Window coming off track - Page 4

Panzer_M · 01-22-2005, 12:00 AM

I might have fixed one of the problems(major) with ///M's advice.

Awesome job mate.

Never realized that arm on the slider of the reg arm was adjustible.

Panzer_M · 01-22-2005, 01:42 AM

ok, 2nd problem, the doorjam side rubber seal when the window is up swells up way more than the passenger side when it's window is up? Tired Seal or another problem?

I went ahead an purchased another complete window seal from BMW awhile back and just haven't had time for the install.

motorsport · 01-24-2005, 04:27 AM

BMW sucks at making functional windows

L84THSKY · 02-02-2005, 07:26 PM

I was on my way to night school, stopped at the gas station. To save time, I lowered the passenger window to hand the attendant my debit card. The car was shut off when I pressed the button. I'm not sure if having the window go down on battery, verses having the car running makes any difference, but the window was very hesitant to open. It came down slowly, then kept going. When I went to raise it, it started shifting front to back. I lowered it again and tried to raise it. That's when it just went "klunk" and fell into the door. It was 7:45, below freezing and I had a class at 8:35 that took 30 minutes to get to.

I drove it home with the window fully down, got home and proceeeded to put on the maintenance overalls. Not being sure how the door panel comes off, I flipped through the repair manual. Looking over the inside panel, there didn't seem to be any screws. The manual said that the bottom is held on by plastic locking pins. I ended up just unscrewing one torx screw from the handle, and prying the cover off.

After removing the foam insulation, I was able to mess with the glass and put it back on track. I closed the window, got back into school cloths, and took off for school. Whole job was done in 30 minutes, outside in the freezing cold.

Amazing what you can do when you are pressed for time. This car only has 39K miles, who would have though this would happen. My driver's side window seems to work well.

So here is the question. Is there a recall on this issue? I have a bumper to bumper warranty on the car through the local BMW dealer. Are they going to replace the entire window regulator? I assume they have seen this before. This can wait till spring, just need to make sure no one uses the window.

I'm wondering if I can have them both replaced, or does it happen by chance, with no pre-disposition?

**1996 328ti** · 02-03-2005, 01:37 AM

It is not a recall. I make a habit of tapping the down button a second and gently easing down the window. A few summers ago I replaced them but I can hear them starting to go again. I'll replace them again this summer.

Panzer_M · 02-06-2005, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1996 328ti

It is not a recall. I make a habit of tapping the down button a second and gently easing down the window. A few summers ago I replaced them but I can hear them starting to go again. I'll replace them again this summer.

the bushings? or the Regulator Arms?

gadgetphreak · 02-06-2005, 07:31 PM

Earlier someone asked if they knew of anyone having the window who also had side airbags, but I saw no response... Asking again, has anyone had their window fail who also had side airbags?

What preventative maintenance can be done to reduce the chances of this happening, or is it inevitable? Silicone lubricant on the tracks? What kind?

Thanks,
Gadget

Phil Marx · 02-06-2005, 08:04 PM

Well, I guess I'm getting to be an expert at this now, but not really since the repair only lasted a year! My wife was driving the ti yesterday and the driver's window let go. Now this car came to me nearly a year ago with a bad D/S regulator so I intalled a new one, new clips, and replaced a MISSING rear guide channel rubber/felt piece and straightened the crushed metal track at that time. Still it broke the front clip today leading me to believe that it jumped the front track going down and popped the clip and bent the arm going back up. Don't know because I've never been there when it's happened. I did glue the rubber in this time as it had slipped nearly 3" over the last 11 months. 3M black Weatherstrip adhesive. This time I just unbolted the regulator and straightened the arm with huge ChannelLocks. My wife is getting used to this so she tried to make sure nothing got mangled any worse than absolutely necessary.

Not that this helps but isn't it nice to know this problem is so universal? In eleven months I've replaced the left side regulator, straightened the right side and replaced both clips, and straightened the left side and replaced its clips. This blows!

**1996 328ti** · 02-06-2005, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panzer_M

the bushings? or the Regulator Arms?

I'll replace the bushings again this summer.

Phil Marx · 02-06-2005, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadgetphreak

Earlier someone asked if they knew of anyone having the window who also had side airbags, but I saw no response... Asking again, has anyone had their window fail who also had side airbags?

Wouldn't really make any difference, except that when testing the regulator prior to putting the door back together you'd probably incur an SRS fault. Mine has the wiring for the side airbag (April '98 production), but no bags.

PettitWC · 02-21-2005, 05:35 PM

SO i saw this and figured I'd bring it back to life because my passenger side window fell off it's track on friday. I went to VOB BMW out on Rockville Pike if anybody knows it and they were real friendly and nice and gave me a club discount on new retaining clips. Then I got home and replaced the clips and tried the window. Turns out the arms or whatever they're called are bent. I tried to fix them real quick but didn't have a lot of time. I'm going to try to get out on Wednesday this week to see if I can bend them a little better, maybe over do it a bit to keep them in there for sure. If anybody has any little tricks that haven't been listed yet please let me know.

Thanks, Chris

mickd · 02-21-2005, 07:47 PM

I have had my drivers side window come off track many times, replaced window regulator once, used hardened allen head bolts with Loctite on the new regulator. Bent the arms back once on this this 2nd regulator. I think alot of what's going on with the window problems is the sensing circuit that should make the motor stop. I haven't researched it but I am guessing when the window hits up or down travel or when the window jams the motor should draw more current so it should stop. Well, you can see when the window goes to full up position, the door panel will move from all of the torque applied to the regulator, and the window will bow a bit from all the torque applied to it. This is why when I shut the window I move it down a hair to relieve the tension on the regulator. I also had the weld on the bracket on the rear door guide break and had the rubber insert on this guide come loose. Alignment of this guide is critical, must have an absolutely smooth transition from the door guide to the window frame on it's travel up/down. Also, don't forget the window play adjustment on the arm on the regulator. Don't make the adjustment too tight or loose, just so you don't have any play when you move the window front to back when it is in the down position. Also, lubricate the guides with silicone spray, I would suggest once a year. Use lithium grease on the gear drive and sliders. Don't reuse the nylon sliders once the ball pulls out with the clip in place, they won't hold as well. Haven't had any window problems since doing these things.

dodj · 03-21-2005, 12:55 AM

Hey guys....

My passenger window seems to rattle when the door is closed. This seems to happen when the window is in a downwards position and the door is shut. The rattle doesn't seem to happen when the window is up.

My door panel does not seem to be on 100% there is a small gap near where the mirror is it just one of the clips on the door is not on properly? Would this cause the window rattle?

Am I in danger of my window breaking, should i not use it until i have time to get it properly looked at??

thanks!

robcarync · 03-21-2005, 03:58 AM

my window used to rattle a lot when i shut it. i didnt know what exactly it mean...until it fell down in the door panel and i investiaged.

when i took the door panel off to try and fix the regulator...i noticed that one of the window tracks had actually broken off and there wasnt a guide track on one of the sides...so when the door was shut, the side of the window would rattle back and forth inside the door panel.

it didnt really rattle much when the window was up, because it had the top half of the door frame to hold it in place, but when it was down, one side of the window wasnt being held by anything!

when i took the door panel off, the window guide track was just laying at the bottom of the door panel...whcih is worthless when its chilling there not holding the window!

i managed to reattatch the window track to the original mounting place. its hard to describe, but basically the window track consists of a "U" shaped piece of metal, and a "U" shaped piece of rubberish stuff so the window doesnt get scratched. i basically drilled a hole on the "U" shaped piece of metal and bolted it back to the original piece it was mounted to.

and i know this makes no sense...but if you were to ever check out the inside of the door panel, youd be able to see if this is the case.

i wished i had pictures of when i fixed it :-/

**1996 328ti** · 03-21-2005, 04:31 AM

When you put the rubber guide back on, be sure to glue it in place.
It is fig 13.

Part numbers
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...55&hg=51&fg=10

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