PERMANENT WINDOW FIX***DIY***

[cooljess76]

There's been plenty of threads, but none as detailed as this one. I'm confident that I have identified the source of our problems and developed a permanent solution.

I "fixed" my window many times before I finally got sick of dealing with it and was on the verge of retrofitting manual windows into my car. Then one day I sat down and thought the whole thing through from the source of the problem to each step of the self destruction process.

I've known people who have taken their cars to the dealers and spent hundreds of dollars to replace regulators and sliders that still give them troubles. As long as your regulator motor still works and the plastic sliders are not broken in half, this repair should be a permanent fix with no replacement parts needed.

Just follow the steps posted in this thread and it shouldn't happen again or atleast for another 10 years if you use the wrong grease.

Normal Operation:
The power window assembly is composed of a motor attached to a "scissor" mechanism known as the window regulator which raises and lowers your window upon actuation. Both of the regulator "arms" have plastic "sliders" attached to them via a "ball & socket" which snaps together and is held on by a steel "C" clip. The sliders are coated in grease and slide back and forth in a metal channel which is located on the bottom of the window. The window itself is held in place by forward and aft bow-shaped vertical guide tracks which have felt-lined rubber inserts to absorb shock and allow smooth motion of the window during operation.

Self Destruction:
The problem is that when the factory grease used to lubricate the window sliders gets old, it turns into a paste-like substance. This causes one of the sliders to bind, which in turn causes the window to go up or down unevenly. Once the window is tilted, The regulator arms will flex causing the metal ball on the regulator arm to pop out of the plastic slider. This is the first snap that you'll hear.

Then when you operate the window again, the window will only be held on by one slider and the metal ball on the detached regulator arm brushes against the slider track and onto the window glass. This is the crunch that you hear next. The window is now off-track which causes the window to twist inward which in turn tweaks the forward or aft vertical track.

Sometimes, the felt-lined rubber guides that fit into the vertical tracks slide down allowing slop in the window and causing uneven resistance on the window during operation.

The Breakdown:
The cold weather contributes to the grease hardening into a pasty substance, this is why it happens more frequently to cars in colder climates. Hence, less Californians and Floridians having window issues. It doesn't mean we're exempt, just prolonged. My car came from Michigan and my window troubles started on day two of my voyage home. It's not so much a bad design as it is a poor choice of grease on BMW's end. It's really embarrassing when it happens to you in a drive-thruhttp://www.318ti.org/forum/images/smilies/redface.gif

The fix:
WARNING!!!
If you have side-impact air bags, DISCONNECT YOUR BATTERY and wait approximately 30 minutes before starting this procedure. DO NOT reconnect the battery while the airbag is disconnected as this will trigger an SRS light that requires a special tool to reset. To avoid death, serious injury, or damage to the vehicle, NEVER work in the vicinity of an un-deployed airbag. Only after the airbag is completely removed and placed in a safe location away from you and the vehicle, is it safe to perform work on that part of the vehicle. While my intentions are to save you guys money by fixing your own cars, the last thing I want is for someone to get hurt. Let's stay safe guys, your health isn't worth saving a couple bucks!

Step 1: Remove Interior Door Panel
1a) Pry out the power mirror switch(driver's side) or the blanking plate(passenger's side) and disconnect.



1b) Look inside the hole, locate the torx head screw and remove.

1c) Locate the hole on the bottom of the interior door handle(not the door lever, the actual handle that you grab to close your door). Shine a light up in there and locate the torx screw. It's the same size as the one you removed from behind the mirror switch.

1d) Remove the trim piece around the door lever by sliding it forward and pull inboard.

1e) Start to pry the door panel off at one of the top corners and work your way around the panel prying the clips out of the actual door. There's 10 of these. Some may come unglued from the door panel and remain stuck in the door. Don't worry, I'll address this in the next step.

1f) Unplug the speakers from the back of the door panel.

1g) Lift upward on the door panel and set it aside.

Step 2: Repair Door Panel Clips
2a) If the door panel clips happen to come unglued and remain in the door itself, just pull them out of the door.

2b) Notice that they are numbered. Clip #1 is located by the door lock pin and they go in order around the bottom of the door panel ending with #10 near the mirror.

2c) Look at the factory glue left behind on the door panel. Compare it with the corresponding clip and determine which side of the clip is up by looking at the imprint of the number left by the clip.

2d) Mark where each clip goes on the door panel with a sharpie or permanent marker. I wrote down the number along with an arrow pointing which direction the clip goes. I also put a dot on each corner of the rectangular impression in the glue on the door panel to ensure exact placement.

2e) Remove the old glue using a flathead screwdriver to pry and peel the old glue off. Make sure your marks are still visible to avoid gluing the clips on upside down or in the wrong location. Remember that they have to line up with the holes on the door!

2f) Use a coarse grit sandpaper and roughen the mating surface of the clips and the door panel.

2g) Get some "JB Weld" QUICK DRY from your local autoparts store. It's the only thing that works!!! Nothing else will stick to the door panel.

2h) Mix equal parts bonding agent and hardening agent on a piece of cardboard. Only mix enough to LIBERALLY do one clip at a time as the working time of the JB Weld is very short.

2i) Verify the number on the clip and the direction in which it goes onto the door panel(<---VERY IMPORTANT!)

2j) Apply a liberal amount of JB Weld onto the clip and firmly press it onto its corresponding location on the door panel. Be sure to place it in the exact spot as the rectangular imprint on the old glue that you previously removed.

2k) If you have enough JB Weld left over, mix it up and apply it around the edges of each clip and if possible slightly overlap the flat part of the clip to ensure a nice grip when it hardens.

2L) Wait atleast an hour or two before reinstalling the door panel. The JB Weld will dry as hard as steel and you shouldn't be able to make an impression in it with your fingernail.

Step 3: Remove Insulation/Sound Deadening Foam
Just gently peel it away from the door and place it aside. Be careful not to let the black adhesive putty stick to your interior or clothing.

Step 4: Remove Inner Weather Strip
With the window in the completely lowered position, pry and unclip the metal clips holding the rubber strip along the inner edge of the door. Try not to bend these clips, a tiny flathead screwdriver works well.

[cooljess76]

Step 5: Disconnect Plastic Sliders
5a) Raise the window approximately 1/4-1/2 way, so that you can access the sliders through the cutouts on the door.

5b) Using a pair of needle-nose pliers, slide and pull off the metal "C" clips that hold the sliders onto the regulator arms.

5c) While holding the base of the window firmly with one hand, pull the regulator arm ball out of the socket on the slider(This may require some force and perhaps a tool such as a screwdriver or wrench to pry it apart).

5d) Be sure to support the window to prevent it from falling into the door or smashing your fingers. Once the sliders are unclipped, gently pull the regulator arms inward and slide the sliders out of the way.

Step 6: Remove Window
Tilt the window forward and lift it out of the of the door from the outside.

Step 7: Clean Sliders and Slider Channel
7a) Wipe all of the old tacky grease off of the sliders and channel located on the bottom of the window with a rag. Try to get ALL of it out out the crevices using the corner or edge of the rag.

7b) Apply a liberal amount of fresh grease to the sliders and slider channel(I used brown bearing grease which seems to be working fine for me, perhaps there's something better).

Step 8: Straighten the Regulator Arms
8a) Look down into the door through the gap along the top of the door at the regulator arms. You may want to raise the arms by operating the window switch, so you can get a better look.

8b) Check to see if the regulator arms are parallel with eachother(one should not be further inward or outward than the other). Both regulator arms should be SLIGHTLY curved outboard as to spring towards the sliders with a LITTLE tension. If the regulator arms are straight and parallel but are not slightly bent, don't worry, as long as they aren't actually pulling away from the sliders. Adjust as necessary by grabbing the arms with your hand and pulling inward or pushing outward until they are positioned correctly and parallel with eachother. Check again by looking down from the top of the door through the window gap.

8c) Look down from the top of the door through the window gap again and ensure that the balls on the ends of the regulator arms are parallel with eachother(you don't want them to be pointing towards or away from eachother, they should both be aimed straight outboard and parallel). If the balls are not parallel, the ends of the regulator arms are twisted and need to be straightened. Using a pair of channel-lock pliers, grip the end of the regulator arm and gently tweak it until it's straight. This might take a couple tries. Recheck your work by looking down through the window gap.

Step 9: Glue Rubber Guides Into Vertical Tracks
The vertical tracks are located in the forward and aft parts of the door. They are bow-shaped and made of flimsy sheet metal. They house the rubber guides that hold the window in place and guide the window up and down.

The felt-lined rubber guides tend to slip down the vertical tracks over time and in some cases they come completely out. Usually it's just the rear one that slips, so you might not have to mess with the forward one as it's kinda hard to access. This can result in a noisy glass crashing sound when you slam your door if the window is partially or completely down, a loose or rattling window, and it can even cause your window to bind and come off track.

9a) To fix this, simply pull the rubber guide out of the vertical track or locate it in the bottom of your door if it has completely slipped out.

9b) Run a strip of glue down the back of the rubber. Try not to get any glue on the felt inside of the guide(I used "Shoe Goo" since I had some handy, it dries rubbery and bonds to metal and rubber well).

9c) Note that one side of the rubber guide is wider than the other. Prior to re-fitting, look at the metal part of the vertical track and determine which side is wider(inboard or outboard) and install rubber guide accordingly.

9d) Press the rubber guide back into the vertical track, careful not to get glue all over yourself. This can be tricky and may require you to wiggle it into place. Be sure the rubber guide is positioned all the way to the top of the vertical track.

9e) Wipe any glue off of your hands and then run your fingers up and down the inner felt crease to ensure that the rubber guide is properly seated inside of the vertical track.

Step 10: "Tweaking" Vertical Tracks
This is probably the most important step in actually fixing the problem. It's also probably the most commonly forgotten or overlooked step. When the window comes out of the track, it twists. This causes one or both of the vertical tracks to also twist. While your repair may seem victorious, rest assured that if you skip this step you'll most certainly have troubles again later down the road!

10a) To figure out which vertical track needs to be tweaked, place the window back into the guides. Remember to tilt the window forward and install it from the exterior of the door. Line it up into the front track and slowly lower the rear of the window into the aft track while using your other hand to guide it into place from underneath. Once the window is lined up inside of both tracks, slowly and EVENLY lower the window about HALFWAY.

10b) Insert both sliders into the channel on the bottom of the window. Align the sliders with the balls on the regulator arms(you might have to operate the window switch to raise or lower the regulator arms).

10c) Press the balls into the sockets on the sliders until you feel them snap into place(Don't bother replacing the metal "C" clips yet, you might need to remove the window again shortly).

10d) Raise and lower the window a few times to check operation.

10e) THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART!!! Lower the window completely. With the window completely down, slam the door. Open the door then reach inside and feel the window where it sits in the vertical tracks. If it's still seated in the vertical tracks, raise and lower it a few more times and slam the door again even harder. Be sure to do this with the window DOWN. Repeat about a dozen or so times and if the window remains in the tracks, continue to step 11.

10f) HOWEVER, if the window pops out of it's track after you slam the door, YOU NEED TO "TWEAK" THE VERTICAL TRACK. Remove the window again. Reach into the door and grab the vertical track with your hand. GENTLY twist the vertical track that the window popped out of.

If the FORWARD part of the window popped out INWARD, twist the FORWARD vertical track CLOCKWISE(if it's the driver's side door) or COUNTER-CLOCKWISE(if it's the passenger's side door). It will be the opposite for UK members and any other members who have right-hand drive vehicles.

If the FORWARD part of the window popped out OUTWARD, twist the FORWARD vertical track COUNTER-CLOCKWISE(if it's the driver's side door) or CLOCKWISE(if it's the passenger's side door). Remember this is reversed for right-hand drive vehicles.

If the REAR part of the window popped out INWARD, twist the REAR vertical track COUNTER-CLOCKWISE(if it's the driver's side door) or CLOCKWISE(if it's the passenger's side door). Remember this is reversed for right-hand drive vehicles.

If the REAR part of the window popped out OUTWARD, twist the REAR vertical track CLOCKWISE(if it's the driver's side door) or COUNTER-CLOCKWISE(if it's the passenger's side door). Remember this is reversed for right-hand drive vehicles.

This can be aggravating, but you'll have to repeat this process until you get it right. If the window pops out on the bottom of the vertical track, you can simply roll the window up and then twist the bottom of the track. It it pops out on the top of the vertical track, then you'll have to remove the window again before you can twist the top of the vertical track.

[cooljess76]

STEP 11: Put Everything Back Together
Remember to install the metal "C" clips on the sliders before you install the insulation/sound deadening foam and door panel.

Before you put everything back together, be sure to check your work by operating the window up and down about a dozen times. The final test will be to lower the window completely and slam the door. Raise the window back up, lower it and slam the door again. Repeat the process a few times and if the window stays on track, your problem is fixed permanently.



For an excellent set of instructions on removal and replacement of the window regulator assembly Click Here (http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30224) Thanks Coop540iT:wink:

[mohaughn]

Great writeup. I just had to lubricate a window on my 328 the other day. it was tilted, but hadn't broke the clips or the regulator yet. Popped of the back slider. Got it level, cleaned/lubricated the tracks, put it all back together. Pretty much exactly as detailed above...

My only comment is that at some point the regulator arms are so badly twisted that you will need a new regulator. Of course, after it pops off the 2nd time I'm usually done with it and don't want to open the door up again for a long time.

[Marv17]

wow jesse. thats a lot of writing. but its a great write up. i dont have a problem with the window coming off track or anything, but it sometimes goes down by itself when i push the switch to make it go up. any idea why it does that bro? i havent heard any sounds or what not. pm me what you think it can be.

[cooljess76]

Thanks guys, hope it helps someone in the future since this is a common problem with our cars. I'll add detailed pics later.

Marv, I think your window goes down when you hit the up button because the window motor has a "pinch" circuit, meaning that if the motor senses too much resistance, it thinks that something is caught in the window and as a safety precaution it rolls down. This could be caused by a number of things, dirty tracks, that rubber guide might have slid down causing it to almost bind, but not quite enough to pop the regulator arm out of the slider. If it gets worse, I'll take a look at it for you.

[b.u.ti-ful]

Cooljess. You have proven yourself to be well spoken, intellegent, and wise.

Even without pictures, it is a comprehensive seminar.

When the weather gets warmer I will have another go using a couple things you mention that I did not do.

http://content.answers.com/main/content/ahd4/pron/E0262300.wav

[BMW95318TI]

CoolJess, brilliant DIY!! I just had this happen to me last night and I am waiting for the sliders from Bav Auto to get here. I will use this article this week when I do it. Thanks so much. Cheers!

[DocDuvi]

Just did mine works great!

[1996 328ti]

Excellent.
Maybe a link to Chris' photos at
http://www.understeer.com/window.shtml would help.

[drrty byl]

Excellent article: all the information a new ti owner needs to repair the problem correctly the first time. I followed a similar "comprehensive fix" about 6 months ago and haven't had any problems since.

[aceyx]

I paid for the dealer to do this once. Each time, it would fail within the 1 year warranty period. After dealing with that three times, I decided to do it on my own. It has been doing well for the past year and a half.

Two additions I might add to this are to grease the tracks using a teflon lubricant ($6, Lowe's) instead of grease. Also, replace the rubber parts that "wipe" the window when it goes down. Clean your window often, as the dirt buildup on the wipers causes drag.

[robcarync]

excellent write up...i need to do this ASAP...but i have also 'fixed' my windows at least 6 times now...

i always suspected that 'sticky' grease played a role in the failure of these things...sooo annoying!

i have just left the window up for a while since it has been cold weather but i think next time i make it home from SC I may have to tackle this project!

[woh]

Yes, great write up. Made doing my window easier. I used the slow curing JB Weld. Works well.

As preventitive maintenance I'm now doing the other window that has not yet popped. But, one of the black clip extentions is missing. #VL9. Anyone know where I can get one of these? Others are having the same problem finding these:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20229

[drrty byl]

But, one of the black clip extentions is missing. #VL9. Anyone know where I can get one of these? Others are having the same problem finding these:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20229
I hunted for these a while back and never found them. Every catalog I called said I would need to purchase the entire door panel. Let us know if you find a source. I'm guessing your best bet for finding them would be take them off of a panel at a junkyard.

[Philly]

just a small piece of advice for getting the regulator arm 'balls' out of the plastic clip, I found taking a rag or piece of cloth and wrapping it around the arm, then getting it as close to the bottom of the arm (where ball meets clip) as you can get and giving it a good pull will pop the ball out a little easier than just using your hands.

Mine is for sure going to break again soon, so this write up is going to be real handy! :D
thanks jess!

[cooljess76]

just a small piece of advice for getting the regulator arm 'balls' out of the plastic clip, I found taking a rag or piece of cloth and wrapping it around the arm, then getting it as close to the bottom of the arm (where ball meets clip) as you can get and giving it a good pull will pop the ball out a little easier than just using your hands.

Mine is for sure going to break again soon, so this write up is going to be real handy! :D
thanks jess!
Great tip on using the rag. I'll have to try that on the next one I fix. Sorry I haven't uploaded pics, I'll take my door panel off sometime soon because I have to replace the clips holding the side molding on the exterior of my driver's side door. While I'm in there, I'll snap a few pics of the regulator process.

[Mallard]

brilliant write up :D

[teetime4one]

to the tee perfect!

[elchicano]

Jess i just wanna thank you for the great write up. I finally got my window working good again. Also it does help to use some kind of cloth to pull the socket out of the clip.

[thesk8nmidget]

yep it was a good write up! i used lithium grease i think and it works great. its meant for metal gears and door latches and hinges

[elchicano]

Well sean told be about dry lube and it works wonders. That stuff is hard to remove and glides the clips like nothing. The dry lube company states it wont wash away, freeze, or harden. So far it works good and i have no problems. So yea i would also recommmend the dry lube.

[rholbrook]

This thread saved me hundreds of dollars, dealer quoted me like 4 hours of labor WTF!!! With a little patience this is an EASY fix, everything is easily accessible.

This definetely isn't rocket science, the grease in there gets hardened up, and the regulator arms bind up causing them to bend over time. taking the time to clean all the old grease out and any moving pieces in general, replace the plastic clips, etc. you'll have it working like new. I spent 10 bucks on plastic sliding clips, bent the regulator arm back, and an hours worth of my own labor. Piece of cake, works like brand new. KUDOS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ChiFly318ti]

Just did this over the weekend, used the white lithium grease. It was extremely cheap and the guy at the store said it would be my best option.

My passenger side regular arm was bent inward at almost a 90 angle, damn hardened grease. Has anyone considered sanding out the channels on the windows? The one channel has some damage on it that kind of hinders the motion of the clip. Its not a grease buildup it seems like an actual rut in the metal.

[bond007]

I followed the write-up and two weeks later...pop goes the window. Not cool as I have to have a functional window for ingress/egress from my parking deck and I need this to be solved for once and for all (or else). I am well versed on working on all aspects of vehicles (rebuilding engines, fabricate my own performance parts, etc), so unless I missed something very simple about the procedure, it appears as it if needs an addendum that at some point you must replace some parts and some conditions for when that needs to happen.

At what point have others called the regulator "done" and it needs replacement? There is a visible "bend" even when straightened out and I believe that once they reach this point, it is a structural weakness and it is where it will continue to bend time after time.

Initially, the fix worked fine and as instructed, I slammed the ever-living *expletive removed* out of the door (to the point I was cringing, as in I would NEVER, EVER, close a door in that manner on a car) to test it and thought that I was done but I guess not...

Question:
Has anyone replaced ALL of the parts (regulator and tracks) and had this work properly for a decent service interval? There appears to be a part number for the window tracks and I swear I saw there was a bolt for one of them but it has been a while since I stared in there intently (I just forced it back to upright for now). Also, has anyone consulted the official manual (not the Bentley - it's better than a Haynes manual but it is not a real service manual) from BMW on this subject for install/adjustment procedures?

I am considering welding some additional support structure (if there is room for it) to the arms on the new regulator to prevent them from bending. Has anyone else considered this?

[cooljess76]

Perhaps you do in fact need a new regulator and/or new sliders? Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've been able to straighten the regulator arms with much success. I do agree with you that there has to be some point when the regulator just needs to be replaced. I've actually thought about beefing up the regulator arms too, however it shouldn't be necessary. I was even on the verge of retrofitting manual windows into my car, lol. Anyway, best of luck to you.

[Mallard]

not being funny, but with the time and effort involed in "fixing" the problem, you may aswell buy ALL the repalcement components (lifter, runners, guides, inserts around inside the doorframe) as these ARE 100% going to be a contributing factor to the faliure of your windows again.

The aforementioned fix is good, and will help, but it is inevitably going to fail again, and always at the wrong time (raining, on the way to a important meeting, just before you need to go in to work...)

Get the components needed, and then if you have the time DIY. if not then get it to a specialist , and i mean someone who HAS done this before, not necessarily a workshop at all :)

Your windows will function QUICKER and give you another 10 years WITHOUT problem if done correctly.

Please dont take this as a slight on Jess´post as its not. More as a recourse for those it hasn´t worked for

[L84THSKY]

My passenger side went out last week. This is after replacing the regulator on the driver's side, and fixing the passenger's side previously.

New parts that are PROPERLY installed, will buy you some time, but this problem is never going away.

My belief is that the window goes out of the track not because the grease gets hard, but because the front and rear rubber/felt guides bind up.

There are black rubber/felt guides in the front and rear of the door. When the window binds on them, they either shift, or fall out of the metal rails that hold them in. That is what eventually dislodges the window.

I just opened the door, and put the rubber/felt guides in place, and reinstalled the window. No guarantee this will last forever, but it should do ok, until it happens again, which it will. Also, makes sure the bolts that hold the regulator onto the door are tight. If they are not, they could cause the binding on the guides and cause the problem.

[Mallard]

There are black rubber/felt guides in the front and rear of the door. When the window bids on them, they either shift, or fall out of the metal rails that hold them in. That is what eventually dislodges the window.



exactly ;)

[cooljess76]

I glued those rubber guides into the metal channels. Mine seem to be holding up fine.

[Bozola]

Cooljess is my NEW hero!!!

Did both windows in a few hours..
________
Ford Taunus V4 engine (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_Taunus_V4_engine)

[cooljess76]

Cooljess is my NEW hero!!!

Did both windows in a few hours..Sweet! Glad everything worked out for ya:wink:

[bobvilas]

Used your write-up this week to fix my drivers side window. Went just as you described. Not sure if I'm more stoked about the rattle being gone or the window working properly! I'll keep you posted on how long it "stays" good. Thanks for putting in the time and sharing the knowledge man.

[cooljess76]

No worries. I just fixed a friends M3/4 window a couple days ago. It's a little different than ours, but unfortunately I couldn't get it perfect since he used aftermarket parts. Glad everything worked out for ya, hope it lasts another 10 years without issues:wink:

[doc66]

I didn't know this place existed. Im new to this and I've had the same problem on both windows of my 98 ti. Unfortunately, ive gone to a couple of shops already and to no avail- I still have the problem. CoolJess, thanks so much for putting this up. Im not too mechanically inclined. Im in Northern California- was wondering if you or anyone else on here is in my area (San Francisco Bay Area) who would be willing to help me do this or even point me to a reputable shop who has done this on Ti's- it would be greatly appreciated. Its been over 3 years since I've been able to drive with the window down. Im tired of driving with the sunroof open. :confused:

Thanks in Advance.
:biggrin:

[TiZen]

Gorilla glue worked for me, when I was rebuilding the door panel.
but i`ll try weld next time, some of them did come off which sucked.

[b.u.ti-ful]

I used clear epoxy and it's holding very well.

[sokat1989]

I really want to do this soon because both of my windows are in need, they are completely dysfunctional and stuck all the way up and summer is here. I've just been waiting for those pics to help me out. Still waiting on those so whenever you get time those would be really helpful. Thanks again jess.

[cooljess76]

sorry sokat, haven't had my door panels off since the "fix". I did a friend's e36 M3 sedan a few weeks back, but it looked a little different in there. I think Steven posted a link somewhere in this thread that had pics, but honestly it will probably be a while before I'm able to take mine apart again. I hurt my back the other day and I'm resting up. If you want, PM me your phone number and I'll walk you through it..

[sokat1989]

Thanks but I think ill be able to figure it out; its just that I think the last time I had my door panel off to temporary close the windows until I could fix them later, I noticed that when I pushed the ball on one of the regulator arms into the socket in the slider thing, it kept coming out. I think it may be broken so i was thinking of just getting all new sliders for both doors along with the metal clips. What do you think? Is my evaluation correct? and if yes should I get them from the local dealership or is there a better deal online somewhere?

[budget76]

Thanks but I think ill be able to figure it out; its just that I think the last time I had my door panel off to temporary close the windows until I could fix them later, I noticed that when I pushed the ball on one of the regulator arms into the socket in the slider thing, it kept coming out. I think it may be broken so i was thinking of just getting all new sliders for both doors along with the metal clips. What do you think? Is my evaluation correct? and if yes should I get them from the local dealership or is there a better deal online somewhere?

If they keep popping out those plastic sliders are broken, happened to me before the grease froze and the arm bent on the passenger side. I picked up 4 new ones with the metal clips on ebay for <20 shipped

[cooljess76]

Are the metal clips in place over the sliders? Sometimes they pop off and fall into the door.

[sokat1989]

Are the metal clips in place over the sliders? Sometimes they pop off and fall into the door.

should the ball still pop out of the socket without the clips being there?
I think I probably have all the clips but my main worry is that just one of the sockets in the slider may be broken.

[cooljess76]

The clip definitely helps keep it in place, but the ball can still pop out even if the clip is installed. It has to, otherwise it would be ultimate destruction

[sokat1989]

The clip definitely helps keep it in place, but the ball can still pop out even if the clip is installed. It has to, otherwise it would be ultimate destruction

lol what I should have said is that the ball doesn't stay in the socket unless you hold it there. In other words its completely loose which is why I think the socket may be broken. Can the slider pieces be had at the dealership or am I just doing it wrong and its not broken so I should use the same one?

[b.u.ti-ful]

I put in new ones when I did this job just to be sure.

Ebay Item number: 280318842765

[cooljess76]

lol what I should have said is that the ball doesn't stay in the socket unless you hold it there. In other words its completely loose which is why I think the socket may be broken. Can the slider pieces be had at the dealership or am I just doing it wrong and its not broken so I should use the same one?

It should snap into the socket if you squeeze them together. If it doesn't and just loosely goes in and out of the socket, the slider is definitely broken. It is a good idea to replace them like bu.ti.ful did, but it's not always necessary.

[rnelson197]

Wow. Can't wait to have the time to do this job. Window moves a little. This may fix it.

[cooljess76]

Okay guys, Lazoh just informed me that his passenger window has come off track and needs to be fixed. I fixed his driver's side window over a year ago and it still works flawlessly. So, due to popular demand, I'll have him take detailed photos as I attempt to fix his passenger window. This will take place sometime within the next couple of weeks when we get some free time. Standby for some exciting and informative photographs that have been long awaited. This thread will deliver, I promise.

[Rhys]

Wish I'd read this last year..
An arm on the passenger side has bent and after stripping the door down to fix it - it was a real pain to do. Still not right. Drivers side window got smashed in an accident and got replaced. New window is stiff to lift and is putting strain on the mech. Both window switches have been disconnected so the windows can't be used so as not to damage them any more. Might have another go sometime after reading this.

[sokat1989]

ok so i started on this and got my driver side window done and it seems to be working nicely. I had to re-glue the rubber guide on the back side and it was a bit tough since the rubber was torn length wise. I started on the passenger side window on to find that its completely missing the rubber guide along the back side. I know what you are thinking, "look at the bottom of the door." I did for a long long time. Its not there. It doesn't exist!! lol previous owner must have opened it or something because i can see some of the door clips have already been JB welded (poorly i should add).

So here's my question. where do i get a new one? do i need to make one or can i buy it from the stealership or online somewhere?

[cooljess76]

ok so i started on this and got my driver side window done and it seems to be working nicely. I had to re-glue the rubber guide on the back side and it was a bit tough since the rubber was torn length wise. I started on the passenger side window on to find that its completely missing the rubber guide along the back side. I know what you are thinking, "look at the bottom of the door." I did for a long long time. Its not there. It doesn't exist!! lol previous owner must have opened it or something because i can see some of the door clips have already been JB welded (poorly i should add).

So here's my question. where do i get a new one? do i need to make one or can i buy it from the dealership or online somewhere?Part#51321960413 pelicanparts.com sells them for $7.75 each or getbmwparts.com sells them for $5.94

BTW, I found the part# on realoem.com

[95tiSpud]

I just recently found this site and more importantly this thread (the AC lost it's recent charge of freon AGAIN). I was about to pay a shop to do this work and glad I didn't. Haven't been able to roll the windows down in YEARS! Thank you Cooljess for the article! Followed it exactly and now they are working properly. No more sweating trying to get home in the afternoon.

[fieldhb]

My window popped out of the sliders about 2 weeks ago.
This was after having the regulater replaced last winter to the tune of 400+ dollars.
Independent shop so no warranty and the guy didn't return call, so I decided to try it myself.
Excellent write up!!!!!
One thing I noticed is the front arm was hitting the top most bolt holding the regulator on when the window was out!
So I reversed the bolt to fix this.
The guy who drilled out the rivets must not have used the right bolt.
I got everything back together and it is working ok, but still doesn't pass the slam test.
I have tried bending the window rail guides, but it doesn't seem to help.
I am thinking of just buying new ones, since I found them for only 12$ online.
Here is a link to the rail guide that I found:
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search_BMW/51321938884/ES93756/
My Question is, I only see one Rail Guide available, and it looks like the front one.
Shouldn't they offer two - a front one and a back one for each side?

[cooljess76]

www.realoem.com

[fieldhb]

www.realoem.com

Thanks, I have looked there also, and this is what i get:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CG73&mospid=47506&btnr=51_2055&hg=51&fg=10

But it shows a window guide rail for drivers side ( left I am assuming) and window guide rail for passenger side ( right I am assuming ).
But each door has 2 window guides, front and back.
They only show one for each door.

[cooljess76]

Yes that's the aft guide. IIRC, only the rear guides are replacable. I think the fronts are spot welded in place.

[ti_guy]

After my window fell down, I did this DIY and glad I did, it probably saved me about $250 and cost less than 10$ to do the DIY.

Some more notes:
No matter what before you even start.. get the 2 new white sliders, they are like $2 each at the dealer.
The arms are supposed to pop in there tightly and don't come off easily, so don't reuse the originals!

Don't just straighten the arms, bend them in a way so that the ball should be at a 90 degree to the sliders, be careful not to rough up or damage the ball.

While you're in there, do the smart thing and spray a lot of anty-rust ;)

Also, for sport models or those with an air bag:
The bluddy screw is behind the SRS little logo, remove the plastic piece and unscrew to get the the panel off.

[bond007]

Follow-up to my original post:
I ordered a regulator mechanism off eBay, ~$60. It came with the necessary hardware (bolts and two new plastic sliders and metal clips). The regulator I removed was pretty bent up. I don't think that they can be straightened too many times and for the amount of pain it is, it's probably cheaper to replace it if the first repair attempt doesn't hold up. I installed it and the window still popped out of track. :(

I pulled the other side apart (which had yet to break) to re-grease it and compare. Moving the broken window up and down the guide, it felt like it was binding and the rear guide felt like the culprit. I re-greased the side that was still functional and put it back together.

I pulled the rear window guide out of the broken door, removed the felt, cleaned it as well the glue side and the metal channel and then re-glued it with the proper glue, 3M super weatherstrip and gasket adhesive (http://www.autobarn.net/3msupweatgas.html).

The mechanism seems to be working fine now. I am still skeptical, as the prior time, it behaved similarly. I will give it a couple of weeks of abuse before I pronounce it fully cured. Meanwhile, I am repairing the door panels, yet again.

[Drubix]

This write up works.
I have tried to repair our 96 ti three times, all with no long term cure.
The key points for me was the application of glue to the felt window tracks, both of them, then tweaking the front track as described. The repair withstood repeated slamming of the door with the window down, I mean really slammed, and no problem. Used the JB Weld as well, along with new door panel clips and the door is solid as a rock. Very satisfied with this DIY!

[drrty byl]

It's amazing how the windows will _not break_ again if you get new clips, position the felt, and set up the track properly. After 2+ years, I'm tempted to re-tint my passenger side window.

[thecoupe]

What if I needed to buy the plastic sliders for the window regulator arms, can I find them or do I need new assembly

[drrty byl]

What if I needed to buy the plastic sliders for the window regulator arms, can I find them or do I need new assembly

Dealers carry the clips on the order of around $2-3 apiece.

[RallyJax]

Thank you for this - you are a star! I have just started with this problem and attempted two repairs with two failures - and yes, its a huge embarrassment pulling up at a pay booth at the moment! I also wondered if the grease wasn't just gunking up due to age. I will start again this weekend and hopefully third time right!

[Phil Marx]

Great write-up. Much of this has been touched-on before by others here and elsewhere in dribbs and drabs. Nice to have all the methodology together in one post.

After doing this years ago with no repeats of regulator failure (knock on wood done), I recently had to revisit the passenger door panel because the door-panel clips all came apart. I delayed, thinking it was one on which I'd already fixed the panel-clip supports but yesterday I found out it wasn't so I was in relatively virgin territory except for #9 and
#10 clips which had apparently been done with hot-glue by the dealer under warranty for the previous owner (tip: don't waste your time with hot glue!).

So, knowing my drivers door panel repair had worked for well over four years, I set out to apply that same method to this panel and I thought I'd add to this post with my resolution of the door-panel problem.

My first deviation from the method offered in the first post here is to NOT remove the factory glue which has never come loose from the door panel. It doesn't bond well to the plastic clips but it is obstinately tenacious on the fiberboard panel. If you don't remove it it makes positioning the clip supports so much easier as they fit only one way in the original blob of adhesive, and the numbers are visible in the adhesive blob to properly orient the supports.

I did, however, use a medium sandpaper to rough-up the contact surface on the old adhesive blob where the support seats, working around the molded number to help re-positioning the supports. Next I took each support and drilled six holes of about 1/8" in diameter in the supports from the contact side (to minimize burrs on that surface. I put one in each corner, leaving enough around the edge and avoiding the little posts on some corners, and two in the middle which on some meant inside the "tower" on the support or close to it's base without causing any structural deficiencies. Then I sanded the contact surface of each base with the same medium sandpaper just enough to rough it up but not enough to obliterated the molded-in number.

I then mixed up about half the tubes of a small JB Weld "Quick" package with a popsicle stick cut like a chisel, and slathered it on each clip, one at a time, so that some entered each hole, and pressed each clip in place so the JB Quick oozes out the holes before applying the JB Quick to the next clip. You get about four minutes of working time before the JB Weld sets up so if you're quick (no pun intended) you can do all ten at once, or mix up some more for the last few, if you have to.

Let it setup for twelve hours. I went out to re-install the panel this morning and it was raining so I hurriedly snapped it in-place only to remember I'd forgotten to connect the speakers and the door panel had to come off. That would be a real test of the adhesive application—and they all passed!

Another frustration is the way the top of the door panel attaches to the door frame. When the clip supports fail the panel comes out of the metal clips at the door slot wiper and normally folks just try to press it back into place. Eventually the panel can crack horizontally along the upper edge, inside the curved section from the loose panel hanging on the door-opening gasket or other handling issues. This time I carefully removed the six-or-so top metal clips with the wiper molding still attached to them by prying the tabs gently out of the recesses in the door skin. I then installed the entire strip with the clips on the panel taking care to note depressions indicating past position, and slipped the door-panel assembly over the door slot edge and snapped it all in place against the raised window glass. It was much simpler than I thought it would be and actually easier than trying to get the panel to "bite" into the clips while they are still attached to the door. I believe this is how the old BMW manuals showed how to do it on a 2002 but I don't bother with the manuals on the newer cars so Bentley may already show this as the proper procedure. Or not.

All the clips lined up perfectly, with only a small bit of crawling underneath to help the alignment to the hole due to the free-play within the clip supports, and that darn panel fits as well as it ever did, which isn't really saying much since the crappy production standards on these little cars never had them fitting that well at the top of the rear-edge of the doors even when new.

Anyway, just thought I'd add that wordy addition to a great thread so others might benefit from my experience. I hope never to have to go in there again! As cheap insurance, I've kept a new-in-bag window regulator in the trunk for four years, not telling the car which side it's for. I think it's scared-straight! :wink:

[RallyJax]

Thanks for the clip info - that's been doing my head in! I will make an attempt this weekend with your advice and hopefully get this door sorted out once and for all!!
Cheers!

[Dipperd]

Great write up - very helpful and has *almost* solved my problem.

The issue i have is that the window (RHD - drivers side) goes up and down ok now but about half an inch from being fully up, it tilts forward which means that the rear of the window is out of the frame so that there is a gap of about 3 mm.

Anyone know how to sort that? :confused:

Thanks

[cooljess76]

Great write up - very helpful and has *almost* solved my problem.

The issue i have is that the window (RHD - drivers side) goes up and down ok now but about half an inch from being fully up, it tilts forward which means that the rear of the window is out of the frame so that there is a gap of about 3 mm.

Anyone know how to sort that? :confused:

Thanks

You can remove the rear guide completely. There's a rubber plug towards the bottom of the door which when removed will aloow access to a 10mm bolt. Remove the bolt and the guide slides out. From there, you can inspect the guide, glue in the felt lining etc. When you reinstall it, IIRC, there's a hook or bracket that secures it on the top end, make sure it engages, then replace the lower bolt.

[Shellback]

Outstanding write up. I started tackling this project the other day when one of my windows decided to crap out. I also took a few photos of my progress.

Door handle trim. Note: When removing, push forward. As you can see, the clips are shaped like little arrows.

[Shellback]

Clips that are glued on door panel. Notice some have become unglued while removing the door panel.

[Shellback]

Clip no. 10 unglued off panel :frown:
Foam glued on door.

[Shellback]

Speaker wires.
Quick question....Can I reuse these for aftermarket speakers?
I'm planning on getting infinity components speakers. Woofer will go to kick panel, and tweeter will go to mid range cavity on door.

[Shellback]

Removing foam panel from door. As you can see, this stuff is very messy/sticky.

[Shellback]

The following images are of the gooey stuff you will find on the window track/channel. I decided to clean this stuff out using a rag and general purpose cleaner.

[Shellback]

Removed glass from door. Not only did I clean the metal channels, but I also removed the limo tint – it was just not my style.

That's it for now. I will download a few more later.
Once again, thank you for an awesome DIY writeup.

[spidertri]

Quick question, my window is out of the door right now, I cleaned all the old grease out of the tracks like Jesse said. I bought new sliders because the old ones broke.

First I tried the brown bearing grease that Jesse recommended, the new sliders fit so tightly in the track that they just pushed all the grease out of the way when I slid them with my hand. So I went out and bought some teflon dry lube that others mentioned and while it did help somewhat the sliders still seem too tight in the tracks. I haven't reinstalled the window yet to see if the regulator can move it.

Are the new sliders supposed to be that tight? Should I try a different grease?

[fieldhb]

Quick question, my window is out of the door right now, I cleaned all the old grease out of the tracks like Jesse said. I bought new sliders because the old ones broke.

First I tried the brown bearing grease that Jesse recommended, the new sliders fit so tightly in the track that they just pushed all the grease out of the way when I slid them with my hand. So I went out and bought some teflon dry lube that others mentioned and while it did help somewhat the sliders still seem too tight in the tracks. I haven't reinstalled the window yet to see if the regulator can move it.

Are the new sliders supposed to be that tight? Should I try a different grease?

I am not sure if you have the same issue that I had, but when I got my sliders from Bav Auto, they didn't seem to fit too well either.
I checked the part number with real OEM and compared the sliders to the sliders I took out, and everything seemed to match up, but the sliders seemed a little too wide.
So i took a pliers, and "Squished them" a little bit. then greased them up with brown bearing grease and they slid real nice.
The window has been working good for 6 months now.

[cooljess76]

IDK man, I reused my old sliders. Maybe our old ones were just worn so much that they fit loosely in the tracks?

[spidertri]

Thanks guys, I squished my sliders and used the bearing grease and it was perfect. I should mention that I bought my sliders from Pelican parts, maybe OE BMW are slightly better?

Ended up that both my regulator arms were bent, the front one more so. Once I got those where they needed to be everything went smoothly. Only other issue was the rear window guide had slid down, so I replaced it. Gotta say, every time I slammed the door I cringed, hah, but the window never popped out of the vertical tracks.

Thanks for the great write up Jesse, and thanks to everyone else who posted tricks and ideas.

[budget76]

FWIW I bought my sliders from pelican and had the same thing, they fit tight. I wound up just sliding them by hand a bunch and they loosened up.

[cooljess76]

Killer! glad it helped:hug:

[Chris S]

Thanks for the guide, hopefully it will stay together this time!

Just as pointer I found isopropyl alcohol helpful with clearing the old grease (the largerer hardened bits had been removed on a previous 'repair'). Also while the window is out after cleaning run the sliders up and down the runners attached to window. If you find some areas have high resistance run some wet and dry along the inside of the runner until it feels smooth all the way along. Should help the window runa bit smoother.

[sleighty]

hi, ive just fitted a new regulator and sliders and i tried the window and the ball popped out of the slider again.

I think the slide guides had been reinstalled on the windows in the wrong place as they had clearly been done before. So i adjusted them and tried again, sadly it still popped out and ive noticed the regulator arm which keeps popping out is pulling away from the slider slightly, should i bend it back towards the slider? I was a bit worried about doing this as its all new parts.

Also when i refitted everything and put the window into the up position it all stayed together but the arm is very bent and the socket is only just staying in the slider. Also the slider itself is right on the edge of the channel itself. Is this normal?

Thanks for your help guys, just working through my car to get it perfect inside and out!

[roadblkx]

thank you!! This was so helpful!!

[95tiSpud]

Regarding the sliders fitting too tight; I ran them back and forth across a file a few times until they fit a little better and the grease can get to the top and bottom of the sliders. Been working almost a year now..

[cooljess76]

For an excellent set of instructions on removal and replacement of the window regulator assembly Click Here (http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30224) Thanks Coop540iT:wink:

[wolferj-RIP]

Once again, the collection of knowledge here is truly amazing, and benefits us all...

Jess, I too, heard that horrid sound today when I went to roll up my drivers window on the way home from work. So, I re-read the tutorial, tore apart the door, and had the window working like new in under an hour... Now I just have to wait for the JB weld to cure overnight (and tomorrow) to put the door panel back on.

Many Thanks!

[cooljess76]

Killer James! Glad it helped. JB Weld is awesome stuff. Once you glue those door panel posts on, they'll never come off again.

[cali_guy_559]

How hard is it to replace that rear window guide? Seems besides the dry lube, it is the cause of my problems. Without it, my windows slide back too far and when I try to bring it back up, the front end has slid out of the front guide. I want to do it myself... but it seems like it's going to be a huge PITA. Any words of advise?

[cooljess76]

How hard is it to replace that rear window guide? Seems besides the dry lube, it is the cause of my problems. Without it, my windows slide back too far and when I try to bring it back up, the front end has slid out of the front guide. I want to do it myself... but it seems like it's going to be a huge PITA. Any words of advise?

The rear guide comes off pretty easy. IIRC, it's just one 10mm bolt at the bottom of the door. You have to remove a rubber plug to access it.

[Eric]

Just adding my 0.02 on this subject...

I had had the door and window apart a few times, but I could never get the darn thing to stay in the track when rolled fully down - One or two gentle slams, and she was out - so I've spent the past two or three years just never putting it down all the way, which was slightly annoying to me, but put me in fear of THE PHONE CALL whenever my wife drove the car.

So, a few days ago, I decided to finally search for a fix (okay, so I'm patient), and came across this thread (as well as a few others). Very little in here was new to me, as I had gone through the whole system very thoroughly when I had it apart, but there was one thing that was a real epiphany:
The tracks themselves can move and bend, even though they may not have any adjustments.
I had noted that the one adjusting bolt on the rear track was in its original position, so I had not bothered to look into the possibility of track movement any further.

Today I pulled the door apart again, put the window down, gave it a few slams, and saw that it dislocated toward the outside from the front track.
Inspection showed that the bottom of the track was opened too wide, and also bent a bit outwards.
Following Jess's advice, I set about bending it inwards.
This was very hard.
There is almost no room in there to get anything on the track to grab it.
Finally, I was able to get a pair of small (5") ViseGrips on it, and move it just a tiny bit of the time. The track channel is wider on the inside than on the outside, so in order to bend the outside inwards, the ViseGrips had to press against the inside portion, which bent the inside part inwards (opening the channel up) as well. Because of this, I had to then go back and bend the inside part back toward the outside (closing the channel up) after I had bent the outside. All of this was very slow and painstaking, with two right fingers through the forward access hole, and my left arm stuffed into the door against the regulator gears.
When I was done, I noticed that the track seemed a bit twisted toward the outside, so I used a big screwdriver between the front edge of the forward access hole and the back of the channel to twist it back a bit, which also dinged up the edge of the access hole, but that's life.

I haven't driven it around yet, but so far it's held tight through some hard slams.

My points of advice on this subject:


It ain't easy to bend the edges of those darn tracks, but keep at it, and you can do it a tiny bit at a time. Don't try this when you're pressed for time.
Since the outside edge of the front track is much lower than the inside edge, it's more likely that the window will jump toward the outside. If it jumps toward the inside, the track is really bent, or the problem is somewhere else.
You can rotate the whole front track slightly with enough "persuasion," so consider that option as well.
It's hard to actually see the parts of the track you need to see. The only way to see directly is from the top through the window slot, with the inside weather squeegee removed. You can also stick a camera into the big access hole and photograph it, then look at the picture.
When the window is out of the front track, it can actually move a shocking 3" or more forward when it is rolled down. This can happen when it first dislodges on you, and can really wreak havoc with all the inside parts, snapping those little nylon sliders, bending tracks, bending regulator arms, and even shattering the glass.
Those black plastic fastener standoffs that are glued to the door panel can be repaired with a variety of substances. The ones I fixed a few years ago with silicone sealant (a great adhesive, especially for glass) are still on tight, but I fixed the new ones that broke off this time with 2-part epoxy.
I believe that many of the things that some have obsessed over in the past, such as straightening the regulator arms perfectly, getting new sliders, and making sure every bit of old grease is out of the grooves, are not nearly as important as fixing any bends that occurred in the tracks when the glass first came out.
Remember, it didn't just fall out of the tracks, it was forced by the regulator pushing it at a bad angle, usually because one of the regulator arms came away from the plastic sliders, and the force bent the track before the track released the window.
Arms should be eyeballed straight, grooves should be clean, lubed, and move smoothly, but the darn tracks HAVE to be straightened.


Anyhow, now that the epoxy's dry, I'm going to drive it around and see if it stays put!

- Eric

Photo Descriptions:
1. Glass out of Front track toward the outside, looking down into the door.
2. This is how far forward the glass can move when it's out of the front track
3. Bottom of the front track before fixing it - it's flared out.
4. Front track bent straighter.
5. Front track after fixing it - doesn't look like much, but seems to have worked.

[cooljess76]

^^^Good stuff Eric. That's exactly what I was trying to explain in the writeup. And you are absolutely correct about the sliders and regulator arms not being as important as the tracks being straight. I mean, you can install a new regulator, new sliders and clips and the problem will just continue if the tracks are still bent from when the window initially went off track the very first time. I've tried to stress this issue, as well as straightening the tracks not being an easy task, but I still hear of people skipping that step or half-assing it because it was more difficult than they were willing to deal with. You'd be amazed at how many people refuse to beleive that the problem isn't the actual regulator and go out and replace an expensive regulator or plastic clips thinking it'll fix their problem. And finally, the chunky grease is probably what caused the issues to begin with, so make sure all of that stuff is scraped out of the slider track and replaced with some fresh grease. Again, thanks for the clarification Eric, I'm sure it'll work for you this time. Hopefully you won't have to deal with any window problems for a long time now.

[Eric]

...the chunky grease is probably what caused the issues to begin with, so make sure all of that stuff is scraped out of the slider track and replaced with some fresh grease.

Thanks, Jess.

I had already cleaned and greased both sides the first time this happened, so no worries there. The grease I applied then is still there and slippery (black Ford wheel bearing grease). I didn't go crazy removing every trace of the old grease, though - as long as the parts that actually rub against the sliders are clear, every trace doesn't have to be removed and polished to a mirror shine, like you know some people are doing.

I think the order of failure is:

grease gets hard -->
causes resistance / friction / excess force to move the window -->
these wear on the nylon sliders, ultimately causing one to crack or just loosen up too much -->
ball end of regulator pops out of slider (first "bad sound") -->
window cocks as it is moving up (second "bad sound"), pushed unevenly by remaining arm and slider -->
ball end that is loose strikes some part of its slider track, snagging on its way up or down (third "bad sound"), and bending as it does so, also possibly misdirecting that end of the window too far up or down, also applying some lateral force -->
window shifts under uneven force from regulator (now probably on the second or third up / down cycle, as driver absentmindedly operates window switch back and forth, walking window into worse and worse position with each cycle) -->
window binds in its up and down direction and is forced sideways out of its track by the force of the regulator, bending the track, popping out, and ultimately falling into the door when the remaining ball end pops out of the slider.


I think I've thought about this too much, but I seem to have a handle on it now.

Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction on this - I doubt it would have occurred to me without your post.

- Eric

[cooljess76]

No worries man, I'm sure you would've figured it out. Your story sounds exactly like mine. I was at my wits end with this problem and I knew I wasn't the only one. It's a 318ti defect, no ti is immune to it. I was literally on the verge of calling a friend in Europe and having him send me both doors or parts to convert my windows to manual roller uppers. Finally I sat down with the door apart and thought the whole thing through. I knew there was a design flaw because our windows/doors are the same size as e36 coupe doors(they're not interchangeable though), but our cars use the same regulators as e36 sedans and they have smaller/lighter windows. At that point I was trying to think of a way to re-engineer BMW's screw up. That's when I created a timeline in my head on how/why the windows come off track. From the second you push the button to the moment of failure. That's when it dawned on me. In order for the window to come off track, the vertical tracks have to flex! I had never heard of anyone addressing the vertical tracks, just dozens of stories where people replaced sliders and regulators. People even took their cars to dealerships where the regulators were replaced and the problems continued to come back until they finally gave up. It all started to make sense, the problem wasn't the regulators, that was just a subsequential problem. People usually experienced window problems after the cars became a few years old. Just long enough for the grease to harden! So I asked myself why, with fresh slippery grease, do the windows still come off track? Only one answer made sense, the vertical tracks get bent when the window comes off track. Replace grease, straighten tracks(and regulator arms if needed), you're good to go for another 10 years:wink:

[tiFreak]

well now I'm kicking myself for never getting around to regreasing the windows like I said I would, both of them failed, I'll get pics if I think of it but I'll probably be too busy swearing and throwing tools around

[cali_guy_559]

Yes, Finally! I've been at my end with my windows too. It's been so bad that for the past 2 months I've been driving around without the door panels so I can drive around with my windows down and put the window in it's place(my blower motor is dead). Now I know what I'm doing next weekend.

[tiFreak]

just something to add, I put new sliders in when I did my drivers side, I lubed them up really good and slid them back and forth several times to get them loose but when I put the window back together and starting testing it, it would bind about halfway down, swapping back to the original sliders solved the problem

I'd recommend reusing the original sliders whenever possible, maybe sanding down the edges of the new sliders to get a looser fit

[wolferj-RIP]

Brendan, I'll take those new sliders if you don't want them...

I had my window come off again. But it wasn't the vertical tracks that were the problem... The sliders had a very small cracked piece on the neck where the ball pops in and is supposed to be held inplace by the c-clips. So this allowed the clips to rotate and catch on the track, pop off, then the ball joint would pop out of the slider, and down comes the window...

[spidertri]

I had issues with my sliders being broken, like James, so I had to use new ones. I found that if you just squish the tabs with pliers it lets them slide like they should.

[tiFreak]

Brendan, I'll take those new sliders if you don't want them...

two of them are covered in a combination of axle grease and white lithium grease, I won't charge you extra for that :biggrin: send me a PM

[E36Wes]

Dammit. My Window is making some weird type of noise. I will be tackling this this weekend maybe. I kind of feel like buying brand new regulators and all the hardware today and just replacing both sides so I dont have to deal with this or be worried about it in the near future. I hope that it all goes well.

[cooljess76]

Dammit. My Window is making some weird type of noise. I will be tackling this this weekend maybe. I kind of feel like buying brand new regulators and all the hardware today and just replacing both sides so I dont have to deal with this or be worried about it in the near future. I hope that it all goes well.sigh... :no:

^^^Good stuff Eric. That's exactly what I was trying to explain in the writeup. And you are absolutely correct about the sliders and regulator arms not being as important as the tracks being straight. I mean, you can install a new regulator, new sliders and clips and the problem will just continue if the tracks are still bent from when the window initially went off track the very first time. I've tried to stress this issue, as well as straightening the tracks not being an easy task, but I still hear of people skipping that step or half-assing it because it was more difficult than they were willing to deal with. You'd be amazed at how many people refuse to beleive that the problem isn't the actual regulator and go out and replace an expensive regulator or plastic clips thinking it'll fix their problem. And finally, the chunky grease is probably what caused the issues to begin with, so make sure all of that stuff is scraped out of the slider track and replaced with some fresh grease. Again, thanks for the clarification Eric, I'm sure it'll work for you this time. Hopefully you won't have to deal with any window problems for a long time now.

[Eric]

^^^^^ +1 ^^^^^

[E36Wes]

holy crap, cant believe i didnt even read the thread. Didnt realize there were 7 pages to this...sorry

lol wont be buying all new parts then.

[KingLouieII]

Hm, definitely going to try to get to this later today. I had left the car with a shop for twelve days over the holiday weekend, and by Day 12 when they couldn't solve the problem and told me they were considering drilling out the front track to bolt it a littler further up I told them to shove it with a fist, paid the $96 for the new regulator they ordered and got my poor car the hell outta there.

Thanks Jesse for the seemingly awesome write-up and Eric for the great pictures! Hopefully this all works out

[budget76]

Jess and Eric, I love you both. I think I've finally got the window under control after 2 years of fighting it. Anyone who does this, the tracks are the key! Its been said many times, but it's not enough.

I've been in that door so many times I can have the panel off and pop the window back into the tracks, re-do the regulator balls, etc, and have the door back together, all in less than 10 minutes. Now I finally took some time and did what the writeup says. Turns out the window was popping out of the front track, so I had to twist it inwards. Now I can slam the door and it stays on track. Time will tell if its perfect, but it's better than it has been before.


SOMETHING NEW: make sure you check your tracks are actually attached to the door. I found that the lower spot weld that holds the bottom of the front track had broken off of the door, so the track would move freely on the bottom. Instead of getting the welder out I just drilled a hole thru and used a short screw to hold it tight.

The only thing I have never been able to do is put the window up and down without the u clips holding the balls in place. I can let it go halfway, then hear one pop halfway out. Maybe its a crappy brand regulator, dunno, but that I have never had work.

When you're checking to see if it stays in the front track: Slam the door a couple times, and stick your finger thru the square opening and feel the window. Mine came half out of the track, I was able to push it back where it should be, put the window up, twist the rail, then repeat until success is obtained

[ofset]

I just want to say that this thread is AMAZING!!! Thank you sooo much for this write up. it is so helpful, an soooo easy to do. It cost me $10 and 2 hours of work to get my broken window fixed.

My drivers side window went out completely, window fell to the bottom of the door, and I thought i would be screwed. I thought I would need an new regulator because i did not hear anything move or any motor sounds.

Turns out the ball joint arm was wedged between the top of the glass and the metal after the window fell. Thats why I didn't hear the regulator working. But it turns out the regulator was just fine. I didnt need a new one!

I bought some Lithium grease, and gorilla glue for the odd glueing of the felt vertical arms and stuff.

Scraped out the old hardened grease, re-lubed, and re installed and BAM Window works fine now!!!

thank you again.

[Jake]

same excact thing happened to me a few months back. took the whole thing apart and looked at it for a couple days. only to realize re-lubing it was what would fix the problem

[cooljess76]

same excact thing happened to me a few months back. took the whole thing apart and looked at it for a couple days. only to realize re-lubing it was what would "temporarily fix" the problem

^^^If all you did was "re-lube" the sliders, you'll certainly be taking it back apart in the near future. Myself and many others simply "re-lubed" the sliders thinking we "fixed" the problem, only to have it happen again and again. I eventually got sick and tired of taking my door panel off and reattaching the sliders, that's why I finally decided to find out what the "real" problem was, and that's why I wrote this article. I suggest going back and reading the article in it's entirety for I think you may have missed a few things. Best wishes.

[Jake]

worked for me, haven't touched it since last fall, i did replace one other small part however that at the time i thought had nothing to do with it after installing. who knows maybe that did something

[UberWagen]

Thanks a lot. Didn't have to piddle around with my window too much. Figured out that I have a broken slider clip. This thread probably saved me about 2 or 3 hours:cool:

[curtdfw]

OK, less than a week after buying my '96 I'm stymied with the window fix on the passenger door. What seems to be happening is that the forward edge of the glass is somehow binding up -- once I get the glass in the track (way more difficult that it should be) it's very tough to move up and down manually, and I'm pretty sure that's the reason for the forward ball popping out.

I've cleaned & lubed the tracks and replaced the broken clips. As the glass pops outward, I've rotated the track clockwise to the extent I can get my hand in there, and the liner seems to be properly seated.

Bottom line is that I can get about one cycle before it fails. The regulator looks to have been tweaked several times, and there's more side load on the bottom of the glass from the ball end of the arms than there is on the driver's side (I just checked and lubed the clips as all seems OK). I've relieved that somewhat, but am considering a new regulator.


I've had a '74 2002 for 9+ years and do most of my own work, but this has me stuck. Any further ideas, or is there a Dallas-area owners group I could kick it around with?

[SueL]

Hello,
I was intrigued by your post about a permanent fix for a wonky window after paying $900 to repair my window since I bought my TI 4 years ago, including a $400 job to replace the regulator less than three years ago. I had given up on repairing it after it failed again last summer but I sent your post to my mechanic to see if it could work in my case.
He sent the following reply (see below). I don't think the motor failed (it was a brand new part three years ago). The window would kind of jump or drop quickly when I tried to open it so I just stopped using it because i was afraid it would fall into the door as it had before.
Does it sound like your method would work in my case? I'm not interested in attempting another fix without some reasonable assurance it will work.
The reply:
We can get your vehicle in for Tuesday.* However,*I wanted to mention that this issue may be different than the one that you're currently dealing with.* If i remember correctly, your window motor isn't working at all.* This website is dealing with an issue where the window comes off after closing the door.* As for a price, we'll have to see what the problem is and how long it take for us to conduct the repair.***
*

[cooljess76]

Hello,
I was intrigued by your post about a permanent fix for a wonky window after paying $900 to repair my window since I bought my TI 4 years ago, including a $400 job to replace the regulator less than three years ago. I had given up on repairing it after it failed again last summer but I sent your post to my mechanic to see if it could work in my case.
He sent the following reply (see below). I don't think the motor failed (it was a brand new part three years ago). The window would kind of jump or drop quickly when I tried to open it so I just stopped using it because i was afraid it would fall into the door as it had before.
Does it sound like your method would work in my case? I'm not interested in attempting another fix without some reasonable assurance it will work.
The reply:
We can get your vehicle in for Tuesday.* However,*I wanted to mention that this issue may be different than the one that you're currently dealing with.* If i remember correctly, your window motor isn't working at all.* This website is dealing with an issue where the window comes off after closing the door.* As for a price, we'll have to see what the problem is and how long it take for us to conduct the repair.***
*

They're setting you up to try and screw you. I wouldn't take my car back to them for anything, let alone a window repair. I've outlined the problem from start to finish and no, the cause isn't caused by slamming the door. The problem is that BMW used a poor lubricant that turns into paste after several years which in combination with the fact they used the same regulator on our cars that they use on sedans which have a smaller/lighter window than our heavier "coupe sized" windows. The lubricant hardens into a paste, causes the sliders to bind up in the track, regulator arms bend, balls pop out of the sliders, window goes off track, bends the vertical guide, the end. So many people are quick to believe a shop that tells them they need to replace a regulator or some expensive repair, then all they do is put the balls back in the sliders and send you on your way so it could happen again a few miles down the road. If you don't remove the sticky old grease, replace it with fresh non hardening grease, re-align the vertical guides, straighten the regulator arms and replace the sliders if they're worn, you'll just end up having to do redo it again and again. The more times you take the door panel off, the weaker the clips get and eventually you'll be repairing that too. The most often overlooked step is re-aligning the vertical guides. This is why I recommend slamming the door to see if the window stays in the tracks. The guys at that shop don't know what they're talking about. If they can't make sense of the detailed tutorial I posted at the begining of this thread, then they shouldn't be working on BMW's.

[SueL]

Cooljess76,
I would just as soon take it elsewhere, (even though I've been using that shop for 14 years, for this car and my 320i before that), for this job at least. Can anyone on this list suggest someone in the Vancouver, B.C., area?
SueL

[32styledTI]

Ive read the whole thread, Yes I plan on re-bending the window tracks back into place although Im wondering since my sliders were totaly busted and I found these ones kicking around

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l585/32styledTI/IMAG1028.jpg

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l585/32styledTI/IMAG1029.jpg

Are these missing a little part on one side of the circle that the ball snaps into? ive never been lucky enough to see a good one so i dont know if this is missing a tab on the other side of the hole where the ball snaps into.. if they are ok then, I may have all the parts to try and get this driver window back together tomorrow. I have not tried to snap a ball in to see if it holds, I just found them downstairs and have not gone outside to the garage to see but it looks like one of the little tabs is broken off the portion where the clip slides into...maybe im wrong can someone help me ?

If not then I have to order this with my getbmwparts.com order tomorrow

[cooljess76]

I'd replace them, they're definitely broken. Part#51321938884 getbmwparts has them for $2.50ea and they're genuine BMW parts. Pelicanparts.com sells the same ones for $4.75ea or the generic ones for $2.50 and ebay has generic ones for like 6 bucks each. Your best bet is to get 4 Genuine BMW sliders from getbmwparts.com. It's only 10 bucks, i'd replace all four of them.

This is what they're supposed to look like. Make sure you clean the old sticky grease out of the tracks and replace it with fresh grease.
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q122/cooljess76/slider.jpg

[Eric]

What seems to be happening is that the forward edge of the glass is somehow binding up -- once I get the glass in the track (way more difficult that it should be) it's very tough to move up and down manually, and I'm pretty sure that's the reason for the forward ball popping out.

Curt, if the tracks are too tight front to back, or side to side (pinching), they will make the glass bind, and if it binds, it will seem to be binding at the front, because the contact point in front is so much narrower than at the rear, and the glass can snag and rotate there. Confirm how tight it feels with the arms disconnected. If it's tight, then the tracks need to be adjusted in one direction or the other. If it moves well, but binds when connected, confirm that the sliders move effortlessly in the bottom track, and if they do, then the extra tension may be from that side-loaded regulator arm. You may need to remove both door panels and compare the arms, then carefully bend the bad arm back to its original shape (they bend like butter).


... I sent your post to my mechanic to see if it could work in my case.
He sent the following reply (see below)...

Hi Sue. I don't want to sound bad here, but this is a job that you have to do yourself if you want it done well. It takes time, care, and thought, and, as such, is completely incompatible with someone who is doing it to make money - it's not worth their time. If you read through the entire post carefully, you should be able to do this job yourself, maybe even better than a lot of the people here, because you seem to be female, and women usually have smaller hands, which would be a great advantage when working inside a door.

As far as your mechanic's response, he may be setting you up, but he may just have no idea who you are (which car he's worked on and when), and so be talking about some other car he's seen. Either way, see above paragraph ;) .

I'd replace them, they're definitely broken.


+1

- Eric

[32styledTI]

very good thanks for the info and the reply, Im most greatful of your help! The threads very informative and its true, I beleave lots of peope are missing the point about the bent window tracks...

I know now why my damn sliders wont stay on, becuase the freakin tracks pinching the window and its binding causing the plastic slider to snap!

If the window sticks and the owner forces the ball&regualtor to continue doing their job the weakist link gives.. In this case an old plastic slider and or the window falls off track.

[SueL]

Thanks, Eric,
Maybe I'll give it a try one day but the whole process seems a little daunting. I do take your point about not expecting someone else to expend the same TLC that an owner would. Thanks again for your reply. And thanks to CoolJess for the tutorial.
Sue

Hi Sue. I don't want to sound bad here, but this is a job that you have to do yourself if you want it done well. It takes time, care, and thought, and, as such, is completely incompatible with someone who is doing it to make money - it's not worth their time. If you read through the entire post carefully, you should be able to do this job yourself, maybe even better than a lot of the people here, because you seem to be female, and women usually have smaller hands, which would be a great advantage when working inside a door.

As far as your mechanic's response, he may be setting you up, but he may just have no idea who you are (which car he's worked on and when), and so be talking about some other car he's seen. Either way, see above paragraph ;) .

[TrzTi]

Thanks for this awesome write up, wasn't easy for me to get the torx out of bottom of the armrest. Took me longer than anticipated but wasn't too frustrating because of this write-up. All done, and window seems great. Thanks! :biggrin:

[kuleinc]

when twisting tracks is it counter/clockwise as viewed from top?

[32styledTI]

It could be possible that the back window tracks just mangled beyond repair I think they offer bolt in replacements..

also In my own experience I just left the regulator arm offf and tried to manualy push the window up and down and see if there were any snags in the track/glass maybe give that a try also....?

are you sure all your window sliders are in good condition and slide easly by hand?

are you sure that the meterial isnt bindin agenst the window in the tracks , maybe that needs to be reglued.. not sure if any ofthis helps.

[32styledTI]

when twisting tracks is it counter/clockwise as viewed from top?


i think it depends on which way its bent.. are you looking at it from above thru the top of the door? remove that piece of rubber trim thats clipped it gives much more access.

[Eric]

when twisting tracks is it counter/clockwise as viewed from top?

You've got to determine that by seeing which direction the glass hops out when you slam the door - the track dumps it either to the inside or the outside of the door.

- Eric

[SueL]

Cooljess76,
I would just as soon take it elsewhere, (even though I've been using that shop for 14 years, for this car and my 320i before that), for this job at least. Can anyone on this list suggest someone in the Vancouver, B.C., area?
SueL

Ok, decided to have a go at the job myself (especially since the passenger side window has now failed, too!).
Now, this may not bode well for the rest of the job, but I can't seem to be able to unscrew the screw accessed through the door handle and can't see into the hole. What type of screwdriver should I use? Another post said a T-20 Torx but that doesn't seem to work.
Thank you for any help.
Sue

[cooljess76]

Ok, decided to have a go at the job myself (especially since the passenger side window has now failed, too!).
Now, this may not bode well for the rest of the job, but I can't seem to be able to unscrew the screw accessed through the door handle and can't see into the hole. What type of screwdriver should I use? Another post said a T-20 Torx but that doesn't seem to work.
Thank you for any help.
Sue

Can't remember offhand which size torx it was, however there's a really good chance that the previous owner may have replaced it with a more common phillips screw.

[Eric]

There is one that is way down inside the rubber part - you can't see it, you can only feel it. I assume that's the one in question ;) ...

I would carefully trial-fit every darn tool you've got - different Torx sizes, Phillips head, and standard screwdrivers. Remember that the hole in the rubber, and the tunnel it passes through, may not be lined up perfectly with the fastener at the bottom, so you may have to poke around a bit to find the center of the screw. Once you get it, you'll know it. If it doesn't quite feel right, then try a different tool, until it "hooks up" solidly.

- Eric

[SueL]

Can't remember offhand which size torx it was, however there's a really good chance that the previous owner may have replaced it with a more common phillips screw.

Hi, thanks for your reply. I think you may be right because I think that's the screwdriver that seemed to grab something at the end of the tunnel. Will continue. I peeked inside the door and noticed at least two of the clips were missing, leaving just the glue behind on the panel. But it doesn't seem to affect the overall bond to the door.
Will let you know how it goes.
Sue

[SueL]

There is one that is way down inside the rubber part - you can't see it, you can only feel it. I assume that's the one in question ;) ... I would carefully trial-fit every darn tool you've got - different Torx sizes, Phillips head, and standard screwdrivers. Remember that the hole in the rubber, and the tunnel it passes through, may not be lined up perfectly with the fastener at the bottom, so you may have to poke around a bit to find the center of the screw. Once you get it, you'll know it. If it doesn't quite feel right, then try a different tool, until it "hooks up" solidly. - Eric Thank you for your answer. I suspected as much. I'll continue and let you know how it goes. Sue

[patrick1990]

CoolJess: Excellent write-up. I have dealt with this window nightmare ever sense buying my 97' ti, in 2009.

REGARDING ITEM "5d": A great tool to use at this stage, is an auto body 'locking-suction cup'. You know, the orange handled things, with a black rubber suction base. Using one of those can actually negate having to take the window out... at least when I've done it.
11333

REGARDING 2B: Like you, I also used JB Weld to glue the Repair Door Panel Clips, I even used the sharpie and wrote down the numbers, BUT I did not not mark arrows pointing the proper direction the clips should go... Now, some of the clips, are permanently affixed in the wrong direction - argh!! I have been driving without a door panel (driver's side for approx 7 months, now. :anger:

LISTEN TO COOLJESS76, ON THIS ONE FOLKS. ALL OF ITEM "2B" IS SO VERY IMPORTANT!
Cheers to all,
Patrick

[Ralliart10]

Step 4: Remove Inner Weather Strip
With the window in the completely lowered position, pry and unclip the metal clips holding the rubber strip along the inner edge of the door. Try not to bend these clips, a tiny flathead screwdriver works well.

Anybody know where I can buy a new weather strip mention above?

[AlyWren]

Thanks so much for posting this! I was about to just buy a new door I was so sick of fixing the window every winter! -Aly

[BlackBMWs]

Great post! I am new to the 318ti community, but not to BMWs. I have a few over the last 25 years. I'm running through a long list of renewal items on a 1995 Sport I recently picked up and both windows had popped their clips. I reclipped and greased them and they are operational again, but after I get through most of the list and when they pop again, I'll go through the alignment verification outlined by Jess. Thanks for taking the time to document your observations and repair method.

Cheers! :cool:

[9644]

Thank you for this write-up. I replaced the drivers side 3 years ago with no problem but today the passenger side gave me fits until I read this. Now I need to find a outer weatherstrip for the passenger door.

[jimmypet]

Hey Guys,
I am a future Ti owner, hope to be closing on a car this week.
Is there a parts list of "while you are in there" to replace all these sliders and clips with part numbers?

I'm a long time BMW guy, race an E30 M3, restored an E30 M3 BTCC car,,, but this Ti window business is scaring the crap out of me.
I can see myself now going to crank windows LOL.

If there is a parts list of all these breakable / replacement parts it would be great to purchase them preemptively and have in hand for when it does break (sounds like they all do).

Also, is there any PM one can do to prevent this if it has not yet happened?
Obviously it seems cleaning the hardened grease out and re-greasing is step 1.
If nothing is bent, and say its never popped yet is there anything else?
thanks
jimmy p

[9644]

Replace the sliders-they are worn. I believe this problem is good for most 36's. You can the sliders without ever leaving home. E_Bay-BMW 318-window sliders. They don't cost much.

[BlackBMWs]

Replace the sliders-they are worn. I believe this problem is good for most 36's. You can the sliders without ever leaving home. E_Bay-BMW 318-window sliders. They don't cost much.

I keep 8 on hand as spares for the 8 windows on the 3 cars. Good in a pinch. Do Jess's procedure and you won't Ned them for awhile.

[RMF]

I'm having this problem now my my girlfriends 318ti. Very annoying to say the least. In my case it seems that the plastic sliders have deteriorated slightly and don't hold the ball joints in place properly, but also the regulator arms are slightly bent so I'll need to straighten those out for sure. The BMW dealer in my area has the sliders in stock for 5 euros for the pair so it's no biggie.

What's the best way to get this thing back into shape again? It's fairly sturdy and I don't want to risk ripping it off of the mechanism when I'm trying to bend it.

Many thanks in advance.

[RMF]

OK, this turned into a nightmare for me and maybe my problem can be a lesson to anyone who wants to try this procedure out in the future.

I managed to get the arms straight again and put in new sliders. Everything went great. I tested the window at least 20 times and it went up and down as it should. It was working perfectly.

That was until I did the slam test! Slamming the door with the window all the way down is not a good idea if the weather strip is not back in the top of the window to give it a little support. Bare in mind that these are old cars and have weakened over time. In my case the internal guide rail broke off when slamming the door. I didn't know it until I tried to operate the window again but anyway, here it is:

http://i.imgur.com/i9BmU.jpg

As you can see, the entire rail is held on by 2 tiny flimsy spot welds that snapped off when slamming the door.

Here is a picture of the inside of the door itself.

http://i.imgur.com/f0MSD.jpg

The 2 spot welds are at the bottom end of the rail, and in actual fact I would not be surprised if they were failing anyway and the root cause of the problem to begin with.

A word to the wise...DO NOT SLAM YOUR DOOR SHUT WITH THE WINDOW ALL THE WAY DOWN AND WEATHER STRIP NOT IN PLACE!

As for me, I guess it's off to BMW to have them fix it. Oh well.

[cooljess76]

The 2 spot welds are at the bottom end of the rail, and in actual fact I would not be surprised if they were failing anyway and the root cause of the problem to begin with.

A word to the wise...DO NOT SLAM YOUR DOOR SHUT WITH THE WINDOW ALL THE WAY DOWN AND WEATHER STRIP NOT IN PLACE!

As for me, I guess it's off to BMW to have them fix it. Oh well.
It's an $11 part. part# 51328146243(left) part# 51328146244(right). Comes out really easy, one bolt through the door jamb and a slot up top. Or you can take your old one and have it re-spot welded or riveted. It wouldn't hurt to have the weather strip at least partially in place, but the slam test is absolutely necessary. It's the most important part of the procedure and subsequently the most often overlooked step. But you're right, it only takes a second to position the weather strip or stuff a rag between the window and opening to provide some cushion. I highly doubt a couple millimeters of travel caused your welds to fail. I mean the physical action of the window coming off track puts more stress on those welds than slamming the door does. It's probably a good thing that it happened now as it most certainly would've eventually happened later. Best of luck, hope you get things sorted out.

[RMF]

It's an $11 part. part# 51328146243(left) part# 51328146244(right). Comes out really easy, one bolt through the door jamb and a slot up top. Or you can take your old one and have it re-spot welded or riveted. It wouldn't hurt to have the weather strip at least partially in place, but the slam test is absolutely necessary. It's the most important part of the procedure and subsequently the most often overlooked step. But you're right, it only takes a second to position the weather strip or stuff a rag between the window and opening to provide some cushion. I highly doubt a couple millimeters of travel caused your welds to fail. I mean the physical action of the window coming off track puts more stress on those welds than slamming the door does. It's probably a good thing that it happened now as it most certainly would've eventually happened later. Best of luck, hope you get things sorted out.

I ordered a new one from BMW for 11 euros, so I'll get that on Tuesday. My only concern now is that the regulator arms are pretty badly bent again so I may need to replace the entire mechanism which is a real pain in the behind. :mad:

[RMF]

I'm still struggling with this window :mad:

I replaced the rear track today and the windows seemed to be working. I cringed but slammed the door anyway a few times and what do you know, it popped outwards from the front track.

So, I took the window out again and twisted the front track anti clockwise, refitted the window and slammed the door at least 20 times. The window stayed in and operated normally.

I then proceeded to put the door card back, got everything in place and screwed on and rolled the window up...it came out of the track again! LOL, I have to laugh but at this point it's getting beyond a joke. I'm almost giving up on it now.:rolleyes:

[L84THSKY]

I have had issues with my windows in the past, and I just recently swapped the driver's side door. Yesterday my window was still giving me issues, so this is what I did.

Make sure the control arms of the regulator are straight, that is important. Next, pull out the rubber track that goes around the front of door aligning the glass. Put some glue on the rubber track, and glue it back into the metal guide. Then pull out the rear rubber guide and glue that one in it's track. Then apply some silicone spray, or other lubricant into the felt area that the glass glides against. Next, make sure the regulator is bolted down tight, check all the screws.

I ended up taking the whole glass out, gluing everything in, then putting the glass back in and trying it. The glass was still shifting somewhat when reaching the fully up position. That's when I noticed the rear most mounting arm of the regulator was not bolted down tight. When I bolted the rear arm snug, all the slop in the glass went away.

Do not try shortcuts, study the problem and go through the motions. There are many causes to this problem, but each window may have a different solution; find out yours.


I'm still struggling with this window :mad:

I replaced the rear track today and the windows seemed to be working. I cringed but slammed the door anyway a few times and what do you know, it popped outwards from the front track.

So, I took the window out again and twisted the front track anti clockwise, refitted the window and slammed the door at least 20 times. The window stayed in and operated normally.

I then proceeded to put the door card back, got everything in place and screwed on and rolled the window up...it came out of the track again! LOL, I have to laugh but at this point it's getting beyond a joke. I'm almost giving up on it now.:rolleyes:

[vogageur]

This is a work of art let me tell you . Quite a few times my windows have popped out and the arms twisted. My passenger side popped after this winter and it was always the best window never had any problems, but now after reading this I understand what had happened, its the grease, the bmw grease, this winter was hard and exactly as you have said happened, the plastic runners didnt move and the ball joints popped out, I got new ones and put them in its a dirty crappy awkward job that I am not very good at. But I wouldnt be surprised if even bmw garages would have known about this grease clogging and sticking. Thank you for this. I will take off both my panels now and do exactly the right thing, I really was at the end of my patience with it but now I can go with confidence, thank you again, Dean, Luxembourg, 318ti 1995 330, 000 km and still going strong on every original part

[318me]

Just picked up a 96 318ti and gave it a brake/rotor job all the way around / replaced pass trailing arm outside bushing... and THOUGHT I fixed the window regulator... guess not! But I'm heading out now to give this a go! Thanks for the details! Peace

[nc318tigurl]

My 96 ti coupe has some funky things going on with the passenger side window. I may give this a shot.

[deathsled]

Love this write up. Just had my driver's side window derail itself the other night. A little convincing with my hands got it back up and closed for now. As soon as this heat dies down a bit I'll be ripping things open. Thank god the AC works haha.

[cooljess76]

Glad to help guys. I'll be fixing member GoEZ's windows on Tuesday. Let me know beforehand if you need pictures or details on any part of the procedure.

[indiejack]

Man oh man I wish I had searched here before the past few times I've fixed my windows. I followed the writeup on understeer.com and have had to pull my door panels a few times when they pop out again. At this point I've been driving around for over six weeks without door panels in so I can cowboy repair them at will, and of course every kid on the road with a stock Mustang thinks "Because Race car".

After reading the post (and subsequent pages and pages of comments) I will be checking my tracks as they're probably the culprit. I have a new regulator arm assembly for the passenger side because it's tweaked so very badly but the drivers side was replaced a little over a year ago. I hope that I find this method to be the end all be all for this because I'd really like to throw my door panels back on and not have my mid and tweeters just duct taped to the door so i can live with a little sound (yes, because Ghetto).

Thanks for the writeup and comments, have no idea why I didn't come across this sooner! Possibly because I'm pig-headed and "know everything" as my wife suggests :biggrin:

[vinrod]

Thanks Cooljess! Made this fix 4 years ago following your DIY. Excellent job.

Well, it's time to do it again.

BTW, Gorilla Glue works excellent to hold the clip posts on the door panel. Only 1 let go from 4 years ago. Fast curing (1 hour) is now available.

[cooljess76]

Thanks Cooljess! Made this fix 4 years ago following your DIY. Excellent job.

Well, it's time to do it again.

BTW, Gorilla Glue works excellent to hold the clip posts on the door panel. Only 1 let go from 4 years ago. Fast curing (1 hour) is now available.

Lol, awesome man! 4 years isn't quite permanent, but hopefully this next time around it'll give you another at least another 4 years of problem free windows:tongue:

[rich_thor]

cooljess i wish i wasnt as infusiatsic impatiant/man to stop and read ur whole steps loooooool i was like yep ok door isnt working both sides and o i see yep door pannal off look o its the sliders k i need new 1s k il get them untill then lets see wats going on btw all ive done is i think looked at a few words lol it goes up and pops out im an idiot im like o its all over the place hmm the ball keeps popping out wtf il bend the arm cause its moving away as it goes up and pops not once did i know there was a horizontal arm on the front holding it in place tomorrow this window is getting fixed no i have read all 11 pages of this post lol i think sites like these and people like all of urselfs are amazing! i just need to stop being impatiant and lazy to read it all haha!
need to get the driver side front horizontal arm rewelded on as it fell off well it was like it when i bought the car!
ahhh im excited now its like xmas wanna fix it now so bad lol thanks again i really hope its not in the runner so i know its just that proplem :D

ooo and the car came with other problems im hoping there is a olace on this site i can be guided too
my front fogs dont work and the horn doesnt either and if there is anything on getting the dam locking nut off with out the lock nut would be fantastic as it was not in the car after purchase :( and the wheels are broke buckled unsafe for the road

[rich_thor]

hi there again read the post again and gonna read it again in a bit but i wanna just ask cause im loosing my marbles loool i got a pic of the situation
the glass will go all the way up without poping the off the runner and closes as should! (never did b4) so im half way there i hope! but on the way down about 7inchs the left runner pops off and the glass at front (car side) runner comes out! :( im twisting all over the place but im scared of breaking it if i keep doing it wrong! so here is the image!
really need some help here i just cant work out where its going wrong

http://i1338.photobucket.com/albums/o691/rich_thor/IMG-20121105-00210.jpg

[Eric]

So it looks like the glass is popping out of the front runner toward the outside.

First, I would recommend making sure that everything else in the system is working properly. If I can decipher your unpunctuated post correctly, it sounds as though one of the arms that raises the glass is damaged - if so, that has to be fixed before you can do anything else.

Are the nylon sliders in the window channel, that the spherical joints on the ends of the arms snap into, in good condition?

If every other part of the window mechanism seems good, then, yes, you need to bend the rear edge of the front runner inward.

- Eric

[cooljess76]

You have to close your eyes and try to invision what is happening inside the door when the window comes off track. The forward and rear vertical tracks are supposed to be perfectly parallel with each other. This is what holds the window in the tracks. First you need to determine if the window is coming out of the forward or rear track. Then you need to determine if it's coming out towards the inboard or outboard(towards the interior of the car or towards the exterior). Next you want to imagine which direction that track twisted to allow the window to come out inward or outward, remove the window and twist the vertical track the opposite direction so it's parallel with the other vertical track.

[cooljess76]

So it looks like the glass is popping out of the front runner toward the outside.

First, I would recommend making sure that everything else in the system is working properly. If I can decipher your unpunctuated post correctly, it sounds as though one of the arms that raises the glass is damaged - if so, that has to be fixed before you can do anything else.

Are the nylon sliders in the window channel, that the spherical joints on the ends of the arms snap into, in good condition?

If every other part of the window mechanism seems good, then, yes, you need to bend the rear edge of the front runner inward.

- EricYou ALWAYS need to bend the vertical track back into position. Obviously it's twisted if it allowed the window to come off track in the first place. The problem is that so many people like yourself, are too lazy to read the actual tutorial. They think that simply straightening the regulator arms and regreasing the sliders is going to fix the problem. There's more to it than that.

[rich_thor]

sorry that wasnt so clear! ok so as u can see its coming out the front runner but at the same time or wat appears to be the same time the rear lifting arm pops out the nylon sliders were in good condition but has broken the bottom circle now watched it fly past my face :( but i genuinly think that its pushing it out quite hard so even with a good 1 it would still come out!

so to me its like its being twisted off but i have oppened the rails wide on the rear so there is actually a bit of room to move its really hard to get to the top front runner to twist it so i oppened it up a lil bit to try eliminate making it go down wrong and twisting it out!
hope this makes sence?

[cooljess76]

If the window is coming out of the front vertical track, you're only making the problem worse by prying the track open. If the slider is broken, you'll need to replace it.

[Eric]

You ALWAYS need to bend the vertical track back into position. Obviously it's twisted if it allowed the window to come off track in the first place. The problem is that so many people like yourself, are too lazy to read the actual tutorial. They think that simply straightening the regulator arms and regreasing the sliders is going to fix the problem. There's more to it than that.

I'm not sure whether your reply was meant for me or someone else, as you are suggesting exactly what I had just advised him to do.

- Eric

[cooljess76]

I'm not sure whether your reply was meant for me or someone else, as you are suggesting exactly what I had just advised him to do.

- Eric
I was just implying that there are no "ifs" about it. If the window comes off track, one or both of the vertical tracks are twisted allowing it to do so.

[rich_thor]

if the missing word was slide i have 4 on order :D but till then assumed i could sesolve this issue with wat i have!?? or get very close?

so u suggest closing the horizontal tracks front and back leaving about a 6mm gap for the glass?

[cooljess76]

if the missing word was slide i have 4 on order :D but till then assumed i could sesolve this issue with wat i have!?? or get very close?

so u suggest closing the horizontal tracks front and back leaving about a 6mm gap for the glass?

yes and yes, lol. I fixed my post(forgot to type "slider") and yes, the tracks should evenly hold the window glass. You want equal resistance front and rear when the window goes up and down. Unequal resistance will put more strain on one of the regulator arms and cause it to bend.

[Eric]

The point is that the two vertical tracks (one of which I imprecisely called the "front runner" in my post above) are what hold the glass in place.
Each of these tracks - front and rear - must be clamped tight enough to gently but securely locate the glass and must be at an exactly 90° angle to the glass.
If either of these vertical tracks is twisted, even a little bit, to the inside or the outside, then it will spit out the glass when it gets a little torque from the regulator mechanism, through the horizontal track.
The horizontal track must be very clean and well greased, the nylon sliders must slide along it easily, and the scissors arms must be bent straight, with the ball ends at exactly 90° to the arms.

- Eric

[drowan]

Great write up cooljess just bought a 318ti and its also from michigan so im seriously considering doing this.. Thanks!!

[rich_thor]

thank you! il be trying this today hopefully with a lil sucess! there needs to a like button on this page loool

[b.u.ti-ful]

My window started coming off again after operating well for a long time after doing cooljess repair.

So, I put in a new regulator because the old one had been tweaked a lot.

As long as I had the new one on the bench, I went ahead and re-enforced the cheap arms. Might be overkill, but it has been good for a while now. Also admire my awesome MIG skillz.

[indiejack]

Also admire my awesome MIG skillz.

NICE! lol, I thought about something similar not long ago, let me know how it works out over time as I expect these to break again come Spring (it's a cycle it seems for me).

[cooljess76]

^^^GENIUS!

[anthony318ti]

Beautiful write up. Sad that i didnt find this earlier. My passenger side regulator (metal frame actually had a tear in it i got a new unit from NZ replaced it and did the same alignment steps noted in this thread its perfect now

[b.u.ti-ful]

My window popped off the regulator again :mad:

[patrick1990]

My window popped off the regulator again :mad:
Damn! Mine popped-off too, about two months ago. I have yet to attach the interior panel because I am scared it will happen again... it will happen again.

I AM TIRED OF THIS! Really, really tired of it!

[curtdfw]

Ditto. Since I virtually never have anyone in the passenger seat I've left the window up and disconnected the passenger side window switch. Will get to it one of these days, but between my gyrations and those of the PO, I'm not sure it'll ever get squared away.

[preppyr6]

My pass side regulator failed 2 years ago (replaced all 4 when I bought the car then). The arm immediately started flexing after install (even if I left the adjustment screw loose allowing more leeway). I think I tested it maybe 5 times and the arms split apart. The problem was the window appeared to be binding towards the top and I couldnt figure it out (eyeballing the vertical tracks wasnt productive).

Anyways, just ordered a new regulator and am going to attempt to fix based on this thread. Never had a problem with the window falling out of the track (though havent had much time with the window actually working). The main problem was the stress placed on the regulator where it was meeting resistance (likely from the tracks) to where the regulator gave out. If this doesnt work, my next attempt will be to literally screw the broken arms back together and hope that holds out for a while at least.

I hate regulator arms, and seeming as I had two e46s before getting my 318, its very clear (and painful) where BMW figured out the design shortcomings and revised through the generations.

[brandonm]

thank you so much! my driver side window has been a PIA recently!

[preppyr6]

Just replaced my regulator. I checked out the rails as I was having a hard time getting the window to rest in them. Ultimately I got them in, but the adjuster arm had a helluva time getting aligned to where I could bolt it to the door. I had to use some muscle to push the adjuster arm far enough down to bolt it up, suggesting the front of the window did not want to level out (go up) as I pushed the adjuster arm down. I'm not sure why, it might be that the regulator itself is misaligned as the areas where the rivets were drilled out and bolts put in got beat up a little. Either way, the window works now BUT I hear the motor struggling when its pushing the window up once the window is about 1/2 to 2/3 up. It's meeting resistance there and Ill likely have to figure out what the problem is before I tear up another regulator.

[SSpeedracer]

Two of my 318ti's have had driver side window failures because of this broken spot weld. If you are not inspecting welds you may not notice.

There are too few welds and they are too small to withstand the constant stress. This one will eventually fail.

In one car I fixed by re-welding. In one car I fixed by drilling hole and attaching bracket to door skin with screw/nut. I prefer the fastener method as shown in the picture.

If someone else with an earlier comment wants to repost that would be good.

Also, a wax pencil is faster than MS Paint.

[b.u.ti-ful]

Checked my spot welds and they were good.

This is my latest modification - so far so good:

[R111S]

So I'd disconnected my Driver's Side Window Switch a few years ago due to the frustration of fixing then breaking again- again- again.

Yesterday I looked at it again. I disconnected the two lift arms and pushed the window up and down by hand - lots of resistance. So it was obvious the window guide track needed some lubrication but what to use? I have a pump spray bottle of Black Magic brand "Tire Wet"...clear fluid that is made for rubber tires...hhhmmm. I lubed the rails as best I could and suddenly the window glided up and down with ease. I reconnected the Lift Arms and now it's moving up/down fast like new. Now I'm just hoping it lasts.

Me thinks the reason for bent/broken parts is due to resistance to movement that builds up over time...so lubricating the window tracks may be the cure?

[patrick1990]

I sure as hell hope that's the solution!

[goku7642]

Hello Everyone, im a please to inform you that the Black door posts are now available to purchase by door sets.
with this parts you can put your door panel back together and not have to drill or do any kind of weird fix.

you can find them on ebay.
or follow the link

http://www.ebay.com/itm/318ti-Door-Panel-Posts-/321243080196?&_trksid=p2056016.m2518.l4276

happy fixing everyone

[jAladdin]

Hey guys, completely new to the forums, and just got my e36 compact a few months ago. My window JUST went off "track" this past Thursday night, while I was on my way to meet up with friends. Totally blew my night, lol. I've been reading pretty much this WHOLE thread, which gave me quite a lot of knowledge about what could be the problems with the window going faulty. Thank you to (cooljess76) for the massive tutorial, and everyone else that came up with awesome ideas and solutions to fix these window problems.
I will tackle this project sometime this week, once my new slider clips come in.
Can anyone please tell me what type of grease is great to add to the tracks?

[Eric]

I'm sure that white lithium grease is the recommended type, but, that being said, I used a bright red cartridge grease normally used for bulldozer joints. It's crazy slippery and doesn't seem to get thicker or thinner with temperature changes.

Anything that stays slippery, doesn't dry out, and won't run should be fine.

- Eric

[jAladdin]

I'm sure that white lithium grease is the recommended type, but, that being said, I used a bright red cartridge grease normally used for bulldozer joints. It's crazy slippery and doesn't seem to get thicker or thinner with temperature changes.

Anything that stays slippery, doesn't dry out, and won't run should be fine.

- Eric

Awesome, thanks!:smile:

Where can I get white lithium grease, or the grease you used?

[R111S]

Can anyone please tell me what type of grease is great to add to the tracks?

I'd stay away from Petroleum based Lubricants. They can attack rubber/plastic components such that they disintegrate. Tire Shine and Vinyl Care Products will usually work without risk.

[Eric]

I think we're not communicating well.

I mean the track at the bottom of the glass that the nylon sliders move in.

R111S may mean the tracks that the window slides in, in the front and the back, which I would not recommend lubricating at all.

As for sources - your local auto parts store should have what you need.
I have no idea where the grease I used came from - we got it 10 years ago at a flea market.

- Eric

[R111S]

R111S may mean the tracks that the window slides in, in the front and the back, which I would not recommend lubricating at all.


Yes the tracks is what I am referring too - sorry I didn't specify.

OTOH, I can heartily recommend lubing these. There was allot of resistance to window up/down movement until I lubed these tracks with Tire Shine. Now my window that formerly jumped out of the tracks (obviously due to heavy resistance) glides quickly up/down.:smile:

[jAladdin]

I think we're not communicating well.

I mean the track at the bottom of the glass that the nylon sliders move in.

R111S may mean the tracks that the window slides in, in the front and the back, which I would not recommend lubricating at all.

As for sources - your local auto parts store should have what you need.
I have no idea where the grease I used came from - we got it 10 years ago at a flea market.

- Eric

Awesome.

I have multiple questions:
I haven't opened up my door yet, I will get on it as soon as the sliders come in. So i'm not very sure of what exactly I should be greasing up. I know it's the track that the sliders are sliding in from the regulator arm, but do I have to grease up the "tracks" the window slides through? And the frame that the window sits in when it is all the way up? Does that frame also create resistance?

[jAladdin]

Also, would Sil-Glyde work well to grease/lubricate the tracks?

[Eric]

I would feel how much resistance is there between the glass and the felt tracks and use that to decide.
There was almost none when I took mine apart, so I can't make any recommendations.

- Eric

[jAladdin]

I would feel how much resistance is there between the glass and the felt tracks and use that to decide.
There was almost none when I took mine apart, so I can't make any recommendations.

- Eric

Sorry, but to decide what? If I should apply the grease/lubricant?

And I haven't opened up my door yet, I will get on it as soon as the sliders come in. So i'm not very sure of what exactly I should be greasing up. I know it's the track that the sliders are sliding in from the regulator arm, but do I have to grease up the "tracks" the window slides through? And the frame that the window sits in when it is all the way up? Does that frame also create resistance?

[Eric]

Sorry, but to decide what? If I should apply the grease/lubricant?
Exactly.

Clean and grease the metal track that the nylon sliders slide in.

While the window is disconnected, push it up and down by hand, and feel the resistance of the window tracks on either side. If it feels too tight, then you might consider lubricating them. If not, then leave it alone.

- Eric

[jAladdin]

Exactly.

Clean and grease the metal track that the nylon sliders slide in.

While the window is disconnected, push it up and down by hand, and feel the resistance of the window tracks on either side. If it feels too tight, then you might consider lubricating them. If not, then leave it alone.

- Eric

Cool, thank you!
Can't wait to get on this. I'll post how it all went when I finish.

[jAladdin]

Found out my slider clips are coming in today, actually. So I'll be spending my day on this project. Wish me luck, guys.

[jAladdin]

Straightening the regulator arms by hand feels impossible. At least for me. Im literally stuck on this part. Someone help, please!

[jAladdin]

The right regulator arm in the one that is slightly bent inwards.

[Eric]

Just use one or two pairs of Vise-Grips.

- Eric

[MINIz guy]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/16/aqu2uteg.jpg

I found this c channel thing in the bottom of my door. The interior of the channel is lined with felt. What is it?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

[Eric]

Looks like one of the window channels - see how long it is and whether it fits into one of the window tracks.

- Eric

[MINIz guy]

Hrm. It fits the description of the rubber guides. I guess it wouldn't hurt to fully complete this DIY even though my windows operate fine. It would be ironic if one of my windows break after I did this DIY though.

[goku7642]

Hello guys
i just checked and the linked i have for ebay is an old one,
here is the new link to the plastic posts that are so tedious to find. make sure that when u make a purchase, you specify what side door you need so we can send you the correct one.

thanks and good luck to everyone on your Fix

EBAY LINK

project..http://www.ebay.com/itm/318ti-Door-Panel-Posts-/321284817307?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3A318ti&hash=item4ace11419b&vxp=mtr

[karibuni]

I've noticed in the forward vertical guide that D metal piece facing furthest away from you so on the interior of the door, is not as long as the piece that is on the that is closest to you. I feel that this is causing issues with the glass staying in the guy that is when I do the slam door test pops out pretty easily or it pops out when I check it for up and down movement with the regulator. Has anybody else experienced this?

Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk

[konamark]

Aloha Guys,
I know it's an older thread... This is a very helpful DIY in determining what was the problem with my window, but I wanted to add something that may help others...

I bought a new regulator/ sliders and the window kept popping out from the front towards the outside door panel. After countless times of twisting the front track, trying to get the proper alignment, I noticed the window in the track was sliding front-to-back extensively (about an inch). There's a rectangular access port at the bottom of the front guide rail and I used the large piece of wood or the handle of a large screwdriver and pushed the rail back to minimize the 1" gap previously encountered. DO THIS WITH THE WINDOW IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION. I had also noticed that the bottom of the front rail was flaired wider than the top of the rail , so I squeezed it togther with a pliers (with the window removed). There wil be some gap remaining, front to back, but not as large as was previously there. Tried it up and down several times and slammed the door hard multiple times with the window down... So far... So good! I hope this will help others...

[BlackBMWs]

Ah, cool. I will try this adjustment when the front $&@&#% drivers window pops out again the same way. Thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mothman]

As always great job Jess

[Aquaman]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/16/aqu2uteg.jpg I found this c channel thing in the bottom of my door. The interior of the channel is lined with felt. What is it? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk I think I found the same part after my Window Failed I have no idea What this is? or how & where to install it???
I'm pretty sure It's Important & essential for proper window operation.
Anyone??? Thank You

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WeAtisFXCrQ6bLFAvQEZkzfgyfIZPoe-/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wPeSC526y1QxKIFvOPJti7Kk6pOmrRrh/view?usp=sharing

[740isport]

That is number 13 that slides inside of number 12 on the diagram here: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CG83-USA-09-1998-E36-BMW-318ti&diagId=51_2055

[Aquaman]

That is number 13 that slides inside of number 12 on the diagram here: https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CG83-USA-09-1998-E36-BMW-318ti&diagId=51_2055

You are awesome! ... Thank You 740isport!!!

I have a feeling it's going to be a PITA to reinstall correctly :confused:
Should the window be all the way UP, DOWN or removed completely???
How far up or down to the edge of the metal should the guide be installed?
Sorry for all the questions? Total Rookie LOL

[740isport]

Not a problem happy to help. I've installed it in all three ways and to me, the easiest way was with the glass removed completely. But you can try any way possible. It would install as far up as possible so when the glass slides down it automatically goes into this channel. Hope this helps.

[Aquaman]

Not a problem happy to help. I've installed it in all three ways and to me, the easiest way was with the glass removed completely. But you can try any way possible. It would install as far up as possible so when the glass slides down it automatically goes into this channel. Hope this helps.

Wow ... Thank you so much for your Advise & Help! Really do appreciate it!

[Aquaman]

Thank You Very Much 740isport!!!

[MisterM52]

My Ti recently had the issue where the window just fell down, I have done these a few times, So I went ahead and ordered new clips and after putting the glass back on track it still kept falling off track till I read more on "Tweaking" Vertical Tracks. Where the front one needed to be bent a bit inwards (as the glass kept falling outwards) and this actually fixed my issue. Another big thing is the past owner(s) at some stage did some repairs and not a proper job of it so I had to tighten the bolts and bend the arms, used some red locktite and its all fine now, the other door also had some issues where the rubber/felt guide channel from the rear guide fell off, I put it back in the metal grove after some difficulty, no glue, seems to stay fine.

Another thing a lot of folks should do as preventive maintenance in my opinion is do new clips soon as you get the car. the clips seem to be a big culprit in it all. They actually go in twice, most people just pop the metal round part in the hole and call it a day but they actually need to be locked in with another pop of the clip from the side till little to non of the clip is visible. This was the case on my other door, I did those too, best way is doing one at a time. added some marine white greese and all is well. Now to put the door cards back on which also needed some repair (epoxy).

Fantastic write up. Many thanks! :smile:

[Omega]

Im afraid to remove my door panel and see what's going on...

[manitou_commando]

Who ever wrote this article, it was a very helpful article for me. Thanks.