How Does A Door Window Regulator Work

Observe the movement of the cable and the pivot points on the window regulator as the motor spins.

How does a door window regulator work.

Basic window regulators which have been around since enclosed automobiles were first introduced 100 years ago are operated by a hand crank and power window regulators use an electric motor to do the work of moving the glass along its path. The command to raise or lower a window is made by depressing a switch mounted on the inside of the door and connected by wires to the window motor. A window regulator is a component inside the door of your car which operates the up and down motion associated with electric windows. Position the car battery near the door and use the wire to connect the positive and negative terminals of the battery to the window motor.

When the circuit is activated the motor drives a worm gear that is attached to an arm holding the glass supporting bracket. In others the window motor can be replaced separately. Watch the window motor closely to make certain it is operating. As they are highly used and abused parts of a vehicle it is more common for the drivers side regulator to fail first.

In some cars the window motor comes with the window regulator as one unit see the photo. How does a power window regulator work. The mechanism that moves the window up and down is called the window regulator. The regulator also prevents the window from being forced down manually.