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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 18 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 525
Window regulator #2 broken
I had opened the RH rear passenger door window when I was cleaning the inside of the car today...as I was closing it I heard the dreaded crunching sound of the regulator eating rusty cable. Predictably, the window stuck immovably half way up
I whipped off the door card and plastic access panel, tried to slide the glass up by hand but it was jammed solid. I couldn't even get to the long run of the cable to snip it and free the mechanism up... so, had to pop the glass out of the plastic clips on the regulator frame to allow me to slide it closed. I jammed the glass up with a 15cm long piece of soft wood braced against the centre door frame and refitted the access panel and door card.
The Remote app keeps informing me that the window is open of course so I can't use the climate start until the regulator is replaced and I've recalibrated the windows, but at least the Bling Barge is weather tight without the use of gaffer tape and plastic bags in the meantime.
Bought an 'OE quality' after market regulator from Ebay for £70 which will hopefully be here by the end of the week...since it's coming direct from Yorkshire instead of China. I seriously hope it's not OE quality, since the expensive Land Rover ones keep breaking.
I won't ever scrimp on fluids, filters, brake/suspension components or anything structural...but we're talking about a window winder here... you press the button and the window goes up and down. An OE replacement regulator from Land Rover (exactly like the 2 that have already failed on the Bling Barge with the same fault) are £200- £255...each...and good luck finding a Land Rover official stockist that has any on the shelf.
At those Ebay prices and coming from a recognised UK parts supplier, I'm tempted to buy spare regulators for the drivers door and LH rear passenger door... the ones I haven't already had to replace, to stick on the spares shelf in the garage ...just in case. With 2 window regulators having already failed in the year I've owned the Bling Barge...better to have and not need rather than t'other way round, as the saying goes.
Never rains but it pours
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Last edited by Mole HD on 22nd Oct 2025 9:38 pm. Edited 45 times in total -
- Wolfpack
- Member Since: 25 May 2019
- Location: Norfolk, UK
- Posts: 450
On the subject of it never rains but it pours…..
My windscreen which I sealed with liquid sealant last 10days ago withstood torrential rain.
Today it’s being drizzling all day…and the headline in the car is wet.
I don’t understand how torrential rain doesn’t get in, yet drizzle does?
The only potential reason is…on Saturday I did a 3hour drive involving some very bumpy roads.
Could it have undone the sealing I (thought) I did? -
- Mole HD
- Member Since: 18 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 525
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- Wolfpack
- Member Since: 25 May 2019
- Location: Norfolk, UK
- Posts: 450
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 18 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 525
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It was just a random thought. If the damp lining is concentrated in the one small area, plus having already been an issue, it's more than likely that you've already found the source of the leak.
The panoramic roof glass hasn't ever been mentioned as a culprit for leaking to my knowledge, although it's always worth checking...tilt and slide sunroofs are a different kettle of fish entirely of course.
This modern design fad of sticking windscreens on with glue has never filled me with deep joy. The old fashioned way of fitting them in place within a rubber seal never caused an issue...but now leaking windscreens with failed or inadequate bonding is a common and recurring problem for many car manufacturers, even on models straight off the production line.
New technology and design is always welcome, but it should always follow the golden rule. If it ain't broke, don't fix it
My son's 2018 BMW X3 has had 2 windscreen replacements for exactly the same fault, top edge leaks in combination with failed heating elements and/or rain sensors.
I put it down to heated windscreens and certain bonding materials breaking down prematurely due to transmitted heat at the bonded edges of the screen...with having almost persistent rain for most of the year in this country, the heated screens are heavily used as quick demisters rather than just for melting ice in the winter. I know I certainly do it.
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- Chillyphil
- Member Since: 07 Jul 2025
- Location: Paignton
- Posts: 22
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- Wolfpack
- Member Since: 25 May 2019
- Location: Norfolk, UK
- Posts: 450
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Thank you I hadn’t heard of it! Ive now made a note of it.
Just redone the windscreen in the areas I feel were potentially wanting in sealant.
I will see if it makes a difference and if not I will get some of that product.
Thanks for the suggestion.
EDIT
In fact….Ive ordered some anyway.
This impetuous action will no doubt result in the 2 usual outcomes….
1) My resealing will actually work this time …..rendering the purchase unnecessary.
2) Having this in my arsenal will deter any other creeping cracks from starting till the end of time.
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 18 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 525
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Chillyphil wrote:
Don't know if you are aware of this product.
"Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure"
Phil
Why is it that mariners and Cornish farmers do all the very best names for stuff?
Oh my sides, I won't be able to stop repeating that phrase for a week
Besides that, I've ordered some to shove in my toolbox, so thanks Phil ...just glad I didn't have to ask for it over a shop counter
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Last edited by Mole HD on 21st Oct 2025 6:26 pm. Edited 3 times in total -
- Chillyphil
- Member Since: 07 Jul 2025
- Location: Paignton
- Posts: 22
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 18 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 525
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New regulator got here this morning. On opening the box, I noticed one thing that's been absent from any of the other regulators on the Bling Barge...including the replacement I fitted already on to the LF passenger door earlier this year...the cable on this one has been pre-greased and the unit sealed in plastic.
The OE replacement I got for the LF passenger door just came loose in a box with no greased cables or plastic packing.
The cables not being greased on the OE regulators when they're fitted at the factory is why they rust and eventually snap...I coated the cable on the one I've already fitted with lithium grease as a simple preventative measure. So, it's nice to see a cheap Ebay replacement already having this done...
I'm impressed with the overall quality of this regulator...so much so, I've ordered spares for the LR passenger door and the drivers door to stick on the spares shelf in the garage for when the remaining OE ones eventually do break.
Total cost of all 3 regulators from the parts supplier in Selby (link in my original post), £182 with free postage... that's around £50 less than one OE replacement regulator from Land Rover
I'll fit the new regulator when the weather calms down a bit...it's blowing a gale and lashing with rain again.
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- Mole HD
- Member Since: 18 Nov 2024
- Location: Orkney Islands
- Posts: 525
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New regulator fitted this morning. Straight out and in job, took around 20 minutes.
Recalibrated the windows so the Remote app would stop moaning about them being open
As a small bonus...found a freebie pair of woolly work gloves in the bottom of the box the regulator came in. With the cables and runners being pre-greased, makes it less of a sticky mess handling the regulator when fitting I suppose.
In direct comparison, having already fitted an OE regulator to the LF passenger door, this regulator was the same if not better than OE quality overall... from the materials, the build quality, the greased cables, the actual fit and the free gloves.
Certainly a bargain at £70.
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