First frost this fall - windows won’t go down

Seems it doesn’t take much for the windows to stop working - had our first hard frost and both the driver side and passenger side windows would not go down. Frozen. Also found that the tailgate was frozen - would unlatch but not open. I have the factory hard cover tonneau cover so opening it was not possible.

It took about 15 minutes of driving with the heat on defrost before I could get them to go down. I’ve owned many other vehicles, none would have their windows get stuck from frost. Dealer offered no solutions. Any ideas? I’ve been thinking of putting silicone on the door seals. Truck is kept outside in driveway.

 

Truthfully I would not sweat it…

I have had this happen on older Toyota’s, newer Toyota’s and a few other manufacturer cars. I just let the vehicle warm up. It’s amplified this time of the year in my region because of moisture created by the warmth of the day and the cold at night.

EDIT: I do used a silicone spray on the tailgate during the winter to avoid it.

 

Did it rain prior to the freeze?

Use the auto start and warm it up prior to driving. Should thaw it out.

 

That's pretty normal for most vehicles.

 

I remote started it and let it run almost the full ten minutes. Then I drove it another 10 minutes to get a coffee at a drive through - still wouldn’t go down. There was no rain, just frost.

 

Note on any of the vehicles I’ve bought in the last 10 year. That includes 5 different vehicles.None of those vehicles had the windows freeze up after a frost. They might freeze up after an ice/snow storm, but never frost.

 

I'd go the silicone route on all the rubber seals and call it a day.

 

That may be, but doesn't mean what I said can't be true.

 

I can't remember if it was on a ram or a silverado but yeah. . I've had a truck to this very same thing. .

 

Have not had this happen on my Tundra but have had it happen on multiple vehicles over the years.

 

Something that "might" happen is when trying to lower the frozen windows. The clips that hold the glass to the track that is connected to the motor can break or pop off. This will result in the glass separating from the mechanism and eventually dropping into the door.

This happened to many VW's, not too sure if Toyota has experienced this but thought I would mention it. This seems like something that the Tundra should have an issue with as well!

 

I’m not discounting your experience, just saying it hasn’t been mine. This issue pales in comparison to an f150 i had with the twin turbo. The windshield washer lines would freeze during the winter and just stop working. Fun driving in slushy conditions when you can’t dclean the windshield.

 

That’s the stuff of nightmares!

 

I’ve never had a vehicles window freeze shut with frost but I have had it happen with ice and snow . I keep some paper towel in my truck and every time I open my window I take a piece of paper towel and wipe the edges of the window before it goes all the way closed . I haven’t had a problem again for about 99% of the time .

There are times when we get snow or freezing rain that hits the drivers side window and I’ve found that pressing relatively hard around the window on the outside seem to break it loose .

 

Same experience as op. My 22 tundra has had more stuck windows due to heavy frost or light ice buildup than any of the other dozen vehicles I’ve owned. I just live with it

 

Lol it is pretty common to happen as it happened to me once.
I had a brand new Dodge Dakota and it was the first real cold snap and it was snowing moderately. I was running late for my first of work at a new job site.It was a nice morning view wise and all but I had some nervous Nelly driving EXTREMELY SLOOOOOW,anyhow I finally found some room to pass and as I was passing the vehicle I noticed the SUV coming at me was a cop...
So we pass one another & he spun around and pulls me over, I grab my PPW he walks up to me and my flipping window won't go down....
I'm looking at him and he to me requesting for me to drop the window and I explained to him it's frozen. Lol.

Long story short I got a warning and he said nice truck but get that window fixed.
It was nice, but it was a dodge

 

My old Volvo has a low ambient temperature bug where it starts reliably at -55C/-67F, but this temperature tops down the coolant temperature sensor range, so ECU suspects the sensor is broken and can not be trusted. It turns on the engine fan at full speed in order to prevent engine overheating.

 

It will start - maybe move an eighth of an inch, then stop. I’m thinking it’s moisture collecting at the top of the window and freezing and that is stopping the window. Makes it a pita when i want to get a cup of coffee through a drive through.

 

All my Chevys did this so I would leave the drivers side down ever so slightly to so I could open the window and not have to wait forever until it defrosted. Only remedy that ever worked.

 

It's wet and cold here every winter. I've dealt with this with every vehicle I've ever owned/driven.
It takes a while for the little side defroster vents to heat the entire window enough to break the ice free from around the entire edge.
If it's too long of a wait, scrape the frost off the window with a scraper, or pull a credit card out and use that. You'll need to see out of it to drive, so you should be scraping it off anyway.
You can always keep some windshield washer fluid in a little squirt bottle and squirt it around the edge of the window, if you need it to open immediately for the drive thru, or whatever.

 

My 2018 f150 door latches would freeze and the door wouldn't stay closed. No repairable recall no nothing just a letter stating you can take to your dealer...then a year ago ford finally came up with a new mechanism. Lots of pics with northern owners with a tie down holding the doors closed..lmao

 

Generally, do see some below zero here in NE Pennsylvania - random occurrences for sure. Do see lots of single digit morning temps.

2nd winter for the Tundra and today the first cold morning at 25 degrees. No issues with Windows.

 

I have never owned a vehicle that didnt happen. We went away for Xmas one year and by the time we drove thru the rain and over a snowy mountain pass we couldnt get our suitcases out of the box when we got home.

Mother Nature doing her thing

 

Yeah, it's called Winter and COLD.

It's NOT a Toyota design error...it's just COLD.

Warm your truck up with the outside vents aimed at the windows. Give it some time to do it's thing.

Non issue.

 

Happened to me last week but only the passenger side (frost all over truck and still dark, so not like sun shining on one side).
I've owned many vehicles and have always lived in cold flyover country. This has rarely if ever happened to me in the past.
And it was just frost from the condensation in the air - it had not rained before freezing.

 

A little WD40 on the seals will help with this, I do it every year now. I spray it on a rag then use a small screwdriver to run it in the seal.

 

Don't even try when they're froze. Most window regulators in vehicles now are cable operated. Guarantee you'll bust something. Shoot some de-icer on if you must open, but why would you if it's that cold?