Porsche Repair: power windows only go 3/4 way up, two tops, vertical channels

Question
Hi dave I have a 2000 porsche boxter my wife was driving it last night and hit a big bump. since then the windows will not go all the way up they both go down ok but will only go up 3/4 the way even with a litle help. once they get to that point I can't hear the window motor working its like it shuts off. help before it rains. THANKS

Answer
Hi,

BOTH windows are acting the SAME??? Now you've done it!  Rather...NOW your wife has done it!  Aren't you glad she was driving and not you!

Anyway, the notion that the humungous bump affected both sides of the car is troubling.  But let's take it one side at a time.  You'll have to take the door panel off and examine a number of things.

First, let's assume the bump caused movement or shifting of the 'trigger' that tells the window motor to stop (because the window has reached its maximum height).  The trigger will have at least two wires leading from it and it will be in the path of the window movement.  Try to determine if it has moved from its original position by testing the mounting screw tightness or looking for markings (scrapes) that would indicate such movement from the factory setting.

Second, let's assume the bump caused the vertical channels, in which the window rides, to shift position.  If the channels moved at all the operation would be affected, but if they moved so that the two tops were closer together than before...it would result in the situation you now have.  Check the mounting postions of the channels and any bolts or screws that retain them.  Are any loose?  Does it appear from markings left on the channels that they have moved from their factory locations?

Third, the top and bottom stops could also have shifted positions and resulted in this winter's coming calamity.  Similar to the channel examination. find the top and bottom stops...usually just some sort of bumper that prevents the window from going unnecessisarily low in the door, or too high.  Does it look like they have moved from the original poitions?

If you find any movement in any of these thre areas, analyze the change and once you are convinced the change would result in your situation, go ahead and move the piece back to its original spot and check the window operation.

Beyond this, and without being there to assist you and see for myself what's happening, I'm not going to be able to suggest anything else at the moment.

Please use the follow-up feature of All-experts to let me know what you find or to ask for any more specific assistance on a particular step.

Dave