Problem: Panda electric window has failed with horrible noises.
Motor still whirls around but window does not move.
Solution: It may be that just the plastic window retaining clip has failed.
NB: This is not a guide to advise how to remove window motor (see Haynes manual or Google for this) but it is a guide on how to replace the plastic window retaining clip used on Panda (and others) electric windows.
To fix this you will need a new plastic clip (search ebay for "Panda Electric Window Clip" ***MAKE SURE YOU PURCHASE CORRECT SIDE REQUIRED, I BOUGHT LEFT FOR PASSENGERS SIDE OF RHD CAR*** I paid around £6.50 for mine from Spain), a Nut and bolt (i think i used an M6) two penny washers and a short bit of metal plate and a 12v power source as below. These items are needed as the window cables need to be put under tension to allow assembly.
Remove door card and check that the plastic clip is indeed broken and not still attached to the window glass and its guide frame, If it is intact you may have other problems with your window.
Anyway, assuming the plastic clip is broken, remove electric motor and frame by unscrewing the five nuts that hold the electric motor and window clip guide frame in the door.
You should then see a broken clip
You will then need to check out the motor cable spool, open it by taking the three screws out with a Torx TX15 bit.
Opening the motor spool cover will probably reveal a mess of twisted cables
Detach the upper cable from the motor spool and put to one side.
Take out the spool and rewind the lower cable back onto spool
Replace the spool (with just the lower cable attached) into housing
Attach new plastic clip to top of guide rail.
Insert free end of lower cable into slot in clip.
Affix plate to top of rail as 'barrier' to prevent clip moving
Loosely attach spool housing cover and 'blip' 12v power
Reverse polarity if clip travels away from 'barrier plate' (check inside spool housing and re-wind spool if lower cable has become unwound)
Clip should now be tight up against barrier
Cable spring should now be compressed and lower cable taut
Attach end of upper cable to clip
Replace other end of upper cable in top of spool and wind on to spool take up slack
You will then need to lever the upper cable over the pulley
You should then have an assembled window motor cable frame.
blip the motor to take the tension off of the 'barrier plate' cable and remove the 'barrier plate. Add some grease if required to the spool housing and lubricate window cables and replace the three spool holder screws
Replace motor and cable frame back into car door and do a few 'blip' tests to ensure all is moving smoothly - take care not to damage glass while testing.
'Blip' motor to bring clip down to where accessible and push glass down to align hole in glass with clip, attach clip to window glass (push connector through hole in glass and lock with lock 'ring' on clip.
Good luck, it was a simple enough repair - when I figured out how to get the cables back on the pulleys by pre-tensioning, I grazed a few knuckles before that!
It's a pretty cheap and nasty design from FIAT though, there are no travel limiters on the cables and unless you remember to blip the window back down a tad from fully closed, you will have the plastic clip and the cable under permanent tension, which can only hasten a repeat of this repair.
Motor still whirls around but window does not move.
Solution: It may be that just the plastic window retaining clip has failed.
NB: This is not a guide to advise how to remove window motor (see Haynes manual or Google for this) but it is a guide on how to replace the plastic window retaining clip used on Panda (and others) electric windows.
To fix this you will need a new plastic clip (search ebay for "Panda Electric Window Clip" ***MAKE SURE YOU PURCHASE CORRECT SIDE REQUIRED, I BOUGHT LEFT FOR PASSENGERS SIDE OF RHD CAR*** I paid around £6.50 for mine from Spain), a Nut and bolt (i think i used an M6) two penny washers and a short bit of metal plate and a 12v power source as below. These items are needed as the window cables need to be put under tension to allow assembly.
Remove door card and check that the plastic clip is indeed broken and not still attached to the window glass and its guide frame, If it is intact you may have other problems with your window.
Anyway, assuming the plastic clip is broken, remove electric motor and frame by unscrewing the five nuts that hold the electric motor and window clip guide frame in the door.
You should then see a broken clip
You will then need to check out the motor cable spool, open it by taking the three screws out with a Torx TX15 bit.
Opening the motor spool cover will probably reveal a mess of twisted cables
Detach the upper cable from the motor spool and put to one side.
Take out the spool and rewind the lower cable back onto spool
Replace the spool (with just the lower cable attached) into housing
Attach new plastic clip to top of guide rail.
Insert free end of lower cable into slot in clip.
Affix plate to top of rail as 'barrier' to prevent clip moving
Loosely attach spool housing cover and 'blip' 12v power
Reverse polarity if clip travels away from 'barrier plate' (check inside spool housing and re-wind spool if lower cable has become unwound)
Clip should now be tight up against barrier
Cable spring should now be compressed and lower cable taut
Attach end of upper cable to clip
Replace other end of upper cable in top of spool and wind on to spool take up slack
You will then need to lever the upper cable over the pulley
You should then have an assembled window motor cable frame.
blip the motor to take the tension off of the 'barrier plate' cable and remove the 'barrier plate. Add some grease if required to the spool housing and lubricate window cables and replace the three spool holder screws
Replace motor and cable frame back into car door and do a few 'blip' tests to ensure all is moving smoothly - take care not to damage glass while testing.
'Blip' motor to bring clip down to where accessible and push glass down to align hole in glass with clip, attach clip to window glass (push connector through hole in glass and lock with lock 'ring' on clip.
Good luck, it was a simple enough repair - when I figured out how to get the cables back on the pulleys by pre-tensioning, I grazed a few knuckles before that!
It's a pretty cheap and nasty design from FIAT though, there are no travel limiters on the cables and unless you remember to blip the window back down a tad from fully closed, you will have the plastic clip and the cable under permanent tension, which can only hasten a repeat of this repair.
