Window seal problem (pole included)
 

Just wondering if this is just a bad design, cheap rubber, or side dependent.

I just had my new seal start rolling on itself (passenger side) again. It was replaced less than six months ago. It's not leaking, so I've decided to leave it. I don't want the dealer to have the car again and it seems pointless as it'll just work for a couple months and start all over.

So, how are we looking? What side seal have you had issues with. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, it's this:

This is a friend of mine's car.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...psrz91zuds.jpg

I'm wondering if it has something to do with oils coming out of the rubber (even if it's synthetic). My seal got a little tacky when it started rolling. Might sound crazy, but there are threads about the steering wheel getting sticky randomly and then just going away (mine did this). I currently have a piece of 4 guage amp wire (hidden when the window is up, so it doesn't look bad) to hold the seal in the correct place. In the last two days, the "sticky" feel of the seal has gone away again. Still going to leave the wire in there for another couple weeks and see what happens. Hopefully, it's like the steering wheel and just goes away. Based on how it felt today, I'm beginning to think it might.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h8...psnrakngyb.jpg

I've had the car for 11 months now and no issues. Seems to be a hit or miss with these cars.

I had my driver side replaced when I got my 2nd oil change. About 15 months, 14k miles.

I'm thinking that too. There are quite a few of us that go to C&C in Carlsbad, and I've only seen 3 out of 8 or 9 of us with the problem. I'm hoping mine just goes away. I put some wurth conditioner on it yesterday. It's designed to help the window not freeze. Different problem, I know, but worth a shot.

I've got the same thing happening on both sides, and it's been like that for over a year. I tried lubricating it with silicone, white lithium grease, cleaning it real well , etc., with no improvement, so I just let it be. As long as it doesn't leak, I'm not worried.

EXACTLY! My windows are tinted. Only reason why I noticed the passenger side both times was because the seal was out of place. I put it back and added the wire. Just going to let it sit for now. No leaks as of yet and no one can tell with the door shut :thumbsup:

Yeah, I've been lucky with some problems and not so lucky with others. For example, I've never had the crickets, but I did have that rear deck ticking which got fixed but now it's back again :(
My TRD exhaust made a weird sound but they never found the source so they didn't replace it under warranty so I ended up just selling it.

TLDR: You win some, you lose some.

Agreed. Such a weird, quirky, fun car! Just like a woman ;)

Wait what constitutes a problem for the poll? (lol poles are for firemen and strippers)

Both sides of my car have seen the seals roll up, neither have leaked and they both look a little rough around the edges (some people flipped out about them deteriorating).

My passenger side has done it pretty much from day one (2 years now). The driver's side just started recently. I haven't bothered to take it in for a "repair" that will likely be as successful as the cricket fix.

I have never seen my car do that.
It is a 13 with 18k mi. original seals

For a lube, one more thing you can try is glycerine.
It is used to condition rubber seals.
Drug stores can get it for you.

The tint has a greater coeff. of friction on the inner surface than the stock glass surface. Seal cant slide like designed

Notice the origional post. It's my buddies car……there is no tint. Tint is a poor reason why the seals are sticking. It has nothing to do with tint. It's a crappy design or crappy material. My vote is design flaw. This is not the first car I've seen with no tint with the issue

Sorry I missed the "friends car" and saw your "tinted" comment

If it was a "design flaw" then ,by definition, it would happen to ALL of them.
I suppose if you didnt "design" it with adequate variation or parts stack up in mind then..... ok.

More likely a supplier problem with the compound of the rubber in the seal.
And some automotive windows have an inner layer in the laminate so the window doesnt blow up in your face in an accident.
variation in that layer could do it.

Anyone broken a side window yet?
Does it turn into a pile of tiny pieces, or stay together in a sheet?

I noticed my passanger side was doing it not long after I bought it at 7.5k miles. I have digi film tint from toyota. I disabled the window indexing to keep it from getting worse, but when I roll the windows back up after having it down, it always pulls the seal with it. With the indexing disabled, and the seal out of place it is a little more difficult to close the door, so I try to reseat before closing the door. I might have to put a filler strip in like you did and see how well it works.

:cheers:

That would be a design flaw. (not necessarily by Toyota)

I agree with you in the sense that it doesn't happen to all cars, but we are pretty much at a 50/50 failure rate and I know of at least 3 more people on this forum that are having the problem right now that haven't voted or commented. Thankfully this is not a mass hysteria thing like the DI seals. This one tends to be more of an annoyance than anything else. Once again, I have no intention of getting this "fixed" again as it's not a major issue to the car and I would LOVE to keep the car out of a technicians as much as possible ;) I haven't heard of many people actually having those seals leak…they just look funny, lol. I'm of the opinion that it's just a bad design. There are plenty of frameless windows that don't have issues. This one just happend to be designed poorly.

The little wire I put in works GREAT. Black would be perfect for those who roll down their windows. I don't much , so blue is okay….especially since it is hidden by the tint. Rubber has dried out quite a bit in the last two days. Been "working" the door more, windows up and down, door opened and closed to wear that seal.

Again: what constitutes a failure? Problem?

Folding? Leaking? Deteriorating?

mine got so bad that at one point it began to bunch up and stop the window before it was all the way up. I read a post saying that that the bunching cause it to start leaking. I don't know the semantics about if being a failure, problem, or defect, I just wish it wouldn't do it. my 240 has frame less windows, now 22 years old on original window seals with no leaks or warping, so it can be done.

I got them on both sides. Got my dealership to order me a pair of brand new window seals under warranty to get it fixed.

happens to my car every time it rains. when I get in the car, close the door and the window goes up, I have to reach up and grab the edge of the seal and pull it back down on the inside.
I need to get that by the dealer and have it replaced before it starts tearing or leaking.

I don't see any poles in here but I will fill out the poll.

Is the seal supposed to fold up on itself and pull of it's track? You think the engineers designed it to do that? In this case, you can probably answer that question yourself ;)

Cool, sorry to be pedantic, I can finally vote on the thread!

My seals both folded at one point or another, passenger side is currently folded driver side fixed itself, no problems.

:cheers:

No worries, lol! :cheers: Visually it doesn't concern me because it's not seen with the windows up.

I'm looking for solutions rather than replacement because my car is very close to being out of warranty and this is my second one to be replaced.

Long term concerns are, of course, leaks. Second the window motor. After it folds the first time, if I don't put it back the window "struggles" a little to get closed again. While it wouldn't be an immediate issue, or even an issue at all for all I know, it is still a concern.

Like many problems with this car, I believe that the problem will arise over time for most users. See leaking tail lights and crickets as a good example.

I've tried reinforcing with curled up tape, or silicone adhesive, didn't help. I've recently resorted to using a silicon lubricating spray every wash or so, which seems to help. Problem is very dependent on outside temperature.

My drivers side seal did this and was replaced under warranty, I use gummi pflege stift on them now and have not had the problem come back.

No seal problems as of yet. I've had the car since March. The windows squeak like a dying animal when they're a little wet and you roll them up or down. Nails on a chalk board.

Mine do it, driver's side for sure, passenger's I think at time.

My bigger concern is the driver's side has started to leak air at the upper back corner. I can't feel it, but I can hear it and put my hand back there and push the rubber against the glass and make it stop.

Not holding out much hope for a dealer fix, just like the other little issues w/ the car.

Both my windows make noise, neither leak though which is a good thing

I noticed my car doing this after I washed it one day. It's not folding on the top part of the widow, but on the side.

Yeah
My car used to do this. It's caused by the window grabbing hold of the seal and pinching it as it goes up instead of sliding past it.
I stopped it by armoralling it once a week. It makes the rubber soft and slippery as hell.

I was wondering why nobody had mentioned that yet. Mine isn't doing it, but if it were my first thought would be to try Armorall to lubricate the seal. Does it have any down sides? (Discoloration, residue on the glass, etc.)

I tried 303 protectant, but it didn't work for me. I saw others say that silicone sprays didn't work for them, I guess it goes on a case by case basis. worth a try anyway.

I use 1Z Einszett Rubber Care Stick “Gummi Pflege” on mine. http://www.autogeek.net/1z-einszett-...are-stick.html


I didn't have the seal catching problem to begin with, so I can't say that the Gummi Pflege fixes trhe problem or even keeps it from developing, but definitely worth a try.


What I 've heard about tint on windows, is that it's actually more slippery than glass. I'm also tinted.

For those with issues, do you have window tint?

And if so, did lube help out?

Have window tint, lube has worked to a degree, but limited success. I've tried tire shine and I've tried silicone spray.

I have it too!
-Wind sound on the freeway, I can pull in down to fix it
-Water leaks a little when washing
-No tint on car
-15k miles, started shortly after getting car

Going to wait for more serious problems before going to dealer to get everything fixed.

Problems so far:
-Dash peeling up
-Crickets
-Window seal

Mine had been back 3 times to have this fixed. In the end I did it myself. Best option is to align the window internally so it puts less pressure on the seal when it closes. Attachment 83769

This is the relevant adjustment screw. Best to take off the locknut and understand how it works before adjusting. If this concerns you then take note of how you adjust so you can put it back.

I spoke with my service manager yesterday. They are going to replace both sides under warranty along with a couple of other things.