Manual windows are a thing of the past; they are a distant memory, or nightmare, that no one wants to remember. “Could you all please roll up your windows and lock your doors?” is a request that drivers today simply don’t ask anymore, and if you do, chances are you’re frustrated and annoyed beyond belief. Since the invention of power windows and door locks, we’ve all become pampered – and we usually don’t realize how lucky we are until something goes wrong.
Land Rovers have had a substantial amount of cases of power window failure in recent years, and the problem could be due to any number of issues. It’s important to remember that power windows are like any other component in your vehicle – they occasionally require servicing in order to perform the way they should. Occasionally, power windows die for some reason – this article will address what to look out for in your Land Rover when your power windows fail and what you can do to improve your situation.
The unspoken, unrecognized joy of power windows
Let’s take a moment to acknowledge how much comfort and joy our power windows bring us. They add ease and convenience to our lives, more than we realize. If you’ve ever pulled up to a drive-thru window at your local fast food restaurant or coffee shop only to discover your power window doesn’t work, chances are you’re suddenly realizing that life is hard without a working power window. Here’s why they’re worth the trouble of fixing properly:
Safety
Unfortunately, power windows don’t have a backup setting where they can be manually rolled down in cases of emergency. This brings us to concerns of safety – getting someone’s fingers stuck in a power window, or keeping your pet from jumping out a power window that’s stuck in the down position are only a few instances where a malfunctioning window poses a safety concern.
Convenience
We’ve mentioned it a few times, and it bears repeating: power windows are simply convenient. Rolling down a window manually used to drain us of all our physical energy – if you remember the days of “rolling down the window” races, then you know what we’re talking about. Just be glad all you have to do now is push a button!
Problem areas that most commonly cause power window failure
Having recognized why it’s important to fix your power window after failure, here are a few avenues of diagnosis that your Land Rover specialist will want to look into to first:
Regulator stiffness
Window regulators are susceptible to weather conditions. When it’s especially cold outside, it’s highly possible for the regular to “freeze.” Older Land Rovers are even more prone to failure of this nature.
Motor problems
Window regulator motors are prone to failure due to overheating or burnout, especially when the window is over-used. Just imagine a child in the back seat rolling the window up and down, and up and down… you get the picture.
Power problems
Blown fuses, bad wiring, and other power-related problems frequently cause power windows to be rendered as nonfunctional.
Detached cables
If you start to roll up your window and notice it’s not going anywhere, but you can hear the motor working, it could be that the cable simply detached from the pulley mechanism. This is usually a quick and easy fix.
How to address power window failure effectively
Since Land Rovers have a higher documentation of cases of power window failure, it’s important that you bring yours to a Land Rover specialist for an accurate diagnosis of what could be causing your windows to fail. You’ll need to report to your automotive shop whether one or more windows is failing and what the symptoms are – this is helpful for the diagnostic process.
At Dell’s Service Center, we treat window failure like any other diagnostic process – with a thorough, efficient approach. Land Rover drivers in the areas of Green Bay, Manitowoc, and Sturgeon Bay, WI, have trusted us with their auto maintenance for over 4 decades, and we’re proud to call ourselves their go-to automotive specialists. To learn more about our shop’s qualifications or to schedule a diagnostic appointment for your power windows, please contact one of our helpful Land Rover specialists today.
* Range Rover Cars image credit goes to: Maxian.