Cars consist of 30 thousand parts, and each has a specific role. Engines provide power, wheels get cars moving, and seats offer safety and comfort. Besides obvious interior and exterior components, thousands of parts are hidden from view. It’s not until they fail that we discover how important they are.
Those lining the bodywork, such as panels, bumpers, lights, doors and windshields, are often easy to repair or replace. But it’s the smaller exterior car parts, like door actuators, window regulators, car body mounts and lift supports that keep everything in place and ensure all components work as they should. And it’s these that are often misunderstood, overlooked or extremely hard to find when looking for replacements.
Car Door Parts and Accessories
Doors allow access, lock the vehicle, and keep it safe from theft and tampering. Besides the inner and outer panels, dozens of parts enable doors to fulfill their primary role. Motors and actuators are the most common in cars with central locking, complemented by locks and latches. They allow doors to open and close.
Power lock actuators are found in almost every car today. They have internal motors, driving a set of interconnected gears, and are connected to latches. When the motors and gearset move the latches upward, they engage the outer door latch with the door-locking mechanism. With the latch down, the locking mech is disconnected, and doors can be locked by using buttons on the inside or with a key from the outside.
In addition, a centrifugal clutch allows door locks to be mechanically opened and closed when either the motor or actuator fails. Car manufacturers have thought things through, and this is a safety mechanism specifically useful for doors damaged during accidents.
Actuators and motors are generally reliable, but there are instances when they fail. The motors, gears, and connected wiring are susceptible to external factors such as heat and moisture but can also fail due to electrical and mechanical faults, including flat or dead batteries, rust buildup, and general wear.
Common signs that the door locks and the motors and actuators are failing and need replacing include:
- Inconsistency – failed actuators and damaged latches are the main reason doors won’t open and close consistently. Damage in the wiring, faulty motors and general electrical issues also mean doors open, close, lock and unlock on their own. This can be a safety and security threat, especially at highway speeds.
- Slow to engage – damaged internal components in motors are the main reason doors may take too much time to open or close.
- Grinding and whining noises – mechanical issues with bent rods and latches, electrical problems in the motors, and worn gears can also produce a cacophony of sounds when pressing buttons and key fobs to engage the doors.
Replacement door parts are easy to find and generally easy to repair, with reasonable labor costs. Powered locks are fitted to passenger doors and tailgates, and are easy to diagnose. Shop by your car’s VIN, dot down the part number where possible and choose between OEM or aftermarket parts.
Window Regulators
These are the exterior car parts that lift and lower the door windows. They come in two basic types – manual or powered, Manual versions are low cost, simple and reliable, and operated by turning a crank. They’re found in older or entry-level vehicles and usually rely on scissor lift mechanisms. These consist of a main and auxiliary arm attached to a tray, which are connected by a hinge and slide on wheels. While durable, the wheels and hinges can wear down or break, tilting the window and causing grinding noises.
Powered windows are more common and use motors, cables, or gears to lift and lower the glass, and many include worm gears to prevent accidental opening or closing. Cable window regulators are more common, have a smaller footprint, and save weight and space in the door panel. They are, however, a more complex design, so they are harder to repair if cables, pulleys, brackets, window guides, or other parts fail.
Regulators are sold for the front and rear variants, with the driver-side paired with wiring that allows the opening and closing of all windows. If you notice slower operating speeds, windows that fail to open or close, or windows that are stuck, it is time to inspect the internal components and, in powered types, the wiring and fuses in the fuse box.
Lift Supports
Lift supports or gas struts are rods filled with pressurized gas and lubricant used to lift, lower, or position hoods, doors, latches, and tailgates. They can be manually or electrically powered. The design of both is simple – a sealed, gas-filled outer steel cylinder houses a rod and piston, while gases lift and lower the rod and the attached component. Electric variants include motors and wiring and are operated from inside the car or using the key fob.
Lift supports are calibrated to support the weight of the connected automotive exterior parts. This means different sizes and diameters are able to carry different loads. Some also include adjustable compression rates to increase or decrease opening and closing speeds or vary the damping rate. Moreover, there are lift supports with locking mechanisms for more control when handling hoods, tailgates, or other parts.
The most common lift support issues are gas leaks from worn seals, loss of pressure, and corrosion. The components though are very cheap to replace (apart from the motors in powered versions) and easy to find. Go with approved replacements (either OEM or aftermarket) for the application and car model to ensure easy, hands-free opening and closing.
Windshield Wipers
Depending on where you live, how often and where you drive, you’ll be replacing wiper blades more often than any other exterior car part. Blades get damaged from heat, UV rays, road debris, grease, and general wear.
Replacements can be conventional wipers with an articulated frame and attached blade, flat wipers with thicker rubber inserts and mid-section connection block, and hybrid types with revised frame designs to push the wiper against the glass. The parts are operated by a wiper pump, located in the windshield cowl, or the engine bay.
When replacing worn wipers, consider size, left and right orientation, the quality of the rubber or silicone inserts, and how effective they are in avoiding streaks, clearing dust, and other contaminants. Look for established parts brands and limited-time warranties to get your money’s worth.
