Do you still remember how frustrated you got when you were getting late for a meeting but the car window won’t roll up? You have tried everything but nothing seems to work. Sometimes these small things can cause a lot of trouble in your vehicle.
There are a few reasons which contribute to a car window not going up. These are extremely small reasons but are powerful enough to take you on a ride if they are not detected. It is always better to equip yourself with these ways to fix your car window.
Reasons Explained
There are a lot of small reasons that can cause this to happen. It does not matter whether you have wedged windows or automatic windows. There are some reasons which remain the same in both cases. Here is a list of some of those reasons.
Checking The Child Safety Lock
You can scan the pages of the owner s manual and yet you will miss the most obvious places when your car’s window won’t go up. The child lock feature is an extended safety measure to ensure the maximum safety of small kids. It blocks all the features which a child can accidentally press.
The doors and windows of your car will get locked until you deactivate the feature. The steps to do this are very simple. You have to locate the button which will ideally be placed on the door of your car. You can turn the feature on and off at your convenience.
Understanding The Fuses
It might sound very intimidating to meddle with the fuse box of your car. However, it is completely safe if your hands are dry and your engine is shut.
All you have to do is to ascertain which is the fuse that is responsible for the power windows. Once you find that, you have to ensure that the connection is unrestricted and the power is flowing. You might happen to see a blown fuse that will have to be replaced. All the information regarding every fuse in the box comes printed in the owner s manual.
Checking Window Motor
There can be a situation in which your switch is working well but the inner motor is causing all the trouble. In such cases, you have to ascertain this irregularity. Push the button and bring your ear closer to the window. If you hear some noises after a small pause, the window motor is not functioning properly.
You will have to get the motor repaired or replaced with the help of a mechanic or you can repair it yourself.
Bad Switch
A bad switch is a very common failure in the case of power windows. The switches turn bad and stop working after rough usage. If the windows are taking some seconds to go up and down after pressing the switch, you should replace the switch.
You can also experience this situation in which only the front seat switches are working. This can happen when only the local switch has turned bad. You can use the primary switch pad present at the inside of the door on the driver side to move all the windows. It is a physical issue and is a very easy window repair.
Snow
Snow is responsible for wearing out the window switches by putting extra requirements on them. It gets stuck in the cavity sometimes and causes the glass to stay inside. If you live in a region where snowfalls are common, you should always make sure that your vehicle is covered with a proper car cover.
Battery Issues
Automatic switches are a great source to identify when your battery is running low. The power windows require a very minimal amount of power to function. However, when the battery levels are low, all the reserves are used for ignition.
You should always make sure that you turn your headlights off after use. Headlights are responsible for draining the battery if they are not turned off on time.
Wiring Defect
As simple as it may sound, it is responsible for a lot of stuck windows. There are a lot of wires involved in the process of connecting these small parts to the battery. These wires are very sensitively attached and can be dislocated.
The wires located in the door have a high chance of getting dislocated because of dents and collisions. In such a case, the best option is to consult a professional.
How To Fix A Stuck Car With This Problem?
If you can use a toolbox, you will be fine with some of the above-mentioned defects. Here are some quick fixes to fix a stuck car.
Slamming The Door
Slamming the door might ease off the door panel and can help with the stuck car window. You just have to keep your car in the ignition, push the switch down and then slam the door. You should be easy while doing it to avoid having a broken door.
If slamming does not work, you can also try hitting the door to initiate mobility. If the window glass comes up, do not push it back down until you can get the issue checked.
Palming The Glass
Palming the glass is the best temporary repair that you can apply without much hassle. You just have to be tender while doing it. The simple steps are to turn on the ignition, push the switch down and then push the glass upwards. This will ease off the snow that is trapped inside the panels if any.
You should be very alert while palming the glass. In case of the glass gains momentum, you should be quick enough to withdraw your hands.
Changing The Fuse
If you have a basic toolbox, the desired fuse, and some time in your hand, it is very easy to repair the fuse. A blown fuse is a very common issue and therefore it is sensible to keep a few fuses handy.
You have to go through the owner’s manual to find the location of the fuse box. Once you find the fuse box, you will have to see which fuse pertains to the window switches. After identification, you can pull the blown fuse straight out of its cradle. It is very important to be gentle so that the other connections are not hampered.
Post arranging the desired fuse, you can simply push the new fuse inside the cradle. The windows will roll up after the fuse is inserted correctly.
Gasket Overhaul
The gaskets and seals are extremely important for the windows to function properly. They hold the window between very small margins and thus you should repair them in due intervals.
if you want to repair the gasket yourself, you can start by pulling it off the door. After removing it, you should examine it for any unwanted objects. Sometimes small pebbles and snow get stuck in the gasket to obstruct the smooth motion of the window.
After you are done picking out these objects, you must wipe the entire gasket with acetone. Acetone removes any greasy elements and dirt particles that might be stuck in the panel. However, make sure that you apply the acetone very gently. It can harm the paint job of the car with direct contact. You can also apply some silicone spray to ensure maximum smoothness.
Fixing The Wiring Of Your Power Window
If you are willing, you can find all the information about the wires that constitute the assembly. After identifying the wire, you should ensure that the wire is not broken. Post-inspection, you have to check whether the flow of electricity is perfect. A multimeter can be used to ascertain whether the switch is getting the right voltage or not.
A thorough inspection of the wire should be done before accessing the motor. Once you reach the motor, you must check whether the power supply is ample or not. The last reason after identifying everything else is dirt and corrosion.
These anomalies cause the connection to turn weak and then eventually get loosened. You can use a brush or a piece of cloth to remove this so that it can stop creating a problem.
Replacing The Switch
As mentioned before, one of the most common reasons why your car window wont roll up is the switch turning bad. You could either feel the switch turning loose or it could be damaged internally.
The best-case scenario in these situations is to keep these switches handy. You can avoid consulting a professional if you know how to go about changing the switchboard. You have to follow some very simple steps if you want to save your time!
The very first step is to locate the window switch panel which will be situated at the side of your car’s door panel. You have to extract that whole assembly by using a pry tool. Prying can harm your interiors and you should be very careful when you are doing it. After you are done extracting it, you have to remove all the wires from the panel so that each wire can be checked. You can take the help of a multimeter to check whether you are getting the required supply of 12 volts or not.
If there are any loose connections, you can tighten the wiring and also remove any corrosion or dirt that might have been accumulated. The last step is to replace the old assembly with a new panel. This is a very easy process if you have the tiniest experience of handling wires and tools.
Changing The Window Motor
Whenever you are dealing with bigger issues like the power window motor not working, your first choice should be consulting someone with technical skills. The process seems fairly easy but you want some first-hand experience before starting it.
The first step is to remove the door panel so that you can access the motor directly. Various cars have different door designs. You might have to take the help of some tools like screwdrivers and prying tools. After accessing the motor, you have to ascertain whether the motor is getting the desired voltage or not. Each motor has a specific requirement and therefore you should read the owner’s manual.
If you observe that there is an unrestricted flow of power to the motor, your biggest horror turns true. This means that the motor is not working properly and you have to replace it. To replace the motor, you have to unplug it from the assembly.
Then, you will have to loosen the bolts that hold the glass and regulator together. It is a very delicate step and you should be very careful so that the glass does not break. Push the window up and then hold it there. You can use some adhesive like tape to stick it to the door as well.
The final step is to install a new motor and put everything back inside. The whole process is a very time-consuming one and requires expertise.
Final Words
Many small reasons and defects miss our attention daily. In the case of an emergency, you must always have some knowledge to plant a quick fix. Many companies have on-call assistance and you can contact them to help you out too. You just need to make a few calls and give out instructions so that they can track you at the earliest.
These car windows are a very small element in the technologically advanced cars that are out in the open. However, they are big enough to halt you from the day’s schedule if they turn bad. You can follow these steps if your car’s window won’t go up from the next time.