to the same...

sucks

So what's being said here is that the old system of using criss-crossed arms pivoted in the center, something like a scissors-jack, has been abandoned in favor of some funky cable-pulling method?? imp

imp said:

So what's being said here is that the old system of using criss-crossed arms pivoted in the center, something like a scissors-jack, has been abandoned in favor of some funky cable-pulling method?? imp

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yes sir... and the "new" design would be GOOD, only IF the rollers or guides were metal instead of plastic.

What happens is the plastic becomes weak from use (especially the driver's door since it's used the most) and the metal cable does not stay aligned on the guides once they start to "wobble". The cable slips off the guides and eventually starts to bind w/ the up/down motion of the window, which eventually shears off 1 or more of the guides/rollers. The window will then fall into the door cavity.

Many owners explain the fouled window operation as sounding like "grinding sand" when you go to put the window down or up - this sound is the cable binding against the window regulator assembly - and another thing that occurs is this:

The cable is comprised of many fine strands of metal "strings" twisted into a single cable. When the cable is constantly binding on the regulator assembly, those individual strands start to break and now you are left with a cable that is frayed in the middle. So, even if you take the time to replace the guides, the cable is beat anway.

Oh, and when the guides give and the window drops, the cable becomes all tangled up as well w/ the regulator assembly....

I'm with you - why they ever decided to change something that worked for YEARS and YEARS.... it's beyond anyone's guess - but most likely was done as a cost savings measure.

Many of the new Fords/Lincolns use this horrible design now.

We carry new window regulators with the motor for your Explorer. If you would like to check on pricing here's a link to the one you need on our site.

Ford Explorer Window Regulator

1ATony said:

We carry new window regulators with the motor for your Explorer. If you would like to check on pricing here's a link to the one you need on our site.

Ford Explorer Window Regulator

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Tony -

Just curious - I read the part description in the link you provided, it says:

The benefit of our regulator is our manufacturer. They studied the faults of the original equipment manufacturer, then made changes and re-engineered to correct those faults

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Can you tell us everything that has been corrected w/ the new part?

The pic is not very clear when enlarged - it appears the cables have a sheathing on them now? What about the guides or rollers, what material is being used in the new regulator assemblies for those parts?

Any further info would definitely benefit future 2002-current Explorer Owners who might have to replace that part in the future!

Thx!

Cobra Jet said:

Tony -

Just curious - I read the part description in the link you provided, it says:




Can you tell us everything that has been corrected w/ the new part?

The pic is not very clear when enlarged - it appears the cables have a sheathing on them now? What about the guides or rollers, what material is being used in the new regulator assemblies for those parts?

Any further info would definitely benefit future 2002-current Explorer Owners who might have to replace that part in the future!

Thx!

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HI Phil,

I'm not sure what changes have been made with this new regulator.They do have a lifetime warranty on them,so if something happens to it 2-4 years down the road call us and we'll replace it for you.

I just had the driver side one break in my Grand Cherokee over the summer, and Mike did a video on replacing it using my truck. The one we replaced it with was better then the OEM one.

If there's anything you would like me to check on for you. I can run down to the warehouse and see what might be different.

They're a decent part though.

Tony

1ATony said:

HI Phil,

I'm not sure what changes have been made with this new regulator.They do have a lifetime warranty on them,so if something happens to it 2-4 years down the road call us and we'll replace it for you.

I just had the driver side one break in my Grand Cherokee over the summer, and Mike did a video on replacing it using my truck. The one we replaced it with was better then the OEM one.

If there's anything you would like me to check on for you. I can run down to the warehouse and see what might be different.

They're a decent part though.

Tony

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Thx for the reply Tony! Yes, when you have some time, if you could post a better pic of it - or let us know how the new part has been revised, that would surely be excellent! It's great to know it has a lifetime warranty.

I, as well as others, would really like to see or know of the corrected areas, because replacing one can be time consuming and I'm sure once it's R&R'd once, no one wants to do it again... LOL!!

Cobra Jet said:

Thx for the reply Tony! Yes, when you have some time, if you could post a better pic of it - or let us know how the new part has been revised, that would surely be excellent! It's great to know it has a lifetime warranty.

I, as well as others, would really like to see or know of the corrected areas, because replacing one can be time consuming and I'm sure once it's R&R'd once, no one wants to do it again... LOL!!

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what's the issue with the OE part that fails, that's what I'll check. Cables seem to break over time no matter what brand vehicle it is.

Original regulator used or has plastic guides or rollers in the assembly - these are the common failure point, before the cable is damaged.

EDIT: Tony, here ya go - take a look in this thread, you will see the points of failure in the posted pics:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243401&highlight=window+regulator

Cobra Jet said:

Original regulator used or has plastic guides or rollers in the assembly - these are the common failure point, before the cable is damaged.

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I pulled one out of the box and checked on it for you guys. On ours the guides and rollers are plastic also,but I'm not sure if they made the plastic pieces harder than the OE ones or not.

However we do sell guite a few of these and haven't had any returns on them. I think you'd be ok.