Window fell and won't go up?

[joe7987]

2003 Civic EX with electric windows

My driver's side window has been stuck for quite some time.... but it was stuck up and would not roll down via the button. Overnight, last night, it fell down.. and will not go back up. I tried manually pulling it up by wrapping the top of the window in paper towels and pulling it up with pliers, but it wouldn't budge.

Is this just a case of the window being off track? If so, do I just need to take the door apart and put it on track with my hands, or is there something else that needs to be done?

If not, what do you think it could be.. and can I fix it myself or do I need to bring it to a shop?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Puma]

Joe, it more than likely fell off it's track. Remove the door panel. If you want details about how, PM me. I can't tell you how many times I've pulled my door panels off, and I recently had to re-align my passenger window.

 

[joe7987]

I went to remove it... and I found a good explanation of how to do it... but there's this panel that is covering two of the screws. I can't figure out how to get it off. It's a panel that you would usually stick a flathead under and pry off, but there's not enough room between the panel and the door to get a flathead in there... any suggestions?

 

[Puma]

I went to remove it... and I found a good explanation of how to do it... but there's this panel that is covering two of the screws. I can't figure out how to get it off. It's a panel that you would usually stick a flathead under and pry off, but there's not enough room between the panel and the door to get a flathead in there... any suggestions?

I had to use a nubby one and little hands like mine.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

 

[joe7987]

Thanks Kelly. I don't think I have a screwdriver small enough, but I'll look around and see if I can improvise.

 

[Puma]

No problem....wish I could help ya!

 

[vjf915]

Title reminded me of this.....

 

[vjf915]

I've taken plenty of door panels off, but never worked with the window itself. Sorry Joe, good luck hun!

 

[joe7987]

I finally got that damn cover off.. found a really thin screwdriver.

Removed the armrest.... now I'm trying to figure out how to get the actual door handle off. I took the screws out... but it's attached to the rod that actually connects to the door making it open and close. Any clue how to remove the interior handle from that rod?

 

[joe7987]

Just read a site.. and I'm not sure if it was talking about the same thing or not... but it said I could turn the handle 90 degrees and then.. wiggle it out? This sound right?

 

[joe7987]

nm, got the handle off... just pulled it and it came off.

But I have a new issue. I got the plastic molding off... now how do I get the metal part off.... can I just undo the bolts? There seems like there might be other things holding it in....

 

[joe7987]

ok.. stupid.. I didn't need to take the metal part off.... but I am now in a new issue...

How do I put it back on track?.. I thought when I opened the door up it would be pretty apparent, but I have no clue...

 

[joe7987]

Hmm.. is there only one place to check to see if it's on track? If so.. I just saw a track picture.. and my window is on track. If not... I looked at the place toward the front of the door... where else do I look?

I plugged in the window switch so I could look at the mechanics... there's some sort of a coily thing that moves up and pushes against the window when I try to put the window up... is this supposed to do that? It looks like it's bending, but I don't know if it's supposed to do that or not...

 

[Puma]

Hmm.. is there only one place to check to see if it's on track? If so.. I just saw a track picture.. and my window is on track. If not... I looked at the place toward the front of the door... where else do I look?

I plugged in the window switch so I could look at the mechanics... there's some sort of a coily thing that moves up and pushes against the window when I try to put the window up... is this supposed to do that? It looks like it's bending, but I don't know if it's supposed to do that or not...

Hm, I don't have that since I have manual windows.
Does the glass drop either at the front or back more than the other? Have you ever replaced the regulators?

 

[joe7987]

The glass does not drop on one side more than the other (that I was able to see... kind of a confined space... but I don't think so).

I have never replaced regulators. I saw them mentioned a few times while looking up DIYs. What exactly are they?

 

[joe7987]

Brought it to Honda

 

[Puma]

Oh no..how much did they charge for that??

 

[joe7987]

Way too f**kin much.


My Dad was in town, so he came over to take a look at it to see if he had any ideas... Well, he went and manually started forcing the window, trying to make it come up (despite my telling him that the windows were designed to disallow manual raising). Well, he kept forcing... and eventually the window went up -

- after hearing a nice breaking sound and the clanking of newly separated metal and plastic. At this point, I didn't know if he had broken the regulator further, or if he had broken something else entirely. Despite the fact I wasn't even 100% sure it was the regulator to begin with, throwing in new variables gave me even more uncertainty.. and I decided it was ultimately best to just bring it to the shop.

If there's a next time, I'll be able to diagnose a regulator that needs to be replaced... so there was a lesson learned here, but for now, the shop will alleviate my pain and return functioning to my window.