A new car from the dealer can work great on average for about five years and, depending on the care and maintenance given to it, it can run smoothly for much longer.
However, with the passage of time, one of the most common problems that arise has to do with the side windows of the car, and who hasn’t had one of them get stuck or even worse not stay up, but collapses disappearing into the door?
This is really disturbing because if the glass does not stay up, your car is exposed to inclement weather and thieves as well. So, if you have gone through this unpleasant experience, you may be wondering if it is possible to fix it at home without going to the garage and save some money. Actually, everything will depend on the knowledge, technical skill, and patience you may have in order to tackle the problem.
Next, we will present to you in the simplest possible way how to fix a car window that won’t stay up. To do this you will need to know:
- Window lifter operating mechanism
- Possible causes of window lifter malfunction.
- Ways to fix a car window that won’t stay up
Window Regulator Operating Mechanism
The window regulator is the system that makes it possible for the glass to be raised (and remain in place) and lowered according to our order or desire. To do this, the glass is supported by staples or pins on a rail that helps it to move stably inside the door and outside. For this to happen, it must be connected to a manual or electric lifting mechanism activated by a manual handle or knob, or by an electric motor activated by push buttons.
Possible Causes Of Window Regulator Malfunctions
In order to proceed to repair the window glass of the car, it is good that you keep in mind the possible causes of the malfunction it presents and identify what is the particular case of your car and thus know how you can address the problem in the most effective and practical way possible. Also, knowing what is causing the malfunction will help you decide if you can repair it yourself or if you need the help of an expert mechanic. Here are some ideas.
- The gears of the electric window lifters must fit perfectly together, therefore, any dirt that adheres to the window glass and that when lowering and raising can stick to the gears, may cause some blockage in the mechanism hindering its normal operation.
- Damage or wear of the cables and pulleys, causing the glass to come out of the guide rail, making it difficult to operate the glass at the correct angles.
- That a fuse has blown in the case of electric window lifts.
- Damage to the window lifting motor.
How To Fix A Car Window That Won’T Stay Up
Here are the steps to proceed to repair the glass pane of a side window of the car that fell down:
1. Disassemble the inner door panel
Disassemble the inner panel of the door to expose the window regulator and the window glass. To do this, carefully remove the rivets fixing the panel to the metal door, in case the rivets get stuck it is advisable not to pull with extreme force to remove the panel, the most advisable will be to use the appropriate tools to facilitate the disassembly process.
2. Raising the door glass manually
Raise the door glass manually, taking care not to remove it completely from the frame. There are holes in the metal door through which you can help you to raise the glass mechanically.
3. Adjusting the bolts
Generally, the glass is fixed to the window lift mechanism by means of bolts that go through holes through the glass, when these bolts become to lose the window glass can fall into the door. To correct the malfunction hold the glass in place and proceed to gently adjust the bolts or in case of working with clips, tighten or pinch them.
4. Fixing the window
If you notice that the windowpane is out of place under the track, you must fix the pane tightly, regardless of whether you are talking about the track or clips. If the glass has become loose or detached, it is a reason for it to have fallen down.
In the case of the previous point, it is recommended that you proceed to glue it with the use of a special glue (the windshield glue works in this case) do not use homemade glue or quick use.
If the glass of the side door to be treated uses staples for its fixation and these have broken or stretched, you will have to replace them.
5. Clean the glass
If you used glue to fix the glass, before reassembling the door panel, clean all the surfaces that were exposed to the chemical, touch up the glue, let it dry and proceed to reassemble the car door.
6. Wrap
In the case of having carried out step 4, check the operation of the window lifter mechanism and, if it works correctly, proceed to assemble the panel by placing and adjusting the rivets in place.
If the malfunction is due to a broken or damaged pulley, try to repair or replace it.
If a fuse is blown, you will need to replace it, so refer to the manufacturer’s manual or the diagram that some cars have engraved on the door for guidance in locating the fuse box.
Final Thoughts – How to Fix a Car Window
As we have seen, in order to repair the window of a car that does not stay up, it is essential that you first diagnose the possible cause of the malfunction and based on it decide how to repair it. Generally, it is due to the disengagement of the glass cloth to the window lifter mechanism, so once the glass is fixed to the mechanism, you will have solved the problem.
