I’ve always wished that the driver’s door would also be designed with a manual crank capability, so that it could still be opened manually when the motor failed. As demonstrated recently with that man who’s vehicle caught fire, leaving him trapped inside. Couldn’t open the door or open the window!
Where do you get that tool to shatter the window/cut the seatbelt? Should have one of those in every car.
Here’s one called “Life Hammer”??
http://www.esafetysupplies.com/LifeHammer-Car-Escape-Tool.html?gclid=CLKep5-RrL8CFQxqMgodilcAaw
Can anyone recommend a particular one?
Thats much better than the one they sent me. Like I said, I have no idea who it was from but a free gift from maybe a magazine subscription or maybe CR or something. There is also a pin point tool that is spring loaded. You push it against the window and the point fires against it. I actually think that is a better way. Since I stay off frozen lakes I never thought much about it until the guy was trapped in a burning car.
My cars have power door locks, but they all have a lever that you can easily flip to unlock the door. It’s right next to the pull handle. In similar fashion, the seat belt release is a manually operated clasp that releases with a push. Yes, the power windows will not open without electricity, but the doors and seat belts do, all the time.
The owner’s manual in my 82 Volvo was very clear that the doors should NOT be locked while the car was in motion, because of the possibility that it would be difficult for rescue personnel to open them after an accident. It also said that locking the doors had no effect on the strength of the latch in the event of an accident. I think that’s all still true. And really, how many times have you read of the bad guys tearing open the door of a moving car, except in movies?
Careful, an awful lot of safety concerns are really based on unfounded fear.
Depends if you are under water or not and hanging upside down. Don’t understand the door not unlocking either but that was the story.
if you are under water, the pressure will prevent you from opening the door, that’s why I like manual windows. you never know when you will be forced off a bridge or waterfront road or have a brake failure.
the power window in all of my better halfs cougars had problems. they came off the bottom brackets inside the door.
what I really miss are the side vents. the lack of them makes it hard to do without AC, I don t like AC
@ColtHero
It’s a nice idea, but it wouldn’t work, in most cases
In most cases, it’s the window regulator, not the motor, that fails
Many power window regulators nowadays use a cable mechanism. And the guide usually breaks.
If that happens, a manual window crank handle won’t do you any good
here s a riddle, my window cranks on my 75 ford have seized up some how, it now takes super human strength to crank them. any one have an answer why before I take off the door panels and look?
Yeah, it’s because they’re 40 years old! (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
The grease in the mechanisms has long since dried up and solidified. You’ll probably have to clean the old grease out before lubing everything up to get them working properly again. But do it before you strip out your crank handle.
Personally, I prefer side curtains. The MG midget lost part of its appeal for me when it went to crank type windows. You don’t burn out motors or strip regulators with side curtains.
These days “side curtains” refer to the airbags that deploy out of the areas around the side windows. You’re being confusing.
@asemaster–No, I’m not being confusing. I’m just old and appreciate the simplicity of the past. I had a good friend who bought a 1962 MG Midget back in 1964. The 1962 was the last model that had side curtains instead of crank up windows. I still would like to have an Austin Healy Sprite with the “bug eye” headlights. These Sprites had the side curtains and weren’t burdened with useless features.
" …weren’t burdened with useless features."
Like windows?
I will say there is a certain elegance in simplicity. But I’m a product of the modern age and enjoy my creature comforts.
@Whitey, If it helps you feel any better, I tried the inexpensive power window regulators for my old Regal, and they didn’t fit without a lot of extra work. The $80 ones did work without any hassle.
I dunno, when its 20 below out I kinda prefer real windows and doors as opposed to a shower curtain but that’s just me.
The only thing I’ve ever had to replace is that plastic ribbon. I was welding a patch panel in on my Olds door and caught the thing on fire. Door was off the car and extinguisher handy but it really burned fast. I think it was $5 at the Olds dealer for the part. Lesson: Have several extinguishers in the garage.
Happy 4th. This is one great country if we don’t screw it up. I guess Canada Day was yesterday so happy late Canada Day too.
wentwest I find it interesting that your 1982 Volvo is not supposed to be locked while driving. My 2010 KIA SX 6 speed manual automatically locks the doors after driving about 1/2 block. Modern cars are safer. I was a passenger in cars and later a driver that had steel dashboards, Zulu spear steering columns, and no seatbelts! Thankfully my KIA’s door levers over-ride the electronic locks. Unfortunately many of the “nanny” safety features are now aimed at the incompetent driver. If I am driving a curvey road on dry pavement I disengage the traction/stability control. I am not going fast. Just quick and smooth without ever squeaking a tire. One time I forgot to disengage and was negotiating a sharp curve at my usual 30mph. I was exiting the curve and applied mid throttle. The traction control engaged and the more throttle I applied the more it applied the brakes stalling the car. WTF! At my age (62) I realize that vision and reaction time is not what it used to be. I have not been a speeder since 1970 but know I now have to slow down a bit.
I’ve had two vehicles with manual windows, a 1974 F-100 and a 1974 Triumph TR6 (still have the TR6). And neither of them had any problems with rolling the window up or down. But for a daily driver, I’ll take power windows every time. Of the other vehicles I’ve had or have with power windows, a 1992 T-Bird SC, a 1995 Bronco, a 1997 F-150 and a 2003 Mustang GT, I’ve only had to replace the drivers side power window regulator on the 2003 Mustang once, it was around $120 for the job. A small price to pay for the convenience IMHO.
I was trying to post a comment and as usual it disappeared before I could finish. This is not the first time and really sucks!!!
Quoting @Triedaq
"Personally, I prefer side curtains. The MG midget lost part of its appeal for me when it went to crank type windows. You don’t burn out motors or strip regulators with side curtains."
It’s also rather difficult to be particularly comfortable in the winter with side curtains.
I fixed mine (sort of) by plumbing in a second heater under the passenger side dash. Turn the fan on, and the passenger gets a blast of warm air in their lap. The curtains still leak, but there is more warm air to rush out as the cold rushes in.
I have lost count of the number of Crown Vic/Grand Marquis regulators I have changed. They use a cable type regulator, as do most vehicles today. or maybe it’s just the ones I see that need fixing. I’ve even seen big Fords with NO working regulators. I can do one of those in 40-45 minutes.
When I was at the dealership, there were certain models that were notorious for broken cable type window regulators
You would get paid well over an hour, but you could knock it out in 15 minutes, if you were feeling motivated
Alas, it was one of the few repair jobs that paid well