Window regulator cable broken (Pug 306 1998)

Peugeot 306, 1998 1.4l petrol, manual windows. Today I wound (manually)
our driver's side window down fine, wound it back up again and it closed
but something didn't seem quite right. Tried to wind back down again
and found winder felt a bit jammed, didn't move very well and window
didn't move at all.

I've now had the door panels off and found that the window regulator
cable has snapped. Specifically, the one which enters the top of the
regulator (which then arcs downwards into the door). This seems to be
the one which pulls the window down.

For a very poor photo see: <http://www.swampie.ukfsn.org/IMAGE_00032.jpg>

Can anyone advise how I can fix this as cheaply as possible.

I read one person saying Peugeot wanted £250 to fix a similar problem
(electric windows though), and that the regulator inc motor + seals were
£125. I understand that you have to buy everything together, regulator
+ cables, clips etc included.
<http://groups.google.co.uk/group/al...306+window+regulator&rnum=1#63a68533ae20e613>

The end which snapped appears a bit rusty which suggests that's why the
cable snapped. Is there any realistic chance of replacing the cable
itself? It appears to just be like a bike brake cable style and I've
seen this on eBay which might be of help:
<http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PEUGEOT-306-3...yZ10376QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem>

I'm also concerned that as the regulator isn't winding smoothly, I don't
know whether the snapped cable was down to a broken regulator which
caused the cable to snap - or whether the cable snapped and because of
this the regulator isn't winding smoothly. Going to the cost and effort
of fixing the cable only to find that the regulator itself is broken
would be a waste of time.

I'm aware that a breaker's might be a useful place to go for a
replacement regulator etc (went with my dad a few times as a kid many
years ago - but no idea if they're anything like the places they used to
be) - but I don't know of any suitable places around the West Surrey area.

I did manage to force the window to move down by pushing downwards on
both sides of the glass. Getting the window back up then involved my
lifting the glass up and then pulling the cable taught through the door
panel and then taking up the slack by rotating the window handle.

Finally, I'm a bit concerned about the window dropping suddenly whilst
driving and either a.) being broken or b.) being unable to lift window
back up again and unable to secure car. As we have a baby due
imminently (few days late already!), we don't want us having any
unnecessary issues with securing the car at the hospital etc.

Any advice?

Thanks

D

 

I had the problem described in the link above, but was able to repair
the green piece of plastic (basically putting a small nut and bolt
through it). A trip to the local dealer wanted to rip me off for a
whole new regulator (+motor, etc). Plus they wanted to charge me an
investigation fee - even though I took the car in with the door panel
removed and the broken component in my hand! In the end all I needed
was a small clip, which was under £1.

I'd suggest doing what I did, as a temporary security measure - stand a
piece of wood (or two) inside the structure of the door, upon which the
bottom of the glass can rest upon. That should keep the glass in the
right place until you can fix the cable.

It does make some tasks trickier though as winding down the window
suddenly isn't an option!

HTH,
Darran

 

Electric regulators for the 306 are £60 a side from GSF. I've bought manual
ones for MK2 Golfs for £7 a side. The cheapest route if no factors does a
regulator, is to get one from a scrappy. Make sure you seal the door up
properly again after or you'll have problems with damp in the car.

 

I tried GSF this morning but unfortunately they don't do manual ones -
only electric.

The local Peugeot dealer can do them for £45 + VAT, but don't have any
in stock so would probably be Wednesday/Thursday.

Euro Car Parts claim to have one ('genuine') in stock for about £45 so
if they can get it to me tomorrow then I may go with that.

I've not used any scrappys - does anyone know of one in the Guildford
area? The only time I've been to one is when I was a kid - I remember
cars stacked high which you sat in and removed the part you wanted and
then bartered with the guy for a price. I can't imagine them being
allowed now what with Health and Safety legislation! Still, great fun
as a kit - although when it's raining, it was very muddy and wet!

Thanks

David

 

That's a good idea - I'll have think about that. It does seem pretty
secure now, and I have been able to wind the window down a bit (push
down on window whilst turning handle). And winding back up sort of
works, if you take the weight of the glass whilst doing it. It seems
pretty safe now - but haven't tried slamming the door yet!

Yes, the first thing which came to mind was getting a ticket from a
machine when entering a car park!

Thanks

David

 

There is a possibility that the Citroen ZX may use the same part, if that
helps.

 

David Hearn () gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

It sounds as if it's just like the electric window regulators on most of
this era of PSA car - yep, the wires rust and snap. There's two, one for
up, one for down - and it sounds like it's your "down" one that's gone,
so once it's up, it's up.

DON'T use the winder more than necessary - the manky bits of wire will
chew up the plastic guides and make repair more difficult.

You've found e-Crofting's ebay sales of stainless wire replacement kits
- I used 'em on my XM, and they work well.

 

How involved is the replacement wire kits? Whilst it seems a nice and
cheap way of fixing it, the thought of replacing the unit as a whole
seems nice and straight forward. The repair kit has the same work with
the added work of replacing the cable.

I'm just wondering how you get the new cable into the winder (it appears
to be a sealed plastic unit). Just push in and turn the handle?

A new unit is about £53 - vs £14 for the wire kit. But if I can't get
the wire fitted properly, then there's no chance of sealing the window
shut before getting a full replacement. Having the full replacement
option is less risky.

Hmmm... decisions decisions. Had I not been in a bit of a rush, then
I'd definitely go with the wire option. Hmmm

Thanks

David

 

David Hearn () gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

Getting the damn thing out the door's the difficult bit.

I've not done it on a 306, but on the XM, there was a central rivet to
drill out and replace with a screw.

Indeed. The electric regulator for the XM was north of £200, though.

Bear in mind that the new regulator will also have a mild steel cable
which will rust and snap in exactly the same way... Buy both, repair the
one that comes out at your leisure, then either sell it as a fixed one
to somebody in the same boat as you, or keep it to put back in when the
one you buy now snaps. The new one I put in the XM when I first got the
car lasted about 4-5 yrs. The stainless I repaired it with should
outlast the car.

 

I had wondered about that - the other thing I've not tried yet is
removing the window glass.

That sounds right looking at the kit photo - it includes a single screw!

The car is from 1998, so 9 years old - if it lasts that long again I'll
be pleased! In fact, I wonder if I'll still have the car then.

I'm happy to repair the old one in my leisure. Once I can get the old
one out and see what the problem is, and how I could fix it myself, then
I'll try. Considering there's 3 other windows on the car, I suspect
they'll be the next ones to go, and knowing how to do it would be good.

Euro Car Parts can get one in for my this afternoon so I've gone with
that option - means I can try fixing it this evening.

Thanks

David

 

David Hearn () gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

You don't need to - at least, you don't on the XM... Just a bit of
electrical tape round the top of the door to hold the glass out the way.

And you know it's not already been done once...?

 

I'll have to try that - I assumed the glass was clipped to the runner,
but I'll have a look. Helpful if it isn't!

Good point. We had the car since 2001, so any repair is at least 6
years old.

David

 

David Hearn () gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying :

Again, dunno about the 306 specifically, but with the XM, once the window
was part way down, you could see a white plastic clip which held the
regulator to a hole in the glass. Unclip that, and the glass can be pulled
back up to the top - it's then out of the way, so out with the g-clamp or
electrical tape to hold it there.

 

I'd put a quid on it.

 

Well, I did the job last night. Took around 2 hours from getting tools
out to putting everything away. Biggest chunk of time was spent trying
to remove and then later refit the clip.

The issue I had was that I couldn't see how the clip worked! The clip
was on the other side of the glass, so I couldn't see it. The HBOL had
a very different clip. It turned out that there was a metal spring clip
(like an R clip, but both sides were the same) which was going through a
rubber bung thing mounted to the glass. Remove the clip and you can
remove the glass. Refitting was much more difficult as it appears there
are only a few holes through the rubber bung to get the clip into, and
you can't see where it's going. I think that I got it in correctly in
the end!

Getting the regulator assembly out was quite easy actually (drilling the
rivets was slow though) - I didn't have any problem getting the unit out
the hole in the door.

The old regulator has a small crack at the edge of the inner face - so I
might not be too bothered about fixing it - see what it's like once I
have a good look at it.

Thanks for the advice though - was very helpful in getting it done.
Window isn't as smooth as it was before - don't know if it should have
been greased at all?

David