I'm new here as I have just bought a skoda octavia vrs but the window regulator needs replaced is it an easy job and is there a tutorial on here?or will I be aswel just taking it to a garage?and I have also noticed the petrol cap doesn't always close properly

I've just changed the front passenger side window regulator and the actual regulator is pretty simple to change to be honest, just a bit fiddly getting it in and out.

 

Basically the main job is getting the relevant door card off (a number of tutorials about for this, try doing a search), removing bits of trim/disconnecting wires as relevant - this is I'd say the biggest and 'hardest' part of the job but as door cards go its not bad - just a bit fiddy in places.

 

Once the door card is off you need to position the glass in a place so you can loosen the glass clamps to release the glass. Before doing this I put on a couple of pieces of tape at the bottom of the glass to show where the clamps were on the glass to aid re-fitting. Once this is done remove the top inner 'glass' trim at the bottom of the window frame. Then carefully remove the glass (I did it from the outside of the door).

 

Once the glass is removed disconnect the window motor and then loosen - not remove - the six (?) torque screws. the regulator is now loose and you can wiggle it out of the car. Bit of an art, but be patient and it will come.

 

Re-fitting is the reverse, although a couple of tips:

1) Don't use the regulator to its full travel without the glass fitted - I had a runner go off the end - oops! I then had to remove the regulator again to put it back on.

2) Before fully clamping down the glass try it loose and gradually tighten it after trying it up and down to ensure its in the correct position and not catching. The bits of tape placed earlier aids in this.

 

Overall not a bad job but fiddly and time consuming rather than difficult. It you can take a door card off then you should be competent enough to replace the regulator in my opinion.

 

I bought and fitted a genuine new regulator at £79. It had been replaced by a garage 2 years ago with presumably a new aftermarket one and it failed...

Thanks for the reply the door card isn't a problem I've had that off to see what I was doing but thought I would get a rough idea before starting it

How long would it take as I know roughly what to do now will have a proper look over the w.e and is it an easy enough job by yourself or is it a 2 man job?

Have already got a new regulator cost me £60 brand new just sick of not being able to use my window lol

I did mine on Monday about an hour. While the regulator is out its worth greasing the regulator wires as they are prone to rust. When the job is done turn the ignition on and off. Then turn it on and move the window to the top. Then keep the switch in the up position for three seconds this sets the upper limit for the motor. Hope that's clear enough. Good luck.

Yeah an hour should be adequate, I found I spent more time getting the door card on than actually putting the new regulator in. I did the job myself so its definately do-able as a one man job! A little 'dicey' putting the glass back in yourself though, a second pair of hands may come in useful catching the glass underneath, but not essential.

 

I didn't grease my wires, hopefully VAG units come pre-greased - the channels certainly were. My old regulator only had a teeny bit of rust on part of the regulator body. I also found the last monkey to change the regulator just ripped off the membrane and simply put it back in place in its torn-off state. I taped it up best I could, so hopefully should be better than last time!

 

I haven't done the programming for the window motor, I thought that was only needed for the auto-close/open, which mine still seemed to work fine? Suppose it would do no harm to do it

 

A tip for getting the door card back on - make sure the wire for the door release is both clipped in AND hooked otherwise the handle won't work properly!

 

Have already got a new regulator cost me £60 brand new just sick of not being able to use my window lol

 

I know the feeling! I'd been avoiding using my front passenger window since about Christmas when I begrudgingly lowered the window for relatively knowing the graunching clonking noise that would entail with the window... and of course whether it would go back up.... No more do I have to pull over to wipe my passenger window!

Good point about the wire! When I did my passenger window I put the door card back on only to find I hadn't put the wire back in properly. Frustrating.

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It's easier just to use some gaffer tape to hold the glass up in the door instead of removing it - 2 or 3 strips attached to the glass over the top of the door frame works (did that when i replaced the passenger side mechanism on mine

It's easier just to use some gaffer tape to hold the glass up in the door instead of removing it - 2 or 3 strips attached to the glass over the top of the door frame works (did that when i replaced the passenger side mechanism on mine

Good point, I didn't really consider this as mine failed in the open position.... I suppose I could have pulled it up and taped it but was probably no more effort for me to take it out in my case.

I did my drivers for regulator a couple of weeks ago. Last time I did anything like this was retro fitting rear electric windows in my old Vectra.

The Octy was a doddle in comparison to that. It took me 2 hours all in, including fag breaks, and thinking I had been sold the wrong regulator, till I realised it was in the fully open position and I was looking at it upside down when laid on the floor. Old one was removed from fully closed.

As someone else has said, there's no need to remove the glass, just get it up into the closed position and tape it in place so it doesn't fall down.

Make sure you keep a mental note of where the wiring loom runs around the door near the regulator, (I didn't, so took more time to work out where it should refit lol)

I think I could do another now in under an hour.

Finally got it changed today the worst part of it was getting the bolts that held the window in place off as they are in an awkward place but took me 1and a half hours from start to finish so wasn't too bad considering I've never done anything like that before so thanks for all the advice didn't bother taking the glass out just held it up with masking tape

anyone willing to replace my broken plastic clip on electric version, for a reasonable quote please? thanks!