How To Replace Rear Window Motor 2004-09 Subaru Outback

Hi, I'm Mike from 1AAuto. We've been selling auto parts for over 30 years.

In this video we will be removing and installing a rear window motor in a 2008 Subaru Outback.

Now, we're gonna take this driver's rear door panel off. I'm gonna start by pulling this panel off. Take a flat blade tool. There we go. These three clips right there hold it on. Next, we're gonna pull this one off. Gonna pry it down a little bit, there's a little tab right there, and it pulls out straight and up. Next, we're gonna use a Phillips head screwdriver, pull these three screws out. Start with this bottom one. Pull this last screw out.

Next, we're gonna use some of our trim tools. We sell these at 1AAuto.com. I'm gonna grab it from the inside. And there's push pins, so we're gonna push it. Use the trim tools to pry the push pins out. You can pull up on the door pin.

Next, we're gonna disconnect this connector. There's a little push lock. Push down on the lock and it pulls right out. We're gonna disconnect the cables that go to the inner door latch and lock. There's a cover right here. You're gonna pull up on the cover. We're gonna grab the lower cable and pull it out. Twist and pull that ball out. We're gonna do the same for the other. Twist and pull that all out. Now the door panel is ready to just come off. We're gonna take this vapor barrier off. You can peel it, you can use a razor blade to cut some of this sticky stuff. Sometimes they call this butyl tape. And this one. Take this speaker screw out. That'll peel.

We need to reconnect our window switch so we connected that, we turned the key on, because we're gonna bring our window down, because there's some nuts we have to get right in there. You want it lined up with this hole and right there. So that's good. We'll disconnect the door panel again, the window switch again.

All right, before we go any further, we'll disconnect the window switch, the lock right here. Pull that out. We're gonna take a 10mm socket, take these two guides out. And this guide.

We're gonna take this off with a little trim tool. Okay. And then over here too. Pop it back. There's a Phillips head screw there. There's one over here. We're gonna take that trim piece off. Take that screw out.

I'm gonna grab this trim and pull it up. There we go. Okay so, you're gonna wanna take these felt piece out. I'm gonna use a little pick. These are guides. We're just gonna push on this little lock here. It'll come out and you use a little lock on the other side. Push that out. And same with this side. Push this guide here. And then same with the other side. It'll just come out. Take these window nuts out.

It's a good idea when you do this to have someone hold the window for you, take the nuts out, so it doesn't fall. Pull the regulator off. Now, we're gonna pull out our window. You pull it straight up. You're gonna have to tip it back slightly. Over here on this side, there's a lock that stops the window from going too high. You're gonna guide it past that. Slide it back a little bit. As you can see, this is a little wider. You're gonna want it right there. This part is wider. You're gonna want it right there.

We're gonna take these two nuts out. Now, we're gonna take these four 10mm bolts. This one, we're gonna leave it. We'll just loosen it. Just loosen that one up a little bit. Then, you're gonna slide those studs out. Pull out on the regulator. Don't get your fingers caught. Slide it up here. Slide it out that way.

All right, this one, we're gonna remove the motor from the regulator. This one is not spring-loaded, so it's not a potential hazard pulling this off. It should just pull off without kicking back or anything. You still wanna keep in mind to keep your fingers away from the teeth when pull the motor off. Something could spring. So we'll take these bolts out. These Phillips head screws are really tough to get out.

I'll take a screwdriver, keeping your hands away from that area. Just pry the motor off. And as you can see, it's not spring-loaded, so we're all set. Install our motor. Get it lined back into the regulator. Install the Phillips head screws. All right, we'll tighten these up. All right, good. I'll go reinstall it into the car.

Now we'll take our regulator. We're gonna fish it up in here. Now, this wiring harness is gonna come through this hole, so we're gonna wanna try to get that through there. This might be a little easier if we pulled the speaker out to do this. You can fish it in there a little better. Pull that harness through. Put that 10mm through there. Put those studs through there. And we'll take our 10mm bolt and put them in. Just get them all started and we'll tighten them up all together. We'll put our nuts on. Snug all these down.

Now, this nut, there's a slot, so we're gonna snug this one down. And then, you want this one to get tightened down where the old one was, so you can see where their paint indicates where the nut was. So we'll tighten that down right there.

Now, we're gonna slip the glass in. I'm gonna stick that right in that wide gap right there. And there's a wide gap right here. And then, there's a channel. You'll tip it back slightly, get it in the channel. The front one's gonna get stuck on the lock, so you'll tip it back it just a little bit more, and you can get it past the lock. You can get the front part in the channel as well.

Now we'll bring it down here down to our regulator, and you can line the studs up. Stick the stud in there. Stick the stud in here. Push down. And we can take our regulator nuts and put those on. Put that on. Use a ratchet to tighten it down.

We're gonna reinstall these felt strips. Come up here, get it lined up. Line those up then push down. Then we'll reinstall the outer window trim. Push it down. Then you're gonna take your Phillips head screw, install that into the molding. Then you're gonna take your other Phillips head screw, stick that on the front one.

Now we'll take our inside window guides. Put these bolts in. Do the same right here. Snug those up. Now, we're gonna put this rubber piece back in. Push the push pin down. Same with this one.

I'm gonna re-hookup our left rear window switch, and we're gonna test it. We'll turn the key on. Make sure that the window is in its tracks and everything works. Start by going down. And that's as far as it goes. Go up. It looks good. You can see it's all lined up where it was before. Perfect. We're gonna put our vapor barrier back on, and we'll take these cables, fish them through there. I'll start in the back here in there. And that's all set. Now, we're gonna reinstall. We're gonna start with the cables. You're gonna start with the small one. This one's actually the lock. Get that ball in and then through the slot. And we're gonna slide that down the slot. Now, we're gonna take this other ball. This is for the handle part. Put it in that hole. Slide this down that slot. Sometimes you've gotta wiggle it a little bit. There we go. Now we can put the cover down.

Next, we're gonna take that connector for the window switch and we're gonna slide it in. Lock it in. You're gonna slide this groove up top near the window first. Push down and line these clips in. Give it a little push.

Next, we're gonna insert these Phillips head screws with our Phillips head screwdriver. Next one. And the last one.

Next, we're gonna put this trim piece on. Line it up down below. Just push. Next, we're gonna install this trim piece. Get it lined up and then push so it locks in place.

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