window getting caught when opening door

[broncobase1]

Fixed!!! This iss

Car and Driver July 2021
“Also, when someone tugs a door handle, the indexing glass doesn't drop quickly enough and often snags on the weatherstripping.”
They said a lot of bad things. You just have to read them.
The 2.3’s brakes were another. This is a vehicle of many comprises but most everyone likes them.

Car and Driver is wrong on this. It has nothing to do with the glass dropping quickly enough and everything to do with alignment. Still something Ford needs to address, but it is fixable using a simple procedure.

Like many I had this problem on all 4 doors to some degree, and on the rear left it was so bad I was afraid the window was going to break at some point. The problem is fixable and it’s not what you think. It has nothing to do with the speed of the window auto drop. The window doesn't drop until the door-ajar sensor is triggered, and at this point the door is already open! You can verify this by holding the door closed with one hand while pulling the latch with the other and slowly opening the door. The window doesn't drop until after the door is already open. Bottom line the window will never auto drop fast enough, and it’s not designed to. The problem is with the window alignment. The spec (service manual section 501-11 window glass adjustment) calls for 3mm of glass engagement into the rubber. Mine was over 6mm.

Using the procedure in the service manual, I adjusted to spec and they all work perfectly now, no more snagging! The weather stripping is designed to allow the window to easily slip out before the window drops. The procedure in the service manual is pretty good but missing one important step. Before loosening the two bolts to adjust the window, place a piece of tape at each side of the window (front and rear) even with the bottom seal. Use the tape as a reference when adjusting the window so you know where you are relative to the original position. Using this method, I was able to get the window within 0.5mm on the first try and 0.25mm on the 2nd try. It’s not difficult at all, and I recommend doing it yourself to make sure it’s done right. Use a digital caliper and take accurate measurements. Walmart sells one that is good enough for this job, or get a good machinist one online for $30.00. I spent several hours on the first door while learning, then breezed through the other three in about 45 minutes each. The door panels come off pretty easy, far easier than other vehicles I have worked on. Kudos to Ford for this!!This was really the only issue I had with the Bronco after 9 months, and I like it so much better now!

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[broncobase1]

For me, this is the most annoying "quirk" of the Bronco. Thankfully, we don't have a lot of passengers (aside from toddlers and dogs), so my wife and I are just living w/ it for now. We've gotten used to popping the latch, waiting an extra second for the door window to drop, and then opening fully.

Like many I had this problem on all 4 doors to some degree, and on the rear left it was so bad I was afraid the window was going to break at some point. The problem is fixable and it’s not what you think. It has nothing to do with the speed of the window auto drop. The window doesn't drop until the door-ajar sensor is triggered, and at this point the door is already open! You can verify this by holding the door closed with one hand while pulling the latch with the other and slowly opening the door. The window doesn't drop until after the door is already open. Bottom line the window will never auto drop fast enough, and it’s not designed to. The problem is with the window alignment. The spec (service manual section 501-11 window glass adjustment) calls for 3mm of glass engagement into the rubber. Mine was over 6mm.

Using the procedure in the service manual, I adjusted to spec and they all work perfectly now, no more snagging! The weather stripping is designed to allow the window to easily slip out before the window drops. The procedure in the service manual is pretty good but missing one important step. Before loosening the two bolts to adjust the window, place a piece of tape at each side of the window (front and rear) even with the bottom seal. Use the tape as a reference when adjusting the window so you know where you are relative to the original position. Using this method, I was able to get the window within 0.5mm on the first try and 0.25mm on the 2nd try. It’s not difficult at all, and I recommend doing it yourself to make sure it’s done right. Use a digital caliper and take accurate measurements. Walmart sells one that is good enough for this job, or get a good machinist one online for $30.00. I spent several hours on the first door while learning, then breezed through the other three in about 45 minutes each. The door panels come off pretty easy, far easier than other vehicles I have worked on. Kudos to Ford for this!!This was really the only issue I had with the Bronco after 9 months, and I like it so much better now!

 

[bhb]

Very interesting... thank you.

 

[imstimpy]

I've had the Bronco a year and haven't fixed it myself. I'm now in a three week queue to get into the dealer to fix it...

 

[bhb]

I've had the Bronco a year and haven't fixed it myself. I'm now in a three week queue to get into the dealer to fix it...

Does that mean they have a back of rigs with the same issue?

I'm in the same boat ... We've been living with the issue since we're the only ones opening the back doors (toddlers in the back seats). I plan to have it fixed at next oil change. (in theory)

 

[imstimpy]

Does that mean they have a back of rigs with the same issue?

I'm in the same boat ... We've been living with the issue since we're the only ones opening the back doors (toddlers in the back seats). I plan to have it fixed at next oil change. (in theory)

I can't say if there are a lot of rigs there with the same issue. Like you, though, I thought oil change + nit picky junk in a single appointment. Nope. My dealership has an oil change team, a different interior/exterior team (the queue), then another team for drivetrain. Each team has their own appointment calendar. I've got the oil change appointment this week, I'm in the queue for the windows, and I didn't bother with the recall appointment after they told me I'd be without my vehicle for four days for a recall and diagnostics.

 

[23_Badlands]

Like many I had this problem on all 4 doors to some degree, and on the rear left it was so bad I was afraid the window was going to break at some point. The problem is fixable and it’s not what you think. It has nothing to do with the speed of the window auto drop. The window doesn't drop until the door-ajar sensor is triggered, and at this point the door is already open! You can verify this by holding the door closed with one hand while pulling the latch with the other and slowly opening the door. The window doesn't drop until after the door is already open. Bottom line the window will never auto drop fast enough, and it’s not designed to. The problem is with the window alignment. The spec (service manual section 501-11 window glass adjustment) calls for 3mm of glass engagement into the rubber. Mine was over 6mm.

Using the procedure in the service manual, I adjusted to spec and they all work perfectly now, no more snagging! The weather stripping is designed to allow the window to easily slip out before the window drops. The procedure in the service manual is pretty good but missing one important step. Before loosening the two bolts to adjust the window, place a piece of tape at each side of the window (front and rear) even with the bottom seal. Use the tape as a reference when adjusting the window so you know where you are relative to the original position. Using this method, I was able to get the window within 0.5mm on the first try and 0.25mm on the 2nd try. It’s not difficult at all, and I recommend doing it yourself to make sure it’s done right. Use a digital caliper and take accurate measurements. Walmart sells one that is good enough for this job, or get a good machinist one online for $30.00. I spent several hours on the first door while learning, then breezed through the other three in about 45 minutes each. The door panels come off pretty easy, far easier than other vehicles I have worked on. Kudos to Ford for this!!This was really the only issue I had with the Bronco after 9 months, and I like it so much better now!

As you mentioned, the window doesn't auto drop until the latch assembly clicks open. By that time the door is already partially open. The vast majority of Bronco doors I've opened (on dealer lots), the window catches on the upper weatherstripping slightly when the door is opened. This causes the window to snap back and forth a small amount. As designed, I don't see any way round this. With the window closed, the top part of the window rests in a recessed pocket. There's no way for the window to exit this recessed pocket (when the door is opened) without catching on the edge of the weatherstripping---unless the window were to drop almost immediately---which it doesn't.

As for the 501-11 window alignment, we tried it. Long story short, 501-11 got us close to where we wanted to be in terms of minimal window snap, but not close enough. We elected, instead, to simply position the window as high as possible while at the same time trying to minimize window snap when the door was opened (also important to keep the window level fore/aft relative to the main pillar). Position the window low, yes, you'll get zero snap, but you also run the risk of wind noise, possible water leaks, and reduced support to the window in the closed position. Position it too high, the windows will snap excessively (even violently) when the door is opened. The best compromise, in my opinion, results in a very slight window snap when the door is opened. Yes, we could have done 501-11 and called it a day, but we found some free-hand adjustment was necessary to get optimum results.

 

[watrboy]

As you mentioned, the window doesn't auto drop until the latch assembly clicks open. By that time the door is already partially open. The vast majority of Bronco doors I've opened (on dealer lots), the window catches on the upper weatherstripping slightly when the door is opened. This causes the window to snap back and forth a small amount. As designed, I don't see any way round this. With the window closed, the top part of the window rests in a recessed pocket. There's no way for the window to exit this recessed pocket (when the door is opened) without catching on the edge of the weatherstripping---unless the window were to drop almost immediately---which it doesn't.

As for the 501-11 window alignment, we tried it. Long story short, 501-11 got us close to where we wanted to be in terms of minimal window snap, but not close enough. We elected, instead, to simply position the window as high as possible while at the same time trying to minimize window snap when the door was opened (also important to keep the window level fore/aft relative to the main pillar). Position the window low, yes, you'll get zero snap, but you also run the risk of wind noise, possible water leaks, and reduced support to the window in the closed position. Position it too high, the windows will snap excessively (even violently) when the door is opened. The best compromise, in my opinion, results in a very slight window snap when the door is opened. Yes, we could have done 501-11 and called it a day, but we found some free-hand adjustment was necessary to get optimum results.

I agree, body shop did the repair for dealer and messed it up worse. I got the directions from Ford, probably the TSB you mention, and followed them, with a little freehand and voila it mage life easier.
Simple pleasures.

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