I am the new owner of my first Mini, a 2004 MCS 6-spd, stock as I can see it. 63k miles, but the car looks great and drives solid. I have always wanted one, so I got this one from a local VW dealer, and am really enjoying it so far! Of course, it has already made we want to get a new/newer one, but that can come later.

I have been searching all over the forum and found lots of great info about the windows, from the post about using the bike tool to adjust the 2 white "gears" down inside the door, to 2 screws that should be at the bottom of the door, to doing the trick with the window up/down button and holding for 8 seconds or so. Can someone tell me if I am on the right track to fixing my issue, which is a slight gap at the rear of the driver's window (see pics below)? As you can see in the pic with the piece of paper I have slid in the gap, that is where the gap is, letting in road/wind noise. If you slide the paper up, the gap closes, and if you slide the paper down, the gap closes. To my knowledge the car was never wrecked. Does this type of "bowing" have a fix to it? Is it one of the fixes I have read about and listed? I would love to get this corrected! Thanks for any help anyone can offer!!

Reid

 

Is that the original glass or was it ever replaced?

 

Look carefully at the top, see if the glass is going up too high and riding up over the seal at the top, at the back corner.

My 2009 did this and they had to reprogram the windows thru the software...when it rides up too high it pulls away from the back edge.....

 

Haven't seen that before.
It's a ghetto fix, but to fix that issue in Subaru Foresters, people have put a length of vinyl tubing behind the affected weatherstripping. The MINI's weatherstripping isn't as accommodating, but it might be worth a shot.

 

It almost looks like the regulator or window tracks need to be tilted to bring the glass in. I haven't been inside the door on mine yet, only had it for a few weeks. I know on Honda's a similar problem could be due to the tracks being misaligned.

 

Here's a parts diagram. Maybe the lifter, part #1, is on a tilt? Is the window loose at all if you put it halfway down, can you pull/jiggle it around?
http://parts.miniofsouthatlanta.com/...ize/189507.jpg

 

Eric,

Off topic a bit, but do you have any more info on that? My wife's 04 Forester is getting a lot of road noise from the doors and we don't think that they are sealing well.

Thanks...

As for the MINI, has it been in an accident? Looks like the door needs to be adjusted.

 

To expand on this, when you open/close the door does the window drop/raise slightly? It may be possible that the window is raised all the way when the door is open so when you shut the door the windown isn't sealing as it should.

 

Yes, it does dip like it should (at least as far as I know since this is my first Mini. But it does dip and raise with door open/close.)

I will have to check when I leave work. I am not aware of any accidents to the vehicle, if the Carfax can be trusted.

I don't think it does this, but I will check after work....

Thanks guys! Hopefully I will keep getting suggestions to put me on the right track!

Reid

 

Good point, if the window is being pinched outside of the groove that it sits in, it would cause a gap.

 

To my knowledge it is original. I will try to determine after work.

Yes, the window dips and raises as I believe it should (this is my first Mini). I will give it a closer look after work.

Thanks for the help so far!!

Reid

 

Well, the window still has Mini on it, so I don't think it has been replaced. Also, when the window rolls up, it does not appear to overlap anything which might cause the "bowing".

Reid

 

Maybe it's time for a new hand mixer?
Video

 

hah!

 

Fell out of my chair laughing when I saw that episode.

 

I have the same problem with the noise but i think its because my window does go up high enough when the door is closed. My mini was vandalised.... a brick was thrown through the passenger side window and through the windshield.

 

Does the passenger side work ok? If you are so inclined, perhaps you could pull the door trim off both doors. I don't think it's too difficult with a Mini. Watch the passenger side go up and down, and the driver's side. Compare the two, look for any problems, things out of place.

 

I do not notice any wind noise from the passenger side, but I haven't ridden on that side yet. I will give a close examination tomorrow hopefully!

Reid

 

both my windows look like that from the outside but don't allow paper (or water) in. i always assumed it was just an alignment issue with the window guides

 

I haven't looked as closely to the passenger side, and I don't think I hear any wind noise, although I haven't ridden on that side yet. If the rain clears up today I will go take a closer look.

On a different note, we took the Mini on a short trip this weekend, 250 total miles, and it rides great! MPG was 33.2 for the trip!

Reid

 

Any updates rhlanham? I was looking through my shiny new Bentley Service Manual and found something you may want to try. It's a roughly one page procedure entitled Pretension adjustment. The desired goal is "With the door closed, the window jams against the door seal." After that, another line, "NOTE: Window pretension can be thought of as the inward rake of the window." I can PM you the complete procedure, don't want to violate any copyrights by posting it.

 

I haven't been able to spend any time with the window today as it has been raining all morning. I thought once I got the chance the first thing I might try is a small strip of foam or rubber tubing to see if I can simply "prop" the existing door seal out some, creating a tighter seal. If this didn't work I thought about going the road of looking into any type of window adjustment. If you want to PM me what you have I can take a look at it.

On our road trip this weekend the noise was not unbearable, just a minor inconvenience. If I never found a solution I'm sure in time I wouldn't notice it as much.

Reid

 

Update: as a test I took a drinking straw and wedged it under the seal around the driver's door. It did raise the seal a little, which did cut down on the wind noise. Now what I plan to do is get some type of foam, or rubber tubing to try and make a more permanent fix. I am hoping this route will be easier than trying to make any adjustments to the window itself.

Reid

 

Check all the seams on the door. Make sure it is equal all around. From what you state the door might have dropped. I would find the problem before trying a permanent solution.

 

Good idea. I will give that a shot as well. Thanks!

Reid