A car window that won’t stay up is a frustrating issue. It’s possible to fix it, thankfully! How to fix a car window that won’t stay up?
Temporary fixes for a car window that won’t stay up are as follows:
- Wedge
- Vise-Grip
- Use Duct Tape
- Use Suction Cups
- Square Dowels
- Slam the Door
For fixing a broken power window, here are some of the steps to try:
- Press the Up/Down Switch of the Faulty Window
- Check the Driver’s Lock-out Switch
- Check the Relay or a Fuse
- Clean the Dirty Window Guide
- Get Your Car to a Car Repair Shop
For fixing a manual power window, here are some of the steps to try:
- Replace Plastic Gears
- Get a Screwdriver to Fix Misaligned Regulator
- Remove Door Panel and Check Regulator Track
The permanent fix to this problem can take several steps and will take time. A temporary fix will solve the issue until you can drive home or to a mechanic for further investigation.
Most car window problems are caused by a failing drive/lifting system. It doesn’t matter whether it is an electric or power car window or a manually operated car window. Both manual and power car windows can be fixed almost in the same way.
Read on to learn more about the quick fix and permanent fix of car windows that won’t stay up and the common causes of this problem.
How to Fix a Car Window That Won’t Stay Up
There’s a quick fix and a permanent fix if a car window falls instead of staying up. Once you have performed this temporary fix, you have to get the car to a mechanic to permanently fix the window so that this problem won’t bother you anymore. You can also fix it yourself.
You can avoid an accident by knowing how to fix it quickly. If you try to fix the window while your car is running, you might run into a vehicular accident.
The best way is to slow down, pull over on the shoulder of the road and stop your car. Do the quick fix.
Once you’ve done the quick fix, drive your car to the nearest car repair shop and have the window mechanism examined by a qualified car technician. You can also drive your car home to do the permanent repair after you’re done with your business. This article will show you how to do this.
Temporary Fix for Car Window That Won’t Stay Up
When the car window falls on its own, there are several ways you can fix it quickly.
A temporary fix for a car window that won’t stay in its place will not actually solve the problem, but at least the window will stay up as you drive your car:
1. Wedge
Look for something inside your car that can be used as a wedge. This wedge should be placed between the glass window and the car’s window sill. Hopefully, this trick will help the window to stay up.
2. Vise-Grip
If you have a vise grip in your car toolset, you can use it to keep the car window up. The vice grip can be wedged between the window and the car door frame. The vice grip will hold onto the window’s top.
3. Duct Tape
Get some duct tape and use it to tape the car window’s edges to the car door’s window frame. Duct tape will protect the window from water and moisture, even if it’s raining outside.
The duct tape can be used to attach the duct tape around the frame of the window and to the window when it is still up. If the car window falls after applying duct tape, try a stronger adhesive tape.
4. Suction Cups
Get a couple of suction cups with pop handles or metal hooks. Stick these cups to the bottom part of the car window. The suction cups’ handles will keep the window from falling.
5. Square Dowels
When your car window falls, buy a couple of square dowels from a hardware store. Place them between your car’s bottom and the bottom glass window.
If the dowels successfully hold the window up, dab silicone gel on the top and bottom ends of the window to keep it in place.
6. Slam the Door
- Turn the ignition on the accessory position. The radio should turn on, and the other windows should roll up and down except the faulty window;
- Press and hold the switch of the defective window in the up or close position. Make sure that it is the close position that you are depressing; and
- Open and slam the door close. Check to see if the window can be rolled upward and downward. If it still does not, do it again a couple of times more. Keep the button down until it works. The window should now work.
How Do Car Windows Work and Fail?
All car windows, whether manual or powered, have a part that is called a window regulator. This regulator raises and lowers the window through the inside channels attached to the door frame.
Working Principle
There are two kinds of regulators used in modern cars: power windows and another for manual windows. Both operate on the same principle.
Power Window
A power window uses a cable-driven system. This system uses an electric motor that moves a cable through a pulley system. This system raises and lowers the window. This system has many parts that can wear.
Manually Operated Window
A manually operated window has a parallelogram type of mechanism, which basically looks like a pair of scissors. This system also has crank gears that rotate the angle on a regulator’s arm.
This triggers the pivot point and moves another arm connected to the window track, which results in moving the window either up or down.
Causes of a Car Window That Falls Down
As you can see, power and manual windows, although working on the same principle, have different components. There are many reasons they may fail.
Manually Operated Windows
Manually operated windows have hand cranks and mechanical regulators that lower and raise the glass window. The regulator’s gears can get stripped, the regulator can get stuck because of dried lubricant or lack of lubrication, and the regulator can bend or get deformed.
Power Windows
Power windows use reversible electric motors. These motors are connected to electric regulators that lower and raise the glass window. The whole system is connected by wiring and switches that allow or cut off electricity.
Regulators can become stuck and electric motors or switches can fail.
Troubleshooting Power Windows That Fail
If your power windows fail, it could be one of three primary things: a burned-out motor, a bad switch, or a blown fuse. You could have a jammed, bent or worn out window regulator.
However, this is very rare. How can you fix a failing power window?
1. Check If There Is Power Going to the Motor
If the motor’s power is grounded, but the windows won’t go up or down, the motor is bad.
2. Check the Fuses
If the windows can’t roll down or up, check the fuses for continuity. If a fuse doesn’t have continuity, replace it. Check that the switches are pushed in order to check if the windows work. If they are working, the problem is solved. If your windows are not working, you can continue to test the fuse.
3. Check Power to the Switch
If there is power and ground, the electrical wiring or the motor can be bad.
4. Check the Safety Lock-out Switch
If this switch is activated, you won’t be able to roll the window up or down.
5. Try the Main Switch
If a passenger-side car window won’t stay up or is not working, try to operate it through the main switch at the driver’s side of the center console. The passenger side window switch may be to blame if the window moves up or down.
6. Push the Switch and Check the Volt Gauge on the Dashboard
If the volt gauge moves when you hit the switch, the culprit could be the electric motor.
7. Listen as You Push the Switch up and Down
If there is a sound inside the door, the switch is good. You could have a stuck regulator or an electric motor that is not working.
8. Swap Switches If You Can
If your car has identical car window switches, swap a switch from a window that moves to the window switch that does not move. If the window stops working, the switch is defective.
Again, how to fix a car window that won’t stay up? There is a temporary and permanent remedy for a car window that won’t stay up. You can apply a temporary fix, then get it permanently fixed once you arrive home or get to a repair shop.
How to Fix a Power Car Window?
Here are some ways to fix a faulty power window permanently:
1. Press the Up/Down Switch of the Faulty Window
Press the up/down switch off the faulty window and listen for a whirring sound. The motor or switch could be to blame if there is no sound. It is easier to replace the switch so check it first.
2. Check the Driver’s Lock-out Switch
If it is only the rear windows that don’t work, check the driver’s lock-out switch. It may have been accidentally pressed, causing the rear windows to close automatically.
3. Check the Relay or a Fuse
If all the windows are not working properly, the problem could be a relay or a fuse. In modern cars, a computer module connected to the motor counts the gear revolutions of the regulator.
It keeps track of the position of the window and when to stop raising the window. If this module was disconnected or has lost power, it can’t determine if the window is down or up.
This module needs to be restarted. Perhaps you don’t know how to do this, so it is best to let a car shop or a car dealer fix it.
4. Dirty Window Guide
If there is some hesitation as the window goes up or down, a dirty window guide likely causes the problem. For fully-framed windows, the frame’s right and left sides serve as guides for the glass.
Spray some silicone grease on the guides to clean them. Then lower and raise the window a couple of times to see if it solves the problem.
5. Get Your Car to a Car Repair Shop
Some of these fixes are beyond the capability of the typical car owner. If you find that you can’t perform the fix, get your car to a car repair shop and have them fix your car window problems.
How to Fix a Manual Car Window?
It is frustrating if your car window won’t stay up. There are options. Fixing a manually operated car window is the simplest. Manual car windows are made of simple parts built solidly to last for the car’s lifetime, provided they are used sensibly and maintained regularly.
Window issues can occur if your car has been neglected or is older. If you crank the handle up or down and nothing happens, either the regulator is already off its track, or the crank’s gears are already worn out.
1. Replace Plastic Gears
There are crank gears that are made of plastic. Plastic gears don’t fare too well compared to those made of steel. Due to repeated use, plastic gears wear down more quickly than metal ones.
You have to replace this gear with a new one. This is a job for the mechanically inclined. It is best to take your car to the nearest car repair shop to have it replaced.
2. Regulator Misaligned from Its Lower Track
Your window will also have problems if the regulator is misaligned from its lower track. This condition can cause problems with the pivot point.
This will restrict the movement of the regulator’s arms. The regulator will lock the window in place. Get a screwdriver and use it for popping off the crank handle. Check the gear teeth.
3. Remove Door Panel and Check Regulator Track
If there is no problem with the teeth, remove the door panel and check the regulator track. If you’re unable to turn the crank handle, the regulator might be stuck. The small wheels could cause this on the track catching on to something.
Take out the door panel and replace the handle. Rotate the handle to check if there are any issues with the track. Take out any obstructions. If you think you can’t solve the problem, drive your car to the nearest repair shop.
Conclusion: Car Window Won’t Stay Up – Car Window Falls Down
There’s a temporary and permanent fix to this problem. Permanent solutions can be complicated and take time. If you are already on the road, there’s a temporary fix that will help keep the car window from falling.
This will also allow you to drive home or drive to the nearest repair shop to see what’s wrong with the window mechanism and have it fixed.
Again, for a quick or temporary fix for a car window that won’t stay up, here’s what you can do:
- Wedge
- Vise-Grip
- Duct Tape
- Suction Cups
- Square Dowels
- Slam the Door
For fixing a broken power window, here are some of the steps to try:
- Press the Up/Down Switch of the Faulty Window
- Check the Driver’s Lock-out Switch
- Check the Relay or a Fuse
- Clean the Dirty Window Guide
- Get Your Car to a Car Repair Shop
If you have a manual car window, here are things you can do:
- Replace Plastic Gears
- Get a Screwdriver to Fix Misaligned Regulator
- Remove Door Panel and Check Regulator Track
