Honda Car Forum

My '96 Honda Civic HX has an automatic window problem that I've
created:

I have a little, solar-driven fan that fits in the window. You use it
when the car is sitting for a period of time, by inserting it on top of
the window and then tightening the window to as high in the window
channel as the fan will allow.

Recently, I put the fan in and tightened the window without paying
attention; the top of the fan pushed out of the channel to the outside
of the window. Since I wasn't paying attention, I cranked the window
for an extra half-second to second.

The result is this: now, I can lower the window without problems. But,
when I try to raise it, it gets to the place where the fan pushed out
-- maybe an inch below the ceiling of the channel -- and won't go
further. I can hear a rapid-fire clicking. If I get out and hand-lift
the window for a half and inch (no motor), it'll catch and go the rest
of the way.

To me, it sounds like I stripped the teeth out of one small part of a
gear, or the threads out of one small part of a screw. I want to go to
a junkyard tomorrow and get a replacement for whatever I've chewed up,
but I really don't know what it is that I'm looking for. I've found
directions on line for taking the door off, but need to get an idea of
just what it is I'm trying to fix (and so, to find at the junkyard).

Any tips or information greatly appreciated -- thanks.

"New At This" <bgraves@telis.org> wrote in message
news:1154983225.087857.188030@i3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
> My '96 Honda Civic HX has an automatic window problem that I've
> created:
>
> I have a little, solar-driven fan that fits in the window. You use it
> when the car is sitting for a period of time, by inserting it on top of
> the window and then tightening the window to as high in the window
> channel as the fan will allow.
>
> Recently, I put the fan in and tightened the window without paying
> attention; the top of the fan pushed out of the channel to the outside
> of the window. Since I wasn't paying attention, I cranked the window
> for an extra half-second to second.
>
> The result is this: now, I can lower the window without problems. But,
> when I try to raise it, it gets to the place where the fan pushed out
> -- maybe an inch below the ceiling of the channel -- and won't go
> further. I can hear a rapid-fire clicking. If I get out and hand-lift
> the window for a half and inch (no motor), it'll catch and go the rest
> of the way.
>
> To me, it sounds like I stripped the teeth out of one small part of a
> gear, or the threads out of one small part of a screw. I want to go to
> a junkyard tomorrow and get a replacement for whatever I've chewed up,
> but I really don't know what it is that I'm looking for. I've found
> directions on line for taking the door off, but need to get an idea of
> just what it is I'm trying to fix (and so, to find at the junkyard).
>
> Any tips or information greatly appreciated -- thanks.
>
The assembly is replaced altogether - it is called a "window regulator" (I
have no idea how that name came to be!) I paid $75 US at a wrecking yard
where they pulled and tested it. Be sure to get the one which fits the year,
model and body style.

Don't remove the whole door, only the inside panel. It is helpful to have
another pair of hands to handle the glass, which bolts to the regulator.

Mike

New At This wrote:
> My '96 Honda Civic HX has an automatic window problem that I've
> created:
>
> I have a little, solar-driven fan that fits in the window. You use it
> when the car is sitting for a period of time, by inserting it on top of
> the window and then tightening the window to as high in the window
> channel as the fan will allow.

Sorry I don't really have an answer to your question, just one of my
own. How well does the solar-fan thingie work (is it the autocooltv dot
com thing?)? Is it effective at "cooling" the car?

I have a 99 CX Hatchback without A/C, and I've seen ads for that thing,
but I can't find any independent reviews.

Thanks,

BT

BT wrote:
> New At This wrote:
> > My '96 Honda Civic HX has an automatic window problem that I've
> > created:
> >
> > I have a little, solar-driven fan that fits in the window. You use it
> > when the car is sitting for a period of time, by inserting it on top of
> > the window and then tightening the window to as high in the window
> > channel as the fan will allow.
>
> Sorry I don't really have an answer to your question, just one of my
> own. How well does the solar-fan thingie work (is it the autocooltv dot
> com thing?)? Is it effective at "cooling" the car?
>
> I have a 99 CX Hatchback without A/C, and I've seen ads for that thing,
> but I can't find any independent reviews.
>
> Thanks,
>

Not especially. My experience was that the air was not particularly
cooler inside; I was just hoping it might be a bit fresher.

By the way, I pulled off the inner door panel, but am not sure that I
am seeing the regulator. I can see the bottom of the window come to
rest in the two lower open areas, but have yet to spot the motor
itself. I'm guessing -- and hoping -- that if I lift the window out,
there'll be room to pull the entire regulator out through one of the
open areas....though they don't look all that big...
> BT