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      12-22-2011, 01:13 PM   #1
andy_coster
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1-series 3-door window problem

Hi all,

My first post on here, but hopefully someone will have some ideas about the problem I have with the electric window on my 118d 3-door (2007.)

Last year the window stuck up and dealer repaired it, but on the first cold day this year it has failed again.

However, I don't have the anti-trap warning on. When operating the window switch, regardless of direction, I get a 'double-click' from a relay in the driver's footwell kick-panel. It is the same noise the other window relay makes if it is full up, and tou operate the swicth in the up direction. So I guess the window thinks it has reached its maximum travel in both directions. The procedure of holding the swicth down for 10 secs, then up for 10 secs has no effect.

I have removed the motor from the regulator, and the regulator itself is free to move up and down with no broken wires etc. The motor does not even try and turn, no noise etc. If I meter between the two large-guage feeds in the wiring plug to the motor, I get a quick flash of battery voltage, immediately dropping to 0v, when I operate the switch in either direction. With the motor disconnected, the relay still does it's 'double-click' in both directions.

Has anyone got any idea what might be causing this? I'm considering swapping the motor out of the good door into the bad one to see if it is the motor itself at fault- it just worries me that the realy behaves the same regardless of wether the motor is connected or not. I also tried disconnecting the wiring to the door lock in case the handles sensor was at fault. No change. Are there any other sensors in the door, or anything else I can try?

Thanks!
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      12-22-2011, 06:48 PM   #2
Guildenstern
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Could be a failed relay that thinks the motor has reached resistance? If you are happy to crack open the other door it's worth a shot to try the other motor, but if it does nothing then I'd start hunting for where that relay is.
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      12-22-2011, 07:01 PM   #3
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Maybe you have to program the windown. ie: press and hold the window button on the full down and full up positions. I think that is how it is done. You might also check for any codes thrown. I am not sure if there is a ECU that stores codes for the window regulators - but it would not surprise me if there was such an ecu.
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      12-23-2011, 01:41 PM   #4
andy_coster
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Maybe you have to program the windown. ie: press and hold the window button on the full down and full up positions. I think that is how it is done. You might also check for any codes thrown. I am not sure if there is a ECU that stores codes for the window regulators - but it would not surprise me if there was such an ecu.

I tried that but no go no movement or hint of a noise from the window/door. Only the double-click from the relay in the right-hand side footwell.

I am presuming that the window knows it has reached the top and bottom of its travel by sensing current- current rises indicating the motor has come up against resistance and the power is cut. So I think the relay noise is it sensing too much current (maybe from a short- damaged or wet/corroded wiring.)
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      12-24-2011, 05:18 AM   #5
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I would guess the motor is bad. I have changed enough of them over the last few years that it wouldn't be very surprising. They aren't as bad as E46 regulators though!
The clicking is normal.
I would try to use 2 jumper wires on the motor direct to a battery and see if the motor turns, if not, you def. know what the problem is.
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      12-24-2011, 05:34 PM   #6
andy_coster
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeedler View Post
I would guess the motor is bad. I have changed enough of them over the last few years that it wouldn't be very surprising. They aren't as bad as E46 regulators though!
The clicking is normal.
I would try to use 2 jumper wires on the motor direct to a battery and see if the motor turns, if not, you def. know what the problem is.
Thanks mikeedler, you are quite right:

Managed to sort the problem today- had a few hours on it while my lady was preparing for Christmas dinner!

Took the motor off again and measured between pins 5 and 6 (the heavy-guage feeds) with my meter. Almost infinite resistance. Odd I though....it's a motor coil so should only be a few Ohms. So I took the motor out of the other door and sure enough it worked in the faulty door! Tried my old motor directly with a 12V feed and nothing. Result- but BMW Parts had just closed a few mins before!!

So I pulled the motor assembly to pieces (you can remove the commutator from its metal housing and get at the brushes etc.) On very close inspection, it looks like one of the brushes was being held slightly back from its normal position and not making contact. I had a general poke around, cleaned things up with a bit of contact cleaner and re-assembled. When testing with the meter, I now had ~2 Ohms as I would have expected! Connected back up and resinstalled onto the regulator and it's working!!

So fixed (for now at least) for £0 and just a bit of effort!
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      12-06-2012, 06:53 AM   #7
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Interesting... I have exactly same problem will try the same operation. Just on top of that Im getting window warning icon.

How is your window doing now?
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