E36 window drop/raise failed

I just found

which suggests the switch is in the door pillar, not the door lock. Will investigate further. Andrew

But only from '94 on. Curses! However, this guide looks like exactly what I need:

Andrew

My E36 convertible had this problem. The trouble was caused by sticky linkage that operates a switch that is mounted to the door latch mechanism. You have to remove the latch and clean the pivot points and levers. The switch itself is okay -- or, at least mine was -- but the linkage that operates the switch was binding. I think you can squirt some cleaner on the pivots, then give a shot of lubricant.

Open the door and operate the latch mechanism manually by using a screwdriver to mimic the post that it latches on. I think you will find that you can manipulate the latch with your finger and stimulate the window into operation. This is a test only, but it means the latch is dirty and needs to be cleaned, as per my earlier post.

Operate the door handel to open the door, then close the latch on a screwdriver (I think you can actually use your finger), then open the door again -- operate the door handle. Repeat this a couple of times, and you should find that the window actually does go up and down when you work the latch by hand. I think it works like this because you can move the latch further by hand that it moves when it actually is latching around the post -- you can manually operate the mechanism beyond the sticking point and this actuates the switch.

I can't persuade the window to drop/raise by manipulating the latch like that, but just this morning it unexpectedly worked on its own. Great, now it's an intermittent problem :-(

Also, it seems that when the window is put all the way up using the normal switch next to the gear lever, it sometimes stops working - the normal switch no longer raises/lowers the window, although I can hear a clicking from near the motor. To make it work again, I have to open the door and switch on the ignition. Then I can lower the window a fraction, close the door, and then when I set the (3rd-party) alarm-immobiliser the window is automatically closed.

Could it have forgotten where the window is? Does it need training somehow? Could it be that the window position sensors (if any) have gone flaky?

It's too dark in the evenings at this time of year to do anything fiddly like taking out the door latch, so it's going to have to wait till Saturday morning to be cleaned.

I live within thirty minutes walking distance of a specialist BMW dismantlers, so swapping parts at random is a possibility although I realise that's not always the best way of solving these things.

Andrew

Hi Andrew: I had the exact same problem not so long ago and had posted it here. Changing the switch (=A349.00) didn't help. It transpired that my side mirror had come of the hinge slightly and pushing it back in cured it. I tried it again and sure enough, if the door mirror assembly is not snug, the window refuses to budge.

Hope it helps,

Vijay

Ooh! That's a good one to try out. Peculiar, as I can see no connection between the two, but, where I live, we have to park on a really wide pavement (made to be parked on even though they didn't drop the kerb) and some "person" seems to like to bend back the mirrors on the cars parked along there. So maybe my convoluted method of getting the window to lower a bit was actually having the effect of moving the mirror slightly.

Thanks,

Andrew

I'm confused. I thought you said that the only trouble was that the window did not drop the half-inch (13mm) or so when you open and close the door, now it appears you are saying the window does not operate properly by the window switch.

The retraining for the window is only needed if the Auto-Up feature does not work. To retrain the window, you have to hold the switch at the 1st detent for the entire travel of the window.

I'm confused too! At first that was the problem, then it deteriorated, and now it is working again since I jiggled the door mirror as Vijay suggested.

I think that may have also needed to be done.

Thanks for your time,

Andrew

Well, I jiggled the door mirror housing when I went back to the car after work and it seemed to fit a bit better after that. It's still working this morning. Touch wood :-)

Thanks again,

Andrew