Power window failure.

[Oceandevi]

Its a 2002 ford focus zx5.

The rear passenger window is loose and will not stay up.
Here is a link to similar problems.
Many complaints

I refuse to pay $300+ to repair this. My plan is to remove the door panel and jb weld the glass in the closed position. Also I will disconnect the power to the motor. Hopefully this will reduce any future damage.

Anybody ever done this? The car has no resell value and I will be keeping it for some time. I am going to try to leave everything intact so future repair is an option.

 

[Bignate603]

I wouldn't JB weld it. I'd cut a piece of wood and stick it in there. If you EVER want to repair it the JB weld is a very bad idea. If its loose it sounds like the mechanism to drive it up and down is either broken or bent.

 

[radioouman]

No offense, but I wouldn't even consider buying a car from you if I knew that you had used JB Weld to glue one of the windows closed. Seems to me like you would lose more than $300 when you try to sell it.

JB Weld is good stuff. I don't know if it will adhere to glass very well, but the seals at the top of the window are not designed to be pulled on. I think that there is a decent chance that after driving it for a while (maybe a year) the seals would start to pull down with the weight of the window attached. If the seals are a felt-like material, you may just end up tearing the felt off.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: radioouman
No offense, but I wouldn't even consider buying a car from you if I knew that you had used JB Weld to glue one of the windows closed. Seems to me like you would lose more than $300 when you try to sell it.

JB Weld is good stuff. I don't know if it will adhere to glass very well, but the seals at the top of the window are not designed to be pulled on. I think that there is a decent chance that after driving it for a while (maybe a year) the seals would start to pull down with the weight of the window attached. If the seals are a felt-like material, you may just end up tearing the felt off.

Another reason why you should just cut a piece of wood to the right length and use it to prop up the mechanism.

I currently have a window in one vehicle that went bad. I got lucky though and the motor just locked up. I pulled it out, swung the mechanism up, and mounted the motor again. Now the stuck motor keeps the window up. Sooner or later I should just buy a new motor but its a pain to get to.

 

[Squisher]

$300 for a motor and regulator or does that include labor?

Not usually hard to fix yourself.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: radioouman
No offense, but I wouldn't even consider buying a car from you if I knew that you had used JB Weld to glue one of the windows closed. Seems to me like you would lose more than $300 when you try to sell it.

JB Weld is good stuff. I don't know if it will adhere to glass very well, but the seals at the top of the window are not designed to be pulled on. I think that there is a decent chance that after driving it for a while (maybe a year) the seals would start to pull down with the weight of the window attached. If the seals are a felt-like material, you may just end up tearing the felt off.

I am keeping the car.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
I wouldn't JB weld it. I'd cut a piece of wood and stick it in there. If you EVER want to repair it the JB weld is a very bad idea. If its loose it sounds like the mechanism to drive it up and down is either broken or bent.

This worked perfectly. I also disconnected power to the motor. As long as its rain proof I am happy.

 

[aesthetics]

300 really isn't that bad to repair a problem like that. especially if you plan on keeping the car....

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: aesthetics
300 really isn't that bad to repair a problem like that. especially if you plan on keeping the car....

Who cares about the back window? He isn't setting back there .

 

[mikebb]

This is a common problem with the Focus. My wife had a 2001 SE that had both regulators fail in a 6 month period. Since we were getting rid of the car soon, we had to fix them.

The problem is that the "bracket" that holds the window in the track is cheap plastic that weakens and breaks over time. In both of my cases, it failed at the point that where the cable that lifts the bracket holds it in. It shouldn't cost anywhere near $300 to fix though.

We got the new regulators at cost (~$100 each) since I have a family member that works at a dealership, retail should be probably around $125+core charge, or $80-100 at a salvage yard. Less than 30 minutes to install: 6 or so screws to remove door panel, 3 bolts that hold regulator in, unplug regulator motor and install new one. Anyone with basic tools and mechanical inclination should be able to do it no problem.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Many cars use rivets instead of bolts to fasten the regulator to the door, so it might not be so easy.

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: mikebb
This is a common problem with the Focus. My wife had a 2001 SE that had both regulators fail in a 6 month period. Since we were getting rid of the car soon, we had to fix them.

The problem is that the "bracket" that holds the window in the track is cheap plastic that weakens and breaks over time. In both of my cases, it failed at the point that where the cable that lifts the bracket holds it in. It shouldn't cost anywhere near $300 to fix though.

We got the new regulators at cost (~$100 each) since I have a family member that works at a dealership, retail should be probably around $125+core charge, or $80-100 at a salvage yard. Less than 30 minutes to install: 6 or so screws to remove door panel, 3 bolts that hold regulator in, unplug regulator motor and install new one. Anyone with basic tools and mechanical inclination should be able to do it no problem.

I saw the cable. It was tangled up everywhere. The little metal spool that collects it or directs it up near the top was broken. The motor still works, but everything is tangled up and a mess.

 

[mikebb]

Originally posted by: Oceandevi
I saw the cable. It was tangled up everywhere. The little metal spool that collects it or directs it up near the top was broken. The motor still works, but everything is tangled up and a mess.

That was my exact experience as well. I tried to untangle the cable hoping to make a temporary fix, but once the cable-end snaps off the plastic bracket, it is hopelessly tangled. The good news is a new regulator will include the whole package with a new cable/track.

As for Mxylplyx's comment about the rivets, our Focus was 3 bolts (don't remember if they were Phillips or Allen key.) If you taking off the door panel anyway to wedge the window up you can see the 3 bolts very easily.

FWIW, if you choose not to replace the regulator assembly, a cheap fix would be to slide the window and bracket all the way up in the track and put 2 very small c-clamps or the like on the track right under the bracket. This is what I did until the regulators I ordered came in, it holds the windows nice and secure. Of course the windows won't work, but it would be better than JB Weld.

 

[Oceandevi]

The plastic bracket that holds the bottom of the glass? It broke into pieces while I was trying to untangle the wire. I already did the wood method, but if that fails I will try something more sturdy. Thanks guys.