Windows moving up and down can be a frustrating experience to most car users.
The problem might expose you to pollutants in the air, dust, snow, rain, and other elements while driving your Tesla car.
This article details how you can fix your malfunctioning window when it fails to move up or down properly.
Why Does My Tesla Window Goes Up Then Down?
Nowadays, car power windows are ultra-convenient. Long days are gone when you have to crank open old-fashioned windows by hand.
The modern one-touch up or down on the window button allows you to entirely roll down or up the windows. This, therefore, allows you to stay warm or let in a cool breeze in your Tesla car.
But these modern power windows may stop working either due to a more immense mechanical error or debris blocking them.
Despite the modern efficient technological advancements, even automated rolling windows can sometimes experience technical problems that prevent them from working properly.
When some components of the power window system start to wear out, it causes your window to move slower than it should.
This article shows you what goes wrong when the car window won’t roll up or down and how you can fix the problem.
1. Bad fuse
If a window is stuck and don’t move, it means that the fuse for the window regulator could be the problem.
In this case, pushing the window switch won’t happen. You also won’t hear the window motor at all and the glass won’t quiver like it’s trying hard to move.
Fuses are a vital component of your car’s electrical system, which are designed to keep circuits from being overloaded.
A potential sign that you have a blown fuse is if your electrical system stops working. If the flow of electricity stops because of a blown fuse, power windows won’t be working properly.
A fuse is the first place to check if the windows stop working. Tesla cars have individual fuses for each window motor. So failure of a fuse affects a corresponding window.
How to fix:
- You can easily fix the problem of a blown fuse at home.
- Use the owner’s manual for your car to find where the power fuse for the window is and replace it if blown.
- You can purchase a replacement fuse at a nearby Tesla auto-parts store.
- After the replacement, you need to test the window.
- If the window functions properly, know that the fuse probably blew because of a temporary overload.
- However, if the new fuse blows immediately you’ll have to diagnose the problem further.
2. Bad window regulators
A window regulator is the mechanical assembly that moves a window up and down by pressing a switch. It’s connected to a window motor through cables.
Understanding how your power windows function can give you the insight into any problem that may gradually emerge. Knowing the common symptoms of a failed window regulator can help you quickly address to avoid safety concerns.
If the window regulator fails, the window may have difficulty moving up or down. It may feel as if it’s misaligned or stuck in one place. Also if your power window button is unresponsive immediately, it could be a sign of window regulator malfunction.
Furthermore, if you press the button to roll up or down the window, but instead you hear a clicking or grinding sound, it’s likely that the window regulator is malfunctioning or has already malfunctioned.
Also if the window appears like it’s rolling up too slowing or too quickly than usual, then the regulator motor could be compromised.
These poses a safety concern that should be fixed immediately.
How to fix:
- If you start noticing the above stated symptoms in your windows, it’s important to diagnose the problem sooner rather later.
- What might be a simple repair now could turn into a much more difficult and expensive problem later.
- The only way to fix the issue is to replace the regulator.
- It’s best to reach out to a Tesla technician to fix the issue.
3. Faulty window motor
Failure or wear out of a window motor can happen at any time, leaving the window to stop working properly.
The motor is attached to the window glass within each door, enabling the windows to be lowered or raised at the push of a button.
For most car drivers, the window motor fails because of wear and tear. It’s from using it many times over years, consequently wears out.
The window motor can also stop functioning due to internal failures caused by other issues such as bad wiring, lack of lubrication, dirt accumulation causing abnormal wear out, and water getting inside the motor.
How to fix:
- Assess if a window motor has failed to work.
- Instead of removing the motor for testing, you can access and diagnose the wiring connector from the switch.
- Apply a 12-volt power source directly to the connector. Listen to the motion and feeling from the motor.
- If the motor is working properly, the window malfunction could be caused by something else.
- But if you hear a strange grinding noise, the window motor is the culprit.
- To fix the problem, you’ll need to replace the faulty window motor.
- At this level, you’ll require a technician to replace motor and also check out its wiring.
4. Window switch
The window switch itself may be bad, either because of poor construction or voltage problems.
These switches are made of electrical components and metals linking the electrical connection between the window motor and the door harness.
Over time, debris and dust can block and ruin those connections, causing window switches to fail.
How to fix:
- In some cases, a switch connection can be repaired.
- You will need to contact a Tesla technician to get into the switch pack, remove the springs and clean or replace the faulty connections.
- Until your technician opens the switch pack, you won’t know whether it can be repaired.
- It’s common for an older part to fall apart when pushing the switch.
- You should always prepare to replace the broken parts including the switch.
5. Dirty and Torn Window Gasket
Torn window gaskets is another reason for your car window not move up or down. Gaskets are the seals installed around the opening of windows to keep rain and wind noise out of the vehicle.
If the window won’t close or open properly, check the gaskets. A torn or misplaced gasket can prevent proper operations of car windows.
Over time, installed gaskets may flatten and lose their effectiveness. Cold weather also cause your gaskets to shrink which pull them out of the corners of your windows. This can also cause the gaskets to become brittle and begin crumbling over time.
If the gaskets are sticky from dirt or torn out, the motor might not be strong enough to move the window up or down and overcome the friction.
Some dirt or grease might accumulate and as a result prevent the gaskets from shutting properly.
How to fix
- If your window gaskets are torn or loose, you’ll need to repair them.
- Replacing a gasket with a new part is straightforward you can do.
- Look for the damage.
- Buy some adhesive glue at Tesla auto parts store.
- Use acetone to clean off the old adhesive to remove scum and oxidized rubber.
- Reglue the gasket into place. Allow this to dry overnight while the window closed.
- Be careful while applying acetone as it may affect your car’s carpet and paint.
- Check for dirt or debris build-up around the window gaskets every once in a while.
- Ensure to lubricate the track mechanism regularly.
- Doing so will help prevent unnecessary stress on the window motor and regulator, allowing them to last longer.
My Final Thoughts
Power windows are very useful and normally straightforward to troubleshoot if one or more of their components stops functioning.
Depending on the problem, you might even be able to fix it at home.
These troubleshooting techniques are only temporary fixes. The car window going up and down by itself is a problem that you can solve by yourself. However, the issue may still need to be assessed by a professional.
Always ensure safety first. You can use manual book to understand how the components work.
But if you are unsure how these parts function, especially the electrical components, reach put to an automotive technician for assistance or can have the problem fixed at Tesla auto shop.
With regular checkups and proper maintenance, you can avoid most issues related to the power window system.