Parts Found Inside Drivers Door

[kbench55]

25870

About a month ago I had something rattling inside my drivers door. I took the interior panel off and found the above piece laying at the bottom of the door. Yesterday, I closed my door and heard the same rattle. I looked inside the door and found another piece, the same as the first, laying at the bottom of the door. Can anyone tell me what they are? There is no part numbers stamped on the pieces.

[ViperPete]

I think those are the clips that hold the window to the window track. Cheap plastic?
If they are they have broken twice on my pass side widow. Very annoying.

[kbench55]

I think those are the clips that hold the window to the window track. Cheap plastic?
If they are they have broken twice on my pass side widow. Very annoying.

Did you get it fixed or just leave it? The widow still goes up and down fine.

[apeas2]

Yep, your window will fall if it hasn't already. Crappy design. Warranty for new glass. If you have tint, tell them to rob the parts from the new glass and keep your glass in the car. Refer to this thread.

https://driveviper.com/forums/threads/14163-Crappy-Part-design-Windows

[kbench55]

Thanks for the info! Now to book it into the dealership and wait for the parts.

[Toxic]

Yep, your window will fall if it hasn't already. Crappy design. Warranty for new glass. If you have tint, tell them to rob the parts from the new glass and keep your glass in the car. Refer to this thread.

https://driveviper.com/forums/threads/14163-Crappy-Part-design-Windows

Yep.....Happened to me at NVE 2 in New Orleans.

[theviper]

Part of the window regulator. It's happened to every Viper I've owned in multiple generations. Horrible design. There should be a recall on all window regulators or a lifetime warranty. These stupid plastic parts don't even last a year or 1000 miles in many cases.

[Voice of Reason]

Has there ever been a coordinated effort by club members who've had windows fail to file complaints with the NHTSA? Nowadays all it takes is filling out a web form.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

[AZTVR]

Part of the window regulator. It's happened to every Viper I've owned in multiple generations. Horrible design. There should be a recall on all window regulators or a lifetime warranty. These stupid plastic parts don't even last a year or 1000 miles in many cases.

The question is, what is the cause of the failure of the washer? Is it because of "weak" plastic, or is it because something else like the nut that holds it on coming loose and causes the failure? What is the washer's function? Does it slide in a metal channel? Is the metal channel too large or small? Is there not enough lubricant in the channel? Do they use this type of plastic so that they don't have to use lubricant? Do other plastics or metal wear out and that is why they are using this plastic? I have never seen a photo of the installed parts or the assembly.

I saw requests by two members (one a vendor) on the other thread for sample parts to evaluate. There was no response.

For some already, this will no longer be a warranty fix. Maybe a resourceful DIYer or vendor will come up with an inexpensive solution.

[Dr.Ron]

Been there, done that...TWICE!
Both doors...And SRT paid for me to retint!

Ron

[swexlin]

The question is, what is the cause of the failure of the washer? Is it because of "weak" plastic, or is it because something else like the nut that holds it on coming loose and causes the failure? What is the washer's function? Does it slide in a metal channel? Is the metal channel too large or small? Is there not enough lubricant in the channel? Do they use this type of plastic so that they don't have to use lubricant? Do other plastics or metal wear out and that is why they are using this plastic? I have never seen a photo of the installed parts or the assembly.

I saw requests by two members (one a vendor) on the other thread for sample parts to evaluate. There was no response.

For some already, this will no longer be a warranty fix. Maybe a resourceful DIYer or vendor will come up with an inexpensive solution.

Combination of poor design and cheap part, would be my guess.

[Viper.954]

My passenger window fell off it's track this weekend. I was going ask how to fix but it sounds like I have to take it to the dealer.

[ViperPete]

Had my passenger side window done twice already and now the window is making a racket again. Parts ordered for 3rd time.
I bet i could make those out of steel....

[swexlin]

As I've mentioned before, I never use the auto-up/down functions. I just lower/raise them a little at a time. Don't know if it does any good. One thing in our cars, is that there is no track in the B-Pillar (like my truck for instance). to help guide it. The window may flex under it's own weight, which puts a strain. Just a crappy design.

[HANKFAN]

You would think after all the trouble that Dodge had with the Gen 3 window regulators that they surely would get them right on the Gen 5's.

[Steve M]

You would think after all the trouble that Dodge had with the Gen 3 window regulators that they surely would get them right on the Gen 5's.

The window regulator issue was beaten senseless over on the VCA a few years ago...thread here:

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/649305-Window-Regulator-GEN-3-4-Archilles-Heel?highlight=window+regulator

There was one small glimmer of hope in that thread...someone noted that the Prowlers were having similar problems with their regulators (similar design), and a gentleman by the name of Tom Mills had developed a solution that replaced the entire unit with a totally different design. His website still shows that this is available for the Prowler guys (scroll down about 1/3 of the way):

http://www.jeffersonautocollision.com/prowler-parts/

He caught wind of our plight in the Viper community, and tried to help. Remember, the regulators used to be ~$1k for each side, so this was a massive problem for us Gen 3/4 guys. He did have a prototype at one point:


Update.
I have the "prototype" well on the way. It is a gear and lever design just like the one I did for the prowler that will do away with the poor OEM design with the plastic tubing that continues to fail. I have it mounted in the same mounting holes that the original motor was mounted in and the glass goes up and down just fine. I have details to work out but at this time it looks very promising. I will keep you updated on the progress. Do we have a Viper in the South Bend area that has a broken regulator? When I get the details worked out to my satisfaction I will need to install it in a car so that I can make final adjustments on the regulator and installation instructions.
Tom

There was even a YouTube video of it working, but that video has since been removed. A few weeks later, he posted this:


Update on the regulator project.
After three weeks of work, investment and research I am sorry to say that the regulator project doesn’t look like it is going to work. The body control module is much more involved with the regulator motor that I originally thought it might be. The motor has a built in “Hall signal”. This is the signal that the body module uses to tell the motor what to do. Window drop, express down and etc. It has a magnet on the armature and a sensor in the wiring pigtail that keeps track of the revolutions of the armature and relays this information to the control module. After a lot of fabricating and trial and error I have the window going up and down just fine but unless some electrical engineer can come up with a work around for the Hall signal I guess we are “dead in the water”
Tom

And that was that. The Gen 5 regulator was supposed to be the holy grail that would end all of our woes, but that clearly has not been the case, even with the redesigned door opening to make the installation easier. I don't think this problem is going to go away anytime soon, and at some point, window regulators are going to become scarce unless some other product in Mopar's lineup uses this shit design.

I know we have some talented guys out there that could figure this out...there are two options in my mind:

1. Make the existing part more robust
2. Figure out how to make a totally different design that eliminates the shit parts, but retains the required smart glass functionality

I'm sure nothing will come of my little rant, but you never know...

[AZTVR]

You would think after all the trouble that Dodge had with the Gen 3 window regulators that they surely would get them right on the Gen 5's.

From looking at the photo of the parts above and the photos in the crappy part design (https://driveviper.com/forums/threads/14163-Crappy-Part-design-Windows) thread and photos of windows from Gen 3/4, it does look like the plastic parts were redesigned for Gen V. It would be nice to see a Gen V window with the parts installed, though.

I certainly do like the solution that is shown in Steve M's post for the Prowlers. That appears to eliminate the use of those "through the glass" lift points where the washers are part of the mounting components for the lift plate attachment on the present design.

[kbench55]

Well, you guys were right my window fell down into the door this weekend. Luckily I have it booked in for tomorrow to get fixed.

[KB Viper]

mine have been replaced 2x on the passenger side after 2 years and now my window indexing doesn't work.

[Dr.Ron]

mine have been replaced 2x on the passenger side after 2 years and now my window indexing doesn't work.

My driver's side indexing works (or not) throughout the day!

Ron

[kbench55]

mine have been replaced 2x on the passenger side after 2 years and now my window indexing doesn't work.

When you say indexing do you mean auto up and down? If you do I think I have a fix for that. It has worked on my grand Cherokee and I did it once on my viper and it worked as well. Basically you hold the switch in the up position until the window is closed and then continue holding it for 5 seconds. Repeat the process when you are putting the window down. It fixed the problem on my jeep and viper right away. The dealer told me that's what they do when there are problems with the auto up and down. Resets the memory or something like that.

[Dr.Ron]

Auto up/down is different from indexing. Indexing is when you open the door and the window drops a bit, then when you close the door it goes back up, "sealing" it closed.

[kbench55]

Oh, ok, thanks. You might want to try that anyways and see if it helps.

[Dr.Ron]

Did it too many times to count. I just deal with the sporadicness. Is that a real word? lol

Ron