front window wont go up

[ashrafkh]

Originally Posted by FSETH

The regulator typically breaks where it connects to the glass, so you may or may not see movement of the glass if it fails. This is generalizing, but typically if you are having an issue with your window it is the regulator, not the motor or the switch.

FWIW, when my regulator failed, there was little to no movement of the glass when the switch was pressed.

i had the same experience with passenger door, it went down perfect but stuck to go up until i pulled it for 2 cm with scew driver and cutter -stupid me scratched the glass littel bit- then it worked fine up and down the whole way but not to the end buttom .. do you recommend after market regulators or its a must to buy OEM?

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by ashrafkh

i had the same experience with passenger door, it went down perfect but stuck to go up until i pulled it for 2 cm with scew driver and cutter -stupid me scratched the glass littel bit- then it worked fine up and down the whole way but not to the end buttom .. do you recommend after market regulators or its a must to buy OEM?

I am no professional, but I would go OE. It seems like many people have had bad luck with aftermarket or ebay regulators. There should be a few threads on aftermarket regulators going around where you can read opinions from people who have actually used them.

[ashrafkh]

Took it today to windows specialized, they said in normal situations the whole regulator should be changed, but they managed to rebuild the broken window holder and changed some clips and job was completed within 30 min and $50

[645i]

Did my lock carrier and had the same problem. I let car run unhooked the switch's then hooked backed up while car was running windows work fine.

[matthew gleeson]

Originally Posted by aweber05
I think our problem was IDENTICAL, which is why I might be able to help you! I am lucky enough to work at an electronics design company, so there is no shortage of people here who can help me troubleshoot crappy circuit boards. I spent a little time yesterday with a friend and a multimeter checking everything we could think of in the circuit. We narrowed it down to a problem with the board. Since there was a corner of the board that was slightly corroded, I was fairly sure the problem was there. We got lucky, it was the trace in the bottom corner of the board, on the side of the relay that controls the upward direction of the motor! The reason it wasn't working is that the trace on the board is really small, and it had corroded enough that it esentially had no conductivity anymore. All we had to do was solder a little "jumper" wire from the node where the trace began to the next component. Here is a picture: http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...6-51-50_97.jpg

Are you good with electronics/have access to a multimeter? I am guessing that your problem is exactly the same as mine, since we both lost the same half of the window's functionality. It's worth a shot better than paying $165+ for a new window switch right?!

Let me know if you have more questions!

on receiving the above message the first evening that i got the chance I set about trying the fix. I removed and dismantled the window switch. I could see a slight flaw in the print but nothing that would make one suspicious of any shorts in the circuit especially as I do not yet posess a magnifing glass. I took out my multimeter and sure as hell the short shows up. As you can see from the photo below fitting of the red jumper wire has sorted the window switch. I now know that my problem never was the regulator or the motor.

Now on to the next problem. My passenger door is now stuck shut, unopenable from the outside and inside



Many thanks to aweber05

[PersonaNonGrata]

Originally Posted by matthew gleeson

Originally Posted by aweber05
I think our problem was IDENTICAL, which is why I might be able to help you! I am lucky enough to work at an electronics design company, so there is no shortage of people here who can help me troubleshoot crappy circuit boards. I spent a little time yesterday with a friend and a multimeter checking everything we could think of in the circuit. We narrowed it down to a problem with the board. Since there was a corner of the board that was slightly corroded, I was fairly sure the problem was there. We got lucky, it was the trace in the bottom corner of the board, on the side of the relay that controls the upward direction of the motor! The reason it wasn't working is that the trace on the board is really small, and it had corroded enough that it esentially had no conductivity anymore. All we had to do was solder a little "jumper" wire from the node where the trace began to the next component. Here is a picture: http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...6-51-50_97.jpg

Are you good with electronics/have access to a multimeter? I am guessing that your problem is exactly the same as mine, since we both lost the same half of the window's functionality. It's worth a shot better than paying $165+ for a new window switch right?!

Let me know if you have more questions!

on receiving the above message the first evening that i got the chance I set about trying the fix. I removed and dismantled the window switch. I could see a slight flaw in the print but nothing that would make one suspicious of any shorts in the circuit especially as I do not yet posess a magnifing glass. I took out my multimeter and sure as hell the short shows up. As you can see from the photo below fitting of the red jumper wire has sorted the window switch. I now know that my problem never was the regulator or the motor.

Now on to the next problem. My passenger door is now stuck shut, unopenable from the outside and inside



Many thanks to aweber05

So had you since replaced the regulator or switch and resolved the problem? I am wondering if you replaced the regulator and if so, whether that fixed things or if you tried a new switch instead or this rewiring fix was your ultimate solution.

[matthew gleeson]

as below

I now know that my problem never was the regulator or the motor.

[PersonaNonGrata]

Originally Posted by matthew gleeson

as below

Ah, I missed your post #14 detailing the new regulator did not fix the problem.

Thanks for sharing another angle of our dreaded window problems.

I believe I have replaced 6, possibly 7, regulators.

[matthew gleeson]

i never would have found this solution myself. To look at the circuit board you would have no idea.

[joey]

Mine just did the same thing... E53.
Driver's door
On my way home tonight, nice weather so I opened it all the way for the first time this year... when I got home, I was sad to find that I couldn't close my window.

I press UP, it clicks and moves up 1/4 inch. Then stops. Nothing. I press down and it goes down. I did it once more to see if it was maybe stuck or something. Same thing. So I stopped and came here to read up in case I burn the regulator or motor or something.

Worst part: my mechanic just went away for 2 weeks vacation... no one else has touched my baby, and it's always run perfectly... I'm nervous to go anywhere else.

Too many butchers in this world.

Any ideas? I have never taken the doors apart before, and have been searching on here for the past hour but can't seem to find anything specific on this topic, or results, or tips, etc.

I also am trying to see if I can find pictures on how to take the door apart without breaking any of the clips...

Can someone direct me?