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Thread: Cannot get Tailgate glass open

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    1992 525it

    Cannot get Tailgate glass open

    Hi, I know this has been covered a million times (I've read nearly that many threads trying to figure this out), and I've tried every approach I've found without success. I'm attempting to fix my tailgate wiring, but I have to get the glass up so I can get to it. I've been trying to get this open for 2 weeks now, I segued to yanking my headliner and repairing my sunroof out of frustration. I have the drivers side wiring exposed, with the expected mostly broken wiring there, including the red/blue wire that controls the glass hatch. I apply 12v to that wire, and hear a relay or solenoid click at approximately the right place, but the window isn't being released. The window release handle does nothing, even when the wire halves are reconnected and powered directly at the break. I've tried powering it directly at the relay behind the right rear shock tower at the red/blue wire, which doesn't do anything, either. I'm at a complete loss as to what to try next. I'd rather not try gently breaking the inside tailgate cover to get in there to try to release the glass, if that would even help. I've read thru every thread I could find (using Google search, the search on here isn't working for me anymore), several from AE, Shogun, Mr. Project, Moroza and others, to no avail, so far. Any ideas would be appreciated. Note, electrical issues are not my forte, but if I could just get this blasted glass open, I can repair the wiring. Ideas, or possible approaches to getting this glass open, up to and including large hammer, gratefully accepted. Help!!!!

  2. #2
    moroza's Avatar
    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
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    You've got the right idea with the RT/BL wire. The noise you should be hearing is a medium-pitch motor-like noise that lasts ~0.6 seconds, not a <0.1sec click. I've had issues with the glass releasing on its own due to the striker pin going out of adjustment. Perhaps yours needs a little physical persuasion (I'd try pushing it, actually, before prying it) along with jumping the wire? Also, investigate the ground wires. They may be good enough for the release motor to start opening, but not enough to finish the job.
    Last edited by moroza; 05-20-2018 at 04:55 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    1992 525it
    Accidental success! I had just thrown in the towel on today's effort, and taped off the stray bare wires and, then, when I went to stuff the loop back in to close the tailgate, a relay clicked, and sure enough, the tailgate glass popped open! I'm guessing there is more than one break in the wires, and stuffing them back into place made the connection, though I should have had to do something to actuate it, I would have thought. No matter, no sense arguing with serendipitous success. Now I can tear my hair out repairing the mess of broken wires, instead.

    Thanks for the reply, Moroza, I'm thinking it was probably one of the ground wires. Good luck selling your Touring.
    Last edited by xcastaway; 05-20-2018 at 05:00 PM.

  4. #4
    moroza's Avatar
    moroza is offline MORΩN ΛABIA BMW CCA Member
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    Oh, it's sold. Now I've got a full suspension rebuild pending on its replacement.

    See my previous thread regarding replacing the speednuts on the inner hatch panel with clips, to avoid this exact problem.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    1992 525it
    I noticed after posting it was no longer on CL. Hope you got your price.

    Well, I needn't have worried about breaking the inner panel, the PO beat me to it. He also had the plastic panels on the hatch and the body off. I can tell, because nearly every keeper and parts of three panels were broken off, and I figured out where that stray wire I couldn't figure out was supposed to go. No attempt has been made on the wiring, thankfully. Everything the PO touched left a trail of broken and mis-assembled bits. And I'm pretty sure he tried to replace the heater core o rings. I already replaced the obviously broken things, but there are parts missing and nothing sits quite right under there. One day I'm feeling masochistic I'll delve into that.

    If I can find something to glue that section of the hatch panel back together, I will definitely go with the clips.

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