c5 x7 window regulator fitting

renagade · Post by **renagade** » 26 Jan 2017, 17:59

Hi Guy's
I would have thought that Citroen would have this problem solved by now. My 2009 c5 x7 had to have both front door window regulators renewed so I thought that my 2011 c5 x7 would have been sorted but no, the drivers side window has gone, no up, no down. Is there anywhere on the net that gives you a detailed fitting guide so as I might have a go at fitting a new regulator. Outside temp running at -3 deg just now.

Post by **bobins** » 26 Jan 2017, 18:16

There's a Russian 'how to' on replacing the window mechanism here

I'm presuming that nothing major has changed from the first lot of X7 off the production line to your 2011 one.

This is a translation for the 'how to' it that I got a mate to do:

1. Carefully start with the plastic surround on the door handle, start to gently pull it, from the top as the principle is as follows: the top part has horizontal clips – unclip them first. Lower part has vertical clips which have been inserted downwards into the slots. So, first pull the top towards you and then from the bottom upwards.

2. Carefully remove the second part of the door handle, but starting at the rear. The secret is that it has two clips that are released via the 2 small holes underneath in which you can insert a thin screwdriver to prise off.

3. Next remove the 2 screws holding the door handle – Torx screws

4. Remove the cover of the door handle. I took it off with by hand since I didn’t want to damage the delicate material with a screwdriver. There are two clips – as usual, don't use force!

5. Now start to remove the trimming / paneling itself. Firstly, get your fingers behind the top black part and pulling it up and towards you whilst pulling it off from the clip. Then remove from the door panel with a sharp tug. One or two clips may remain in the door panel, but WTF, they aren't broken. Remove and reinsert in the trim prior to reassembly. Remove the complete trim in the same way

6. Unfasten all the electrical connections. But don’t rush and be careful

7. Black fixture in the centre – it's attached with a Torx screw. Don’t unscrew it completely, only to the point where it is loose and can move freely. Don't worry as you unscrew it, it’s the way it is, nothing's broken. When you tighten it later, it'll lock in again.

8. Remove the speaker using a Torx screwdriver or wrench. Separate any connectors.

9. ((Not in original Russian)) White insulating seal is glued to the door around the edge. It’s fixed with a reusable adhesive. Start from the corner – lightly pull towards you, then start separating the adhesive with a sharp knife ((end of additional text))

10. The speaker casing ((?, strictly speaking: socket)) is attached with rivets – drill these out. I replaced them with screws and self locking nuts

11. On the top of the door there are 2 grey insulating seals. These are glued. To avoid making holes in them, I followed the same principle as for the white insulating seals; I freed enough to gain access to the window elevating mechanism

12. Carefully lower the glass until the self-tapping screws which hold the glass to the mechanism can be reached. Remove these screws holding the glass to the lifter. Carefully keeping it straight, lift the window glass ((not in original: I then held the glass in place with some masking masking tape to stop it falling))

13. Remove all remaining self-tapping screws – 6 in total.

14. Next, free the construction from the clips on the door. Careful with the top part. If necessary, lower the glass a little bit – the runners will come out easier.

15. You can now free it completely from the door.

16. Usually, only the lower cable breaks (shortest one) It’s the only part you need to replace unless you have a replacement kit, in which case you can replace all. It happened so that the roller on the right door wasn’t damaged. However, on the left – grooves were gone. I had to replace them from the replacement kit. I don’t like it as the plastic looks unreliable. Once you have decided to change it yourself and you've reached the fittings inside the door, then I’m sure you will make it with the right skill when winding the cable. The main thing is that only one spring is compressed when ((the mechanism)) is at the extreme position. If both springs are compressed – you have overtensioned. If both are expanded – you haven’t fully wound the cable.

17. I lubed the runners with graphite oil or grease. To put it all back together, follow the instructions in reverse. ((Yeah, Right! Just goes to show that the Russians have a sense of humour!))

renagade · Post by **renagade** » 27 Jan 2017, 11:34

Hey that's great thank you, I ordered the complete regulator minus the motor ( 45 quid ) so I won't have to look at it again for a couple of years. The regulator does not last very long.
6 years on my 2009 and 6 years on my 2011. My Ds21 was 42 years old and never had a regulator fitted while I had it and my Mazdamx5 was 26 years old and that was on it's original one, hey ho that's life I suppose.

Post by **GiveMeABreak** » 27 Jan 2017, 11:52

When you do get it replaced, I would get some clear silicone spray (don't use the normal WD40 - only the silicone stuff) and spray copiously in the window channels whilst raising and lowering the windows. This will help coat the wires and afford some water protection, and therefore prevent rust and eventual breakage. Although it is accepted that water gets into the doors via the window apertures, it's no wonder it will get into the mechanisms at some point. I had a driver's side unit done under warranty - they just replaced the whole unit including a new motor. This is the first thing I did on all the windows after the replacement. Scotty has a good video on this:

renagade · Post by **renagade** » 28 Jan 2017, 11:18

Thanks for that. Looks easy to do , i will go out and get me a tin of spray.

renagade · Post by **renagade** » 02 Feb 2017, 12:14

Well Guy's
That's a good job done took me two and half hours as every neighbour I knew came to look at what I was doing and to give their advice. The window now goes up and down as it should.

Lucianman · Post by **Lucianman** » 09 Feb 2017, 15:19

Hi all, I recently bought a window regulator repair kit for my C5 X7 from eBay.
I start replacing the cables but I realised the pulley on the electric motor fits in only one position. In than position is impossible to get the cables around it. Therefore I'm assuming they sent me the kit for the other

door. Also the plastic parts that hold the glass and slide up and down don't fit either.
My faulty window regulator is on the driver/right side door. The seller is insisting the part is for the specified door.
I can only put a pic of the remaining parts here, so you maybe can see if I'm wrong or not.

Many thanks

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Post by **GiveMeABreak** » 09 Feb 2017, 15:33

Here's the diagram that would seem to suggest the parts are correct ... (Click to enlarge)

: X7 Window Regulator

whatdoesthisbuttondo · Post by **whatdoesthisbuttondo** » 18 Apr 2017, 13:36

renagade wrote:Hey that's great thank you, I ordered the complete regulator minus the motor ( 45 quid ) so I won't have to look at it again for a couple of years. The regulator does not last very long.
6 years on my 2009 and 6 years on my 2011. My Ds21 was 42 years old and never had a regulator fitted while I had it and my Mazdamx5 was 26 years old and that was on it's original one, hey ho that's life I suppose.

Ive done the drivers side a couple of times, but now the passengers has snapped. Ive seen these 'complete minus motor' kits on evilbay, how do they keep the cable spool under tension and in place to receive the motor splines without it all unraveling?!

Lucianman · Post by **Lucianman** » 22 Apr 2017, 19:45

I think the complete kit comes in pieces and you will have to assembly it. I can't imagine a way to keep that cable under tension

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

renagade · Post by **renagade** » 21 Jul 2017, 10:16

When my drivers side snapped I bought the complete kit minus motor of ebay for around 50 quid. The kit was all in one piece minus the motor and was really and I mean really easy to fit. The cables did not present a prob. I would say it took me about one hour to pull it all out and refit the new one.

Post by **bobins** » 21 Jul 2017, 17:08

Although I went the same route and bought the frame (minus motor), I decided to have a go at re-threading some new cables onto my old frame. It was an awful lot easier than I'd been led to believe

I found it easiest to hold the springs compressed by using a couple of cable ties on each spring, then lace up the cables, then the last job was to heave the central reel into position. It does help if you can grow and extra hand for part of the re-threading, but a small well-trained child or wife / partner is equally as good

: Cable ties holding spring - Own work

: Cable ties holding spring - Own work

petef · Post by **petef** » 17 Sep 2018, 16:17

Ok, so after the steering rack and the wiper motors the other major issue with x7's has now happened - the passenger front window refuses to go down. Before I start to dismantle the door fittings to investigate - using all the info here - I thought I would ask a basic question. If the failure is the regulator cable - which apparently seems the most likely problem - should I still hear the motor trying to do something? It's just that last month the same issue arose on the Activa; when I tried to lower a window there was a crack - later confirmed as the plastic regulator clip breaking - and all activity, lowering and raising wise, ceased. But I could still hear the motor whirring when I operated the switch. On the C5 there is no sound at all when I try the switch. Do the motors sometimes fail as well as the cables or does it jam up or what?
What ever it is I still have to get in there to find out, but it would be nice to know what to I might find.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 17 Sep 2018, 17:03

Have you tried both passenger side and drivers side switches, Pete?

Simple76 · Post by **Simple76** » 17 Sep 2018, 17:31

Normally is cable or plastic broke. You should be able to hear motor trying to work but very often the cable gets jammed round the mechanism and prevents motor from working.

French Car Forum