Power window repair

[DBM58]

Recently my passenger side power window stopped moving when I operated the up / down switch. I could still hear the motor humming and a quick look - after removing the inner door panel - confirmed that the one of the cables had broken ie. it was no longer under tension.

The following websites have good information detailing repair methods:

http://www.Miata.net/garage/window.html
http://www.Miata.net/garage/Miata_window_tlc.html
Pages 10:9 to 10:15 of the "Mazda Miata 1.6 liter Enthusiasts Shop Manual" also has comprehensive notes and photographs.

In addition, I can add the following:

i) The cable was not in fact broken, the ferrule (not sure if that is the correct term, I do know that it not a gusset though) had come off one end. This is easy to repair by cleaning out the hole with a small drill, then re-inserting the cable. It can be held securely in place by running solder along the cable until it fills the chamber of the ferrule and drips through the hole. Whilst you have the assembly apart, you may as well treat the end of the other cable in the same way (ie. two cables per window).

ii) If you remove the cover off the motor assembly to have a look at the cable wound around the capstan, remember to put it back on again before operating the window mechanism - you need to do this to maximise the length of cable available to allow the re-assembly. Also remember that you can only put it together again by first unclipping the combined guide and stop from the lower end of the regulator, it is impossible to stretch the cable enough to fit it without doing this. If you do not put the cover back on, the cables can easily become bent and tangled. This can cause fraying and also kink the cable enough to reduce it's total length. It can then be too short to use.

iii) If you read all of the instructions properly you will not need to know about point ii) above.

iv) If you do find that you need to replace the cables, they are not available for sale from Mazda - you could buy the complete motor assembly for more than $300 though. However, they are the same cables that are used for bicycle brakes. However, the larger cycle stores that I contacted are only able to offer stainless steel cables, and you cannot solder to stainless steel, so you would be unable to re-attach (securely) the end ferrule. I was able to find the older style non-stainless cable from two smaller stores though, Howick Mowers and Cycles, and Green Bay Mowers, both in Auckland, at a cost around $8 each.

v) Trim the cables to the length of the old ones and re-fit. You do not have to worry about how many times that they are wound around the capstan, they only fit one way, and you use up all of the moulded channels. This description makes more sense when you are doing the job.

vi) Before fitting the cover back on, spray the wire cable inside liberally with white lithium grease. This grease does not degrade any of the plastic components.

vii) Also apply the lithium grease to the channels in the regulator assembly.

When you re-install the regulator assembly, do not tighten the nuts up too much. This can prevent the window from moving freely.


David Moughtin

[RD5T3R]

Hey David - thanks for the step by step details below. Our NS window has
slowed considerably so having all that extra info BEFORE I start the job is
great

Thank you

Stu n Viv
RD5T3R