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The windows on my car stopped working a few months ago. I could hear the motor running but the wouldn't go back up. Managed to get them closed by putting my hand flat against the window and pushing upward to help the motor.

Today I was driving down the highway and one of them fell open by about 6 inches. It doesn't seem to want to go any lower but I haven't tested that hypothesis. I don't have the cash to fix it right now and was hoping I could get some pointers on a way to at least keep it closed.

The vehicle is a 2001 Buick Regal LS.

Matt
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7 Answers7

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If the open one is still on the track, it may stay up if you can get it get back up and pull the fuse the windows are on. If it's partially off the track (one of the rollers has popped out) or the mechanism and / or motor are really shot, you might have to pull off the door panel and rig something up to keep it in place until you can fix it or have it fixed. The wooden shim mikes suggested sounds like a good idea. Once you've got the door panel off to access the mechanism, though, you're almost half way to fixing it. Shop around for the parts, if you can afford them, fixing it might actually be the easiest way. If you need cheap parts, see if you have a Pick-N-Pull or other 'pull it yourself' boneyard near you. In addition to discount parts, you get to practice taking the door panel off. Worst case, you can always tape up a sheet of plastic. You wouldn't be the first to drive around with one of those until you can afford a window fix.

See moving a dead power window in order to remove it for a description of one type of mechanism. Here is a video showing the removal of a cable driven mechanism.

Community
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Mark Johnson
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I have had the same issue three times with two different vehicles. Check out www.shimjim.com for a temporary fix. It is a rubber wedge that inserts between the window and the inside window trim.

James

Seminecis
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James E Krotzer
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I had this happen many years ago with an old Volkswagen, just before a 700 mile drive.

Duct tape is simple - tape the glass to the door frame, both inside and outside.

And (as we learned very quickly) - if it is raining also duct tape all around the window!

Rory Alsop
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I had this on an old beat-up Chrysler. The temporary solution was to wedge a pair of vice grips between the window and the door frame (on the inside). The vice grips served a dual purpose: for holding the window up when it was raining and for grabbing the top of the window so I could pull it up, after I needed to let it slide down for any reason.

vlsd
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Get one or two suction cups with the pop up handles and stick them to the bottom part of the window. The handles will prevent the window from sliding down. Harbor Freight tools has them for about 3 dollars. Quick, temporary, cheap solution.

guest
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Duct tape worked for me for about 45 minutes on the highway... and I duct taped inside bottom and top. To the actually car itself.

I'm going with the suction cups idea. Seems to last longer. Someone has been using it for 2 years! :-)

L. Skinner
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Yes there is, CLEAR suction cups. I got the ones with the metal hook just in case the window falls it will catch the internal weather strip. I went to Wally World and in the hardware department and picked up a pack of four (about 1 1/2 inch diameter). Two for the top so it does not fall into the door frame when the window is down and two for when you pull the window up. Just a hint. When you stick them on the glass, Just take your tongue to the center of the cup only. HAHAHA I know it sounds funny but it works the best.

user22062
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