My experience with previous cars with frameless windows is that these loosen over time and need maintenance or replacement of guides. With my 95 Corvette, closing the door with the window up or down all the way was okay but closing it with the window halfway down sounded like there were a bunch of marbles in the door panel.

I notice this to some extent with my XKR. When closing the driver's door with the window down, there is a noticeable rattle sound coming from inside the door panel. I suspect there are some guides or bumpers that stabilize the glass. If so, is there some adjustment/replacement that needs to be made every so often?

Thanks,

Doug

 

Maybe something got down there, maybe something is loose, or maybe something broke. Since you don't seem to have any other symptoms other than the rattle, its hard to say. I've had the door panels off of a couple of these to adjust the window regulator and they aren't really any different than other modern cars. There are a few bolts that hold the regulator in place, there are a couple of pins that hold the window glass to the regulator -- maybe one of those worked free. The window glass snaps onto a plastic stud, but is held on with one of the pins. There is also 1 bolt that adjusts the regulator assembly and if it works loose can cause a lot of problems. Is your window slow going up or down? If so, then that adjustment bolt could be loose, tilting the regulator mechanism, which puts strain as the window fights with the track, this in turn can pop other things loose.

I don't know what else -- just throwing some ideas at you from what I've seen in there. Hope one of those sounds like a maybe.

 

I guess what I am talking about is really something more like guide bumpers. In the Corvette there used to be these metal pieces that had felt applied. When the window was fully down the glass was fairly tight against these 'guides' (due to the curvature of the glass) but when the window was about half down there was a gap, hence closing the door with the window in this position would result in the glass impacting these guides. As long as the felt was there this was no problem but as the felt wore out you would get a crashing sound like marbles. I am guessing that there should be some similar window bumpers or guides in our cars but do not have a schematic handy and don't want to start tearing into things just yet since the rattle is not really that bad and only happens when closing the door.


Doug

 

(coupe) my glass taps sometimes when fully up, and my temporary solution is to lower the window 1" then raise it fully. It seams to reseat it. A bit of an old wives remedy, but ive heard of people on here waxing their glass edge. I lubed the weatherstripping with rubber protectant last monsoon, and it seemed to help for a week or so.

My passenger side started making a plinking sound when its 1/2 way through the down cycle. I might have it looked at by the dealer so ill ask about the guides and mounts.

 

I an not talking about noise when operating the window (although there is sometimes a mild thunk when the driver's window reaches the fully lowered position). What I am talking about is the noise you hear when you close the door with the window down. The passenger's side sounds pretty solid but there is some slight rattling when closing the driver's door (glass hitting something?). I guess this is to be expected since the driver's door in my car gets much more use than the passenger. But it indicates to me that there is probably some adjustment or 'bumper' inside to prevent/dampen the glass impacting nearby metal. I did see a post on the FAQ section where someone talked about a similar 'rattle' and solved it by applying felt-like material to some guides inside the door.



Doug

 

Yes, there are guides/bumpers. Ive found one loose in the door already.

 

This video will show you how to take off the door panel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3wMh_R3fws

Once you've done that, there are a few adjustments for the window. If you have the JTIS it shows how to adjust the window. I know there's a rail at the back of the door that has a screw at the bottom and a screw at the top. There's also a bolt smack dab in the middle of the door that adjust the upper limit of the window. Here's a video that shows that bolt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYhStWozjxY

 

Hey Sam--I saw your video on the door panel removal (and admire and appreciate your frequent diy videos in general). It looks basically like a 10 minute job to remove the panel but I always have a tough time finding those spare 10 minutes these days.

When I have a spot of 'alone' time without the wifey bugging me to do some chore or errand, I will take a peek inside the door.


Doug

 

I have a rattle in my door and want to take the panel off to see what is going on. In watching the video there is a little piece under the door open/close switches that needs to come off to get to one of the screws. In the video the clasp holding that piece in is broken so it just came off. I haven't been able to pop my piece off and am fearful of breaking it if I apply more force. It is also a very hard piece to get a grip on. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Small anti-rattle strip (s) fall off and lay in bottom of door. Kind of a PITA to reinstall but do-able. Remove door panels and look inside, fairly easy to determine what needs to be done just awkward to do.

 

On the drivers door there is a shield (cadmium plated) above the door handle mechanism that is fastened with one bolt, the passenger door does not have one. if this comes loose you will have the rattle, whenever closing, or going over rough bumps. To get to it you must have your window all the way up. after removing the inner panel. This has been a cause for a lot of drivers door rattles.

 

I have the same noise. No rattles when up. When fully lowered and you open the door sitting in the car and then close it you get a rattle like a cheap car door closing! I only looked at Reverand Sam's video a couple of days ago on panel removal. Going to have a look next week, will let you know what I find.
Al

 

This is exactly what I have as well but on the opposite door. When both windows are lowered and I close the doors I get a rattle like the glass is hitting something on the passenger side. The driver’s side has no such issue. And there is no such issue when both windows are up. I have not looked into yet because it is the passenger side which is not used as often as the driver’s side. I am curious to what you discover though.

 

I am also curious and would like to know what others find before I start taking my door apart. As I mentioned before, this type of rattle was typical with my old Corvette and the culprit was some felt-covered bumper devices inside where the felt either wears out or falls off. With my XKR I not only have a slight rattle when closing the driver's door with the window down, but I have also noticed that when I put the window up, there is a very faint smudge of something on the inside surface of the glass about half way back and a couple of inches above the sill. I used to think this was just a spot I missed when washing the car but it comes back every time I raise the window after it has been opened.


Doug

 

My rattle happens when the window is up...not down. It doesn't happen all the time, but enough to drive me crazy! Again, my problem is how to take the inner door panel off. I have watched Sam's video and there is a small piece under the window switches piece that he didn't have to deal with since the clamp holding that piece on his car was broken. I really don't want to break the clamp on mine if I don't have to do so. I have applied a decent amount of force and it didn't pop out. Any suggestions?

 

Really good vid thanks

 

Hi Need some help please. I have the inside of the drivers door exposed, loose in the bottom of the door there are two rubbery "rattle" or guides pieces one 6" other 1"
Looking up from inside to the adjustable guide at the very top there is attached an identical 1" rubber so the loose one might have previosly been replaced and just left in the bottom of the door?
The window when it goes right the way down rattles against the guide if I raise the window so that it nearly protrudes it doen't rattle is there any adjustment to stop the window going down too far?
Any idea where the 6" piece lives?
Good tip for getting the black plastic lining off the inside of the door is a hairdryer on a warm setting (not too hot it makes it more stickey to pull off) Warm the plastic and slowly peel it back came off in one piece.
Thanks Reverend Sam for the great video.

Cheers Al

 

Good news Cured the window rattle.
When I exposed the inside of the drivers door in the bottom lay two pieces of rubber guides a 6" and "1. After much searching and looking as to where they had come from I finally found the two stains on the metal return at the top of the door on the outside of the glass.When the window is down, without these the glass hits the metal return.
Made a hook shaped piece of metal to attach the longer rubber piece because you can't reach it with just your fingers. That goes on the left "wing mirror side" about 3" in. the 1" one goes on the door opening side again 2 to 3" in just about reachable with your fingers through the access hole.
Going to give the bottom of the door a quick anti rust spray before reassembly tomorrow. Hope this is clear enough to help others.
Al

 

Gee, why didn't I think of that? ;-)

 

Hi nfbandon Re getting the switch panel off try two flat blade screwdrivers either side of the plastic grommet and lever it outwards its serrated and a bit tight.

Cheers Al