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Front driver side window popping out!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by kgall, Aug 14, 2013.

  1. kgall

    kgall Active Member

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    Here's one I haven't heard of before on a Prius:

    As I was closing my front driver's side window this afternoon I heard a pop or bang, and I noticed the window was closed, mostly, but it didn't fit right and the top rear of the window was out of the frame, up above where it should be, and the front, sloping portion of the window was below where it should be.
    I put it up and down a few times, and eventually managed to coax it back into position, but it didn't stay there when I opened and closed the window again.
    It feels to me like whatever connects the glass to the motor and gizmoss that lift it up and down has broken or come undone.

    I fear that it is a dangerous condition, because the window might pop out completely at high speed. Unlike the last time I remember having a car with a window disoconnected from its mechanism (the 60's or so), we no longer have window frames to make sure they stay in place when the machinery breaks. Also, it has always seemed to me that the car's aerodynamic shape puts pressure on the doors and glass at highway speeds.

    Anyway, I'm going to get this in to the dealer as soon as possible, but I wanted to ask:
    Anyone else have this problem?
    Am I paranoid not to want to drive it at speed until I get it fixed?
    Any advice?


    Thanks.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i've never heard of it, but your probably smart not to drive it at high speeds with the window up. all the best!(y)
     
  3. michinnom

    michinnom Member

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    welcome to the prius experience! jk, really tho, that's unusual. guessing your warranty is up. did you get extended warranty such as MPP?
     
  4. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    One of the guides/supports might have broken free from the window glass. Since the glass was tilting forward, it might be located in the front. Probably won't know how expensive it will be to fix till it is opened up.

    The good news is it isn't the motor or switch.

    If you're lucky, it's just a broken bolt or something that's easily replaced.

    SCH-I535
     
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  5. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    Most likely one of the arms of the regulator is bent or broken.
    Take it to the dealer if it is still under warranty.
     
    kgall likes this.
  6. kgall

    kgall Active Member

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    Yep, the warranty is up (58K miles).
    I'm planning to take it in to the dealer anyway. I'm betting I will have to take it twice: Once to find out what's wrong, once to get it fixed after the parts come in.
    The ideas about broken regulator arm or front support "feels" reasonable (based on how much I could feel the window moving out of position as I tried to guide it back in).
    We shall see.
     
  7. kbeck

    kbeck Active Member

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    FWIW, my son's 2002 Civic broke its regulator a month ago. Window kind of dropped down when he was trying to raise it; there were nasty noises and a tinkling sound when it happened. It took a major effort to heave the window back up into position so it could be duct-taped into submission. A new regulator (lousy name, that: Makes me think of electronics, but in reality it's a harness of cables and clips inside the door, not including the motor) cost about $150 or so, labor included.

    Good luck!

    KBeck
     
  8. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    You can get one from eBay for about $30 without the motor assembly, you just put the old one in the new regulator.
    Remove the door panel and check the regulator first before ordering.

     
  9. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

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    Please update us with the info when you have it looked at.
     
  10. kgall

    kgall Active Member

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    The next chapter:

    So, I took the car in this afternoon to the dealer, and they said they had never seen a window sticking out like this on a Prius. After looking at the car in the shope they said that one of the plastic clips holding the window in place broke.

    Now the bad news:
    Toyota doesn't sell the clips without the window, so the whole deal including labor will be north of $300.
    I'm having it done. The parts will be in on Tuesday.

    I made the agreement before reading bedrock and kbeck's comments. I did think about going to a glass shop before going to the dealership, but decided not to. So maybe I am paying extra for the decision not to investigate alternatives before going to the dealership. Someone with more DIY chops than I have could probably save money if this happens to him/her.

    For the moment I'm driving a loaner car, my first close encounter with a Prius v.
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i would have done the same, time is valuable. enjoy the v!
     
  12. kgall

    kgall Active Member

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    Since some folks wanted a follow up report:

    The window is now fixed (no it didn't take this long to fix--just a few days to get the window). It did not pop out on my first several highway drives, and seems to go up and down normally.
    I also got the 2013 brake recall done at the same time.

    But I lost my lifetime Trip B on the odometer. I guess they disconnected the battery for some of the service, and when they put it back on, the trip odometers reset. So my "lifetime" (up to now) fuel efficiency monitor ended at almost 59K miles, 49.3 computer miles per gallon (actually 46.9 calculated by hand over about 97% of those miles). Oh, well, we start again.


    Oh, yeah, on the loaner car--I have to say I liked driving the Prius v. Rear visibility much better than the liftback Prius. If I needed a crossover-type vehicle now I would strongly consider it.