Window - Driver's Door - Worsening problem

[SilentBob]

Hi,

I hope someone could help identify the problem I have and point me to a guide for disassembling the door.

Basically, I noticed at the weekend that my driver's door window was making a slight (knock?) noise when opening or closing. It was/is not a constant noise throughout the travel of the window, but rather appeared to happenat a certain point.

It now seems to have got somewhat worse. It is a bit louder/more nitceable. Also, whilst still not fro the full travel of the window, it does last a bit longer. And yesterday I had trouble closing the window. It very nearly got all the way up, but then stopped then re-opened. Almost as if it had hit an obstruction? I can manage to close it if I apply some extra force by hand.

Now I am going to guess at a cause, but I may be putting 2 +2 together and coming up with 5...

I got a puncture a couple of weeks back, and had my spare wheel on the back whilst waiting 'til I could afford to get two new tyres fitted. However, the spare wheel is obviously completely out of balance as I have had somewhat of a bumpy/shaky ride since. I finally got new tyres on yesterday, and all the shaking has stopped.

I am wondering if a bolt in the window assembly has worked loose because of the vibrations? It's not as silly as it sounds, because I have seen this happen before. But, do the symptoms I describe also suggest a different problem?

Like I said, I would be most grateful for any opinion on what may be the cause. Also, it sounds like it may be quite a job getting to the assembly. Are there any guides available for stripping down the door?

Many thanks.

[martin1810]

What you say is possible but the lifter to glass isn't a bolt. BUT the fittings are push fit (very tight usually). so it is just possible something has come apart. More likely is the whole lift mechanism is about to fail as this is very common. You have to replace the complete door armour (metal plate) behind the trim as it contains the mechanism for the window. Pull off the trim and have a look.

[Crasher]

I also think one of the glass clamps has failed and the other is about to fail, stop using it.

[SilentBob]

Ok, thanks. Doesn't sound good. Any tips on removing the trim? A diagram identifying all screws, clips, etc would be really helpful if at all possible.

Glass clamp? What are these, and how would one go about identifying/fixing/replacing?

Thanks

[SilentBob]

Ok, all was looking as if it was going ok. I ordered a window regulator repair kit (cable, clips, etc), which arrived during last week. Also a guy at work lent me a Haynes manual, which was going to be really helpful.

So today was my 1st opportunity to to have a go at it. The door card was pretty much off - just a few wiring connections keeping it in place - when it started to p*** down with rain. Pushed the door as far shut as possible and sat it out. Once it had cleared I carried on with removing the metal panel. Everything necessary was removed until I got to the 2 bolts (on the end face of the door) holding in the locking system. These are splined (?) bolts, and of course I only have hex or torx. I was going to have a go with a torx, but they are quite tight, and the torx bit was not going to grip. So...

I had to put everything together so I could drive to Halfords/B&Q to see if I could pick up the spline bit (coincidentally, no joy whatsoever, as is always the way). However, after rounding up the kids, and bundling them in the car...

Now the bl@*#y driver's door won't open!!!

I re-hooked the cable onto the interior door handle correctly, and I also re-hooked the cable into the external door handle. The doors still lock & unlock OK from the driver's door, but I cannot open it from either handle.

HELP!!!!!

Not only is this going to be problematic when I have the necessary spline/star bit and need to remove the door panels again, but it is also going to be a problem getting into the car park at work as I cannot open either the window or the door to swipe my card.

Can anyone suggest any possibilities as to why it won't open? And How I could get it open/working?

Thanks

[SilentBob]

UPDATE:
I have managed to get the door trim off. Still unable to open the door by pulling the cable hard with pliers. It sounds like the cable & the external handle are both operating the catch, but the door won't budge. Perhaps I need to get the regulator carrier panel off so as to investigate the lock?

I have removed all 10 bolts & unclipped all necessary wiring. I have also read that I can remove the lock from the panel from inside. Apparently by pushing in the 2 pins & sleeves. However, If I were to do this, does the window glass have to be removed first? Obviously with the door shut, I am unable to tape the glass up to the door.

Any ideas on what could be preventing the door from opening? I have tried, as suggested elsewhere, banging the door in the lock area whilst pulling the handle/cable. But the door just does not want to budge!!!

[martin1810]

You can use duck tape or similar to hold the glass. Can you see the bungs and pins that hold the glass onto the lifter.

[SilentBob]

In the end, I just took the glass out, which proved to be the easiest option. It was quite a pig to get the carrier panel off without being able to open the door, but I got there in the end. I had to remove the lock from the panel by pushing through the two lugs, and then pushing the lock out from the panel.

I still don't know exactly why the door wouldn't open, but once the locking system was exposed and after a bit if random fiddling I eventually got the door open.

The window's winder cable was snapped and was frayed and stuck in the motor's cog. Fitted new cable, clips, springs & cog. All went on ok eventually. getting the second sprung end of the cable into the motor housing was pretty dificult though, but persistence paid off.

All is back together and working. Window works good now, and the door opens from both handles. I checked the lock/handles first without shutting the door, just in case it needed stripping down again. But thankfully this wasn't necessary.

Finding the spline bit (or 12 point star bit) for the lock was a nightmare. Only one place had an M8 spline bit, and that was only as part of a £30 set.

And another interesting point...
Whilst initially trying to get the door card off with the door closed, the front of the card is tight between the door and the dash. As such it was not possible to pop out the clips on this side. I saw no option but to just pull it back really hard, and was expecting this to break the clips. However, it came away with the clips still intact & re-usable!

So happy now (of sorts)... until the next thing that goes wrong!

[996jimbo]

Finding the spline bit (or 12 point star bit) for the lock was a nightmare. Only one place had an M8 spline bit, and that was only as part of a £30 set.

I gave up trying to find one when I did mine - it is possible to change the mechanism without removing the door lock, it just means you can't fully remove the door card but actually is straight forward to work on it in situ (it rotates over the cable and so will lie flat for access).