Hi all!

Just replaced the driver's side regulator on my '95 SC400 with one that came out of a '94. Guy at the junkyard said they were the same part however, on parts websites, it looks like Toyota changed the part half way through the '94 model year. I ask because while the window rolls all the way up quite nicely, when rolled down, I find that it sticks out of the door by almost an inch. Looks fine but I can't rest my left arm on the door now with the window rolled down. It's minor and what a savings getting this off a junker for $75 vs. buying new at $1100 or even online for like $275 but could it be sticking out because it's the wrong part for my car? Or is the window out of alignment? Doesn't look to be...

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Charley

 

Different model years had different window regulators I'm afraid. From the outside and interior side everything is the same but internally the windows and their regulators had a couple of revisions over the course of 1992-2000 SC production.

Your research on Toyota parts websites is correct. The first revision came midway through model year 1994 and the second one may have been sometime during model year 1996 or 1997.

Keep in mind that you do not need the $1100 assembly. That is WITH the motor. If your window motor is still in good shape there is an alternative part number with just the appropriate model year regulator assembly into which you would swap your original window motor. That is the most common fix.

As such, I would suggest hanging onto your original 1995 regulator assembly with the motor attached until you have the correct replacement regulator so that you can just swap that into it and then install the completed assembly into your vehicle.

Sorry you had to go through this though. Since the cars don't appear to physically change at a glance for the entire production run the minor body revisions like these are not always well known.

 

Would you happen to know whether the difference was with the motor, regulator or both?

 

To the best of my knowledge it should be a difference in the regulator assembly itself and not the motor. However I would have to check into a couple of Toyota/Lexus EPC (parts catalogs) to be sure if the Right and Left motors had no revisions themselves between 92-00.

 

Thanks for the info. My driver side window had been acting up and I ordered a used regulator+motor off eBay. They didn't specify the year so I am not sure which one I ended up with. It would be great if the motors stayed the same throughout the years.