[ember1205]

Hey, all.

I've been running into some odd behavior here and there with the operation of my power windows in my 2020 Camaro. I ran into a problem today and I did a lot of searching online to see if I could figure out at least what might be going on. I'm not sure that I really found anything useful that pertains to the specific problem I encountered, but wanted to share what I -did- find about window operation.

First, here's the problem I encountered: I backed the car out of the garage to wash it. When I was done, I pulled it back in to wipe it down and dry it off thoroughly. Part of how I do this includes partially opening the top so that the tonneau is lifted away and I can wipe down underneath that area. After drying everything off, I put the top the rest of the way down and attempted to roll the windows up. The driver's rear window was having none of it and would not roll up no matter what I did.

Here's what I tried: Repeatedly tried just pulling up on the control switch, closed the top, opened the top, rolled up the front windows, restarted the car. I not only tried all of these things, but I tried them repeatedly and in various orders.

Here's what I learned:

- The front windows will not go up automatically (express-up) if the rear windows are not fully up.

The owner's manual specifically tells you that "Front window express-up motion is disabled when the corresponding rear window is not fully closed" and I have encountered this issue without realizing that the auto-up wasn't working because of the rear window's position. This was on my list of things that I wanted the dealership to look at (since my car is still basically new), but now that I understand both this AND the next item, I believe that what I've been experiencing is expected behavior.

- The car will automatically put ALL of the windows up "correctly" if you know the secret.

When you put the top down or up, all four windows will automatically roll all the way down. When you are putting the windows back up (all the way), the car is actually programmed to do this "for you" but it isn't well-known how it works.

To put all four windows all the way up after operating the convertible top, do the following: With the window selector set to Front, pull up on the two switches for the windows to engage the "Express Up" feature. Set the window selector switch to Rear and repeat this process. What will happen is that the front windows will begin to roll up but stop almost immediately. Once the rear windows are activated, they will roll all the way up and then the front windows will roll all the way up automatically. Basically, the first step activates the "express-up" feature but the windows go into a "waiting state" while the rear windows get rolled up. Once the rears are all the way up, they will continue on and fully close.


Ultimately, I was able to get my rear driver's side window to raise by manually putting all of the windows down "twice" (put the fronts down, put the rears down, switched back to front and pressed down again, same for rears) and then raising the rear windows. The owner's manual states that "The windows may be temporarily disabled if the window switches are used repeatedly within a short time." Since I had only one window that was misbehaving, I don't believe that this safety feature engaging was the reason. So, I likely still need to ensure that the dealership looks at this more closely and at a minimum gets it recorded in my service records.

[17rsvert]

Originally Posted by ember1205

...With the window selector set to Front, pull up on the two switches for the windows to engage the "Express Up" feature. Set the window selector switch to Rear and repeat this process...

I use this method all the time and I've found that it doesn't matter whether I select Front or Rear first, then switch to the other. It works either way.

I have a 17, maybe it's different with a 20.

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by 17rsvert

I use this method all the time and I've found that it doesn't matter whether I select Front or Rear first, then switch to the other. It works either way.

I have a 17, maybe it's different with a 20.

If you do the rear first, then you're basically just not waiting as long for the fronts to get out of "wait mode." But, yeah, it's still basically the same process overall.

Since the car defaults on startup to Fronts being selected, I could see where it would be common to do Front then Rear when putting the top down (leaving Rear selected) and the Rear then Front after getting where you're going and putting the top up.

Has anyone found this detailed in the manual anywhere? I came across it online and then specifically went looking for it in the manual and didn't see anything that explained it.

[TP2SS]

Originally Posted by ember1205

- The car will automatically put ALL of the windows up "correctly" if you know the secret.

When you put the top down or up, all four windows will automatically roll all the way down. When you are putting the windows back up (all the way), the car is actually programmed to do this "for you" but it isn't well-known how it works.

To put all four windows all the way up after operating the convertible top, do the following: With the window selector set to Front, pull up on the two switches for the windows to engage the "Express Up" feature. Set the window selector switch to Rear and repeat this process. What will happen is that the front windows will begin to roll up but stop almost immediately. Once the rear windows are activated, they will roll all the way up and then the front windows will roll all the way up automatically. Basically, the first step activates the "express-up" feature but the windows go into a "waiting state" while the rear windows get rolled up. Once the rears are all the way up, they will continue on and fully close.

Seems like this is as many “keystrokes” to just put the windows in rear and activate express, then hit the front button and activate express! Not sure how this function helps much! Good find though!

[17rsvert]

Originally Posted by TP2SS

Seems like this is as many “keystrokes” to just put the windows in rear and activate express, then hit the front button and activate express! Not sure how this function helps much! Good find though!

It's not any less keystrokes. The advantage is you don't have to set it Rear first, you can start the sequence with Front first also. The point is, the rears should be up first before the fronts, and when activating express up in this manner, the rears go up completely first before the fronts, regardless of the order you raised them. It takes a second to do the keystrokes because you don't have to wait for the rears to finish before activating the fronts.

Not an earth shattering convenience, but a nice one once you get used to it.

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by 17rsvert

It's not any less keystrokes. The advantage is you don't have to set it Rear first, you can start the sequence with Front first also. The point is, the rears should be up first before the fronts, and when activating express up in this manner, the rears go up completely first before the fronts, regardless of the order you raised them. It takes a second to do the keystrokes because you don't have to wait for the rears to finish before activating the fronts.

Not an earth shattering convenience, but a nice one once you get used to it.

It actually might be one less press on the buttons, depending on how you use it.

I was previously selecting the rears, putting them up, selecting the fronts, and putting them up. That's two selects and two "up's".

Since it actually makes no difference whether you start with the front or rear windows, you simply pull up, select the "other windows", and pull up. That's one select and two "up's".

If your rear windows were initially selected (not common), then no difference. And, I agree that it isn't a major find. But, it does make putting the windows up just a touch simpler since I no longer go through the full process and wait for the rears to go up first. Now it's "up, select, up." and I just make sure both front windows ExpressUp all the way.

[RENEMAY24]

Originally Posted by ember1205

Hey, all.

I've been running into some odd behavior here and there with the operation of my power windows in my 2020 Camaro. I ran into a problem today and I did a lot of searching online to see if I could figure out at least what might be going on. I'm not sure that I really found anything useful that pertains to the specific problem I encountered, but wanted to share what I -did- find about window operation.

First, here's the problem I encountered: I backed the car out of the garage to wash it. When I was done, I pulled it back in to wipe it down and dry it off thoroughly. Part of how I do this includes partially opening the top so that the tonneau is lifted away and I can wipe down underneath that area. After drying everything off, I put the top the rest of the way down and attempted to roll the windows up. The driver's rear window was having none of it and would not roll up no matter what I did.

Here's what I tried: Repeatedly tried just pulling up on the control switch, closed the top, opened the top, rolled up the front windows, restarted the car. I not only tried all of these things, but I tried them repeatedly and in various orders.

Here's what I learned:

- The front windows will not go up automatically (express-up) if the rear windows are not fully up.

The owner's manual specifically tells you that "Front window express-up motion is disabled when the corresponding rear window is not fully closed" and I have encountered this issue without realizing that the auto-up wasn't working because of the rear window's position. This was on my list of things that I wanted the dealership to look at (since my car is still basically new), but now that I understand both this AND the next item, I believe that what I've been experiencing is expected behavior.

- The car will automatically put ALL of the windows up "correctly" if you know the secret.

When you put the top down or up, all four windows will automatically roll all the way down. When you are putting the windows back up (all the way), the car is actually programmed to do this "for you" but it isn't well-known how it works.

To put all four windows all the way up after operating the convertible top, do the following: With the window selector set to Front, pull up on the two switches for the windows to engage the "Express Up" feature. Set the window selector switch to Rear and repeat this process. What will happen is that the front windows will begin to roll up but stop almost immediately. Once the rear windows are activated, they will roll all the way up and then the front windows will roll all the way up automatically. Basically, the first step activates the "express-up" feature but the windows go into a "waiting state" while the rear windows get rolled up. Once the rears are all the way up, they will continue on and fully close.


Ultimately, I was able to get my rear driver's side window to raise by manually putting all of the windows down "twice" (put the fronts down, put the rears down, switched back to front and pressed down again, same for rears) and then raising the rear windows. The owner's manual states that "The windows may be temporarily disabled if the window switches are used repeatedly within a short time." Since I had only one window that was misbehaving, I don't believe that this safety feature engaging was the reason. So, I likely still need to ensure that the dealership looks at this more closely and at a minimum gets it recorded in my service records.

Hello i know this is an old post but i have a question on your post . in the instructions on how to program the windows for the auto up.do you do it when the windows are up or down. thanks

[RENEMAY24]

hello i am new to the post and wanted to ask a question on your instructions in programing the auto up . do you do it when the windows are up or down? thanks

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by RENEMAY24

Hello i know this is an old post but i have a question on your post . in the instructions on how to program the windows for the auto up.do you do it when the windows are up or down. thanks

Not sure if this answers your question as there's nothing in my post about actually programming anything...

If you have all four windows down, you can all of the windows to go up "by themselves" by doing as follows:

- Select the front windows with the control
- Pull up all the way on the window switches to engage the "auto up" feature for the front windows. They will raise up an inch or so and stop - this is normal.
- Select the rear windows with the control
- Pull up all the way on the window switches to engage the "auto up" feature for the rear windows. They will raise all the way up.

Once the rear windows reach the fully closed ("up") position, the front windows will then raise the rest of the way. Step 2 above starts this process and they basically pause to wait for the rear windows before they finish closing...

[The Chief (tm)]

Nice heads-up on this one.

I know I had discovered, by trial and error, that you had to raise the rear window-lettes first. And while, by now, that particular button-press routine has become, uh, routine, I do like the idea of "auto-up" and will give it a shot the next chance I get!

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by The Chief (tm)

Nice heads-up on this one.

I know I had discovered, by trial and error, that you had to raise the rear window-lettes first. And while, by now, that particular button-press routine has become, uh, routine, I do like the idea of "auto-up" and will give it a shot the next chance I get!

It's basically second nature for me at this point as that's how I always do it.

I've also found that you can actually kick off the window-up process before the top is fully closed or open. Once the top starts to fold back, for example, I will start the process by pulling up to raise the front windows and go from there.

Of course, I also have the SmarTop controller in my car so the top operates with a single button press without holding it...