what just happened to my driver's side window

[Darth Menace]

hey there..I was driving my car today with the window down. When i went to put the driver's side window up after i parked it and it didn't go up. i can hear the motor trying to go up (i think), but it just sat there about half way. so I was driving home and then it went from half up to all the way down...so i assume there is nothing holding it up. I was wondering how i can troubleshoot this and if anyone has an idea where i can start. I love driving with the windows down, but if there is some way I can get it up and to stay up even for the time being i'd be happy. I sure hope the parts are put in another vehicle and not $4000 just because its on a viper.

 

[KNG SNKE]

Your window regulator most likely failed. It is an expensive part, roughly 500 dollars or so.

 

[jdeft1]

Time to pull it apart and see what you've got. KNG SNKE hit the nail on the head but you've got to open it it up to find out.....




A rare few of us don't have that issue to worry about..... lol

cheers

 

[jav8or]

You might want to pump the brakes on the window regulator. I had a similar problem a month ago. Window would intermittently work and then it would only work in one direction. Me and my friend first troubleshoot it by swapping window switches. If I recollect correctly, the opposite switch went in upside down, but still operated the window. When I did this, I knew nothing was wrong with the motor in the window, just the switch. Then, we took apart the switch. This is where we found the problem. Long story short, we cleaned the switch and spent $0.00 If you have any questions, I hope I can help.

 

[Jeffsss]

is this common on these vehicles? I'd be pissed if i have to spend 500 on a window motor

 

[72hemi]

It is a fairly common problem on vipers the passenger window regulator was replaced under warranty on mine. Viper Parts of America I believe has them.

 

[rjsrt10]

My 08 coupe has had 2 driver side and 1 passenger side regulators replaced. Under warranty...thank god!

 

[aloushi]

You might want to pump the brakes on the window regulator.

ahh, if he hears the motor humming it's definitely not the switch. It is for certain your regulator. Your motor is still fine but one of two things happened, your window clip broke causing the cable in your regulator to come off track and bind or the cable just came off on it's own and binded. Either way with a little ingenuity you can have it fixed and working for about $10-$60 depending on if you need a window clip or not. The Regulator can be opened by drilling out the rivet and replacing the cable (purchased at lowes or depot). I did it almost 2 years ago and still works perfect.

 

[Fatboy 18]

There is a Nylon plastic shuttle that slides up and down a metal track. The steel cables attach to it and pull it in one direction or another, because the nylon block is under tension they have a tendency to break after a while. I did a full write up on this with pictures, it then got moved into the How To's section

Bottom line is this,
No1 do not attempt to move the motor up or down. (if you do you will be screwing up the steel cables inside the gear winding)
N02 Get the inner door panel off and visually check the Nylon shuttle and check the cables are still attached.
N03 If the nylon shuttle has broken you can get a replacement from a Dodge Caravan (1996 to 2000). There are two different coloured shuttles, white shuttle (drivers side), Black shuttle Passenger side) You will have to get these from a salvage yard, the rest of the Dodge Caravan regulator assembly yo do not need. Should only be a few bucks. (mine cost $17.00)

If you dont want to go the salvage yard route, I think there are some spare shuttles available.
Dodge will not sell you parts for the window regulator assembly, it comes as one part and as others have said its very expensive!

Try doing a search ...Help with window regulator

Im not sure if you will be able to see the pictures I posted? if you cant, drop me a PM and I will try to send you a link

 

[Jeffsss]

There is a Nylon plastic shuttle that slides up and down a metal track. The steel cables attach to it and pull it in one direction or another, because the nylon block is under tension they have a tendency to break after a while. I did a full write up on this with pictures, it then got moved into the How To's section

Bottom line is this,
No1 do not attempt to move the motor up or down. (if you do you will be screwing up the steel cables inside the gear winding)
N02 Get the inner door panel off and visually check the Nylon shuttle and check the cables are still attached.
N03 If the nylon shuttle has broken you can get a replacement from a Dodge Caravan (1996 to 2000). There are two different coloured shuttles, white shuttle (drivers side), Black shuttle Passenger side) You will have to get these from a salvage yard, the rest of the Dodge Caravan regulator assembly yo do not need. Should only be a few bucks. (mine cost $17.00)

If you dont want to go the salvage yard route, I think there are some spare shuttles available.
Dodge will not sell you parts for the window regulator assembly, it comes as one part and as others have said its very expensive!

Try doing a search ...Help with window regulator

Im not sure if you will be able to see the pictures I posted? if you cant, drop me a PM and I will try to send you a link

thread saved... hopefully i'll never have to revisit it!

 

[SlayerLS1]

Really bothers me that Chrysler still refuses to address this issue....

 

[Darth Menace]

Thabks for the help guys. I will look into this for sure. Is there a special way to take the door panel off. Also is there a way to keep the window up for the time being until I get a part?

 

[Jeffsss]

Really bothers me that Chrysler still refuses to address this issue....

yeah, but it's a part that isnt going to last forever... under warranty they do address it just like everything else.
F-bodys are much much worse.. so if anyone needs a finger pointed at it's Fbody owners at GM.

 

[Fatboy 18]

I started by removing the door speaker, There's a couple of x head screws at the rear of the door panel, then use something like a steel ruler to gently pry the lower part of the door cover off from the door frame. I think also you have to remove the handle cover? Its been a while since I had my door panel off. My window is still working fine.

You will need to remove the whole regulator assembly from inside the door to repair it. You may also find that your motor steel wires may be all chewed up if you have been trying to move the window up or down,.....But dont worry about that just yet, we will address that issue when the time comes. In the mean time the only way I could think of holding up the window would be to use a small G clamp on the track that the shuttle slides up and down on. But make sure you do not deform the track when you tighten up the clamp. (you would have to lift the window by hand to the closed position, then put the clamp underneath the window to hold it up. Would also be a good idea to put some padding around the clamp so it would not damage the glass edge resting on the clamp.

 

[Darth Menace]

I got it all apart, and this is sucking worse and worse. here are some pictures

the first one is a picture of the piece that was laying on the bottom of the door once i took the panel off:

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this is of what looks to be a scratch in the window since this problem came up:

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and worst of all.....where is my weather stripping gone? I felt everywhere inside of the door, but it isnt there

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this is horrible....can regular weatherstripping be used or is there a special piece for the viper

 

[AJ02]

The weatherstrip isn't sold seperately. You have to buy the stanchion cover. From the dealership, they're pricey. I think around $400 each side. I changed both of mine, but found good used ones for about half the price.

 

[Darth Menace]

Wow...this is brutal

 

[99 R/T 10]

The stanchion gasket/weather strip is probably at the bottom of the inside of the door. I put mine back in place with epoxy.

 

[Fatboy 18]

OK this is not looking that bad........If the rest of the Nylon shuttle is in one piece with the wires still attached that is good news. You may find that weather strip inside the door and you can glue it back onto the cover using 2 part epoxy adhesive ( I did) You will also be able to find that weather striping at X Vipers or other Viper salvage places. You could even try Fleebay

Now the fun part, You will have to remove the regulator assembly from the door, those steel wires are under a hell of a lot of tension attached to the shuttle, you will need to slip the wire off the wheel at the end of the track Bend the Tab back on the end of the runner ( this may snap off) and replace the shuttle.
If the tab does break off you will need to make another tab by drilling a small hole and fitting a small nut and bolt to act as a stop. (or a rivet)

Here's a picture of what my shuttle looked like!

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Here's a pic of the tab at the end of the track (which may snap off!)

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[Darth Menace]

thanks for the help guys. I wonder if glueing that plastic piece back on would work? If not i will try to find a way to get the window to safely stay up.


What burns me up though is the fact that that weatherstripping is mysteriously missing which makes no sense at all an makes it so I can't drive it until I get that replaced. What makes this different than generic weatherstripping?

 

[Darth Menace]

after taking another look at the plastic piece that holds onto the window knob....do you think there is a way i can put a teeny bolt through both of the pieces and hold it together like that?

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[aloushi]

after taking another look at the plastic piece that holds onto the window knob....do you think there is a way i can put a teeny bolt through both of the pieces and hold it together like that?

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absolutely not, a ton of pressure is exerted to that window clip, you must replace it or it will fail and cause your regulator cables to get bound. Regarding your weatherstrip, have you tracked your last trail, it has to be somewhere on the road if not inside the door panel...

 

[AZTVR]

What burns me up though is the fact that that weatherstripping is mysteriously missing which makes no sense at all an makes it so I can't drive it until I get that replaced. What makes this different than generic weatherstripping?

Just go buy some generic weatherstripping ! What's to lose? Let us know where you find it and post up some pics when you get it installed. There always has to be a first person to come up with an alternative solution.

As far as the mysterious disappearance of the weatherstripping? Well, maybe it came loose as they tend to do, and putting up the window with it out of place caused the window to get jammed and stopped by the weatherstripping; except, the motor was strong enough to keep things going until the plastic piece broke. Thne you got the window down, and the weatherstripping fell out on the ground (assuming that it did not fall down into the door.

 

[Fatboy 18]

How are you getting on? Did you call about a replacement shuttle or are you going the Salvage route?

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Anybody try these guys?

http://www.regulatorusa.com/index.php

 

[jk]

Mine recently broke - both the white nylon shuttle and the black pulley on the bottom of the track. Followed the directions posted about repairing it and went to a local junkyard and purchased a window regulator out of a Voyager for $30. Swapped the nylon shuttle and the black pulley, rethreaded the cables and back in business. The cable tension was not that hard to deal with if you snap the black pulley in as the last piece in the process. (I did have to drill the rivet out of the cable cover and replace it with a machine screw.) As an added bonus, the Caravan is a dual track regulator the it looks to have the black nylon shuttle which us used in passenger side window. So it definitely doable if you have the time.

 

[Fatboy 18]

Great to hear it worked for you jk

 

[Darth Menace]

this is what i ended up doing and it works good. I dont see how this could be any less dependable than the piece of plastic that held it for the last 14 years:

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not quite sure what I am going to do about the weatherstripping. Likely get a generic piece to work until i can get a proper one. I also have no idea why the inside of my window looks scratched like i showed earlier.

 

[Fatboy 18]

Well if that works for you, good luck with it I would still search out a replacement shuttle in your own time to keep on the shelve for a rainy day

 

[Darth Menace]

I do plan on getting a replacement as well as proper weatherstripping, but if I have to chhose against 'make do' until I get the parts, or park the viper until I get the proper parts...I will choose the first option