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The "Smart Windows"

6K views 19 replies 16 participants last post by  TRCM 
#1 ·
So.....I have an issue and wonder if there is a solution.

Our windows do the cute little "pre roll" when you open the door because of the window seal. Can you turn that feature off?

Reason being, up here in the great Northwest, it dips into the 20's at night and has been pretty foggy almost everyday for 3 weeks. What ends up happening is that the Chally gets wet, then it all freezes. There have been a couple of times when I went to open the door and the window motor wasn't able to break the ice at first. This can't be good for the motors.

Aside from hittin the window with a hairdryer before I open the door, is there anything i can do?
 
#3 ·
Sticking/Freezing Windows

Yes, I believe there is something you can do. I might be a tad messy until you get the exact hang of it.

There is a product called silicone spray lubricant (clear). There are several brands and you may have to try several until you find the best one suited to your specific needs. There is;

Permatex 80070 (16 oz. spray can)
AMSOIL (Silicone spray in can)
Permatex 3-in-1 Professional in spray can

Now, these are but a few professional products that I believe will help you. What you want to do is wet down the upper window seals and wipe them down with a paper towel and then wet them down again and the upper window surfact as well. You want to exercise the windows a bit and be sure to spray some lubricant along the lower window seal as well. Wipe up the excess with a paper towel on any areas that you think that may be blurring vision.

Key here is to create a moisture barrier and lubrication for the window to your soft-seal door component.

Silicone will not freeze (at your temp's) and I believe is the solution you are looking for.

Your local auto-parts store should have some variety of professional Silicone lubricant products or you can order online. Google the above product names.
 
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#5 ·
cant turn off feature

i asked this question to a buddy of mine that works at a dodge dealer as a tech and he said that this feature cannot be turned off,is programed from the factory to prevent the glass from warping due to internal pressure in the cabin when you close the doors,try the products mentioned above and you can also try waiping the glass with 100% alcohol (the ones used in surgery) to prevent this from happening,just be carefull not to drip it on the paint or rubber
 
#6 · (Edited)
There are a couple products out there that will really help this. One is Gummi-pflege. It's a product made in Germany and we used to have it at the BMW dealer for putting on window seals to get the squeaks out and to prevent sticking in freezing weather. There is a similar product you can get from some places that have pool supplies called Jack's Formula 327 Multilube, made by Hayward. It's a similar silicone grease.

Gummi-pflege is the best stuff, but the other will work. Both work best when applied with a finger (heat from your hand helps the stuff melt a little) and wiped on with a decent bead being careful not to wipe it on upholstery. After the product is on the seal, rub it in and feel for dry spots (less slip). Let it sit for a few minutes and then go over it with a clean towel to wipe off the stuff on the surface.

This works great to make your seals quiet and nearly eliminate sticking in freezing weather. Enough water on the window and nothing will cure it.

BMW dealers should be able to get you Gummi-Pflege (translates to roughly "rubber maintenance") and it's the best stuff I've found for seal maintenance. It's not expensive unless they are trying to bend you over. The BMW part number is 82 149 407 015.

The function allows the window to run up into the seal for reduced wind noise when closed as well as better weather seal. The reason it has to auto-down slightly is to let the window clear the seal and let the air pressure equalize as the door shuts to keep the window from being forced out away from the seal area. Volvo, BMW and Mercedes have been doing it for years. Makes for lower interior noise on the highway as the windows then seal much better in the frameless opening. There is force limiting software programmed into the door modules. If they exceed the programmed current draw, they won't power the motor if resistance is "felt" by the window. This is to prevent window regulator or seal damage.
 
#7 ·
Where are the windows actually freezing? Is it in the rubber seal around the top of the glass or the seals at the bottom. I have tried the de-icer trick and it did not work. I sprayed the bottom of the glass and worked the window up and down to saturate the seal at the bottom as detailed in one of the other posts. need advise.
 
#8 ·
The door wont close properly without the
short-drop feature. The glass will end up
OUTSIDE the top rubber seal and fork it all up.
My window motor broke and I didnt have the
short-drop feature on the pass side and when
I opened the door and tried to close it, the window
glass ended up OUTSIDE the top rubber door seal.
Not good. I had to mess with it for hours just to
get it back closed properly without the short-drop
feature.
Blue removable painters tape is how I keep mine from
freezing up along with proper silicone lubricant. :)
 
#10 ·
The door wont close properly without the
short-drop feature. The glass will end up
OUTSIDE the top rubber seal and fork it all up.
My window motor broke and I didnt have the
short-drop feature on the pass side and when
I opened the door and tried to close it, the window
glass ended up OUTSIDE the top rubber door seal.
Not good. I had to mess with it for hours just to
get it back closed properly without the short-drop
feature.
Blue removable painters tape is how I keep mine from
freezing up along with proper silicone lubricant. :)
Painters tape, eh? That is a new suggestion. I normally use liquid silicone, but it doesn't always work. Will have to try that this winter (can't even believe I am typing that dreaded word in August!). Thanks!
 
#13 ·
i asked this question to a buddy of mine that works at a dodge dealer as a tech and he said that this feature cannot be turned off,is programed from the factory to prevent the glass from warping due to internal pressure in the cabin when you close the doors,try the products mentioned above and you can also try waiping the glass with 100% alcohol (the ones used in surgery) to prevent this from happening,just be carefull not to drip it on the paint or rubber
Just to test the waters - let me run something past you guys that I was told by a dealer along the lines of Ghostrider's & Bearair's posts. I was told at very high speeds (over 140MPH I think?) the airflow over the outside of the windows is so fast that it reduces the PSI level to the point there is a risk the internal cabin air pressure (which is ~ 14.7 like it is when standing still) will cause the glass to blow out. The shards would then fly back into the cabin with not so nice results. So the windows will automatically drop as it approaches this speed to help equalize the air pressure differential.

So my question is - is it true? Or some dealership's version of an urban myth?
 
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#18 ·
WOW Andres I would like to know the "rest of the story" !!
 
#15 ·
Just to test the waters - let me run something past you guys that I was told by a dealer along the lines of Ghostrider's & Bearair's posts. I was told at very high speeds (over 140MPH I think?) the airflow over the outside of the windows is so fast that it reduces the PSI level to the point there is a risk the internal cabin air pressure (which is ~ 14.7 like it is when standing still) will cause the glass to blow out. The shards would then fly back into the cabin with not so nice results. So the windows will automatically drop as it approaches this speed to help equalize the air pressure differential.

So my question is - is it true? Or some dealership's version of an urban myth?

I've had my car well over 140 mph, and the windows did not drop. One member here has a 200+ mph Challenger, and he has never mentioned his windows dropping at speed. That would be very dangerous at those speeds.

I'm thinkin' not urban myth, but pure BS from that Dealer.

I've used Gummi Pfledge Stift, and it helped, but in really cold weather, nothing works. Except to have your Wife buy you a new Wrangler so you can enjoy Winter! :smileup:
 
#16 ·
The Speed thing is a myth. There is a pressure differential that grows exponentially as your speed increases. However, the pressure differential will pull the window out of the stiff "locking" weather strip. It is there to hold the windows in at high speeds. Cars with the frame less windows of the 70's and 80's had a small plastic covered metal tab that the windows would angle up under as the door closed without an active assist. If you rolled one down at high speed (85+, about all it could do) then back up, it would be deflected so far that the window would be outside of the tab and could not be back right until you slow. Pressure differentials will pull the window out of the 'holder' before it shatters.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND TAKING THE CARE ABOVE 140MPH TO TEST THIS.
 
#17 ·
Spray de-icer kept in the trunk helps with icy window woes. Also an old credit card run between the door top weatherstrip and the window works wonders. My winter driving experiences found that most of the time that area the ice is holding the window up more than the top of the window and the body weather striping. Heavy ice needs a good scraping first.
Also the small triangle weather strip near the sideview mirror seems to be a hang up spot as well.
 
#20 ·
It also makes it very hard to clean all of the inside of the window unless you close the door
 
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