Hi guys,

My 2003 Discovery, specifically the right front passenger door, has gone through 3 window regulators and 4 motors in my 5 years of ownership.
When I got the truck, the window did not move, the motor was replaced and failed again a few months later. I have been going through this same cycle now for 5 years. Thankfully it has become a 15 minute job for me.

According to the Carfax, the window regulator and motor was replaced at 1,573 miles, before its first ever service, and has been replaced many times through the life of the truck by Land Rover before I owned it.

Is this some sort of manufacturing defect from the factory? Has anyone experienced anything like this before?

 

It's very common for them to fail. Just another of the dozens of poor engineering choices by Land Rover. I'm no expert but to me it seems like the design of the door means water and moisture get into the inside of the door pretty easily. Additionally, it seems like the motors consistently get rust and grime inside of them, so probably a poor choice of component supplier by Land Rover.

I'm sure someone else can chime in with much better info, that's just my amateur take and experience.

 

No, not normal to fail that much though. Maybe you see one or two failures in the same door over the life of a Disco, but not that many. That’s an odd one. And to be happening since new...

I had a Range Rover Classic (well still technically have it) whereby the track the drivers window slides was way too tight on the window and it was killing motors on my drivers door. By track I mean the rubber sliding part the edge of the window goes up and down in that goes inside the window//door frame. I’d replace a window motor with a new one, and a few months later, the motor would stop working. The track go severely gummed up by being parked outside for 20 years under a tree and someone put some grease in it that turned the rubber window frame track to utter sludge / goop -- and that resistance of the window against that frame was burning out window motors, it took out 3 window motors summer 2023. Burned them out. And stripped one window regulator's teeth. Once I removed and replaced the rubber “track” the window slides in, it’s been fine.

Either something liike that or your upper door frame is out of alignment, putting weird pressure on things. But I feel like your window would be slow going up and you’d have air leakage on the highway.

 

I agree with @nashvegas that it sounds like there is a physical restriction somewhere. How have the regulators failed? When you've done repairs in the past, have you checked to see how easily the window moves with the motor removed?

 

They moved just fine really. The first 2 regulators stripped. And I havent really checked to see how the window moves without the motor. I will try and see how it operates. The window just failed again a few days ago so its time for the 5th motor. LOL

 

Did the motor get rusty internally, that is what happened to mine.

 

Mr. Adalton, try making the door/window space, water tight. I went through quite a few motors/regulators, until my mechanic discovered that the motors were "shorting" because they were getting wet when the water was leaking through the door on to the window motor....He did it by sealing the window enclosure with plastic as it came from the assembly line. Try that with a new motor and let me know how long it lasts. Good luck, Mando

 

Mr. Adalton, try making the door/window space, water tight. I went through quite a few motors/regulators, until my mechanic discovered that the motors were "shorting" because they were getting wet when the water was leaking through the door on to the window motor....He did it by sealing the window enclosure with plastic as it came from the assembly line. Try that with a new motor and let me know how long it lasts. Good luck, Mando