Both of mine are rusted. :D

I use white lithium grease on the exposed moving parts, and a Teflon spray on the cables. The same grease should be used on all the door latches, hood and door hinges, and so on. This is covered under BMW's Inspection I procedure, but I learned it 38 years ago from the shop owner who insisted that it be done with every oil change we did. He pointed out (rightly) that the engine needed clean oil and a filter, but that the owner wouldn't notice that once he left. The owner would notice a sticking door latch or hood hinge, or an oil leak. The details mattered, and the line ups to get in to that shop were a testament to that approach. Some of that old school approach may have gone by the wayside these days in many shops, and some DIYers never learned it, because they focused on items like oil and filter and not the inspection and lube point list.

The Inspection I list is posted here under Articles, Engine and Transmission.

http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...-schedule.html

I never heard of Tri Flow & just ordered a can.

Thanks!

They should have put that guy on the window regulator and door handle design team...lol!

That guy taught me to drive in the early seventies. He told me to not close the doors with the window glass all the way down unless I wanted to risk the glass coming off the regulators, because the glass was not fully supported in the track. This was based on problems seen in North American vehicles in the sixties.

I followed his advice. I have never failed a window regulator. And the failure mode on the BMWs at least with the clips breaking, appears to be the same as those 1960s vehicles. Everything old is new again.

JLC. You might be on to something. They did engineer vents to relieve the pressure from this in the rear area where the compartments are in the back corners. They have scupper flaps on them to keep air and water from coming the other direction. However, no where near as much pressure relief as an open window. An example is to release the rear hatch with the button on the dash, then close the front door. The hatch will lift slightly from the pressure, then latch in the secondary position. You might think that the button didnt work..... I wonder if slamming the doors would make them fail prematurely too considering all the plastic being used

Thanks JCL, definitely a good idea to do this to all the latching mechanisms!

I was just about to ask about a link to BMW inspection service too lol, thanks for the link.

Romeo, yeah, I wish this guy over-engineered the window regulators like these hood latches too.

I have one side hood latch that releases and the other one is somewhat reluctant. No amount of lubrication (cleaning/lubing), or pin alignment have a positive effect. It's something I have learned to live with: pull hood release lever, get out and pull up on driver's side of hood, pull hood release lever again, release safety catch and you have an open hood.

I just count the extra steps and effort as cardio so I can have another donut later in the day...:D

If that's the case, you will love the workout you will get if they both stick shut! :D

That's because it's out of alignment.