[Mandalay]

This may be a stupid question. I've never had 'frameless' windows before. On my Cooper I noticed that when I open the doors the window drops slightly and when I close the doors, the windows rise up slightly. What's the reason for this?

 

[Lorri]

So that it can fit snuggly in at the top when you close the door... if it doesn't drop the door wouldn't close properly hope that makes sense

 

[Mandalay]

Thanks Lorraine - it makes sense when explained

 

[speedynz]

The slight window drop is to allow air inside the car an escape route out when you close the door making it easier and reducing those 'half closed' instances as you're not trying to push or pull against air pressure.

Thoughtful eh.

 

[Veron781]

I always thought it was to prevent the glass cracking/shattering when closing the door.





Veronica

 

[monkeynuts]

na V thats the female-cant-close-the-door-without-breaking-it-option

 

[Paul]

Bit of both the above suggestions (not the one directly above though!), as anyone who's glass or plastic pillars have broken when it doesn't work can tell you.

 

[Tonyt3]

Its simply to create a better seal, so that you don't get lots of wind noise or water ingress.

Its clever, until it breaks.

 

[SteveM3]

Now everyone has explained why I can confirm it certainly works. I disconnected my
battery when working on the car and forgot about the little drop and couldn't shut the
door . I assume a harder shove would have shut it but I had no desire to stress the
glass so left it.

 

[Oldpaint]

Now everyone has explained why I can confirm it certainly works. I disconnected my
battery when working on the car and forgot about the little drop and couldn't shut the
door . \.

This topic brings up this question -

If your battery were to go dead and both doors and hatch were shut how would you get in to charge/replace the battery?

 

[steebo777]

Wow, interesting question oldPaint. Anyone?

 

[SteveM3]

You can unlock the doors by key which feels like a good old fashioned mechanical link
but no I not going to try simulating this . After that the hatch can then be opened by an
emergency cable under the rear seat.

 

[steebo777]

You can unlock the doors by key which feels like a good old fashioned mechanical link
but no I not going to try simulating this . After that the hatch can then be opened by an
emergency cable under the rear seat.

Yes, but if all doors are closed and locked plus the battery is dead, then using the mechanical key still won't lower the window

Anyone else?

 

[Mini_Blake]

Yes, but if all doors are closed and locked plus the battery is dead, then using the mechanical key still won't lower the window

Anyone else?

Ive had a battery die on me, and the doors opened just fine and shut ok too, although I wasnt looking as to whether the windows dropped or not.

Maybe on opening the door the windows dropped and as there was no battery, they didnt pop back up on closing. Everything looked ok though and I cant say that I thought about it when it was happening.

 

[Oldpaint]

Ive had a battery die on me, and the doors opened just fine and shut ok too, although I wasnt looking as to whether the windows dropped or not.

Maybe on opening the door the windows dropped and as there was no battery, they didnt pop back up on closing. Everything looked ok though and I cant say that I thought about it when it was happening.

How dead was your battery? I assume not enough to start but did it have any charge left in it, which might be enough to have lowered the window?

Maybe the experiment would be to disconnect the battery while someone is in the car. Then if the windows won't drop the emergency hatch handle under the rear seat could be used to open the hatch.
Any experimenters out there? (does disconnecting the battery loose any important settings?)

 

[EBMCS03]

I'm sure u can still open the door... it might not be healthy for the window... as it will cause a lot of stress to whatever is holding the window to the door. You know you'll get that night Toooong sound like if you hold a ruler vertical and then pull on the top and kinda make a snap.

 

[Tonyt3]

I'm sure u can still open the door... it might not be healthy for the window... as it will cause a lot of stress to whatever is holding the window to the door. You know you'll get that night Toooong sound like if you hold a ruler vertical and then pull on the top and kinda make a snap.

You can still open the door. Its to create a 'better seal' against the door seal, not to lock it down like Fort Knox.... Its just then a little harder to open the door, because you have to force it past the rubber seal.

Central locking on some other cars automatically resets to the open position when your battery runs flat - anyone know if this is true on the Mini? I'm assuming it isn't. I know its possible to lock the doors with the battery disconnected - which caused massive panic for me once, should have read the manual.....

Obviously this is Cooper S specific problem.