Help! Car won't start after trying to replace power window button.

[LJR]

Hi all

After 15 years off the road I bought a 2001 BMW X5 3.0 diesel automatic a few months ago. It has been serving me very well, love the car. BMW all the way from now on.

However, just yesterday, the car did not start and all I got was the airbag light. No other lights on the dashboard.

A bit of background.

Up until the above issue the car drove fine. However, the driver’s side power window button broke off so I bought a replacement on eBay.

Yesterday I took off the panel as instructed on YouTube. The instant I removed the unit I heard an incessant clicking noise coming from within the power unit itself. In the end I didn’t replace the button because the tutorial I looked at was for replacing the whole unit, not a single button. Doh!

However, when I put the unit back in the car and put my key in the ignition I got nothing but the airbag light. I tried again this morning but got the same thing. The clicking has stopped though.

Please note:

When I first got the car I didn't use it for a month and had to have the battery charged.

I was still able to wind down the driver’s side window even with the button broken, if I used a screwdriver – which I did just once. The other windows had no issues.

The car was working fine until I did the above!

Obviously something I did has caused this.
I’m really wondering two things:

1) Can a window power unit cause this type of issue?
2) If I replace the whole power window unit will my car work again or is this some other issue like the battery?

I have tried removing the unit altogether and starting the car but I get the same result – just the airbag light.

Given the current circumstances I need my car to help people do their shopping. Hopefully it’s a simple thing and nothing costing more than a replacement power window unit.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If there is anything unclear please ask.

Thanks

[Purplecty]

Check the charge of the battery first as it may have gone dead...

[LJR]

Originally Posted by Purplecty

Check the charge of the battery first as it may have gone dead...

Thanks a lot mate. I've got the AA coming in an hour to charge up the battery. Hopefully that's all it needs.

[andrewwynn]

If it’s the battery, sounds likely the battery is due for replacement.

A good year is this: after a solid charge like 90 minutes of driving or overnight on a charger, run your hazards for 10-20 minutes. If the car starts hard or doesn’t start either battery is shot or the starter or bad connection somewhere.

Get yourself a bolt power battery jump starter you won’t need AAA. You can even help others (I’ve used my emergency jump battery 3x as often on other people’s cars than mine)

[LJR]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

If it’s the battery, sounds likely the battery is due for replacement.

A good year is this: after a solid charge like 90 minutes of driving or overnight on a charger, run your hazards for 10-20 minutes. If the car starts hard or doesn’t start either battery is shot or the starter or bad connection somewhere.

Get yourself a bolt power battery jump starter you won’t need AAA. You can even help others (I’ve used my emergency jump battery 3x as often on other people’s cars than mine)

Thanks for the help. AA man says the alternator is supplying very little power to the battery. He said once that is changed the garage can then test the battery and see if I need a new one.

[Purplecty]

Did it start?

[LJR]

Originally Posted by Purplecty

Did it start?

When the jump leads were connected from his van to my car, it took about 10-15 minutes of running continuous power to my car for it to start.

However, once he turned off his van's engine my car totally lost power and would not start off it's own power.

I did manage to drive to the garage, as he connected some sort of temporary power pack to my battery.

At the garage, when he disconnected it, the car was still running. Should I ask the garage to make sure it's the alternator that's the issue or is what I have described a classic alternator problem?

[Purplecty]

If the battery light is not lit up on your dash while the engine is running I wouldn't replace the alternator. I'd start with the battery...

[LJR]

Thanks. Sometimes the battery light is lit up when I start the car but I have not noticed it lit while driving. At first the AA guy tried to sell me a new battery. Then he tested the alternator and stopped trying to sell me a battery and just said that the alternator needs replacing. So even though he tested both the battery and the alternator you think I should just get a new battery first?

Can it be that the reason the alternator is not charging the battery sufficiently is because the battery isn't good?

I left the car at the garage this evening with the key. Should I call them tomorrow and ask them to replace the battery first and see what happens?

Thanks for your help.

[CapeX5]

Originally Posted by Purplecty

If the battery light is not lit up on your dash while the engine is running I wouldn't replace the alternator. I'd start with the battery...

Don't trust the battery light being on or not. I had one that had a bad alternator, but the light did not come on. And the bulb was good. Never figured out why.
OP, if you don't know how to use a multimeter, than take it to a competent garage. First you need to have a fully charged battery. Whether that is your existing or a new one. Once you have that, and the car is running, one can diagnose whether the alternator is charging the battery. DON"T just go replacing parts without correct diagnoses.
And, on the window switch, just a get the whole unit, not individual. There are all kinds of electronics in that thing that you don't want to mess with if you try to dissassemble it. They are cheap and used on E39's as well. Get the battery/charging issue resolved than do the switch. You don't need to take the door panel off either.