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