My Rear Window Issue and the Strange Resolution

[NJshadow93]

A couple weeks ago, we had some warm weather by me and I wanted to open my back window. I was pretty upset when I realized it only went halfway down. I was worried it may have been the window may have been knocked off track or something like that.

Well, fast forward to last night. I put some pizzas in the back. They slid around a bit so I wanted to make sure they wouldn't come crashing out of the back when I open the hatch. I open the rear window with the key and to no surprise, it stops halfway down. It was then when I realized what the problem was. When the window stopped, the license plate kicked out a bit. Apparently one of the screws holding the license plate on was too long and was preventing the rear window from going down all the way. I pulled the license plate off, and the window worked perfectly. I cut about a centimeter off the screw with a hack saw, problem solved. Just thought I should post this up in case anyone else comes across this same, strange issue. I can now see the beef people have with Toyota designing the license plate to be screwed directly into the body. :cheers:

 

[04_4runner]

Thanks for sharing. I probably would have torn the whole lift gate apart looking for the problem!

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

I like having the plate screwed into the body, except when those stupid plastic surround things start vibrating and it drives you completely insane! I can't use my rear window at all, until it goes into the body shop to have the tailgate replaced.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I like having the plate screwed into the body, except when those stupid plastic surround things start vibrating and it drives you completely insane! I can't use my rear window at all, until it goes into the body shop to have the tailgate replaced.

I've tried double-sided foam adhesive strips and even applying tension with thicker pieces of foam, damn thing still rattles!

Also to the OP, I have not seen this personally happen yet. But I don't doubt it from the way the threading for the license plate is done would allow that if you used long bolts.

 

[wadle5]

You're lucky your bolt was just too long and not just the right length to let the window pass by the bolt and put a big nice scratch down your window. :bash:

 

[97BlackAckCL]

That is pretty crazy, but I'm glad it was an easy fix

 

[CookieRoe]

I'd like to know who installed that bolt to begin with. Was it very long? A standard bolt shouldn't be long enough to do that.

 

[NJshadow93]

You're lucky your bolt was just too long and not just the right length to let the window pass by the bolt and put a big nice scratch down your window. :bash:

I was thinking the same thing! It wasn't even a bolt, it was probably a 4 inch long screw, pointed end and everything. It's still in there now, but it's already cut. Wish I would've taken a picture of it before I cut it.

I'd like to know who installed that bolt to begin with. Was it very long? A standard bolt shouldn't be long enough to do that.

EDIT: This is what it looks like for the most part

Got this off of Google, sorry for the enormous pic.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Nice, that's a freaking wood screw

 

[dadigab]

guess you didn't read the mod for hauling pizzas flip the bottom of the back seat creates a nice secure place for pizza boxes

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Well that sucks... those rear holes for the license plate are actually threaded for a bolt/machine screw and someone just ruined those threads with a wood screw. :rockthrow:

Well glad you didn't get a screwed up window and all is well!

 

[NJshadow93]

Well that sucks... those rear holes for the license plate are actually threaded for a bolt/machine screw and someone just ruined those threads with a wood screw. :rockthrow:

Well glad you didn't get a screwed up window and all is well!

Damn right! I'm not touching it now, I'm leaving it how it is since there's not much I can do about it now. Also, both holes are slightly different sizes too. The dealer I bought it from had to drill out a bolt that was suck in the other hole, which is probably why the sizes are different too.

 

[NJshadow93]

guess you didn't read the mod for hauling pizzas flip the bottom of the back seat creates a nice secure place for pizza boxes

Good idea! I wouldn't wanna risk getting crap on the carpet back there though.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

I've tried double-sided foam adhesive strips and even applying tension with thicker pieces of foam, damn thing still rattles!

Also to the OP, I have not seen this personally happen yet. But I don't doubt it from the way the threading for the license plate is done would allow that if you used long bolts.

I gave up and took the damn thing off, couldn't hear myself think with it rattling all the time! I tried super gluing it to the tag and it still rattled. Took it off and into the trash it went!

 

[CookieRoe]

You see, this is why I don't go to (anymore) the dealer for simple stuff. My 18 month old daughter can do a better job. Though nowhere near as bad as this, one of the bolts froze on me. While getting it services (when I first had it), I asked for them to put a new bolt on. The jackass who did it, drilled into the old bolt and it fell into the tail gate.

He put a new bolt on, but now (since 2010) it rattles whenever I close/open the tail gate.

I'll get it out eventually.