How to Fix a Chevy Window Track

by Eli Laurens

Philip Sustachek/Demand Media

Chevrolet window tracks, commonly called a window regulator, can become loose or misaligned. This can cause the window to not operate or do so at an angle. Repairing this window track may be as easy as one loose bolt, or might require the replacement of the entire assembly. The average backyard mechanic can fix or replace a window track system in about an hour.

Step 1

Remove the door panel. The panel has screws behind the door handle and underneath the armrest that must be removed. Once these screws are out, remove the window crank, if applicable, with a screwdriver. The door panel can be pulled free from the pop rivets and set aside.

Step 2

Inspect the window regulator for damage. Crank or raise the window and watch the arms at the pivot points for proper operation. If they are blocked by debris, remove the obstruction and test again. Sometimes the window glass can come out of the track guide on the regulator, and become jammed. With a pair of pliers it might be possible to place the glass back into the track and press lightly on the metal to crimp the glass. Pivot bolts on early Chevrolets could be replaced when broken. Electrical motors might wear out, or their gears can be worn down, preventing operation. Check all mechanical motion.

Step 3

Replace the window regulator. By removing the motor, if applicable, and unbolting the regulator from the door, it can be removed. The glass will need to be removed from the tracks while it is in the lowered position, by wiggling it out of the tracks. Some models will have tightener bolts on each side to prevent the glass from moving, and these will need to be removed also. Once the regulator is out, the new one can be bolted in, in the lowered position, and the glass remounted.

Step 4

Spray lithium grease on the pivot points of the regulator, while the window is in the raised position. Allow the grease to settle before lowering the window.