Technical Window Winder

[gerhardj]

Hi All,

Last night got to have a look at my daughters car, as the drivers side window winder "was stiff and not working" (her words) After stripping the whole lot out, this what I found. Got no idea how it ended up that way, and even less on how to fix it. I ended up with a handful of steel cable, and some sore knuckles.

Anyone with some words of advise?

Gerhard.

 

[jimbro1000]

Sadly the manual window winders are one of the biggest nightmares on the car - I remember buying a new one to replace a damaged one (rather like the one you've pictured there) and going through all kinds of agonies - not least of all having to take it back to the dealer twice just to get it re-tensioned as they are bordering on impossible to fit if the wound cord goes loose.

To be honest I never did get it to work right afterwards. It is possible the one single job on the car that I never mastered. The best thing to do is study the door opposite for guidance on how the cord is wound around the various pulleys and attached to the glass.

It might even be worth removing the glass completely while you refit - assuming you can find a replacement or get that one reconditioned. Most of all though, keep the reel tightly wound or it just won't work once it is on the car.

The cable wear comes from where the cables cross on the reel, it really isn't my interpretation of a good design so you need to keep the cables lubricated. Unfortunately Fiat didn't see fit to give us a way to do that so the best answer is to go mad when it is fitted and hope. The alternative is regularly removing the door card which is, as I'm sure you've discovered, a proper pain. The worst bit being the spring clip that holds the winder to the mechanism. A good supply of spare clips is essential!

 

[gerhardj]

Just wondering which will be the more expensive part, the parts/work or the beers while doing it!

 

[gerhardj]

Some belated feedback. I managed to find a local cable restorer (??) who was able to rewire the entire window winder with new cables. Cost: R700.00. Labour made the bigger portion out. So any x19 owners in the Durban region, and have winder problems, give me a shout and I will gladly share their contact detail with you.