2006 XC90 front window regulator replacement issues

[VailComputerGuy]

Hello you geniuses! Ive read a lot of helpful stuff on this forum and now I have been stumped by a problem and I need to ask for help.

I am having trouble with a replacement window regulator. It seems like the aftermarket replacement does not have the same movement range as the original part. Wondering if anybody else has seen this type of issue and what the best course of action is from here. I have been able to get aftermarket parts for other European cars (an Audi and a VW) that fit and work well so I did not feel that I needed to pay extra for a genuine Volvo part.

The front left window (driver side) in my wife's 2006 XC90 got messed up when somebody shoved cardboard in the window slot. The arms of the window regulator got bent and the window would no longer go up and down properly. I ordered a replacement regulator (and the blue sliders and some big rivets) from FCP Euro. I looked up the part at Volvo's website to be sure I got the right thing.

The part number stamped on the bent regulator is LH30762638. According to Volvo's website, that part number has been superseded by part number 30784576. All good since the new part number was easy to find and order. The regulator is available with or without the motor - I figured I would save some money and get it without the motor since the old motor seems to work well.

I installed the replacement regulator (and the new blue slider blocks and applied new grease for the sliders and moved the motor to the new part, etc.) and felt like I had done a pretty good job - but the window will not go all the way up or all the way down. When putting the window down it stops with about 2cm of glass still showing and when putting the window up it stops about 5mm early and does not seat all the way in the top frame of the door. At first it would hit the top (still 5mm short) and back down about 1cm, but I was able to get it to close a little further by resetting (recalibrating?) the auto-open/close feature. Unfortunately it still does not seat all the way in the top of the door frame like the passenger window does. There is still a small gap at the top. Even when controlling it manually, it will not go all the way up. I thought this may have been an issue with how the motor was installed (like maybe the motor needed to be installed when the regulator was at one or the other limit of travel), so I drilled out the rivets again and took the new regulator out to inspect. I compared the bent regulator to the new one and found that the gears look a little different and that the arms are not in the same positions at the limits of their travel. I figured that the bent regulator had probably jumped some gear teeth or something so that was probably not a good comparison.

I ordered another replacement regulator thinking that the replacement part I received was maybe somehow defective (it took me a long time to get the first one installed so I could no longer just return it). The second replacement has exactly the same issue. I have now messed up a few drill bits taking out rivets, so at the moment I have installed the regulator with bolts and nuts so that I can remove it more easily - just until I figure out what's up. I have verified that the heads of the bolts are small enough that they do not interfere with the movement of the regulator at all.

The two replacement regulators appear to be from separate manufacturers - the arms are different in the way they are fabricated. They both have the same travel and the angles of the arms match up at the limits of the travel. They seem to be operationally identical.

I can see (using an endoscope in the door) that when the window is as far down as it will go, the gear "runs out of teeth" for lack of a better term. It seems like if there were just two or three more gear teeth, that the window would be able to go the rest of the way down. When the window is as far up as it will go, it stops because the mechanism of the regulator has a mechanical stop that will not allow it to go further.

I'm thinking my next step is to buy another new regulator that is a genuine Volvo part and that includes the motor. I can't think of anything else in the door that could be off or bent that would cause this, but I figured I'd ask this forum just in case.

Thank you for any advice you may have for me!

[Krons]

I compared the bent regulator to the new one and found that the gears look a little different and that the arms are not in the same positions at the limits of their travel. I figured that the bent regulator had probably jumped some gear teeth or something so that was probably not a good comparison.

I’d guess your aftermarket part isn’t correct. Can you straighten the old part to better gauge the difference? New Volvo part may be the answer. Seems on Volvos there is some stuff where you need OEM.

Having the windows not set for auto up is annoying, have had to reset that on one car already.

[VailComputerGuy]

[/quote]
I’d guess your aftermarket part isn’t correct. Can you straighten the old part to better gauge the difference? New Volvo part may be the answer. Seems on Volvos there is some stuff where you need OEM.

Having the windows not set for auto up is annoying, have had to reset that on one car already.
[/quote]

I will not be able to get the bent part back into shape, even if all I want to do is compare it. The part is spot welded together and now I know for certain that is has skipped gear teeth. I was thinking of taking apart the passenger door to compare it with that one, but I'm not sure I care that much about it.

FCP Euro has a genuine Volvo regulator for $485 that comes with a motor, and another regulator from a place called Lemforder that is marked OEM for $200 without a motor. I can't spend the $485 so I think I'll be trying the one marked OEM next.

[Krons]

Lemforder is a OEM supplier on many parts and generally hood stuff. Hopefully that works.

[volvolugnut]

I have replaced window regulators and reused the motors. It seemed the motors does not have continuous motor rotation, but has some stops to rotation. I had to readjust the window position with the motor removed and then remount the motor. I suspect that is the only problem with the regulator.
Also, what regulator brand did you buy? I have had good luck with Dorman brand regulators.
volvolugnut

[cn90]

This part rarely fails, so it is safe to get a used WR from junk yard or eBay (using Genuine Volvo but used).