How To: Window Regulator Replacement DIY

[djpeetur]

after getting my drive door replace. i went through hell and back adjusting the window so it will seal properly.

TIPS to getting your door seal correctly
-Have a person from the outside hold the window up, in the proper seal position with the door closed shut. measure gaps from other door.
-From inside the car. Tighten the window from the inside with door closed.

i had the door semi close and then measured the gap and then i opened the door to tighten. WRONG WAY. TIGHTEN WITH THE DOOR CLOSED and in SEAL POSITION

also this mini cooper tool below helped too. A fancy body shop didn't even correctly set my window. they didnt even know how to take out the regulator correctly. they had to chop my window and regulator out to put in my new door. Finally my nightmare ended. Next time i would get them to repair the door before replacing. what a hassle. thats my rant. Hopefully this helps someone else.

[UABK]

Alright guys Im having a bit of trouble with my drivers side window...
Last night I started to take it apart and Im stuck at that "Gear Looking" bolt that you have to unscrew from the back.

Well I tried with an 5mm hex wrench and no luck.
I tried hitting it with a hammer like this thread suggested http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=550636
and no luck....
I am starting to debate whether or not Im going in the right direction.
Clockwise?
Counter clockwise?
I've been going Clockwise facing the back end of the "bolt"

[miro2296]

Sorry to revive such an old thread, but this helped me tremendously! Thanks a lot and such a great DIY!

[Bamerbimmer]

Just replaced passenger's window regulator. DIY video was very helpful. Plus the channel lock pliers tip made easy to loosen the 2 window bolts. I purchased the regulator from FCP Euro. Bmw oem part and has lifetime warranty $162 included 2nd day air freight.

[su320]

Hey, I'm looking to buy a window regulator for my 1er, but I'm a little concerned about the glue holding on the sound dampening material. What are you supposed to do to re-attach it when you put it back on after the repair? Do you need new glue?

Thanks!

[miro2296]

Originally Posted by su320

Hey, I'm looking to buy a window regulator for my 1er, but I'm a little concerned about the glue holding on the sound dampening material. What are you supposed to do to re-attach it when you put it back on after the repair? Do you need new glue?

Thanks!

You will not need new glue, don't worry it will hold. Very sticky stuff

[chris@strutmonkey]

Just completed this DIY - thanks for the info. Some tips:

1. I did not unhook the battery and had no problems.
2. I did not have to take the window out. Like others, I just removed the lower window track nut and loosened the upper track nut. Then you push the window track in and to the right. You slide the door latch out the bottom. It seems impossible then all of a sudden, you get it flush against the door and it comes out like a baby! BTW, the new one went in very easy - it is a newer model and is slightly smaller than the one I took out. Makes it simple.
3. Remember which speaker wire goes on top and which goes on bottom.
4. I pressed the vapor panel back on with an iron dent repair anvil instead of my fingers. It went really easy, snug, and tight. Any hard, smooth tool would work, even a rolling pin would work. The black tar stuff sticks!
5. I bought all new door panel plugs and was so glad that I did because I broke a couple of the old ones and several others were worn, cracked or missing. Now the door fits snug as new.
6. Don't forget to put the long wire door lock tab through the hole in the top of the door panel before reinstalling the door panel.

This is an easy one for all you wondering. The only tricky part is daring to manipulate the window guide track to get the old latch out.

Best of luck, Chris

[e82 Matt]

Didn't want this to be my first post however... This happened to me a few days ago... I put the window down and it wouldn't come back up. Opening it up revealed that cable had come off the wheel that connects the regulator assembly to the motor. Does the regulator assembly come with a new gear for this connection? I believe i need a new one as the outer regulator cable ground this one up pretty good. Im going to need a regulator regardless just want to know if it comes with the gear that got messed up and is in need of replacement. Thanks in advance!

[prcsa77]

e82 Matt, just did mine this week end. The regulator does come with the part you are holding. The cable is spooled up in it when new. I got mine from ECS, check their pictures on their site. Good luck. t

[miro2296]

Originally Posted by prcsa77

e82 Matt, just did mine this week end. The regulator does come with the part you are holding. The cable is spooled up in it when new. I got mine from ECS, check their pictures on their site. Good luck. t

+1 it does come with this!

[e82 Matt]

Thanks guys, installed a few weeks ago. Great to have to door back together.

[RT--]

I have done this a couple of times and here are my tips:

To open the gear bolt that holds the glass in place simply use a T-20 screwdriver or a wrench with a T-20 bit for more leverage if it's tight and turn clockwise to open.

Align and tighten the glass in the sealed position with the door closed. There are holes on the door frame that allow access to the screws in the top position. You can see them here http://s14.postimg.org/js6cza1yp/IMG_0367.jpg and here http://s14.postimg.org/w0k1a99pt/IMG_0371.jpg.

I did everything what is said on this diy in the same order but I was never able to get the window to go all the way up; the motor seized every time.
This is how I finally got it working:
1. remove the motor
2. align and tighten the glass with the door closed
3. roll the window to the door open position by hand ( if this does not work, then try a different position; all the way down, halfway, sealed, etc.)
4. re-attach the motor
5. wait a while to get out of the protection mode (based on my experience with frozen windows in the winter it takes 10-15 minutes)
6. reset the limits (door closed, 10 secs down, 10 secs up)
7. lock the doors and wait 20 minutes
8. unlock and open the door to see if the window drops

The reason for step 7 is that I was not able to get the window to drop at all when opening the door (it moved up and down just fine using the button) but after leaving the car locked for a while it started working. I think it takes 17 minutes before the car goes to sleep so wait 20 just to make sure.

[giorgioSCL]

I changed the regulator at a friends shop,, window is Ok, but it still needs to be a little higher when it closes. Can I fix this with the window button reset?

Thanks,
G.

[bp05]

Originally Posted by djpeetur

after getting my drive door replace. i went through hell and back adjusting the window so it will seal properly.

TIPS to getting your door seal correctly
-Have a person from the outside hold the window up, in the proper seal position with the door closed shut. measure gaps from other door.
-From inside the car. Tighten the window from the inside with door closed.

i had the door semi close and then measured the gap and then i opened the door to tighten. WRONG WAY. TIGHTEN WITH THE DOOR CLOSED and in SEAL POSITION

also this mini cooper tool below helped too. A fancy body shop didn't even correctly set my window. they didnt even know how to take out the regulator correctly. they had to chop my window and regulator out to put in my new door. Finally my nightmare ended. Next time i would get them to repair the door before replacing. what a hassle. thats my rant. Hopefully this helps someone else.

Do you have part number for his tool?

[boosted29]

Sorry to bring this thread back from the dead but running into some issues in replacing this and hoping to get some fresh perspective....

So I have all the interior trim pieces and insulation foam removed and am in a bit of a pickle trying to remove those pesky sprockets holding the glass to the rails. I looked at all the tips and one thing I noticed is that in all the example pics that the glass is in the raised position. My window is not and I am having a tough time (impossible actually) to get behind the glass with an allen wrench to loosen this thing up. Tried going from the front with T20 as well turning clockwise as I have read is it reverse threaded from this POV.

I was hoping to lift the window by hand like I have with other vehicles but I can get it to raise maybe 1.5" at the most and then tension from the cables seems to hold it in place from raising any further. Is there something I am missing? I was going in the same order of removing parts as stated in the initial post of this thread, should I try to go ahead and remove the 10mm bolts that hold the rails to the door frame? The cable is already in pretty rough shape so would cutting it help to free up the tension to raise the window enough so I can fit my hand in to remove that sprocket like bolt?

Sorry for all the noob questions I was just trying to see if anyone had any issues in raising the window like I am having. If this makes zero sense then I might be able to snap some pictures or even a video of what I mean but I cant get to that until tomorrow.

Thanks in advance!

[Zaxer]

This post was indespensible when replacing my drivers side regulator. I also ordered a replacement motor as the snapped cable chewed up the rubber bushing and part of the plastic gear drive . Found a replacement regulator on eeuroparts.com for $115 delivered and a used motor (2 years newer than mine) on eBay for $60 delivered. Removed, installed the new parts and reprogrammed the window in about 2 hours with a very minimum of profanity or frustration. Channel locks worked with no problem on the "gear/star/sprocket" bolt. Used a hair dryer to warm up the adhesive on the vapor panel when reinstalling - not needed, but the panel looks like it just rolled off the line. Hardest part was removing the window switch - that was really much harder than it should be (maybe because the 'vert switch is more complex?). Thanks for the knowledge shared here - nice to have a working window again (which also impacts the operation of the top).

[jsp_1990]

Thanks again for this useful post. I tried to do my F07 535i the other day and couldnt get the gear screw out.





FYR: This is just a cutting disc removal tool with an extra hole drilled in it XD.

[HomeIsToronto]

Has anyone had an issue where the gear on the motor is larger then the gear for the winding of the wires around? I can't figure out a way around this either so if anyone has ANY idea please throw it out there!

[GuamX1]

My pass window just fell without warning. I opened it today and one cable broke off. I guess I need to replace the window regulator and they just make this so complicated.

The other frustrating part is that the plastic clips are very brittle and just break off.

[chris_flies]

It happened to me a couple weeks ago. Passenger window dropped about 2 inches in the middle of the night. It was pouring rain. Everything was soaked. Got an airbag light, etc. Everything seems fine now, after it dried out. The day it was fixed, I got hit for the second time, so it was a mixed pot kind of day.

[Jayden 125i]

Hey
I have just replaced my window regulator. It all seems to be working fine up and down.

However, the top is not sealing up into the rubber seal- not sure if it has always been like this as the window broke just after I bought the car.

-I have reset the limits by lowering the window and holding the button down for 10 seconds ( Multiple times )

THis is a Mini cooper with same issue.
https://blog.bavauto.com/20116/mini-...n-r55-r56-r57/

[Jayden 125i]

This is as high as the window will seat in the upper window seal. ( Passenger side is much better seated. )