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ok all, so i figured this out and hopefully this will help someone else down the road.
I took the door panel off and found a steel bar with rubber on it laying on its side right where the window mechanism comes down.
Upon closer inspection, i figured out it was the door latch side window track. it had broken off the spot welds from the mounting bracket. Took it out, cleaned it up, reinstalled it and the window works perfectly!!
its a 2010. arent all the doors and windows the same?
there must be something thats out of adjustment. The passenger side rolls all the way down.
Depends on the year----if its pre-1992 then no they're not all the same. Beginning 1992 window regulators became cable operated, previously the older style worm and sector gear types----that's why I asked.
Your find was good investigating on your own and that lower track loose from the spot welds is a bit rare but not uncommon. I've replace more than a few of those in all sorts of vans and big trucks, almost always drivers side too.
lube all the rubbers with silicone spray and the window won't bind in the track and flex/break parts. amazing how well it works, even better when you do it from new.
lube all the rubbers with silicone spray and the window won't bind in the track and flex/break parts. amazing how well it works, even better when you do it from new.
Great idea----I use 3M's 08877 for a lot of things in my glass biz---along with being a lube it's also a preservative of sorts, keeping the glass run channels soft and pliable for years on end.
We do need to understand MotorMike's issue isn't common which is great news. Another fact is there is very, very little adjustment of any sort available with the '92 and later door glass. Mike's shown metal track can move back and forth a bit but not far enough towards the "loose" direction to cause the glass to fall out of the track and its rubber run channel.
Best adjustment there is loosen the lower mounting bolt, roll the window down until it bottoms out. Move the channel inward until it contacts the glass, back it off about 1/8"-3/16" at most, re-tighten the bolt.
Test the window operation---with the lube and that adjustment the glass should be trouble free for a long time.
Because the regulator is now a cable-driven system there's absolutely no adjustment of any kind. Once those fail or break its time for a new part.
I had a question about the broken spot welds, JW. Could that happen with someone prying on the glass to break into the van? Hard to tell from the photos if it was just fatigue or force that cracked the welds. jim
I had a question about the broken spot welds, JW. Could that happen with someone prying on the glass to break into the van? Hard to tell from the photos if it was just fatigue or force that cracked the welds. jim
Most likely not Jim----vandals almost always pry against the exposed glass which is above the channel MotorCar shows us. When prying against the glass it typically breaks, a small indentation in the exterior surrounding glass run channel that's part of an appearance molding too. Or they'll just break the glass to do a ****** and grab theft, hoping to not set off any vehicle alarms.
Those lower run channels tend to last darn near forever, MotorCar's experience a bit rare. That part isn't under any real mechanical stress per se which is why failures aren't too common I've seen this same thing across all sizes or types of vehicles brand notwithstanding, most likely just bad spot welds.
FWIW when repairing this part in the field I'll position the two parts to their original locations and secure them with self drilling Tek pan head screws. Remove the rubber channel and run the screws from inside the metal part so the heads become buried behind the rubber and not cause any damage or pressure on the glass as its lowered to its bottom limit.
I was having this issue too on my passenger side window and thought about the switch itself. I pulled the plastic cover off, disconnected the switch from the plug and the contact points were covered in corrosion since they're copper pins. Cleaned them off with a wire brush and it's working better now.
