A Bit of Cold Weather Window Info

[FightingScallion]

Thought I'd share this experience with you folks in case someone runs into it (I did look to see if anyone had seen this particular thing).

I woke up this morning to some fairly frigid temperatures. Needless to say, my Camaro had frozen up (apartment, daily driver, yada yada, I don't need a lecture on babying her).

So, I used my auto start to warm her up. Gave her about 15 minutes, having left it properly configured last night to be nice and toasty (set to aim heat full-blast at the windshield and windows). Went to open her up, and still frozen. Scraped the ice from around the window and tried to open, but it didn't seem happy. Had to use the advice on "Indexing without battery" from the manual. Worked just fine, and broke free enough to index.

This is where it gets a little different. To get to the parking lot where I work, I have to go through a gate and show an ID. Needless to say, that normally involves opening a window. So, I checked to see if breaking through the ice made enough of a difference and hit the Express Down on the power window. Turns out, it had just enough give for indexing, but basically no more.

The window motor will automatically cycle up and down a few times when it sees too much resistance. Apparently it tries to break free, then stops so you don't burn out the motor.

So, I started my drive to work, thinking that it would be fine after the heat had time to do its work. Unfortunately, the drive either wasn't long enough or the cold was just too much. I used the Express a few more times, with the same cycling result. As I got to the point where I was pulling up to the gate, though, it wouldn't even cycle (let alone go down). I had to open the door to hand over an ID (indexing worked when I did that).

I tried turning the car off and back on when I parked to reset the over-ride on the power window button. Still no result (window didn't go down, didn't cycle like it was trying, nothing). So, I went into work and searched these fine forums for a while (as well as some other places) to see what needed to be done to reset this, or if I'd just killed my windows. I found no information on this particular issue.

So, when I left work, I gave it a try. Window button worked again. In fact, we'd warmed up just enough for the window to even go down, and then back up, on command. So, it just needed enough time for the motor to not feel overstrained.

So, there you go. Your Camaro will try to help prevent you from doing something overly stupid, like burning out your power window motor. And, if the button stops working after you made too many attempts to kill your power window motor, just give it some time and it will reset itself. I don't know how much time, since I was at work for about 7 hours before I had a chance to go back out and check.

[CUPRA]

That's good to know, thanks for sharing. I am going to have to daily drive my Camaro this year (my wife was out of work last year so I could use her car on really bad weather days) so it's good to have a heads up on this in advance!

[Doghead]

good to know, I was just wondering about this since we're getting snow and ice now!

[IROCanSS]

In the future, have some of that ice melter stuff on hand. Give it a squirt in the window felt area and melt off the ice. Do the wipers too. You could easyily burn up the wiper motor too.

Also, careful "chipping and scraping" the ice, you can tear the window felt.

I love my garage and my Civic!

[scruffyluv]

just a heads up... I already had my drivers window motor replaced and the car wasnt even a year old. In warmer weather to boot. Havent had any problems since then and she is now 2 years old.