Doug Donsbach

Anyone have a guide to interior door panel removal? Need to replace the window regulator in my 2006 S.

*** Disregard - found a microswitch replacement thread over on Renntech.org that has a pretty good overview. ***

mattyf

I may have had a similar problem. I sprayed electrical cleaner in the door latch, then silicone grease. After working it in a bit (opening and closing the door a bunch of times) it is working better.

MyEmily

I just replaced mine. It can be a DIY project. It took me 3 hrs. Mostly due to un-cooperating door lock connector. Part $250. Be extras careful of the door lock cable. The plastic part is easily broken. The toughest task is to remove the glass from the old regulator.

Doug Donsbach

Yeah very familiar with the 996 bits and doubt the 997 door lock internals are much, if any different. Just wasn't sure about how to get the interior trim off the door.

Funny, when they used to build regulators out of stamped metal "scissors" you might replace one over the life of the car. These Bowden cable and pulley affairs seem to be an almost constant maintenance item.

PelicanParts.com

Glad you found the info. We have a combo-instruction piece regarding door panel removal & window reg replacement that's helpful as well here.

Mark/Pelican Parts

bzliteyear

hi all,

not sure if i have same issue, but my 2003 C4S driver's side window no longer "adjusts down(or up)" when opening or closing the door. one guy said it's $600 for parts and labor - and most likely microswitch or the motor/ecu - but either way, it's the same price.
can you guys advise...is there a less expensive way, or just pay the $600 and get it done(i would have preferred to save the $ toward upgrading sound system).

thank you.
Patrick
03 C4S

Minok

If the window still operates fine using the window controlls in the car, then it is indeed likely the system that signals the door handle is pulled/or the door is open. Most likely a mechanicaly driven part.

The windows stays partly down while the door is open, even without the handle pulled, so the car gets some information to the window regulator by the 'door open/closed' switch, but also from a switch that says the handle is pulled.

The logic is likely "If the handle is pulled OR the door is open, the regulator parks the window in the slightly down position, otherwise park the window in the full up position."

So I'd look at the way the handle communicates to the window regulator that the handle is pulled.. a microswitch seems like a prime way to implement that.

The part itself could be a $3 part.. depending on how Porsche implemented it. But that switch could be built into a larger component and not independently replaceable, which means a more expensive part (my VW New Beetle has a rear hatch latch that has a microswitch built in that is integral to the latch assembly, so the whole assembly must be replaced as a $80 part rather than just the $2 switch).

A lot of the labor is likely the disassembly of the door panel/contents and reassembly and pulling the car in and out of service bays. So IF you have the time and mechanical aptitude and patience (and a 2nd car you can drive it it takes you several days to do if you get stuck), then you can save some coin by doing it yourself... but consider what your own time spent on this task is worth to you. IF you enjoy doing the work, your time is free, because its a satisfying hobby you are doing.. just the parts cost you. If you don't like doing the work or wold rather do something else, then paying a shop to do it for you may be the better deal.

Doug Donsbach

Question is, when you pull the handle slightly, do you hear the window motor run for a fraction of a second with no movement in the window?

If so, it's the regulator.

If not, it's likely a switch, or motor issue.

Doug Donsbach

Thanks Mark.

Replaced the regulator but couldn't get the window to go all the way down.

It was only after looking back inside the door that I discovered the regulator had a two-position adjustable lower limit stop that I'd missed in spite of carefully comparing the new OEM part to the one that came out of the car. Once I positioned the stop at the lowest position everything worked fine.

This is a job that anyone can do in about an hour. The most fiddly bits were getting the door panel retention plastics "reset" so that they would pop back into the door panel the way they were designed.

bzliteyear

No sound whemn pulling interior or exterior handle, and no wiggle or play on Window either, but it does go up and down perfectly. inde guys that I called said eit regulator or window switches are $600 installed, and one indie had little experience with switches as he says he hasnt seen that much. My gut feel is that if switch, it should be less than $600?

PelicanParts.com

Glad that worked out Doug!

Mark/Pelican Parts

mlv_250

I have been living with this problem for the last 2 years along with wind noise as my driver window was not fully flushed against door seal. Very fortunate to have come this during search. Fixed both problems today... What a relief! Enclosed are the two stops Doug was referring to for future use.

First pix shows upper stop. Second pix shows lowered stop...problem fixed!

PelicanParts.com

Nice work!

Mark/Pelican Parts

DaVinchy Vol

IrishLegend

Any updated information on this? My crunching window can now be pulled up and pushed down manually. Obviously the regulator. Anyone have an updated DIY?
Thanks!