How To Replace The Driver Side Window In A Chevy Truck [Step By Step Guide]

Do you have a crack on the driver’s side window of your Chevy truck, and do you want to know how to replace it? You’ve come to the right place, for we have researched this question, and we have the answer for you.

Here is a summary of the steps to replace the driver’s side window of your Chevy truck

  1. Remove the door panels.
  2. Disconnect the wire harnesses.
  3. Disconnect the door lock.
  4. Remove the water shield from the door.
  5. Separate the window from the clamps that hold it in place.
  6. Pull the window up to separate it from the channel.
  7. Let the front of the window fall into the channel.
  8. Pull the back of the window out of the channel, rear first, until you get the entire window off.
  9. Insert the new window, front first.
  10. Lower the whole window into the channel.
  11. Raise the window to get it into the clamps.
  12. Install the clamps on the window.
  13. Reinstall the water shield.
  14. Reinstall the door panel.

Let’s talk about the complete steps of replacing the driver’s side window in the succeeding sections.

Read on!

What the driver’s side windows are made of?

When you remove the driver’s side window, you get the chance to choose the type of glass that you’d like to use. You can choose between tempered glass or laminated glass.

Each of these two has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a closer look at them below.

Tempered Glass

Tempered clear float glass panels cut to size

Tempered glass is safer and stronger than regular glass.

When regular glass breaks, it breaks into several sharp pieces that can cause contact injury. Tempered glass, on the other hand, breaks into small cube-like pieces. This means it is far less likely to cause injury if it breaks.

Laminated Glass

Glass laminates for installation on buildings

Laminated glass, on the other hand, consists of two or more layers of glass. There is a laminate compound between the different layers of glass that hold the glass layers together.

There are many different laminate compounds in laminated glass. Typical choices are PVB (polyvinyl butyral), EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), or a cast-in-place liquid resin.

The interlayer supports and holds the glass in place even when broken. This prevents the glass from creating sharp pieces when it breaks.

Another benefit of laminated glass is that it provides insulation for your vehicle. The laminate layer is effective in keeping UV rays out of your car. Additionally, laminated glass provides noise-reduction properties to the window of your Chevy.

How to replace the driver-side window in a Chevy truck?

Broken driver side window

Here are the complete steps to replace the driver’s side window on your Chevy. It is a good idea to have the replacement window ready before you start the removal process. That way, your Chevy truck will not be left open while you wait for a replacement window.

Preparing Your Truck

  1. Park your truck on level ground.
  2. Activate the parking brake.
  3. Set the gear shifter to Park(P).
  4. Turn off the indoor lights. The lights of your Chevy will normally turn on if you open the doors. This is the middle setting of the switch. The rightmost setting will turn the light on whether the doors are open or not. The leftmost switch setting will turn off the lights. Set the switch to the left to prevent the light from draining the battery while you work on the glass of the door since the door will be open the entire time.
  5. Lower the window by about six inches.

Removing The Door Panel

Removing the door panel, How To Replace The Driver Side Window In A Chevy Truck [Step By Step Guide]

  1. Use a plastic trim remover to remove the cover behind the door latch. There is a small indent at the bottom of the cover where you can insert the trim remover. Pull the cover off to reveal a bolt behind the door latch.
    • You can also use a small flathead screwdriver to remove the cover. However, this will scratch the door panel and cover.
  1. Remove another cover at the bottom of the door handle using the trim remover.
  2. Use the trim remover to peel off the panel below the door buttons and switches. It is held in place with clips like the first two covers.
  3. Remove the metal clips that hold the cover in place.
    • Not all the clips will be on the door. Some will go with the cover.
    • If the metal clip fell inside the door, retrieve them later after you remove the panel.
  1. Install the metal clips back into the panel cover.
  2. Remove the bolts that hold the panel in place with a socket and extension.
    • There is one behind the first cover.
    • Two bolts are under the second cover.
    • One bolt deep inside the last cover.
    • Two under the panel.
  1. Grip the door panel at the lower right corner and at the bottom tray close to the speaker. Yank it off the door, starting at that area. Work your way around the door panel, unclipping it until you’re able to remove it.
  2. Unclip the door cable by pressing the lock to release it. Move the cable forward to unlatch the end of the cable.
  3. Locate the electrical connector near the bottom of the door. Push the black locking tab while pulling the gray lever. Pull the gray tab all the way to release the electronic harness.

Tresalto Plastic Trim Removal Tool Set is available on Amazon through this link.

Removing The Window Panel

Man repairs the glass in the car door

  1. Use a trim remover with a claw tip to unlock the window panel from the back of the side mirror.
  2. Do the same thing for a similar clip on the other side of the panel.
  3. Once you release the bottom clip, just pull the panel off from the clips around the window.
    • Most of the time, the window weatherstrip will go with the panel when you pull it off.
    • Apply a downward force to peel the weatherstrip off the panel. Then pull up to release the clip.
    • Remove the clips from the weatherstrip and set them aside, making sure you have all of them before you reinstall the weatherstrip later.

EPAuto Drive Socket Set is available on Amazon through this link.

Uninstalling The Water Shield

  1. Remove the two bolts that keep the bracket in place.
  2. Start peeling the water shield gently from the bottom. Make sure that you don’t tear the water shield while pulling it off.
    • When pulling the water shield off, make sure you get as much of the adhesive as you can.

Uninstalling The Window

  1. Look for a round rubber seal near the outer edge of the door. Remove this cover by peeling it off the door.
  2. Look for the bolt from under the rubber seal. Two bolts hold the window to the regulator. The second bolt is inside another hole similar to the hole with the rubber seal.
  3. Loosen these two bolts without removing them.
  4. Remove the window from the clamps that hold it in place.
  5. Grab the windows from the top and lower them into the door cavity.
    • Let the front part of the window go lower than the back part.
  1. When the front is completely inside the door cavity, start to lift the rear part of the window.
  2. Move the rear part of the window outside of the frame as you lift it out.
    • The window can be heavy and slippery. Be careful in pulling it out.
  1. Set the old window aside once you get it out.

Installing The New Window

  1. Insert the window with the front side first. Make sure that the front side goes into the front rubber channel as you slide it down.
  2. Slide the window down until the front part is inside the door cavity.
    • Make sure that the rear part of the window also slides into the rear rubber channel.
  1. Slide the window forward so that the top front area moves towards the front of the door cavity.
  2. Start to lower the rear part of the window.
  3. Lower the rear part of the window as you slide the front upward to move the window back to its original position.
  4. Lower the window to get to the window regulator inside the cavity.
  5. Reinstall the clamps to secure the window.
  6. Reinstall the clips for the weatherstripping. There are areas on the inside metal of the door where you can install the clips.
  7. Install the weatherstripping. Insert the weatherstripping on the metal clips.
  8. Connect the wire harness to the door panel.
  9. Test the new window. Raise it and then lower it using the door controls to make sure that it is in the correct position.
  10. Tighten the bolts on the clamps.
  11. Do another test to lower the window using the door controls. Try to raise it once more. Make sure that the window goes up and down smoothly without any interruptions.

Finishing Up

  1. Insert the door cable through the water shield.
  2. Reinstall the water shield.
  3. Make sure the clips are in place before you reinstall the bracket.
  4. Reinstall the rubber cover.
  5. Align the top window panel and clip it back into place. Replace fasteners that are broken or missing.
  6. Reconnect the cables to the door panel.
  7. Reinstall the door panel.
  8. Reinstall the bolts.
  9. Put the three covers back into their places.

Ginsco Push Fasteners are available on Amazon through this link.

Conclusion

Replacing the driver’s side window in a Chevy truck requires that you remove the door panel first.

If you enjoyed reading this article, you might find the articles below equally enjoyable to read:

Chevy Silverado ABS And Brake Light On – Why And What To Do?

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