M3BIMMER Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Hi, my wifes electric window packed up the other day but you can still hear the motor so i assu,ed the glass has popped out of its bracket or something as the window keeps dropping down. i finally removed the door panel only to find a number of cables ?????? ones cable has been mangled around a pully at the motor end and another cable has completly snapped off. i have the day off tommorrow so want to try and fix this BUT i cant see how myself or bmw would ever get into the door to enable the replacement of these cables. has anyone got any advice or maybe some one has done a simalr repair, is it possible. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I don't think its worth trying to just replace the cables. A whole mechanism isn't that expensive and would be a lot less tricky to swap out... kirkynut 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayP07 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 As Mit said its easy to swap out the window regulator I've done it a few times the repairs kits are more trouble then they are worth. I bought my last OEM regulator off ebay for about £30 or less or BMW is about £70 i think.... There are a few guides available online. DONT buy the cheap ebay ones they never fit properly or last! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3BIMMER Posted October 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Cheers, i was not aware of what i had to do until i stripped it all out so yes it makes sense to replace the whole regulater. The cable has broke on mine and it was bloody hard to remove the window and mechanism so i can only guess its going to be harder to re-fit an unbroken one lol. if i am correct do i place the regulater inside the door (without fixing anything) then lower the glass back in, attach the two glass brackets then try and fix the regulater back in place ? does that sound ok as i think this is the opposite to how i got it out, to be honest i dont remember i was so pi$$ed off i just got the whole thing out some how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawc Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) There are 2 adjusters which position the glass to get it square an the right height for the door. Try to match them to the old regulator as much as possible as adjusting them in the door is a pain. They are 2 star/torx screws (might be bolts) an you just wind them in or out depending on how much adjustment you need. You may not have to but i did so somthing to check before you put it all back in. Edited October 9, 2013 by shawc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Never work on your car while angry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayP07 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Cheers, i was not aware of what i had to do until i stripped it all out so yes it makes sense to replace the whole regulater. The cable has broke on mine and it was bloody hard to remove the window and mechanism so i can only guess its going to be harder to re-fit an unbroken one lol. if i am correct do i place the regulater inside the door (without fixing anything) then lower the glass back in, attach the two glass brackets then try and fix the regulater back in place ? does that sound ok as i think this is the opposite to how i got it out, to be honest i dont remember i was so pi$$ed off i just got the whole thing out some how. The regulator does go back in first...... thought this might help you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sag2 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) So glad I've just seen this as it's on my list to do, my NSF window is just starting to struggle going back up snagging so have to pull it up at front of window, not good when you don't have a passenger with you and your only 5 ft tall lol Thank you Edited October 9, 2013 by sag2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3BIMMER Posted October 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Never work on your car while angry! BIT LATE FOR THAT, i have already punched something JAYPO7 great video cheers BUT i am struggling again, i have put the new regulater into the door and located 3 bolts which line up with 3 holes but the cables are under so much tension that i cant get enough movement to locate the 4th bolt into the locating hole in the door ? i dont want to slacken the cables as i guess these have been set exactly when it was made also the video clip shows the new one should just goe into place. ANY IDEAS ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3BIMMER Posted October 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 PANICK OVER.....ALL DONE. ok to be honest, anyone who wants to do this themselves dont worry its pretty easy, i know ive made a fuss about it but it was easy. As someone who has never changed one, and on removing the door panel and finding snapped cables hanging everywhere it did look like a hard job. Then again as someone who has never changed one before i obviously went about it the wrong way when removing the unit, undoing the wrong bolts, struggling to remove the glass ect ect. But when you put the new unit in, you then see how easy it actually was to remove the old unit in the first place, and as long as you dont try and line up the bolts on the new unit with the wrong holes in the door then everything is very straight forward. What doesnt help is when you look through a bmw repair manual such as haynes only to find that the book doesnt cover replacing the regulater in a coupe and just says you must go to a bmw dealer to have this job done. Well you dont, i am a builder not a mechanic and i managed, admittadly after alot of fiddeling around but it is easy honest. Cheers all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayP07 Posted October 11, 2013 Report Share Posted October 11, 2013 Glad you got it sorted mate!... Sorry I didn't see your previous post otherwise I would have helped Easy when you know how! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3BIMMER Posted October 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 I have noticed something that's not right ? but not sure how this has happened. When you open the passenger window and you click the button once the window will extend up or down but with the window Ive just fixed you have to keep your finger on the button until its open or closed ? any ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 Needs resetting. Lower down release, press down again, count to 10, release. Do the same for the up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyeddie Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Hi, My 330d NSF window is a bit slow to close, sometimes it actually stalls and I need to pull the window up. I've just watched the guide to replacing the regulator. I fancy doing it myself, it looks reasonably straight forward. Before I start has anyone ever had a motor fail or is it nearly always the regulator? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
