Window Regulator DIY-Rx.......
 

I bought my '01 X5 4 months ago - unknowingly - with a bad drivers window regulator. After a few hours in the wintry garage, (with trusty heater), and a $220 window regulator replacement from the dealer, the repair was done and I found myself an X5 world (X'outpost'(?)) addict.

Last week, the front passenger window first started 'clicking' as it traveled up up and down and then 'failed' - stuck in the down position. Just as I was about to begin taking the door apart to repair it, my man MrBMWX5 happened to call about another matter. He then told me that he knew how to Rx my existing mal-functioning window regulator - provided it's cable wasn't broken.

I packed the family in the car and flew the 50 miles to his place. The plan was to have the wife and daughter get their nails done while we did the window Rx.

He not only had the door apart, window regulator removed, repaired and reinstalled and the car ready to go, but had this all accomplished before the girls had finished their nails!

The fix was amazingly simple - sticky(?) - my man is very creative at resolving mechanical issues.

If anyone has a mal-functioning window regulator and wants to save XX-hundreds of $$$, this Rx is a no brainer!

Thanx MrBMWX5 :thumbup:

Tom and I installed the 4.6is spoiler kit on my X5 over the weekend (at his "workshop" behind the salon). He is a great guy and a tremendous resource for folks to tap into. I echo the thanks to "MrBMWX5" :thumbup:

Glad you got it fixed - guess that makes up for you getting a new one ripped by the dealer on the cost of your first regulator - I purchased a driver's side regulator for about $120!!

....looking back, I see it as, 'Paying my dues to get into the Club', so-to-speak :dunno: ....hopefully no one else should have to, though! :cool:

...why the forum name change? I (would have) thought that the 'X5world' was the right-on moniker! :dunno:

BMW took the position that having "X5" in our domain name was a violation of their registered trademarks. Being threatened with a lawsuit by a company with much deeper pockets than we have, we opted to change our name.

Glad that i can help.


Jeff! How's the kit look and stay on?
I repaired his regulator by using some houseware stuff and the regulator work good as new. ( no need to buy new regulator)

I was talking about the first one that he did - $220 for a regulator is ridiculous!!

Looks awesome, and so far so good on the adhesion :thumbup:
Now I just need to find some time to get the 4.6is exhaust on and I will be set for the summer :D

Tom, i will drive 11 hours to come to see you :)- when we were on the phone and you instructed me to do the HID i wished the distanc between you and I are less than 200 miles away.

So mr. can you share how to fix it with out replacing the regulator.

Any pictures of the fix?

My wife just called to tell me the passenger side front window won't roll up. I guess I'll be trying the copper wire fix this week. I'm not much of a mechanic so wish me luck!!:stickpoke

I also need to fix the door lock on the drivers side----ugh!

My window is stuck in the 'up' position. How do I get it down, to disconnect it from the regulator? I saw MrBMWX5' 'Flicker' post on how to repair it after I get it out.

Thank you!

imbvl - '01 X5 4.4

Take a set of bolt cutters and cut the metal cord that runs from the left side of the regulator to the right side of the regulator. The regulator will have to be thrown away after doing this, so make sure you have the replacement handy.

I would hold on to the window at the same time just incase it drops, you could always get a 2nd person to help you :)

Good luck!

After the CV boot, here comes the window regulator!!

The driver window was stuck in the open postion.

Local body shop replaced two plastic pieces without replacing the whole thing!! those two little fellows cost 10$ and he took 20$ for the labor of 2 hours!!

30$ to fix a broken window regulator!

So now i know why you american guys dump your luxury cars that are expensive to maintain, and we buy them from you and keep them running with low cost :D:D:D actually it's only the labor that is cheap, when a hardware needs to be replaced, it cost us here as well (water pump, alternator, etc...) but the CV boot and regulator require labor as the major part, that's why i did both for 120$

Cheers!

Window Stuck down
 

I've had the bad luck of 3 windows breaking within a 2 week period. The back two I had no issues replacing myself. The front driver side is stuck down and I can't get the window reg. up enough to unbolt the window. The window reg. is unbolted but the window and reg won't move. Any suggestions how to get it to budge enough so I can unscrew it. ** The door handle popped out and got stuck the same time the window crapped out and dropped into the door.

Mike

Do you have a replacement regulator waiting?

If so, cut the metal cord with a pair of bolt cutters or anything similar, the window will then move freely so that you can access the screws to unbolt the winter from the regulator. Just rememer that the old regulator is broken and will need to be thrown out.

Thanks. Super easy fix. I didn't even think of cutting the wire. That solved my issue to get the old one out.

Mike

My regulator is still working, but I noticed that the little pin is popped out of the regulator itself. I popped it back in, but it snapped right back out after I moved the window. I've watched the video and it seems easy enough, but does this little strand of crossed copper wire really keep all that tension and keep the little pin from popping out 100 percent?

Been working for me three years with no problem.

I'm at Homo Depot now...what gauge is it? I've actually got some 12/2 electrical wire in the garage...is that thick enough?

12/2 electrical wire...:thumbup:

What to do if the cable broke and then the motor kept pulling on the cable and bound it up ruining the green real. Which applied pressure the plastic piece and broke the plastic piece in the metal housing that attached to the window itself?

That kit on eBay? I replied to that post as well.

Thanks!

sounds like the window lifter and the plastic piece that attaches the glass to the lifter need to be replaced. the motor should be good if its gear teeth are not rounded by wirerope. good luck

I got a whole new regulator. The repair kit won't work for me due to what exactly happened... what a terrible design.

What a great story! So, what was the fix? Is it in the DIY section? And is it something that could be done proactively on a correctly-functioning regulator, to help prevent it from breaking? There is a procedure for the E46 3-Series that involves wrapping a couple of pieces of tie wrap near the plastic clip that tends to break. This can often be done to fix a broken regulator, but it can also be done proactively to help (hopefully) prevent them from ever breaking. I plan to do this on my daughter's 04 325i asap. Thanks.