Everything You Should Know About Car Door Windows

Such a big part of our vehicles today relies on electronics and the same can be said for power windows. How convenient it is to just press a button and the window rolls down or up depending on its initial position. Although power windows may seem like a fairly new invention in the auto industry, it actually dates back to the 1940s. While they weren’t as commonly used back then, the first power windows were used on a 180 series Packard.

Power windows were a luxury back in those times. It took about 30 years for them to become standard on most vehicles. In the mid-2000s, rocker and toggle switches for power windows were eliminated due to safety concerns and lever switches became standard. They are found in all new car models. But what are they made of these days?

What Are the Parts of a Car Window?

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Billet Window Crank

This crucial but simple mechanical component allows the power window to perform its basic functions – drop, open, lift or close. While a window crank is more common on older vehicles, it is still used in a good number of vehicles today. Billet cranks are car window components that make it easy to open and close windows. They are sturdy and easy to fix too.

Pillar Cover

The pillar cover is the interior covering of the whole mechanism that powers the window. They can match the interior of your vehicle or contrast it. This component is mainly used for style and protection, not so much for function.

Power Window Regulator

This is the main car window part that makes all movement possible. Power window regulators allow users to have the convenience we have today and they have advanced a lot since they were invented. This component is full of gears which allows the window to go up or down.

Window Lift Motor

The window lift motor powers the window regulator. Without it, there would be no action.

Power Window Switch

To intimate the motor and then the regulator you need to interact with the power window switch. Everything starts with a switch and the same can be said for power windows. Although these car window components weren’t always around, they’ve made the operation of car windows much easier and safer.

How to Take Care of Your Car Door Windows

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No Slamming

To keep your power windows running and optimally performing for a long time, you need to first take care of the doors themselves. When closing your car doors, avoid slamming them. Although that may assure you that the door is closed, it is not a good practice. Why? Because the vibrations from the slamming will slowly but surely lead to cracks and chips on the window. Slamming can also affect the window’s regulator.

UV Rays & Parking

Driving your car when it’s scorching hot may not do that much harm to the windows, but they can surely get damaged when it’s parked. Heat and UV rays can warp glass and exposing your vehicle to both these factors can damage the windows. To save yourself from spending on glass repairs, make sure to park in shaded areas or parking garages whenever you can.

Cleaning Agents

Keeping the windows clean is something that you need to do on a regular basis but you also need to be careful which cleaning agents you use. You should avoid solutions that have ammonia as although they can clean the glass pretty well, they can also damage it. The best solution is to make a cleaning solution yourself by mixing a non-commercial glass cleaner with warm water, a cup of alcohol, and a tablespoon of vinegar.

Replacing

You don’t need to replace your windows as long as they don’t have any major cracks. What you do need to replace though are the blades of your windshield wipers. Wiper blades are known for wearing out or tearing and if you were to leave them in that condition they will cause streaks. These streaks may not be that dangerous but this means that soon the metal part of the blades will come in contact with the window and leave scratches. Scratches don’t go away that easily. To further protect your windshield, you can install a bonnet protector.

Cleaning

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When you’re cleaning the windows, make sure you do so in a specific order. Start at the driver’s side door, continue to the passenger’s side door and then the back doors. Clean the outside auto window parts first, then the windows, and lastly the inside parts.

Stone Chips

When a stone hits your window it can leave marks which over time can become cracks. This is why getting rid of stone chips on time can prevent you from replacing the window. Glass repairs can be pretty expensive.