BMW Z4 e85 e86 Window Regulator Repair Kit

[Ducklakeview]

My repair kit turned up today. Job for Saturday morning.

Easy enough job, I've already got one "in stock" for my driver's door when it goes...

Mike

[Georgio]

I think my window regulator went today. On the weekend it was getting clunky, making gritty/screachy/grabby noises when travelling up and down. Put the roof down on the way back from work, decided to put window down and then it all kicked off ... lovely screeching noises and the window forced itself to the top. Playing around with the switches - up and down - only made it move 5mm and now almost nothing at all.

Think i am going to play it safe and get the full regulator kit... can get it from eurocarparts at about £112 with their current round of online discount codes:

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/BMW_Z ... 6fc&000374

I think i would totally balls up the cable method.

It's not hard, infact the most difficult part is persuading the bird's nest of rusty, tangled wire to exit from the motor spool well.
The new wire is already fed through all the sheaths so it's just a matter of lining up the new over the old to make sure it's the right way round, then methodically unclipping the old and replacing.

Wire ends just fit straight into the motor spool then you wrap the slack wire round the spool from both ends, fit into the motor housing, slide the wire from the inner cams to tension everything then pop back into the door and pretty much done.
Only tip I would give is to make sure that the metal window supports are at the bottom of travel before attaching back on the motor, that way the glass bolt will line up with the access hole, otherwise you'll have to power up the window to move which is a pain with the air-bag.

[srhutch]

Half way through doing mine.

Do you need to drill the five rivets out?

[srhutch]

Looks like you do so will need to get some m6 nuts and bolts

why don't they include them in the pack

[Ducklakeview]

Half way through doing mine.

Do you need to drill the five rivets out?

Yes, but they aren't traditional rivets, they are like an extruded tube which slides into the plastic and the edges are pressed over, they drill out easily and I just used a sharp metal chisel to cut the remains flush with the mechanism. Will make sense when you see them.

Mike

[srhutch]

Half way through doing mine.

Do you need to drill the five rivets out?

Yes, but they aren't traditional rivets, they are like an extruded tube which slides into the plastic and the edges are pressed over, they drill out easily and I just used a sharp metal chisel to cut the remains flush with the mechanism. Will make sense when you see them.

Mike

I can see them as its out of the car. Have put the car in the garage now while I have to go out and get some nuts and bolts.

[srhutch]

It's done, bugger of a job first time round and think doing the final spool always will be. Whatever I did the cable always seemed too short or too long. Eventually all the planets aligned though and it slipped in. Bit of a job getting the window back in, but having done it once now should be easier.

Things to note.

You will need a Torx Set with a bit as large as a T45, not a T40 as per some videos.
You will need an 8mm drill bit and drill to remove the rivets.
You will need 5 x M6 Nuts/Bolts to replace the rivets. These from ScrewFix worked a treat and didn't need cutting down.

Also some lithium grease for the slider and normal grease for the spool are advisable.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-roofi ... pack/5213j

Also after removing the membrane I reconnected the airbag and battery. This meant I could operate the window if required to get it in the right position etc. You then only need to disconnect the battery again when you are putting the membrane back.

[Mr Whippy]

Does anyone have the TIS/PDF or any documentation on this?

I entrusted mine to a local garage. The glass broke after he fixed it, but the replacement part now fitted is sat ~ 5mm too far forward I'd say.

Rather than leave the car any longer with him I'll just correct this myself, now all the hard work is *hopefully* done.


How do you adjust it forward/backwards? Relatively trivially with it all in place and the door innards off I hope?


Cheers

Dave

[Sen07]

Sorry for posting on this existing old thread, however my issue is relevant.

Should I try the window regulator repair kit if experiencing the following issue.

Haven’t been in my z4 for about 2 weeks. Went out today lowered window halfway and eventually all the way, tried pressing the switch to go up which wouldn’t do anything (up or down) passenger side fine.

After much switch pressing it eventually went up. I’m scared to use the switch again if it does the same thing. No bangs from the door or anything like that. Window Switch seems intermittent.
Also when I was doing the switch pressing, I noticed on an occasion when pressing up the window went down.

Would anyone recommend the first thing I try is the regulator repair kit?

Thanks

[tug]

When the window does move intermittently, is it smooth without any grating/grinding sound? If it does then its not the regulator. It sounds more like a faulty switch.

If it is the regulator i wouldn't bother with the cheap repair kit. Its almost impossible to achieve perfection.

[Corrie747]

It's done, bugger of a job first time round and think doing the final spool always will be. Whatever I did the cable always seemed too short or too long. Eventually all the planets aligned though and it slipped in. Bit of a job getting the window back in, but having done it once now should be easier.

Things to note.

You will need a Torx Set with a bit as large as a T45, not a T40 as per some videos.
You will need an 8mm drill bit and drill to remove the rivets.
You will need 5 x M6 Nuts/Bolts to replace the rivets. These from ScrewFix worked a treat and didn't need cutting down.

Also some lithium grease for the slider and normal grease for the spool are advisable.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/easyfix-roofi ... pack/5213j

Also after removing the membrane I reconnected the airbag and battery. This meant I could operate the window if required to get it in the right position etc. You then only need to disconnect the battery again when you are putting the membrane back.

I ended up plugging the mechanism back into the electrics, to get the wire to jump off the cams and back onto the pulleys. Just couldn’t move the sliders enough. It seems ok and there’s little play in the two tensioning springs where it connects back into the spool. Still to fit the unit back in, but have sound deadening to fit first and a set of door speakers on order.

[Stwoshy]

Hi, my window only goes up and down about 2 inches. It makes a horrible screeching noise whilst doing this. Does it sound like window regulator? If I take the airbag off can I re connect battery To use car whilst waiting for new regulator to arrive/ or to try fix old One with kit. Thanks

[Ewazix]

Hi, my window only goes up and down about 2 inches. It makes a horrible screeching noise whilst doing this. Does it sound like window regulator? If I take the airbag off can I re connect battery To use car whilst waiting for new regulator to arrive/ or to try fix old One with kit. Thanks

Yes that sound is typical of the regulator mashing itself ready to fail. I suppose you could run around with no door card, airbag or window but you will generate an airbag fault light that will need resetting later. I had a local indi replace mine with a BMW regulator about ten years ago, mainly because previous attempts to fix frame-less window mechanisms on other cars were such a bugger. Mis-alignment and binding are common and can easily lead to broken glass! Also a lot of patients will be needed with new cable and if you read the many posts on the forum several people have given up.

Good luck and let us know how it goes, maybe introduce yourself on the newbies thread when you get a moment

[JimRob]

Hi, didn't want to create another new thread on this so thought I'd jump in here.

My window will not go up or down, I can here the relay click when pressing button but no noise from motor. I have taken door card off etc, but as I can't drop the window to access the torx bolts I can't remove the regulator. Any ideas of how I proceed? I bought the cable repair kit but feeling around the regulator the cable seems in good condition, so I presumr its the motor??

Any help would be appreciated..

Cheers,

Jim

[Ironcouch]

Just wondering if you figured this out. I have the same issue. I cannot move the window to access the torx head bolt.