Door window... open, stuck in a complicated way.

[drowningbitbybit]

I knew it was going to go, and then it did, which is a moral about rectifying issues as soon as you can.

The window winder went clunk, clunk, CLUNK, and then the glass disappeared below the window.
Ah, say the kombi experts, that'll be the window lifter channel... well, yes, but it's more complicated than that.

The glass has sunk all the way to the bottom, but the window lifter channel (and the bracket of the window winder - it's hard to see) have somehow managed to end up at the top of the glass.
Impossible to get a photo of unfortunately but if you peel back the rubber seals and peer down where the window ought to slide, the channel is at the top (angled and not completely clearing the glass) plus the screws and bracket (and possibly more) of the winder mechanism. So the channel won't go up through the gap to the window, and it's wedged into the window so tightly that it won't go down either.

Short of smashing the glass to then drop the channel plus associated goodies out, I'm stuck.

Suggestions welcome!

[Oldman]

Remove the winder, door pull and door opening levers……work your way around the door card with a nylon scraper, or similar, to pop the door card clips out of their holes and remove the door card…..now you’ll get a good look at the aftermath.
Very good chance that the bracket that is spot welded to the lifting channel has sheared off/failed, causing the glass to drop. If you loosen the bolts that whole winder actuator mechanism, you should be able to relieve some of the pressure on the glass……..go slowly, you’ll get there !

[Barry]

As mark said. 

Be VERY careful with the door card is you have one of the stupid vents in the corner. 
Break easily. 

I have had similar where the bottom bracket rusts and looses it’s grip on the glass. 
You wind down and the glass stays put as its tight. 
Then it frees up and drops. 
One day it misses the bracket and drops down

[drowningbitbybit]

I've already taken off the door cards etc and what it reveals is that the glass is wedged in tight at the bottom, and the lifter channel is wedged right at the top (partially protruding up to where the window ought to be). The lifter channel isn't broken (it's only a year old), but the bracket of the winding mechanism is attached, complete with protruding (and currently inaccessible) bolts so that it can't come up through the top.

So something is broken, but it's not the fixing bit that's worrying me - it's getting the channel out.

Unless anyone has some clever ideas, my only option is brute force to force the lifter and whatever is attached downwards. I'm concerned I'll break the glass, but it got into that position so it might be possible to force it back down without further damage with the aid of some WD40. Or it might not...

[drowningbitbybit]

Success ... partially ... or maybe one step forward one step back.

The winder mechanism was stuck ABOVE the glass. In particular, the two bolts holding the winder mechanism to the lift channel were preventing the channel going up (through the window) or down (past the glass).

Having attempted to delicately get the winder down below the glass ... nah, that didn't work. Brute force it is and that worked a treat. I had to (nervously) bend the glass back and (brutally) push the winder down past it, enough that it was making the door flex.

But down it came and, unexpectedly, nothing broke as I did it and nothing appears to be broken in the mechanism.

Putting the glass into the lifter reveals the cause of the problem.
The glass is very very stiff in the window - when the winder is wound down, the glass stays up. It goes down with a push, but obviously has missed the channel at some point, then I've unadvisedly jiggled the winder about, until it's forced itself above the glass and got stuck.

So this thread becomes a new question... why is my window so sticky (presumably something is out of alignment, but it is in the guides either side) and what can I do about it?

[Grantus]

I recently purchased a used car, that after a life of aircon and heating, along with 5 years in storage, had a similar issue with the front passenger window.

It struggled to go down, and struggled even more to go up. Had to grab the glass and physically lift it along with the up switch, to get it closed.

So I dropped it down, and liberally sprayed all the guides, and edges of the glass with silicone spray.

Up and down twice, and it’s been smooth as new since. Maybe be a solution to sort your issue too?

   

[Oldman]

Success ... partially ... or maybe one step forward one step back.

Putting the glass into the lifter reveals the cause of the problem.
The glass is very very stiff in the window - when the winder is wound down, the glass stays up. It goes down with a push, but obviously has missed the channel at some point, then I've unadvisedly jiggled the winder about, until it's forced itself above the glass and got stuck.

So this thread becomes a new question... why is my window so sticky (presumably something is out of alignment, but it is in the guides either side) and what can I do about it?

Check the condition of the vertical guide channel felts.....they should be felt lined rubber sections.
(These guide channels extend below the window opening as well)
If the felt has worn through.....often happens, the glass will not slide easily against straight rubber (without the felt)

Secondly, the glass lift channel should have a rubber sleeve that locks the window into the metal lift channel section.....without it, you'll lose the glass every time when it sticks.

Thirdly, if the cable/ coiled section inside the window actuator mechanism arm is rusty, it'll be hard to wind up....down is not usually an issue.
If this is a symptom, forget about lubing it.....just replace the mechanism.
All these parts are readily available

[drowningbitbybit]

So I dropped it down, and liberally sprayed all the guides, and edges of the glass with silicone spray.

Up and down twice, and it’s been smooth as new since. Maybe be a solution to sort your issue too?

Yup, that's pretty much the plan, certainly today's plan!

[drowningbitbybit]

Check the condition of the vertical guide channel felts.....they should be felt lined rubber sections.
(These guide channels extend below the window opening as well)
If the felt has worn through.....often happens, the glass will not slide easily against straight rubber (without the felt)

Secondly, the glass lift channel should have a rubber sleeve that locks the window into the metal lift channel section.....without it, you'll lose the glass every time when it sticks.

Thirdly, if the cable/ coiled section inside the window actuator mechanism arm is rusty, it'll be hard to wind up....down is not usually an issue.
If this is a symptom, forget about lubing it.....just replace the mechanism.
All these parts are readily available

The winder mechanism seems fine when the glass isn't in there getting stuck and it pushes the glass up stiffly but with no issues, so I'm confident it's the just the sticking window.

Ah, yes, the felt of the guides looks a bit ropey on the front guide, so I'll get a new pair of those... plus some new doorcard clips as I've never managed to get the doorcard off yet without breaking a few!

[Wayne Murray]

You can also adjust the glass in the channel by the two bolts that hold the glass bracket. Loosen the two bolts, wide the window up and down a few times and then retighten the two bolts, this will centralise the glass the the guides. I also use talc (it's a lubricant) sometimes when my window scrapers gets resistance on the glass (mainly new glass is worse).