| $ Window Motor Professional Replacement: $100-$700+ | $ $ Window Regulator Professional Replacement: $100-$900+ | $ $ $ Motor+Regulator Professional Replacement: $150-$1,200 |
Having power windows in a car is great, but car owners don’t value them as much until they don’t work anymore.
Power windows have many components that make them go up and down, and if any of them breaks or is damaged, the windows won’t move an inch.
Table of Contents
How Do Power Windows Work?
If you look inside the doors of your car, you’ll be able to see the power window’s mechanism.
This mechanism or system consists of the regulator, the switch, and the motor.
The power that makes everything work comes through a fuse and then to the switch, which directs it to the motor; then, the regulator’s job is to make the window go up and down.
It’s important to mention that the car needs to start to use the power window, so the battery must be healthy to provide power for the vehicle to start and the power windows to function.
Each part of the system plays a key role in allowing the power window to function, and if any of them is not working properly, the window will have problems functioning.
Check out this video made that will show you how power windows work.
What Causes Power Windows To Fail or Stop Working?
Usually, the cause of a non-functioning power window lies within one of its system’s parts being damaged, but several other problems can also cause the malfunction.
According to Oards.com, there are several reasons behind a power window failure:
- The window Lock Button is On.
- Bad Window Regulators.
- Bad Fuse.
- Bad Window Motor.
- Snow and Ice.
- Torn, Loose, or Dirty Window Gasket.
- Bad Power Window Switch.
- Wiring Issues.
- Damaged Door.
- Dirty Window Tracks.
What Are The Signs Of A Failing Power Window?
According to Go Mechanic, several signs will tell you the power window is starting to fail before it stops working completely:
- It takes too many attempts to roll the window up or down
- Speed of window is slower or faster than normal
- Unusual sounds when the window rolls up or down
- No response when the switch is pressed
- The window gets jammed halfway up or down
What Affects The Costs Of A Power Window Repair?
Several factors affect the costs for repairing a power window; the make, model, year of the vehicle, and labor costs can all affect the price, but the principal factor that affects the price of a repair is the damaged parts.
To know exactly what’s going to affect the repair costs, the technician must do a diagnosis, opening the door panel to identify the problem and what parts are provoking the failure.
A simple diagnosis can cost from $50 to $200.
Depending on what’s causing the problem with the power window, prices can vary:
| Part | Price Range |
| Window regulator | $50 – $550 |
| Window motor | $40 – $300 |
| Window regulator + motor (combined parts) | $50 – $850 |
If the replacing parts are OEM, they will be more expensive than aftermarket parts, affecting their final price.
And, professional labor costs to install them go from $50 to $120 per hour; this job can take up to 3 hours to complete.
| Part | Price Range + Labor Costs |
| Window regulator | $100 – $900+ |
| Window motor | $100 – $700+ |
| Window regulator + motor (combined parts) | $150 – $1,200 |
Top Companies
You can get your power window repaired by car dealerships, local repair shops, auto glass shops like Safelite, car audio specialists, and national auto care chains like Pep Boys, Midas, and Mr. Tire.
The following comparison shows the difference between prices and type of work some auto repair shops that address power windows problems do.
| Company | Type of Work | Price Range |
| Midas | Parts and labor | $180 – $400 |
| Mr. Tire | Parts and labor | $185 – $415 |
| NAPA | Parts and labor | $170 – $425 |
| Walmart | Parts | $100 – $250 |
| Amazon | Parts | $95 – $270 |
Things To Consider
Before Buying
- The diagnosis comes first to know why the power window is not working. This will require opening the door panel to inspect the power window system. This video by Make It Easy Mechanic shows how to open the door panel to inspect the power window system.
When Buying
- After knowing what’s causing the problem, the technician will proceed to replace the failing parts.
- Usually, the power windows problem lay between the motor or the regulator, and DIY auto experts could replace both. This video made by Jim The Car Guy demonstrates how to replace a power window motor and regulator.
After Buying
- In some cases, when the window regulator fails or the motor fails, the window may shoot downward quickly. This can cause the window to break by falling into the door. If this happens, the window needs to be replaced as well.
- You need to be aware that if your problem was because of the window motor, there’s a core charge of $20 to $60 for it in some states. This is a recycling fee, but it doesn’t have to be paid if the old part is exchanged for the new one.
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