Will reinitializing the power windows work?

(p.149 owner's manual)

Initialization of power window
(if equipped)

If the power window does not operate
properly, operate each window according
to the following procedure in order to
initialize the power window system.

1. Close the door.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position.
3. Open the window completely and then press and hold down the power window switch for approximately 1 second.
4. Close the window completely and then pull and hold the power window switch for approximately 1 second.

 

Sometimes in cold weather my window will bounce back down when auto closing. I fix this by not auto raising it. Just slowly raise it without the auto function in little amounts until it is closed completely and hold the switch up once closed. Seems to help get it closed. Not sure if it’s my tint that adds just enough thickness to cause this or not.

 

This is pretty much what the dealer said. Mentioned cold weather. Said maybe salt on the window can cause it to think something is in the way. Said solution without cleaning glass is to close manually a little bit at a time like you described.

 

I had a similar problem on the driver side too. The inner gasket somehow became deformed. When the window closes, it would make contact with the gasket and trip a pinch sensor. This forces the window down half way. I took it to the dealer and they determined the fix was to replace the gasket around the window.

It took me 4 trips to get it fixed. First time was to analyze the problem and let them order the parts, Second time was a dud because they ordered the wrong part. The 3rd time, they somehow damaged the gasket on the install!

Also on the 2nd visit one of the workers accidentally rowed down the window, when they returned the car to my wife. The techs had to manually force it back up so it will be closed.

 

My driver's side window this morning began to slow, and then stop about 2 inches shy of closing, and roll itself all the way down when I tried to close it. It worked perfectly on the drive out to the farmers market, but didn't work when I tried to close it on the ride home. Performed the reset and it seems to slow down a lot before it closes. Just curious if anyone else who reset their windows noticed it was slower as it approached the closing point. I don't recall it slowing prior to closing before, but wanted to verify before I mention it to the dealer.

I checked, there appears to be no debris in the visible portion of the tracks. Windows are cleaned regularly, but I imagine it doesn't have any impact on the track itself.

 

Did you find out what it was? My 2020 Outback is doing the exact same.

 

No, they could not determine what the problem was. They did clean the track on the driver side, and it's been fine since then. Not sure that they did anything to the passenger side.

As as aside, how do you like your outback? I had multiple 2020 outback loners, and as much as I don't love my ascent, I do really like the '20 outback (if you prefer to pm thats fine).

 

Mine was having the same problem. The dealer blames a dirty gasket. The problem happens periodically, particularly when it's really windy outside. My guess is that the gasket somehow gets out of alignment or deformed. It might not be that it's dirty but rather the wiping down gets it back into the proper shape so it can close. This is just my guess. Either way it's super annoying.

 

This kind of sounds like what happened to me a while back, except my weather stripping was starting to get pulled down with the window.

Window weirdness

Does anybody have a wacky driver's window? Mine is fine 99% of the time, but when it's raining, sometimes the window starts to "chatter" when it's going back up. Sometimes it won't go up all the way as a result. It always works eventually. Other windows could be affected as well, but they don't...

www.ascentforums.com

 

YES!!! ME!!! It is only when it’s cold and it malfunctions worse the colder it gets. I’ve learned that if I point the closest air vent on heat full blast at the general direction of the motor, it will fix itself faster.
2019 ascent Ltd 7seater here. Started this past winter.

 

Thanks for your post!!! I have a 2019 Ascent as well. It was 38 degrees outside and I went through a drive thru to get breakfast. When I got my order I “rolled up the window” but it kept going back to halfway down. I did everything the folks above posted including what the manual said without success. I turned the heat on high, put the vent towards the window and headed toward the Subaru dealership. After about 4 minutes I just tried it again. The window stayed up! I know what to do if it happens again. Thanks again!

 

Happened to me today on my 2020 ascent premium loaner. I was driving to dealer to have them look at at it when it worked. 5200 miles on odometer. No weatherstrip obstruction.

 

Happened to our 2019 about a month ago... what did I do? Came straight to these forums baby!! And, sure enough the 'reset' directions by rockthebeef for the win!!

Not sure the perfect scenario, tracks are clean and it moves smoothly. Only once in 28k miles... I'm not stress'n, still a fantastic car.

 

This just happened.

2020 Ascent Premium.

Current temperature 65°.

I couldn't get the window to close... couldn't "reset".

This happened as I put the car in reverse and closing my windows and backing up the driveway.

The window decided it wanted to stay open...

So I put in into drive and was about to drive to the subaru service center repair... then as I drove I hit the window button to close...

And it finally did....

So TLDR: put it into drive and start driving and closing the window simultaneously.

 

Just happened to me after picking up fast food at a drive through. Leaving tomorrow on an 835 mile drive heading into frigid temps. Tried several of the suggestions here without success. Ran out of patience so just used both hands to pull up on the window while using auto up. Slipped my fingers out an continued pushing up on the glass to close the last couple of inches. Got it closed and it will stay that way until I have more time to mess with it.

 

That's been an ongoing intermittent issue with our '19 -- window sometimes raises reeeeally slow then rebounds like someone's neck got in the way. The dealer slathered some kind of grease on things and didn't fix it. Haven't tried resetting the window. Problem with our dealer is they don't allow any "oh by the way" additions on a service visit. So we can't go for an oil change and "oh by the way our window doesn't always close." We have to schedule a dedicated visit for each issue...inconvenient when they're 35 miles away and we need the car daily. Plus they behave like a stereotypical dealership by first doubting that we know what we're talking about, then by assuming there's not actually anything wrong, THEN by following their playbook rather than actually looking at the car.

Sorry for the vent...can you tell I'm not super-happy with our dealer's service dept? Anyway, yes ours does this.

 

Years-later follow-up. Some time after this post the same dealer who slathered grease all over everything found the sucky window (technical term) and said "hey, somebody slathered grease all over this and it's causing a problem" and they cleaned out the window track and fixed it. I did promptly tell them "yeah, that somebody was you." Anyway, cleaning out the felt-y window tracks thoroughly has worked pretty well for the past year or two. The window-half-reopen happens once every few months now.

 

I was searching this issue and ran across this thread and it is really unnerving how this is turning out. As it happens yesterday my wife gave me an "oh by the way" story of the window not going up while she was going through a drivethru in the rain last week. The other posts don't look promising, I will try the silicone in the channel and see what happens. I was thinking it may be one of the many funky things Subarus do when the battery is giving up, my legacy has many quirrks when the battery is going.

 

This happened to me while leaving a fast food drive through this week. I inched it up and it finally shut. The temp was 65 and dry. We are in the middle of pollen season so I thought maybe the window had too much pollen on the window? and dried out the inner parts that are supposed to work the window. Tried it the next day and it worked fine. I'll try the fix someone posted if it happens again. Its not just the cold weather that makes this happen. I just want to make sure it gets covered while still under warranty!!

 

Same thing started happening her to the driver window. Haven't had a chance to look at the track, but as it gets to the top 20% of travel, noticeable slowdown and pitch change, followed by an auto-retract. One hand pushing works so far, but with only 10K and under a year old, geeze, I'd hoped for better glue/lubrication of the track.

 

Dealer reported no track issues, but cleared debris and lubed channel. Still seems slower than it should be last 20% or so of travel, time will tell and got it on the record.

 

That has happened on our 2018 Outback with the passenger side window frequently. Subaru cleaned the track, but it still does it. Must be something about those sensitive Subaru window motors. We sold it last week, because we live in Colorado where it does rain occasionally and can't be caught with the window stuck in the down position. Actually, we sold it to get a hybrid vehicle. My wife always regretting selling her 2012 Camry hybrid.

 

This has become a problem with the drivers side window of our 2019 Ascent with less than 13000 miles. Upon testing, feeling, cleaning and lubing, the problem seems to be with the gasket in the upper corner of the window. The rubber feels of a different rubber material than the rest of the window gasket. It feels like the rubber material that I have had in the past on remotes, that after a little age, they just become sticky. I believe the issue is with the material that Subaru has used to form this gasket, the one in the upper corner. I will see how I make out with the dealership, but we are 7 months over our 36 month warranty.

 

I have the same problem, My Driverside window won't close. Now its all the way down. Its very cold today only 9 Degrees, I tried to grab the glass edge to bring it up then it went down all the way. still stuck open. Any solution its very cold, Cant drive with windoa open. Any fixes. ??

 

I know your window is currently down, but try these things to reset the window switch. Since your window is down, hold down the window switch for a few seconds and follow the steps after that. Good luck.

https://www.wheelsjoint.com/subaru-ascent-auto-windows-not-working-how-to-reset/

 

This just started to happen to my 2021 Ascent. Drivers side door window, almost closes then stops and rolls back down. Rainy weather about 50 degrees. This is aggravating.

 

2020 Ascent Touring with 18K miles. Mine has just started doing this sporadically. It goes partway up and stops on automatic. I can then close it the rest of the way manually. It seems to be when the temperature is below 35 degrees F. It also seems to be operating slower than before.

 

Our 2019 Ascent Touring does the same thing as reported above. Brought to the dealers attention when it was under warranty and the dealer made all the excuses I have read above. Now, past the warranty, we get to pay $527 ish to replace the motor and tracks. Subaru knows this is a problem. It's on them. Just keep complaining while you have a warranty and make them do something about it that actually works well past 36,000 like other cars.

 

I'm taking my 2020 Touring in Friday (2/17) for a window motor and track replacement under warranty. My dealership didn't give any excuses.

 

I've experienced this a couple of times, can't really remember if it was temperature related. My trick was to not use the "auto up" feature and just pull the switch up enough to get it to come up until it closed. For whatever reason, this seemed to work no problem. I'm guessing it's a switch/relay issue but since it's super rare (2 or 3 times in the 3 years I've had the car and not really reproducible) I'm just going to keep on kpeeing on.

 

I was having problems with my driver side window hanging and closing slowly on my 2020 Touring. When I mentioned it to the dealer during my six-month service (under warranty), they not only fixed the window guides, but also replaced the motor.