I can’t roll the back door window open anymore. The last time I tried to roll it down it went cock-eyed and I had to push it up with my hand. Do you think it can be fixed, or should I sell it?
What vehicle? 1994 Toyota 4Runner
Does the truck have any rust issues? Yes, there was some rust on the top lip of the back door, but it has been patched.
Diagnosis by phone: Probably part of the window mechanism is rusted out. Most likely it is one or both of the channels that hold the window to the regulator. I’ve seen this happen more than once.
Final diagnosis: I started by rolling the window down slowly using one hand to steady it and make sure that it went down straight. Once it was down I put the tailgate down, removed the interior trim and the metal panel. There lying on the glass was a rusty metal chanel. I removed that and then rolled up the back window with it in the down position so I could see the regulators and to see where the rusty channel came from. The left side (drivers side) channel was missing and this is why the window kept going cock-eyed when rolling it down. This is also why it required an extra hand to roll it up.
Solution: Replace the left channel and make sure that the wiring for the defroster is routed correctly. Test it several times. Spray the rubber channel in the top with a little silicone spray to make sure there is no resistence to rolling it up and it’s done.