Electric windows randomly dropping

[Overweight Unicorn]

So as we are driving in the Scottish Highlands doing the Northcoast 500, it's absolutely lashing down with rain, almost horizontal, and all four windows randomly decide to drop!
I quickly find a place to pull over and attempt to raise them, but each time I do that they just all drop again. Trying each switch individually and also the main switch, they all go up but as soon as I release the switch, they drop again. The only way I found to raise them was to start the roof opening mechanism and then close it (which raises the windows).
I wedged a 5 pence piece in the main switch to keep them up. The following day I opened the roof and all was good with the windows all staying up, but within ten minutes they had all dropped again. Back in goes the 5 pence piece and there it sits now.

I assume it is something to do with the drivers side controls as the passenger front window can be lowered and raised at will.

Has anyone had or heard of this before, and does anyone know of a fix?

It didn't affect the NC500 much as it p!ssed down with rain pretty much the whole time

Cheers all!

[mcbutler]

How old is your battery?
Do you have any error codes?

[mr wilks]

Have you checked under rear floor / battery for water ingress?

[Overweight Unicorn]

Battery is good and the battery well (and all boot space) is bone dry.

No faults on the dash nor on the iDrive. Carly pulls up two faults that were not present last week.











No idea what the correlation maybe between the fault code and the actual problem, but do now recall that it was as i was closing off the drivers side vent that the windows suddenly dropped?

I've restored all codes back to default and the errors still appear. I'm not going to take the 5 pence piece out yet as the weather is biblical!

[Overweight Unicorn]

Well as thought the master window control was the root cause. On removing it it is obvious that oneof the previous owners had some form of issue with it as it was a bit battered and had tape on it in places. Took it to an indy and had a replacement fitted. All is now good.

Thanks to those that responded.

[Pbondar]

Sorry for late reply only just seen this..I had a similar weird behaviour in Belgium a year ago...caused by opening drivers window in pouring rain and water flowing on/into main window switch...buggered for 3 days,then dried out and all cushty since..

[Roddy]

So as we are driving in the Scottish Highlands doing the Northcoast 500, it's absolutely lashing down with rain, almost horizontal, and all four windows randomly decide to drop!
I quickly find a place to pull over and attempt to raise them, but each time I do that they just all drop again. Trying each switch individually and also the main switch, they all go up but as soon as I release the switch, they drop again. The only way I found to raise them was to start the roof opening mechanism and then close it (which raises the windows).
I wedged a 5 pence piece in the main switch to keep them up. The following day I opened the roof and all was good with the windows all staying up, but within ten minutes they had all dropped again. Back in goes the 5 pence piece and there it sits now.

I assume it is something to do with the drivers side controls as the passenger front window can be lowered and raised at will.

Has anyone had or heard of this before, and does anyone know of a fix?

It didn't affect the NC500 much as it p!ssed down with rain pretty much the whole time

Cheers all!

Well I thought I'd search here as I had similar yesterday after driving. I parked my car in the drive, it is under a carport but not completely shielded from the rain, which wasn't particularly heavy yesterday. I know the windows were closed. A few hours later I had to go out and f..k me, all four windows were open.
So rain maybe the culprit, I'll see if I can find a code.

[flybobbie]

Just stupid these cars with window switches on doors, who came up with that idea.
Especially Z4, slightest rain with window cracked open and water pours onto switches.
Way more convenient on the centre console.

Don't get me started on left stalk indicators.
One of the few good things of Jap cars, unless they have changed.

[Ole gits rule]

I have had the windows drop with the car parked on the drive, I always blamed it on the key fob in my pocket activating them

[Roddy]

One of the few good things of Jap cars, unless they have changed.

Nope, still on the right. I always hit the wiper switch when I drive her car

I have had the windows drop with the car parked on the drive, I always blamed it on the key fob in my pocket activating them

I thought that, or I had done something weird as I locked it from inside the house.

One of the reasons I bought it was to replace a ragtop, which I didn't like driving in heavy rain. A Z3 with window switches in the centre console

I did find a code in the Car Access System, I assume that was it. Cleared now.