Window won't go up all the way after battery died - pls help!

[Mawltar]

Hey all, first time poster here, long time lurker

My battery died the other day on my 1996 BMW 328is while the driver side window was down. Now, the window will not go up all the way. I've searched around and seen many different forms of a way to reset the window that people are suggesting, but what they ahve said hasn't seemed to work yet. Could someone please explain in detail what I need to do to get my window to go up all the way? It was working just fine before the battery died so I don't believe anything is broken. Is there another way to do it other than with the window switch? What are the proper steps to resetting the windows using the switch?

Thank you very much for any help . It's very cold out and this is rather annoying!

[flyfishvt]

Roll the window all the way down. Hold the window switch "down" for 20 seconds. roll it up and hold the switch "up" for 20 seconds. That will reset the max travel limit. Every time you disconnect the battery the window control module looses it progarmming and has to be reset.

When you hold the window switch either up or down make sure you are pressing it ALL the way. As if you were doing the auto up and auto down. Just hold it for 20 seconds in each position.

[fun2drive]

Actually it is 5 secs to retrain the position indicator.

[flyfishvt]

Actually it is 5 secs to retrain the position indicator.

Yes it is. So 20 seconds on each will only cost you 30 seconds (just in case you count REALLY fast).

[odm4286]

same thing happened to my car before. My mechinic had to hook the motor up to an external power source to get it to "reset"

[sunbrn]

same thing happened to my car before. My mechinic had to hook the motor up to an external power source to get it to "reset"

So you're saying holding the switch down for 5/20 seconds did not work?

[jmpidgeo]

bringing this back to the top because I have a similar issue happening.

My window won't go up all the way now that my battery died with the window down. It only goes up 1/2" or so before stopping.

I'll try this reset trick, but what do you do when the window won't go up all the way, to reset the max travel up limit?

[JDStrickland]

The window buttons have a click in the middle of the travel. If you press them carefully, up or down, you will feel the click. Before the click, the window travels manually and stops when you let go of the button. After the click, the window moves fully to the top or bottom, depending on which way it's going.

The train the window, put it all of the way up. Hold the button BEFORE the click to move it all of the way down, then hold the button BEFORE the click to move it all of the way up. Do not stop on the way up or down, let the window go full travel.

After you have used the manual operation full down, then full up, press past the click to test automatic operation for both directions.

[ItsBlack]

Did you guys close the door? I know it sounds funny but I went through this when my window fell off track. I tried for hours trying to find a way to get the window up, holding the button for 20 seconds, etc. It was when I gave up and closed the door the window went all the way up...

[MParallel]

...I'll try this reset trick, but what do you do when the window won't go up all the way, to reset the max travel up limit?

There you go. Finally someone who understands the real problem. Everybody automatically, like a Pavlov reflex, instantly suggest the holding the button to reset the end point. Which is of zero use in the situation you describe.

It has happened a few times for me as well after working on the wiring. What works is that you have to keep pressing the microswitch that does the 10mm drop when you open the door.
If you keep actuating this switch, the window will come up a little higher each time you do this. Yes it takes some time, but it works.

You can also try to get inside the car and close the door, then only press the window button switch down and keep it pressed. From the lower end limit the module should in theory know how how much the window can raise.

[DMP 325]

tHANK YOU VERY MUCH! After replacing a plastic clip that had broken, I came to the forum as a new BMW owner, looking for a solution. My battery had in fact died over the winter when I stored the car and this was the solution.

Donna

There you go. Finally someone who understands the real problem. Everybody automatically, like a Pavlov reflex, instantly suggest the holding the button to reset the end point. Which is of zero use in the situation you describe.

It has happened a few times for me as well after working on the wiring. What works is that you have to keep pressing the microswitch that does the 10mm drop when you open the door.
If you keep actuating this switch, the window will come up a little higher each time you do this. Yes it takes some time, but it works.

You can also try to get inside the car and close the door, then only press the window button switch down and keep it pressed. From the lower end limit the module should in theory know how how much the window can raise.

[flyfishvt]

I just went throught this on my 94 vert. The battery died and the drivers window was all the way down when it happened. I tried everything and none of it worked. I finally got fed up and started the car. Just for the heck of it I tried the window again and it magicaly went all the way up. I cant imagine what starting the car has to do with it but it worked for me.

[truthbtold]

not kidding - this has happened to me a few times, and I opened and closed the door repeatedly and it inched up each time until it got to the top. Then initialized and working fine

[onepumpkinking]

Another thing you can do is pull the door card off and disconnect the auto down connector on the window motor and roll the window up all the way then reconnect the auto down connector. This is what I've done in the past.

[SniperFodder]

Having the same issue, now it is beginning to rain (of course), where is the microswitch located?

[onepumpkinking]

Having the same issue, now it is beginning to rain (of course), where is the microswitch located?

The switch is the door latch

[brian325ic]

This post helped me! So, i was prob too tired at first but realized it later....the door has to be closed during the reset. Duh for me.
So to be clear, I had to replace the door handle and move the window out of the way 1". Battery died because I left dome light on. Got it all back togethor and window only went up 1/2 to 3/4. Got in car, closed door, held down for 5 seconds, and up for 5 seconds and all is well.

[JDStrickland]

This post helped me! So, i was prob too tired at first but realized it later....the door has to be closed during the reset. Duh for me.
So to be clear, I had to replace the door handle and move the window out of the way 1". Battery died because I left dome light on. Got it all back togethor and window only went up 1/2 to 3/4. Got in car, closed door, held down for 5 seconds, and up for 5 seconds and all is well.

The battery did not die because you left a light on. When you close and lock the door, the interior lights go off after 15 minutes. The car detects an error mode if the lights are on and the key is out and the doors are locked. The car shuts off all loads after 16 minutes to prevent exactly the thing you think you did. "After 15 minutes, any interior lights that may still be lit are switched off automatically."

Yes, the door needs to be closed to set the UP position of the window. The DOWN position does not need to be set.

There is no time to hold the window button down. Put the window at the bottom, period. Hold the widow button in the manual position (first detent on the button) until the window reaches the top. Done. Put the window down, use the Auto-UP function.

[BMWCOLLECTION]

***Please read*** If you're stuck in this similar situation where you have any kind of problem with the window after the battery has been disconnected or had it a the shop where more than likely they disconnect the battery to work on the car, then your window(s) doesn't work. Please ensure that the door switch actually works or recognizes that the door is closed!*** I went crazy tearing the window regulator and motor trying to find out why the window wouldn't initialize and even more frustrated when I saw nothing wrong with either the motor and regulator, till something clicked in my head to push the door switch with my finger and BOOM! I was able to work the window and initialize it.
Evidently, the door switch or door latch have an issue where they don't click, so the car thinks that the door is always open. THIS WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO INITIALIZE THE WINDOW.

[refrus]

***Please read*** If you're stuck in this similar situation where you have any kind of problem with the window after the battery has been disconnected or had it a the shop where more than likely they disconnect the battery to work on the car, then your window(s) doesn't work. Please ensure that the door switch actually works or recognizes that the door is closed!*** I went crazy tearing the window regulator and motor trying to find out why the window wouldn't initialize and even more frustrated when I saw nothing wrong with either the motor and regulator, till something clicked in my head to push the door switch with my finger and BOOM! I was able to work the window and initialize it.
Evidently, the door switch or door latch have an issue where they don't click, so the car thinks that the door is always open. THIS WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO INITIALIZE THE WINDOW.

I disconnected my battery to replace my ignition switch and because I was working outside on a beautiful day I had the windows powered down. After I reconnected the battery the front windows went up no problem with window up buttons, the rear windows were down and stayed down for a few hours ... until I discovered that when I inserted my key into the driver door (outside), turned it and held it for about 5 seconds the windows then rolled up. I had locked my vehicle with the key earlier but that didn't do it, had to hold it for longer - can't remember which way I turned and held the key unlock or lock.
I'm referring to 2001 BMW 540i (e39) for this fix. I believe it also works for other models (such as e46).
Thanks.

[dale5092]

I have basically the same problem as most on this thread. My battery discharged partially, to the point it would not start and the drivers window was down After recharging, the window goes up only halfway but goes down OK. I have tried all the initialize/reset methods. Turning the key to lock and holding works but returns the window only to halfway. The other methods mentioned did nothing. The idea in this thread that I have not tried is removing the panel and disconnecting the limit switch on the motor, rolling it up, then reconnecting the switch. I really don't want to go this far if someone here has a better idea.

[JDStrickland]

I have basically the same problem as most on this thread. My battery discharged partially, to the point it would not start and the drivers window was down After recharging, the window goes up only halfway but goes down OK. I have tried all the initialize/reset methods. Turning the key to lock and holding works but returns the window only to halfway. The other methods mentioned did nothing. The idea in this thread that I have not tried is removing the panel and disconnecting the limit switch on the motor, rolling it up, then reconnecting the switch. I really don't want to go this far if someone here has a better idea.

You must hold the window button on Manual and go all of the way to the top. The motor makes pulses that are counted so the motor knows where the top is. The window button has a click in the middle of its travel, you cannot go past the click. You also cannot stop before the window gets to the top.

[MParallel]

I have basically the same problem as most on this thread. My battery discharged partially, to the point it would not start and the drivers window was down After recharging, the window goes up only halfway but goes down OK. I have tried all the initialize/reset methods. Turning the key to lock and holding works but returns the window only to halfway. The other methods mentioned did nothing. The idea in this thread that I have not tried is removing the panel and disconnecting the limit switch on the motor, rolling it up, then reconnecting the switch. I really don't want to go this far if someone here has a better idea.

You didn't try my method as explained in my post.

[dale5092]

You didn't try my method as explained in my post.

The microswitch is doing nothing in my case. The window stays at halfway but does not move when when the latch (switch) is activated.

[MParallel]

If the window doesn't move at all when activating the microswitch, then that's your answer right there. There is something else a miss.