MK4 Golf Rear Window Repair DIY

[spaynton]

Hey everyone, just thought I'd throw this little DIY up for those who have broken rear windows, or for reference if it happens to you in the future.

Symptoms: Rear Window motor operates, but glass stays up, and can be moved by hand.

Why: What happens is their is a little expansion pin that attaches the glass to the rear window lift. The rear windows operate kind of like an elevator with a cable which moves a carrier up and down with the glass attached. This runs along a center column that keeps the glass aligned. If this pin breaks or falls out the glass will become detached from the carrier and it will still continue to move, but it will leave the glass where it was.

Solution: Replace the plastic clip with a new one.

Parts that should be ordered:
1. Replacement plastic pin (or two, just in case). They are about $1.50 each. Dealer Part #6N0839511
2. Door Panel Clips. You will most likely break them removing the door panel. Dealer Part #3B0868243

Tools Needed.
1. Standard Philips Screwdriver
2. Chisel/Putty Knife
3. Needle Nose Pliers
4. 10mm Socket
5. T20 Torx Bit

Step 1: Remove the Outer Door Panel.


The panel is held on by:
- Two Screws Behind the pull handle cover (Philips)
- Two Screws at the bottom of the door (T20 Torx)
- 5 Clips around the edges, 2 on the hinge side, 3 on the outer side.
- Several plastic rails along the top edge of the door.

You will need to remove the pull handle cover, to do this you will need a putty knife or a chisel that you wedge in between the two halves. Be VERY careful not to damage the soft touch material (I nicked the edge of my handle...), it is very soft and it will get gouged easily.



Start along the very bottom edge and pry gently outwards. Then work your way along the top edge until it is about 1/8" away from the handle, working your way along to the top. You should be able to pull the handle cover off completely. It is held in VERY securely, by two large round clips and 3 metal clips.



Behind the handle are the two Phillips screws you need to remove.





The other two screws are along the very bottom of the door panel, and are T20 torx bit screws.



Once all of the screws are removed, you are ready to start prying up the outer edges of the door. Very carefully lift the bottom edge away from the door, and start running your hand along the left and right sides of the door panel between the door card and the metal. The door clips should then start to pop out of their holes. It may take a little bit of force to get them to pop out, and you may break the clips. I had one of the clips break when I removed the door, but they are easily replaced.



After you've released all 5 of the clips. You can then lift the door panel upwards and release the upper plastic pieces from their channel.


(Picture just shows the channel and the door panel beside it.)

After the door has been lifted away, you need to disconnect a few things before you can pull the door card away from the door.



First you need to remove the cable that operates the door latch. Here is a close up of the two parts.





Lift the little plastic clip out and away from the door latch, releasing it. Then slide the plastic part away so that you can unhook the hook from the door panel.

After you have unhooked the door handle, you can then go ahead and unclip the speaker connector, and the window switch.

Now the door panel is completely free to set aside somewhere clean. I just put mine in my back seat.



Leaving you with this.



You will notice just below the power window motor, there is a rubber access cover.



Pop it open with a screwdriver



This is the hole you will be inserting the new plug through. Now that you can see inside the door panel, it would be a good time to inspect the cable and the window carrier. Make sure nothing is really broken and that you just lost the clip. What you need to do is lower the window all the way down to the fully open position, do this with the front window switch. Hopefully you won't hear any bad noises as you wind the window carrier down to the lowest position. Look inside the hole and this is what you should see.



Now lower the glass carefully down by hand...



Now break the new spreader plug into two halves.





Lower the glass down just enough so that you can install the bigger part of the spreader into the glass, then insert the smaller piece of the plug into the large one. You should now be able to lower the glass down completely and have it snap into place into the carrier. This part was difficult to photograph, and the instructions in the bentley manual aren't the most helpful. But here they are anyway.



Once the window clip has been seated in the carrier, the glass should now be locked in place..



Fix any broken clips you have





new clips...



Now test your window to make sure it operates smoothly.

You can now re-install the door panel. Start by connecting the door cable, and making sure it latches to the door handle housing. Then install the two cables you disconnected.

It is a little tricky trying to get the door lock pin (the one that pops up through the door when the door is open), to line up properly while balancing the door panel, but make sure you line it up first, then line up the upper rails with the rails on the door card.

After the top edge has been seated, snap the panel back in place by working from the top down to the bottom of the door. Now you can go ahead and replace the two screws in the door handle, and the two screws on the bottom of the door panel, then pop the door handle cover back on.

You should now have a fully functioning window and a door panel that fits as nicely as it did before you took it off!

[dash cunning]

I just did this and wanted to add that it was easier for me to unbolt the panel and lower it just enough to see the bottom of the glass when it up, insert the pin, put the panel back on and lower the glass into the carrier. just be mindful that you don't break the door lock module bracket. I kept trying to install the pin thru that access hole but it kept pushing thru and falling into the door. thanks again for the DIY

[cosmatics]

Hey I'm having a bear of a time getting my window back in properly? I'm trying to install the driver side rear, and Ive tried to slide it in the back to no avail. Any ideas?

This forum has so much great info, thanks.

John

[Thann]

Great DIY, works perfect every time.

[cosmatics]

Yeah this is a great how to, door panel, window install, I'm just stuck at how to slide the window in properly? Do I need to lube up the side rubber trim? Put the b-pillar side in first? Put the c-pillar notched-in side first? The last thing I want to do is bust the window, lol.

[cosmatics]

I'm still stuck with a windowless jetta. Any insights on to actually slide the window in?

[radroc]

Is this usually the troubled item instead of buying a new window regulator?

My rear passenger one has been dropping (still able to move it back up using switch) and front one makes a crunching sound when moved up or down.

[Weegie5]

I kept having the same problem as DC.

... I kept trying to install the pin thru that access hole but it kept pushing thru and falling into the door....

I'd put the large pin in the regulator and glass, then try to push the smaller pin into the the center; the large pin would just fall out of the regulator/glass and into the door.

Lower the glass down just enough so that you can install the bigger part of the spreader into the glass, then insert the smaller piece of the plug into the large one. You should now be able to lower the glass down completely and have it snap into place into the carrier. This part was difficult to photograph, and the instructions in the bentley manual aren't the most helpful. But here they are anyway.

It took me several times reading through Spaynton's paragraph above before I understood what that image was trying to convey.

The "trick" is to put the pin into the window (separate from the blue piece of the regulator).


Then the window and pin "drop" into the blue regulator piece once they are aligned.


Great DIY. Thanks!