# Why Don't Rear Windows In Some Cars Not Roll Down All The Way? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409 "2008-07-31T20:48:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/21 "2008-08-01T14:42:20Z")
[QUOTE=TimeWinder] I’ve been told (no cite) that the half-down window is actually more dangerous than a fully down one; the glass edge acting somewhat like a guillotine in a side impact accident, and that as such you should never have a window down partway. True? [/QUOTE] I doubt it. If the window is in a position to act as a guillotine, you have bigger things to worry about. Also, the window will break more easily if it’s halfway down, because it will act as a cantilever instead of as a simply supported beam. If my head is what’s going to be breaking the window, I’d want it partially down, personally. [QUOTE=Balthisar] There are a large number of cars out there that have child protection locks on the rear doors, i.e., like police cars, they can only be opened from the outside. [/QUOTE] True, but those have a switch inside the door jam that allows you to turn it off. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/22 "2008-08-01T14:50:42Z")
[QUOTE=Balthisar] There are a large number of cars out there that have child protection locks on the rear doors, i.e., like police cars, they can only be opened from the outside. [/QUOTE] I owned a Toyota Corolla with rear doors that could be set so that they could not open from the inside. It was never mentioned by the salesman, and I never read the f’n manual. The second day that I had the car, I picked up a young, female hitchhiker whose car was broken down. I pulled over to let her out when I reached my turn. I looked in the rearview mirror, wondering why she hadn’t gotten out yet, and there was a look of terror on her face. I can imagine what she was thinking. I eventually got out, opened the door, she got out and jogged a ways down the road. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/23 "2008-08-01T15:03:42Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] I owned a Toyota Corolla with rear doors that could be set so that they could not open from the inside. It was never mentioned by the salesman, and I never read the f’n manual. The second day that I had the car, I picked up a young, female hitchhiker whose car was broken down. I pulled over to let her out when I reached my turn. I looked in the rearview mirror, wondering why she hadn’t gotten out yet, and there was a look of terror on her face. I can imagine what she was thinking. I eventually got out, opened the door, she got out and jogged a ways down the road. [/QUOTE] Heh, that’s actually pretty common now (the child locks, not the hitchhiker part!) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/24 "2008-08-01T15:16:43Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] I owned a Toyota Corolla with rear doors that could be set so that they could not open from the inside. It was never mentioned by the salesman, and I never read the f’n manual. The second day that I had the car, I picked up a young, female hitchhiker whose car was broken down. I pulled over to let her out when I reached my turn. I looked in the rearview mirror, wondering why she hadn’t gotten out yet, and there was a look of terror on her face. I can imagine what she was thinking. I eventually got out, opened the door, she got out and jogged a ways down the road. [/QUOTE] To be fair, that coil of rope and roll of duct tape in your hands would have made me nervous, too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/25 "2008-08-01T15:21:26Z")
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil] Back in the day when cars were a lot more rectangular, back windows DID go all the way down, but I suppose with the newer shapes of cars that benefit from “cab forward” designs, as well as front wheel drive and aerodynamics in general have caused this design it be prevalent. [/QUOTE] I remember cars whose rear windows went completely into the door, circa 1974. It’s probably not a coincidence that the current practice started around the time when manufacturers started taking fuel economy seriously. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/26 "2008-08-01T15:24:39Z")
The rear windows on my 08 Mazdaspeed3 go all the way down, I actually checked on this fact before purchasing one. I wonder if the manufacturers realize this is a selling point for some people? ---
**Author:** ![MrBelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7feea3/32.png) [@MrBelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBelding)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/27 "2008-08-01T16:11:19Z")
It is a selling point for me. It’s obviously not as important as price or mileage or other stuff on the car, but I won’t buy a car that I can’t roll the back windows down. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2008, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409/28 "2008-08-01T16:15:27Z")
[QUOTE=MrBelding] It is a selling point for me. It’s obviously not as important as price or mileage or other stuff on the car, but I won’t buy a car that I can’t roll the back windows down. [/QUOTE] But, but, what about the children? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-rear-windows-in-some-cars-not-roll-down-all-the-way/458409.md?page=1)