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Thread: Passenger window auto-up stops mid-way: regulator, motor, or tracks?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Tulsa, Oklahoma
    Posts
    67
    My Cars
    E36 M3 (street car), E21 320i (race car)

    Passenger window auto-up stops mid-way: regulator, motor, or tracks?

    First things first, this is not an initialization issue. I have already followed the initialization procedure so we can skip that discussion.

    Now that that's out of the way, when activating the auto-up function, the passenger window will go up about 1/3 of the way, stop, and go down about an inch, which is the typical anti-pinch response. If I hold the window button down until it passes the 1/3rd point, the auto-up function works fine and the window will go all the way up. With the engine off, the window will sometimes go all the way up without issue; However, when the engine is running, it stops at the exact same spot every single time. With the door open, auto-up works 100% of the time regardless if the engine is running or not.

    Since auto-up works fine with the door open, my first assumption was the window seal was causing too much drag so I got a can of 3M silicone spray (dry type) and lubricated the window seal but this didn't help at all. Next I adjusted the window rails/guides so the window was barely pressing against the seal but still, the window would stop at the exact same spot. Since I already had the door panel off and the vapor barrier peeled half-way off, I decided it couldn't hurt to shoot some 3M silicone spray into the tracks/sliders on the regulator. Again, the window still stops at the exact same spot.

    Before tearing into the regulator/motor assembly and potentially replacing components that need not be replaced, I wanted to hear what other people think. Does this sound like a problem with the regulator, or the motor, or both, or the window guides? The fact that auto-up works with the door open but doesn't work with the door closed even after adjusting the window to barely press against the seal makes me think the door frame might be warping ever so slightly when the door is closed, which could put the window mechanism into a bind. My doors have always been kind of hard to close which further supports my theory that the door frame is warping. On the other hand, if the hall effect sensor (or whatever sensor BMW used) for the anti-pinch is on it's way out, it could be misinterpreting a weak signal as an obstruction in the path of the window and triggering the anti-pinch. Likewise, a failing motor that is slow to raise the window may trick the hall effect sensor into thinking something is obstructing the window and triggering the anti-pinch. Although, the fact auto-up sometimes works with the engine off (lower voltage to the window motor = slower movement of the window) doesn't really fit the failing motor theory.

    What do you think? I'm overthinking things, as usual, and my thought process is going a dozen different directions so I could really use a fresh perspective.
    Last edited by RSnider; 08-11-2018 at 11:17 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Anacortes,WA
    Posts
    1,300
    My Cars
    E34 535i; E36 325is
    I'm currently dealing with similar issues on my driver window of a '95 325is coupe. I suspect the motor has a memory function, designed to coordinate with the regulator gearing so the window is full up when the motor stops, with final gap closed per the microswitch in the door jam striker.

    The memory function may be re-programable per Bentley or other sources, I just have not yet got the knack of it... Others who know, please chime in.

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