Cost to repair Taurus window that's off track?

I cant tell you for sure on that one.. My stepdaughter had problems with her Buick Regal, requiring replacement of the regulator. Her bill came to about $600. The moral of the story is be sure you know what it is going to cost, and that you are willing to expend that much money, before you leave your car at some garage. It could be expensive.

What's the regulator? I was hoping the track problem was separate from any window motor problems and therefore might be cheaper to fix...

R.

That is the problem...The mechanic never knows what he will find -for sure- until he gets into the guts of the problem.

In the case of that Buick, the part was expensive and there was no aftermarket nor cross brand availability (using a Chevrolet part to replace the identical part in a Buick). The dealership was the only source, and dealerships are seldom cheap.

When I use the term "regulator", consider it to mean all the mechanical parts and systems within the door which regulate the motion of the window up and down. You may mean, by "off the track", the same sort of thing.

My dad says he's had the problem, too (Mercedes) and it's caused by a little plastic part breaking off. Thoughts?

On Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:58:16 -0500, Rebecca Webb wrote:

That "little plastic part" does not exist in the Taurus window. It uses what is called a regulator which is a steel frame affair. I think someone has already posted a link to a pitcher of one. The window is attached to a cable which draws it up and down in it's vertical track by the window motor. If the window is trying to move but, is slow or needs help, your problem is the regulator assembly which is usually under $100 at you Ford dealer. Some are available in the aftermarket at places like Pep Boys, Advance Auto, Kragen, Autozone, NAPA and others. They are also available online. If the window does not move and you can hear the motor run, the problem is the drive gear in the motor which is usually available separately. It will be included in a new or reman motor. If you have to replace the regulator assembly, you will need to drill out the rivits with which it was originally installed. You will need the correct size nuts and bolts if they do not come with your particular regulator. The windows glass itself is bolted to the regulator and rarely is a problem. WRT auto repair, this is not a rocket science repair for the average DIY'er. If you have never done it and have no mechanical skills, you are better to leave it to a shop. This is generally in the area of body repair. It may be easier to find a body man willing to do the job. It won't hurt to ask. And yes, I think Ford's window operation is chincy but, is no worse than the others I have owned and had to repair or get repaired. Lastly, make sure it is getting power to and thru the switch before you start in on the manual labor.

Lugnut

I'm guessing this must be the driver's window... ?

What year Taurus? The window regulator (mechanism) is fairly simple in my 99, but had to describe without a picture.

Sounds like one of the rollers isn't tracking right, or the 'track' is bad. The front inner weather strip (top run) forms the 'track'. It's under $100 (wholesale)for the part...if that's the problem.

Allldatadiy.com has diagrams and repair info if you don't mind spending $27.

Tauruscarclub.com often has good info, but i didn't find anything directly related to your problem on a quick 'look around'.

--Don Don Byrer KJ5KB Power & Glider Pilot Guy kj5kb-at-hotmail.com

"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without bending the gear..." "Watch out for those doves..."

On my Subaru, the problem was the regulator bolts came loose and bent the hell out of it. The part was $100 from a junkyard, it was a major PITA to change (you have to R&R the glass and the track and realign the window to the weatherstripping.)

My symptoms were similar to yours. Could also be the hardware holding the window to the track, in which case it'll take 10 minutes to fix.

I would consider bringing it to a glass shop instead of a regular mechanic. Also, if you're somewhat handy, you can save money by removing and reinstalling the door panel yourself. If you're not handy, let them do it otherwise you'll break the panel and they're not cheap.

Ray

Thanks for all the input! Will call around to glass and body shops before trying the auto repair folks.

R.

Final report. Had to replace the regulator. The part that snapped off was insignificant but the mechanism is designed so that you have to replace the entire regulator to fix the broken part. Mechanic secured used one for $100. Primary expense was the labor which included extensive door panel work ($150). Total after taxes: $256.50 at First Rate Glass in rural Minnesota.

RW

Good deal, and glad you reported your results. It could have been a lot more expensive.

Thanks for sharing your experience.