I finally got around to installing the drivers side regulator on my '03 Expy today. The regulator is what goes out 95% of the time, and not the motor.

There is a plastic spool behind the motor that the cables wind around, and if the window sticks in the up position the cables can get slack in them and wind up cross threaded onto the spool. When this happens the regulator is usually toast. I tried rewinding my spool, but it only lasted a few weeks.

I am going to post pics and procedures. I can only post three pics per post, so this will take several post.

Things you need:

A phillips screwdriver.
A good size flat blade screwdriver.
A small blade screwdriver. A slightly bent one like mine is better.
A 1/4" drive ratcher, or equivalent, with extension.
A 10mm socket.
A 7mm socket, or a 9/32 socket if you don't have a 7mm.
A T-20 & a T-27 torx bit
An end cutter or side cutter. This is for pulling the plastic wire harness holders out of the door.
Locktite
Good tape of some kind.

Below are the pictures of the tools I used and the new regulator.

It is easier to change than it looks. I took about an hour while taking pictures. After doing this one I believe I could cut the time to 30-40 minutes.

 

You will need to remove all screws on the door panel.

The plastic strip under the door handle removes with the curved blade screwdriver. There is a small notch that the blade will fit into. The T-20 Torx bits are used here once the cover strip is removed.

The hole at the end of the upper door panel takes the phillips screw driver.

The two screws at the bottom of the panel use the 7mm, or 9/32, whichever you have handy.

 

You need to remove the black trim behind the door handle next. This is held on with clips.

Take the curved screw driver and slip gently under the front scetion of the trim. Lift up to release the molded in clips, and then gently pull the longer clips free from the main panel. Slide the black trim off of the door handle.

After that lift up on the window switch panel to release the clips. Unplug the three sets of wires and set the switches aside.

Push and/or lift straight up on the door panel. DO NOT pull straight out on it. After you have lifted the panel high enough it will just fall into your hands.

Next peel off the plastic weather cover and remove the radio speaker. The speaker uses the T-20 Torx bit.

 

You now need to remove the door handle.

Use the large screwdriver and pry up on the upper catch that holds the handle in place. The handle will pop out at the top, and can then be lifted out.

Pull the door release cable loose from it attachment also, as this is part of the regulator that will be removed.

Disconnect the main wire harness located behind where the arm rest would be. Move all wires out of the way.

If your window is in the up position as mine was, tape the window to the door frame to keep it from dropping. I tapew from the outside of the glass up and across the door frame. Don't get it too tight just yet, as you will need to move the glass soon.

Now remove the window motor. This has three gold screws that take the T-27 Torx bit.

Next remove all the silver colored bolts in the door. This takes the 10mm socket.

 

You will now need to unbolt the window from the regulator. Since my window was up, the hole at the upper front of the door gave me access to this bolt.

There is a hole at the upper back of the door to remove that bolt, but I had to lower the window some to align the rear bolt with the hole. These bolts are hard to turn as they have loctite on them.

Now raise the window all the way up and tape it there.

Go back to my first post and look at the new regulator. The arms that run up and down at the front and back will move around. You will have to tilt the tops of the arms to the rear and manuver the regulator around to get it out.

This is much easier that it sounds or looks. There appears to not be much room, but there is plenty once you figure which way to twist things around.

Now you are ready to install the new regulator. Install and loosely tighten all the bolts you took out the door panel earlier. BUT FIRST , notice two of the bolts ate a little longer. These two go at the top of the regulator where the door handle sits. Use locktite on these two bolts.

After you have installed all regulator bolts, next bolt on the window. NOTE You will have two extra bolts as two come already attached to the new regulator.

You can take a screwdriver and lower the window track using the spool that the motor connects to. This will get the window bolts to where they are easy to get to. See the last picture with the track lowered to see me bolting the lowered window into place. Reinstall the exact same two bolts that came out of the window track. Be sure to use locktite.

Next make sure the window is snug and pushed snugly back into the rear runner, then tighten all the regulator bolts.

The two silver cupped clip nuts in the plastic bag taped to the new regulator go in the armrest area to hold the panel in place. Look on the old regulator in this area and you will see how and where they attach.

Replace the window motor and everything else in reverse order of how you removed it.

Be sure and not forget the foam piece behind the door handle.

I hope this helps some. I have seen several post of people wanting to know how to do this.

 

Great HOW TO !!!
for now my regulator shows no signs of trouble, but when it does i know what to do and where to look

thank you

 

I recently had a 2000 Town Car that the rear a window that would slide down part way on its own. It would only come back up all the way if you pullled up on the window glass as you pressed the up switch. I too thought it was the regulator after getting advice from a 30 year body/fender man. I replaced the regulator, but still had the same problem. I looked at the motor(uses a planetary gear) and found the planets which were made of plastic were all broken into small pieces. Replaced the motor and it was OK. The regulator is a lot of work to remove because of all the screws and rivets that have to be drilled out or unscrewed plus the window glass itself. The motor isn't as bad since it only has 3 rivets. If you have an older vehicle be sure to keep in mind that the planetary gears are plastic. Later on(not sure exactly what year) Ford switched to metal planets and solved all these service problems. This is a great writeup whether you are replacing either the regulator or motor.

 

The older regulators were made of metal and were bullet proof, while the motors had the plastic gears. But, you can buy a gear kit for $15- $18 and be good to go.

Ford wasn't making enough money from that, since the gears could be had aftermarket. They fixed the motor problem and made a cheap plastic piece of junk regulator that is only available from the dealer, and cost appx. $135.00 - $150.00.

To top that off they want a few hundred to change said regulator. Thanks Ford. If this write-up saves someone the dealer installation fee, then it has made my day.

 

Thanks Yardbird for this fantastic example... I just wish I had waited till your instructions were posted. I paid my Ford dealership to fix mine last month. $450.00
Pictures and instructions were just what I needed... Oh well, I guess I know what to do in case any other window goes bad.

 

$450 isn't a bad price considering it was from a Ford dealership. Changing a regulator is a lot of hard work. I know I did a lot of cussing because you have to put your hands and arms in a lot of postions they're not meant to be in for very long, not to mention all the very sharp metal edges you can cut yourself on. If you can change one of these regulator or motors WITHOUT cutting your hands and arms to shreads you're a better man than I. I will give one tip. I used a die grinder with a cutoff wheel to get rid of the rivets. I know you're supposed to be able to snap off the ends of the rivet pins with a punch and then drill the rivets out, but by the time I got out a drill, drill bit, hammer and punch I already had all the rivet done with the die grinder using shop air.

 

The '03 and up has no rivets or sharp cramped places, only bolts. I was suprised at how big the hole is that the regulator fits into.

I have worked on other Fords that left me cussing and bleeding. To look at the regulator in the door you wonder how it can ever come out, but it only takes about minute to get it out once you manuver the arms around.

I believe I could change one in at most 45 minutes, maybe 30 or less after having done this one.

 

I just replaced the window regulator on my 2003 Ford Expedition E.B. The only problem I have is the window raises just about 1/2" short of closing completely. I cannot figure out why. Any ideas?

 

It should NOT do that. Before you finished the repair did you manually move the window FULLY up and down as well as lubricating all the moving parts and the window channels. This isn't something you're going to be told to do, but anyone who digs this deep into a window repair should know to do this sort of thing. If your window doesn't move fully up it is more than likely a regulator problem rather than a motor problem since all the motor does is turn until it finds resistance and thermos out. There are no limit switches on power windows unfortunately. You'll have to pull the door panel off again and remove the motor. You can then move the window up and down manually to find out where the bind is. The window should move smoothly throughout the ENTIRE range of travel from fully up to fully down.

 

Dohhhhh!

I forgot to transfer the window brackets from the old holder to the new one! That was where I was losing the 1/2" to 3/4" inch to close the window all the way. Thanks for your assistance. Do I feel stupid!

 

Thank You yardbird!

You saved me quite abit of money by helping me do it myself. The repair could not have gone smoother. I just took my time, took a couple of digital pics while i disassemble to make sure i got the wires put back correctly. i was amazed when i took that piece of junk regulator out, I guess it was designed to break every 5 years. Ford didnt make enough money when I bought the truck I guess. They design 200 dollar parts to break. One thing I would suggest dont use duct tape to hold window up. It left a mess on the window to clean off, Im goin try some window tint remover tomorrow to get it off. Thanks agains, I screwed ford out of another repair bill woo hoo!!