DIY: Window Motor Repair W/pics

[ScentOfGasoline]

edit: got the c clip off

but it's my pink/white gear that's worn.... fail.

anyone know where to get one of these?

I have a couple FS

[mebeemer]

oh no thats not what I wanted to hear! I've had the exact same problem with my window. I've taken the motor off and soon I will put another one on. But your still having problems?! I know what you mean about the horrible grinding noise, I still can't quite put my finger on what that actually is and why it does it. I would think that its something to do with the motor, but it can't be the spiral part because that works fine with me. Maybe you could try adjusting the stoppers they could have vibrated out of place, or having a look at the slidders, they might be worn, or just need oiling.
If its still not working properly after that its deffinatley the motor, what else could it be, no cables should be faulty as they should never get in the way of the mechanism as they're tied back. The fault is deffinatley mechanical not electrical.
I would hope that when I get my motor (used) and fix it on the window works, if not, after all my effot, unfortunately I'll just have to put it down to the age of the car and call its quits. I think the only way of solving the problem is to try different things out, like adusting parts and oiling the regulator, filing the teeth of the metal wheel. Just checking everything over. The more you mess around with it, the more you start to understand how it works and have a better chance of fixing it.

[helow]

hi guys iam new to this site so a big hello! ive just bought a 1997 e36 coupe neither of the front windows open, if you push the window button you hear a click in the doors (this happens for n/s and o/s ) but no movement of window also the window should drop a little when you use remote. could it be both motors are no good or is there a main module that looks after the windows? thanks for your help in advance paul

I'm thinking it's your window regulators, but then again I could be wrong. I'm in the process of fixing my windows.

Heres a link to a DYI I stumbled upon.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=380215

Good Luck

[Marknhl]

first things first. Take the door panel off and see what's going on in there. Grease the tracks with white lithium grease and make sure the two plastic sliders are in good condition. See what's causing it to stop (if its a physical obstruction) or whether its the motor. Then you can move on to taking the motor apart... That procedure I have only read about however, luckily my window motors have been function ENOUGH so that I haven't had to do that thus far...

[Marknhl]

it seems that people are not replying to this thread anymore. It may be best to start a new one. Pjkane, maybe you can call the dealer and see if they make the one touch up/down parts anymore? Or maybe the shop used parts that were not specific to your year? I thought after 1994 they stopped installing the one touch up/down, but I sat in a 1998 one time and it did work so I'm not sure on that..........

m3 freak, take the door apart and check it out. Sounds like if the motor is slipping and needs to be replaced so I wouldn't expect that the motor is working. Once you have the door panel off you should be able to see exactly what is going on with window as its trying to move. Start to pinpoint the problem there. I haven't worked on the window motors before though, it may be best to start a new thread to get some guys speaking on this that have done. I only need to grease my window tracks with white lithium grease and replace those dumb white pieces a bunch of times Speaking of which... the one in my driver window is broken again... but the window acts fine, there's just a BANG when it reaches the bottom... I mean it still works, maybe I'll leave it for now... lol

[lionbat]

i have seen a few posts on how to repair or replace power window motors on e36's but none of them say how to remove them from the regulator.my 92 325i 4 door's motor seem to be riveted directly on to it on the drivers front side.can anyone give me more info on how to remove?
thanks

You have to drill out the rivets and replace with small bolts to re-assemble. Been there done that.

how do i take off the window motor on e36. I dont see any bolts or screws.

You have to remove the regulator and motor as one unit. The 3 screws holding the motor to the regulator are on the non-visible-when-installed side of the regulator.

[Marknhl]

I recently had a dead battery and replaced it. Now the drivers side window won't go up. It only goes up two inches and will go back into the door completely.

Anyone have any ideas. It does not sound like the two inch at a time problem. This won't go up and it's tight.

I did the same thing by accident before when I was re-wiring something under my glovebox. You essentially reset where the window regulator (?) thinks the top of the window should be. I forget what you have to do to fix it, but it involves having the door open or closed and the window below the top when you reconnect power to it. See if the window goes all the way up with the door open or closed. I'm racking my brains here but I can't remember... there is a way to make the window think it's reach the window height limit, when it actually hasn't, resulting in what you have now - the window stopping before it should. There is a way to get it to keep going up, and then when you get it to the top, you have to once again calibrate the window so that it knows its at the top. Sorry I can't be more specific, but I just played with it until I figured it out and then fixed it.

[fun2drive]

Regulator arms are only one issue. The angle of the channels has everything to do with how well the window glass. By angle I mean the angle as related to the window glass, they should be parallel but what happens especially on the ti's is that they will turn (bend) which makes the regulator balls pop out of the sliders and the glass out of the channel.
Did you replace the sliders?
Suggest you lube the channels with either silicon spray if it has welting or light grease for those areas that don't.

It will continue to act up until you bend the channels to be in a better alignment with the window glass. It also allows all kinds of problems because the front slider will pop out then the front glass drops...

[LazyAmerican]

My drivers window is completely stuck at the bottom. I exchanged the passenger and drivers side switches and passengers side window works just fine. So it is not a switch issue. For a while the drivers side window would go up or down and get stuck but after couple of tries it work until the last time when it stayed down. My question is, can you get the motor out without having to removing the window glass and the regulator? My regulator is attached to the door with rivets and they have to be drilled out. Plus, if you remove the window and regulator then you have to do all that adjustment afterwards. So, again is there a way to pull the motor out of the regulator without having to remove the regulator? 94 325is.

Sorry man, but you can not remove the motor with out removing the regulator first.
As far as the adjustments go. Simply mark the position of the regulators adjustment arm on the door with a sharpie.

[TITE3NBIGD]

Sorry man, but you can not remove the motor with out removing the regulator first.
As far as the adjustments go. Simply mark the position of the regulators adjustment arm on the door with a sharpie.

I took the door panel off and inspected everything. Then one day I am driving down the freeway and started grabbing the window motor(door panel removed) and played with the window switch and up goes the window. I have done the same several times since and when I squeeze the two connectors on the motor and push the window switch up or down the window works. This leads me to believe that the problem may be one of a bad connection. At least the window is at the top now and I have decided to just leave it there and not mess with it at all. I still have the passenger side window that works and the sunroof if I need fresh air. Plus, summer is coming up and everything will pretty much be closed all the time.

[jamrobin]

LMAO! I spent last night replacing the entire driver's side regulator and motor assembly only to notice AFTER the install that the electrical connections were completely different ('94 318iS, and I guess the regulator I bought was from a newer one) I bought the part in the dead of winter and just put it aside until warmer weather... at first glance they look the same... Luckily a curious friend was helping and took apart the old motor and gear drive to see what was actually broken... it was the 3 "pins" that drive the rubber "clutch" that were broken off. Proceeded to remove the whole thing and take the motor unit off and dissassemble and was pleased to see that although the electrical portion was COMPLETELY different, the mechanical bits were identical. Swapped out the broken part, put it all back together, and re-installed the whole thing. All works perfectly. If I had read THIS thread I might have skipped the step of installing the new one and fixed the motor first but now at least I can fix the other unit and be ready when my '99 M3 one goes... assuming there isn't yet another version.

So I suggest anyone doing a regulator change double check before going too far whether you've got the simple two 2 pin electrical connectors or the newer 1 x 6 and 1 x 4 with the PC board and chips in it. (what the heck is all that for anyway??? TEN conductors for a simple up-down switch?!?!)

[Shardik]

I had a non-working passenger side window and started the job of removing the rivets and all to take a look at the motor. Well, I ended up cleaning the motor by simply taking off the metal cover and that was good enough to fix mine for now. This is an awesome thread.

Thank You !!!
My drivers window was all the way up and the switch just produced clicking sounds at the window motor.

Opened up the rear portion of the motor and saw a pile of black dust.I just cleaned the dust off the inside metal cover with compressed air and she works fine now!

Didn't even have to take the motor off the regulator. The cover is held on with 4 torx screws.
You just need a small bit wrench with a long bit to acces the top back screw.

[91e34M5]

Anyone wanting to use rivets to re-install the regulator rather than nuts and bolts, there is an option. Replacement rivets can be purchased at any GM dealership parts counter. Tell the parts guy you need the rivets for a window motor for a cavalier. They use the same rivets as an e36. Be prepared though to purchase/borrow a giant size rivet tool to set the rivets. I did a repair on a Cavalier a couple of years ago and bought the special giant rivet tool. I was able to use is again to set the rivets on the regulator I just removed and re-installed today on my 323 vert. The rivets will be around a $1.00 each.

[Spyke]

I just fixed my window and it was this exact same issue. I was like wtf the gear is moving so everthing should work right..... WRONG, I had to take the entire thing apart and the problem was the 3 little tabs broke off on the plastic gear.

Just install threaded rivets and use machine screws so you can take it off and put on whenever you want. And you won't have to fuss with trying to hold a bolt on the inside of the door shell while trying to get the nut on it from the other side, possibly drop it 12 times, etc.

Also found this interesting gear sold by flyer6688 on eBay. Seems like an awesome deal if you're keeping your e36 forever and want one less problem down the road. Although I know there are lots of people on this forum with access to machine shops who could get a good rate on a big batch/group buy of these made as one piece so the gears don't ever come apart.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E36-Insi...UAAOSw44BYGLlw

[marna]

One....did this repair last? Just wondering, if my window motor doesn't work at all will this fix the issue or if the motor burned out is this fix even possible? Thanks!

[shogun]

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