Frozen windows

offroadingatc

offroadingatc

New member
Anyone else having trouble with their windows freezing shut like crazy? I park mine outside and I don't know if its the year (we are having a weird winter) but I have never had a vehicle this bad before! I used to run my ranger through the carwash every other day all winter with no issues. My wife's matrix has an occasional issue, but nothing like this.

I was it every couple weeks at the self wash place (power washers). In the middle of the day when the sun gets on it, they work fine, but as soon as the temperature dips down they freeze up again.

Anyways, anyone have any tips on how I can prevent this?
 
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I always take the time to dry my truck off after washing as I can't stand the water spots.
I thought that's what hotel towels were for! One always ends up in my suitcase somehow.:pimp:
 
harper7 said:
I always take the time to dry my truck off after washing as I can't stand the water spots.
I thought that's what hotel towels were for! One always ends up in my suitcase somehow.:pimp:
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haha, yeah I like to dry my vehicles also, however in the winter I have no way to hand wash, and the small amount of dirt left behind by the sprayer would swirl the s$#! out of my paint if I tried drying it so i live with the water spots all winter.

Its just odd to me because I have never had this severe of a problem before and I'm not sure if I should blame the vehicle or the winter. Also I'm convinced that even rain water would cause this problem, not just high pressure. I haven't washed it in 2 weeks, and during the last two weeks we have had several days/nights above freezing with some rain and today when it dipped down they are frozen again.

Ive heard of guys using silicone lube? that might be the next thing to try, but I'm nervous that my windows will be all streaky year round if i do that. Maybe the dealer will have a suggestion
 
Freezing

I have been screaming about this the past few days. I have NEVER had a car that froze this bad...No water at all and the windows freeze shut.
 
You are getting moisture in the black felt rubber track where your window seals when shut. They make a special lube for this. It won't streak your windows but will get on the window only where the window goes into the track around the sides and top. I dont have this problem much as I have ventshades and that helps keep water from around the top of the window.
 
1engineer said:
You are getting moisture in the black felt rubber track where your window seals when shut. They make a special lube for this. It won't streak your windows but will get on the window only where the window goes into the track around the sides and top. I dont have this problem much as I have ventshades and that helps keep water from around the top of the window.
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If you can find out what the name of this lube is that would be awsome...i ahve cents and still have this issue bad
 
Agree with 1Engineer

I think some Vent Visors will cure your problem. I too wash my Runner a lot but use the touchless auto wash, usually every couple/three days to keep the winter road salt etc off. I have vent visors and have not experienced any freezing issues with my windows.
 
I keep the front windows rolled down 'slightly' after washing. After driving for a while and all the remaining water freezes, I roll them back up. This usually helps keep them from freezing closed.

Rob
 
1engineer said:
You are getting moisture in the black felt rubber track where your window seals when shut. They make a special lube for this.
Click to expand...
I've noticed that with my wife's Camry, (most prevelant during hot weather) the windows really do stick when you first try to open them. You can actually hear them breaking away from adhesion while opening. I've noticed that there is usually a slight film left around the edges of the glass that if I remove with a cleaner then all works fine again for a while. I'm wondering if the lube referred to by the engineer would help with that problem as well.

Since I live in an area where the temps range between about -10 and 42 during the winters, over the years I've found that it's best to not even attempt to roll the windows down if it's below freezing unless I absolutely need to. As with the original poster in Toronto, I too have the need to run through a car wash once a week to keep some of the salt off the vehicle. Even though the wash quality leaves a lot to be desired, during the winter I like to use the "touchless" wash which also has that hurricane force dry cycle at the end that helps remove water from the windows.
 
I think this freezing happens because side window seal doesn't touch window glass. At least when windows are foggy if you open them and close fog is not wiped off. You have to use piece of cloth. By the way I never wash my truck when it's really cold. But with currrent crazy weather we have 2 days above 0C (32F) and rain, next two days we got below 0C and everyting freezez up. I rememebr that my Windstar windows seals were very tight, winodws were frozen only if you see actual ice covering seal and lower part of galss. If I remove than ice I could roll windows down. And Ford Escape was as bad as 4Runner, but I was driving longer to work and in the most cases I was able to unfreeze side window by blasting hot air at it.
 
I am a new SR5 owner and I have to say that I think the 4Runner has the weakest windows motors I have had in any vehicle. I have never had so many stuck/frozen windows in the 10+ vehicles I have driven. I think the motors are not that strong.

It bothers me, but definitely not a deal breaker. Even if I knew this before I bought it, I would have still bought the truck :)
 
Frozen windows.

I have a three week old 4runner that replaced my 2007 model. The second day of ownership my windows froze in the garage. When operating the electric control it appears that the exterior trim is being pulled down which would eventually be needed to replace if this continues. I dry my windows after washing bit can't dry them when it is raining OR SNOWING. When using them on a dry day and lowering them (at the drivethru), they comeback up very wet. This also concerns me that there is a lot of water in between the doors which may eventually cause rusting at the bottom or at the interior controls. I believe this may be a much bigger problem down the line and is a possible design defect. Do we get together and discuss this with the TOYOTA?
 
1st, congrats on searching!

Not sure what you are referring to on exterior trim being pulled down, a photo maybe?

Unless you truly have something broken ,missing or miss aligned I don't think there is a design problem here. My 4runner has lived its entire life in the Midwest and stays outside most of the time. Not washed as often as yours but it gets washed and works just fine, sometimes the windows freeze but never beyond what a couple smacks on the windows wont fix (which can also break things)

I recently took apart my doors after almost 3 years of ownership and they were all fine with no signs of moisture.

You could take a 6" hole saw and cut a hole in the interior trim piece and peal back the plastic moisture barrier allowing the passenger compartment air to penetrate the door, problem solved
 
Banksaveli said:
I am a new SR5 owner and I have to say that I think the 4Runner has the weakest windows motors I have had in any vehicle. I have never had so many stuck/frozen windows in the 10+ vehicles I have driven. I think the motors are not that strong.

It bothers me, but definitely not a deal breaker. Even if I knew this before I bought it, I would have still bought the truck :)
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You never owned a jeep XJ. Window motors are a total pos
 
Am I the only one wondering why these guys are rolling their windows down when it's freezing (literally) out? I haven't touched my windows for 3 months!
 
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