Author Topic: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.  (Read 6336 times)

MayDay

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So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« on: September 30, 2014, 12:51:18 PM »
In a possibly misguided attempt to work on my car myself, I dove in head first, ordered a part from amazon, and followed along with a YouTube video. 

The rear drivers side window in my 2003 civic stopped working in the up position.  We ignored it for awhile, then asked the shop to give an estimate (400$, no thanks) and now I am trying to fix it myself with a 60$ acdelco part. 

I got the whole door panel off, and the motor/regular part un-bolted, but it is still somehow connected to the windo itself, and I can't figure out how to un-connect it.  My handy-dandy video is walking me through a situation where the window broke in the down position, which apparently is different.  And also, my new part, although acdelco and amazon swear it is crock, does not lok exactly the same. 

So.  What now?  Drive in shame to the shop and beg for them to fix it?  Some other online resource?  I've been googling and not found anything else yet.  I am hoping one of you might be able to point me in the right direction.

shotgunwilly

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2014, 01:10:16 PM »
Post pics of the problem area to a mechanics forum?  Or here?  Heck I'll drink a beer and stare at it for a while.

catccc

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2014, 01:38:38 PM »
I took apart my car door recently to replace an broken exterior door handle on our '05 Toyota Matrix.  I watched maybe a half dozen videos on youtube, and only the first one was my exact situation.  are there any other videos that you overlooked?  Perhaps another would give you a better clue of what you need to do. 
Maybe you can check your library for a Chilton guide?  Or try fiverr for an "expert" to help you out?
Can you at least put everything back together and try again later?

Good luck!

MayDay

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2014, 01:41:14 PM »
I can put everything back together easily.  However as soon as the door is fixed, we are selling the car (this the reason for bothering to fix it at all).  So I don't mind pushing it off a bit, but I want to resolve it fairly soon so I can get the thing sold. 

Melf

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2014, 02:02:04 PM »
Once unbolted, will the regulator and window pull down far enough to allow you to see how the two connect?  I can't recall if there is a single screw or if the two parts are held together by friction.  Once separated, you can push the window back up into the track and maybe use a piece or two of masking tape on the outside from glass to door frame to hold the glass up while you wrestle the old regulator out and the new one back in.

MayDay

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2014, 02:29:24 PM »
Once unbolted, will the regulator and window pull down far enough to allow you to see how the two connect?  I can't recall if there is a single screw or if the two parts are held together by friction.  Once separated, you can push the window back up into the track and maybe use a piece or two of masking tape on the outside from glass to door frame to hold the glass up while you wrestle the old regulator out and the new one back in.

This is what I cannot figure out.  They do not seem to be bolted.  I guess it is friction.  But I pushed and pulled and yanked, and cut myself in the process, and they aren't coming apart.  And I can't get them into a better field of view to try to figure out why/where/how they are connected (and if they are supposed to be, or is that the problem?)

Louis the Cat

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2014, 02:41:29 PM »
In my parents' 1993 F150, this happens periodically and it's the dumbest thing: the motor is jammed. Give a good yank and it pops right off. Don't know if this is your problem, but give it a shot. You may not even need to replace anything, just unjam it and reinstall. This used to happen so often to their truck (every 3-6 months), I had the whole process down to 20 minutes from start to finish. It got to where they would just wait for the next time I was going to be in town to deal with it. Now the thing has so many other problems, I think they gave up fixing them. It's a work truck that never goes more than 5 miles in a trip anyway and the mechanicals all still work for the most part.

eil

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2014, 02:55:35 PM »
No, regardless of how you feel right now, you did the right thing by attempting the repair yourself. We all get stuck in the middle of a job sometimes. Don't get frustrated, take your time, try different (sometimes even crazy) approaches. You'll get it fixed, I promise.

Pics would help, along with links to any instructions or parts you might have. Find an exploded parts diagram and use that for reference. No such thing as too much information when trying to get help on the Internet.

Also try a Honda Civic forum and/or the forums over at http://www.ericthecarguy.com/.
« Last Edit: September 30, 2014, 02:57:17 PM by eil »

Breaker

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2014, 06:29:45 PM »
Go to your local auto parts store and ask if this is the correct part.  If not return it and buy the right part from your local store.  For some things it pays to buy local.  The people behind the counter are usually very helpful.

DollarBill

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2014, 03:02:34 AM »
Did you try taping the window in the up position? You'll need to do that so everything comes out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gdj1Xy0ag8

pagoconcheques

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #10 on: October 01, 2014, 06:55:34 AM »
Accessibility (and probably even visibility) is likely only available with the window in a certain position.  There is probably a catch or bolt somewhere that makes it possible to move the window up and down once released.  The catch, of course, is that doing so may require precisely realigning the window again so that it stops in the correct up and down positions.  Before you remove or adjust anything having to do with alignment, take lots of pictures and make witness marks on the joining parts with a Sharpie or scratch awl.  Good luck!

guitar_stitch

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #11 on: October 01, 2014, 09:19:25 AM »
Power windows are usually driven with cables.  Based on your description, I assume the cables are good, though they may be jammed.  In such a situation, I have had to cut the cables before to get the window to slide freely on its track.  This will allow you to access the bolt that will connect the window holder to the track slide.

Greg

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2014, 10:34:12 AM »
Usually the motor and cable or shaft that moves the window up and down (referred to as a regulator) are one part.  Which sounds like what you have. Usually they move a bracket on the bottom of the glass which pushes the window up or down.  The bracket usually bolts to the cable part.  Usually two small bolts.  You probably need to wiggle the window down until you can see the bottom of the glass, that's where the connection will be.

There's a possibility the regulator slips into a slot or channel on the bottom of the glass instead, some pics would help us help you.

guitar_stitch

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2014, 12:16:29 PM »

DarinC

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2014, 07:03:13 PM »
The youtube video shows a slot by the bolts near the top of the door and another slot by the three bolts on the side of the door closest to the B pillar. Once the frame of the regulator/motor are out of those two slots, just wiggle it around until you can slide it out of the hole in the center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gdj1Xy0ag8

arebelspy

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #15 on: October 02, 2014, 08:25:17 AM »
"So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck."

Anyone else picture MayDay posting from their cell phone, trapped inside their car, with the door shut, half taken apart, and now unable to open?  :)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

MayDay

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Re: So I took apart my car door, and now I'm stuck.
« Reply #16 on: October 02, 2014, 11:09:53 AM »
Update!

I did more internet poking around, and still wasn't making much progress.  I took it to a new shop recommended by a friend.  The old shop (recommended by a different friend whom I will no longer ask for recommendations from!) quoted 400$, of which 150$ was the part.  Same part was 60$ online.  The new shop fixed the window with my part, and did a tire rotation and oil change for 130$.   

So now I am going to clean the car today or tomorrow, and list it tomorrow to hopefully sell this weekend, and then the money is going to fund my Roth for the year. 

Anyone in central Ohio want to buy my civic? 

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!