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Count me as another individual experiencing the frozen windows. I'm very concerned I'm gonna break the window some day, and it's gotta be hard on the seals. Luckily it seems like the interior car heat is absorbed enough into the doors that they start to thaw out and function again fairly quickly. It does seems like this is an enormous oversight from the design department, and why? Other Audi models (and brands) have had window indexing and seem to get along with few problems. I hope there can be some resolution, but I'm thinking it's gonna need some engineering changes not readily retrofitted to existing cars.
After using my Air Miles card to break the ice on my window (it works better than the lil chizler because it bends). I took a close look and you can see at the edge of the door the ice is over 1cm wide and runs the whole length of the window seal.
So it's not just a bit of ice stopping the window from retracting, it's a pretty wide and long ice line.
Thanks for the photo. Would it be possible for you to post another one from further away, wider view. Thanks, again.
Here's a bit further out view. You can see the "ice line" running all the way down the seal. I goes all the way to the end. No way a window motor will break that.
This definitely helps me visualize the issue better. It looks like the distance between the glass and the seal is just right so as to fully exploit water surface tension so that it stays as a pool in that spot and freezes up. Do you think it happens as one layer or does it build up slowly one thin layer at a time? The main way to alleviate the issue may not be to focus on the lower seal, but on the glass. It seems like if something like Liquiproof, or any kind of semi permanent hydrophobic glass coating were put on the lower part of the glass, it should prevent the water from pooling there (preventing the water adhesion on the glass side) and the water would then run down into the door and out of the door drain.
This definitely helps me visualize the issue better. It looks like the distance between the glass and the seal is just right so as to fully exploit water surface tension so that it stays as a pool in that spot and freezes up. Do you think it happens as one layer or does it build up slowly one thin layer at a time? The main way to alleviate the issue may not be to focus on the lower seal, but on the glass. It seems like if something like Liquiproof, or any kind of semi permanent hydrophobic glass coating were put on the lower part of the glass, it should prevent the water from pooling there (preventing the surface tension on the glass side) and the water would then run down into the door and out of the door drain.
I don't think it happens in layers, I'm thinking it's happening all at once because it happens so fast. Works at one point and then is completely frozen in a matter of hours after being outside. I could be wrong on this though as I haven't watched it closely over days to see if it's building up.
Also, I don't think a glass coating would work to prevent it from pooling.
If you look closely the ice strip isn't the full width of the seal. Almost the full width but not quite. There is no ice at the very bottom of the seal which means that part is pressing hard against the window (actually sealing) and preventing the water from passing ultimately causing the polling above it.
You'd need a coating that prevents water from freezing to glass which I'm not sure actually exists or people would use it on their from windshield so they'd never have to scrape.
I think what they need is a preseal (like a normal door lip seal, so prevent the water from even making it into that seal.
The other thing I should mention is that even after freeing the window it will only retract 97% of the way. By the time the window is almost fully down the curve of the window + the thickness of the ice makes the motor stop retracting. So it's a pretty thick ice line that builds up and there must be very little play in the sealing material after it's frozen.
Actually, one of the uses that Liquiproof "claims" is for coating windows to prevent icing so that you don't have to scrape. Don't know how true or effective it really is since I haven't personally used it. I only heard of Liquiproof from another TT thread that I found online...
Just from looking at your photo, would you agree that the bulk of the design problem is the lower window seal itself? If that's the case, then Audi could provide a fix by redesigning the seal. Looks like if there was just something to fill in the cavity where the ice is forming, then there would be at least less ice and maybe a narrower band of it, and then the motor could more realistically break free from that.
You should send your photos and a formal complaint to Audi.
I have an "ice line" on the window seal 100% in the same way as the photo. No way the motor can overcome it. I don't think water is leaking down into the door, but rather the seal allows some moisture to seep down and it freezes up. The seal needs to be more "seally"! HA! Needs to keep the water out all together. It does refreeze shockingly quick after you get the window to open. I've noticed the defroster vents are excellent, and a huge volume of air moves past the window...which is probably why it does seem to thaw out relatively soon if you get the defroster cranked up, probably also proving it's not down in the door but right there at the seal where warm air is directed over.
I... if you get the defroster cranked up, probably also proving it's not down in the door but right there at the seal where warm air is directed over.
Sometimes, but as I reported earlier, on at least one occasion its taken me well over an hour to thaw while driving with defrost and full heat. Theres zero doubt that my the door seal, at least the upper portion of it, was not frozen to the window. First thing I checked. Didnt check inside to see the inner lower seal. Will next time.
01-06-2017, 03:24 PM
