How to fix beloved Mustang’s stubborn window?
Last year I bought a 2007 Mustang convertible with 18,500 miles on it. It nowhas 22,350 miles on it. I have two questions. First, the last time I put the top down and wanted to bring it up again, the passenger side rear window only came up threequarters of theway and it still won’t come up any farther. Other than not coming up all theway, it operates normally. One dealer said fixing the window would cost $1,800 andwould involve replacing a computerized part. Another dealer said he’d charge $600 to replace the regulator. Who should I believe? I’m a widow, so, unfortunately, I can no longer ask my husband for car advice. Any thoughts? I don’t want to be taken. Money is tight, but Iwant it fixed. Second, is installing a roll bar going to help in a rollover situation, or is it not worth putting in? The cost of the roll bar would be $800 plus labor, which the dealer said he couldn’t estimate in advance of doing the job because they’ve never installed one before. — Louise M.
It would be tough to say what’s happening with your Mustang’s quarter glass window without some disassembly and testing.
Mustang front windows are programmed to do some impressive things, including going fully up or down after a quick touch (no need to hold down the button), stopping or reversing if they encounter interference, and performing a short drop (dropping slightly as a door is opened and then going back up when the door is closed). All the windows ought to fully drop when you instruct the car to raise or drop the convertible top.
If you were having issues with a front window doing odd things, an initialization procedure would be advised, but such a procedure doesn’t apply to quarter windows. It’s unlikely your problem’s being caused by a computer, sensor or network fault.
It seems most likely that the window regulator mechanism is faulty or its range of motion is somehow obstructed. Howabout employing a helper who can try to lift or roll the window forward by hand as you operate the switch? Dothis with the vehicle’s top up and the front windows down. If your window can be horsed home, this will allow you more options for when and where to have it fixed. If needed, a replacement regulator should cost about $175 plus tax and labor, which ought to be about an hour and a half.
As for your second question, installing a roll bar could be a good idea but it will be pricey andmay result in limited rearward adjustment range for the front seats. Your Mustang received a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the type of rollover caused by an over-corrective evasive turn at speed. About 85 percent of rollover fatalities are single-car incidents believed to be caused by driver error. And about 75 percent of rollovers occur on rural roads where the speed limit is 55 mph or higher.
My belief is your car is very safe if driven under typical conditions and in a responsible manner. Adding a roll bar makes more sense for folks with a penchant for spirited driving or frequent driving on challenging roadways. I remember my dad saying, “It’s always better to hit what’s in front of you rather than risk leaving the road to avoid it.”