When you have an older car, it’s pretty common to encounter an issue with your windows. Whether it droops down as you drive, refuses to roll up all the way or just seems misaligned somehow, it could be that your window regulator or motor has given up the ghost or that your window glass has separated from the track on which it sits and is now sitting unevenly in the doorframe.
Now you may be thinking about digging out the duct tape and strapping the window up (or at least using it to block out the rain), but this is just a temporary fix and can really be a pain in the rear. We never recommend such a temporary window seal.
At Team Acme, we’ve seen dozens of these kinds of fixes, and unfortunately, they can make things much worse in the long-term. The tape can end up making the frame grimy because of the residue that’s left by it, and that can be really annoying for anyone who plans to eventually fix it. We’ve even seen people sometimes end up damaging the frame so it couldn’t end up being fixed.
Fortunately, there’s a much better way to do things. First, though, you’re going to want to skip the old-fashioned ways of trying to keep your window in service longer than it should be.
First off, you won’t be able to use that window. This can be especially bothersome if it’s your front driver’s side window. No fast food, no cool breeze, or paying tolls on turnpikes.
You must make sure your car is clear of all valuables before you leave it. Duct tape can be easily removed by the less honest among us. And you can say, yeah, I’ll just put my stuff in the trunk, but if someone’s going to open up your window, chances are they won’t scruple to pop the trunk while they’re in there.
You will also have to replace the duct tape every month or two depending on the weather since this is just a temporary fix. Between the dry sun and the wet rain, the adhesive holding it in place will lose its tackiness, which means your window is going to droop again. And what happens when you go to the store to replace the roll you used up and only have an option of hot pink? I’ll tell you, it’s not pretty.
If you forget about the broken window and try to use it, you can cause a lot more damage—even shatter your window glass, which is a whole other kind of hell.
And then, when you finally get your window fixed, you’re going to have to find a way to remove the leftover adhesive and stringy bits the duct tape has left behind. That’s not fun!
Diagnosing what’s actually wrong with your window can be difficult without actually removing the door panels. And while handy sorts of people can usually figure out how to do this themselves, it’s usually best to leave it to the professionals if you have no idea what you’re doing.
Consider these following options, for instance.
Depending on what needs to be done, professionals are empowered to fix the issue in one of several different ways. Diagnosing the failure is the first important step. If the glass itself needs to be replaced, then we’ll have the entire assembly stripped down to where we can remove the old defective piece and replace it with a new pane.
Keep in mind that we only ever use OEM parts, so you can be sure that our new replacement windows will fit into your existing frame and match the specifications from the automaker that made your vehicle to begin with.
Depending on how your vehicle is damaged, we might also use broken window repair film to make sure everything holds together. Broken window repair film is a much less drastic repair technique, which is why some people have taken to using it themselves. Don’t feel like just slapping some broken window repair film over a crack is enough, though.
Take your broken car window in to get fixed.
Removing the door panel, disconnecting the window, removing old parts and adding a new one in might sound difficult, but it’s become something that we can do on a routine basis. If there’s something wrong with your window regulator, then we can also reinstall a new regulator assembly and check the operation of your window to make sure that it functions every bit as well as it would have if it were new.
Our technicians will make any necessary adjustments needed to ensure proper movement of the window and then turn the car back over to you as soon as we’re sure that the window is working in the same way that you would have expected from a new car. Some cars have looser frames than others and you might occasionally see cars that have very tight ones.
Motorists are often worried about broken windows in these kinds of vehicles, because it can be rather concerning to imagine someone having to work around this thing. That being said, our crews are professionally trained to work with almost any production-level consumer-grade vehicle, so we’ll be able to have your window reinstalled regardless of any fears you might be dealing with.
Just leave it to the professionals. You simply need to know where to get a broken window fixed.
If you’re sick of your broken window and are in the Las Vegas/Henderson area, we urge you to stop by our shop. We’ll diagnose the issue, find you replacement right parts and pricing (we only use OEM parts), remove the old part and compare to the new one to ensure that it’s an exact match, reinstall the new part and double check to make sure that everything’s working properly (including the door handles and locks).
We’re not mechanics, we’re window specialists. If you go to an average body shop, then you’re going to find mostly mechanics who might not know all that much about windows. Instead, get a quote online from us and get that broken window taken care of once and for all.
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