Hello,

While I wait for my stereo install package to arrive I'm tinkering with my rear driver's side window. It doesn't roll up or down.

When I engage the switch from either the driver's door control or the rear passenger door I can hear the window motor whirling. It makes a slightly different sound when up versus down. But it does sound like it it is working in both directions.

I tried the switch from the passenger side door to see if that made a difference which it did not. I pulled the door panel off and had a look. I have a plastic mount of some kind (the regulator?) inside the door. It is cracked in a few places. I am reluctant to poke around blindly with my hand to see if the gear on the motor is spinning. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Roy

 

So, I guess you mean the Left Rear window? If you have the panel off, just work the switch and see what happens: most likely the motor is good (it whirs) which means that the glass part is detached from the regulator, the mechanism that lifts the glass. I am pretty sure that the two attachment plastic widgets are broken. They cost little from the dealer, and BTW, BMW uses the same parts in their mid 90's cars...

Helpful tip: don't ever synch the windows tightly all the way up, as the car heats up, things expand and the resulting pressure causes those things to crack and fail-- always leave a tiny space, like 1/8 inch gap on top to avoid problems....

 

the window regulator should be a metal scissors like thing, nearly as big as the window. the only plastic pieces I can think of are the sliders, and the bracket around the motor.

you probably need a new regulator, they come with the motor and everything now.

 

and yeah, if the regulator is going up and down, and leaving the window up, then what lev said, its probably the clamp piece that holds the bottom edge of the glass.

 

Hi,

Thanks for the response. Nothing is moving. Neither the scissors nor the big geared half wheel. The white plastic part I speak of is the bracket or brace that holds the motor and scissors. Apparently they were plastic for only a few years. I can't see how the cracked plastic would create the situation I seem to be in. Not sure if I can buy that separately as you noted.

I'll keep investigating but it is odd.

Roy

 

OK then, so the motor is turning but something in the gearing must be afoul. You will have to take out the regulator (the scissor thing) which is attached to the motor and comes out in one piece. On a '95, the assembly is riveted in place which is not that scary. The rivets will have to be drilled out. I'd be OK with a junk yard left rear regulator--they don't get much use so they are usually OK (not counting yours unfortunately)... You may yet get lucky and find that once the thing is out a little lube and such make make it spring back to life.

 

Hello Lev,

Thanks for the advice. I'll drill out the rivets and pull it out. Can I secure the glass in the raised position while I make the repair? If I can repair the regulator with some lube and adhesive I won't bother with a trip or expense of the wreckers. Or should I purchase the regulator first and do everything in one repair stop?

Thanks guys,

Roy

 

Yes, you can secure the glass in the up position. The simplest and easiest way would be to run two strips of tape over the top of the door frame and against the sides of the glass. You can also put a piece of wood between the bottom of the door and the bottom of the glass.

 

I would get the thing out first, see what you need, then get the parts... You may get lucky and need nothing: it happens.

 

Pulled it out today. Looks like this. Replacement needed. However, it appears that there was some stress on the regulator to cause it to snap at two points.

 

get new sliders too, and clean and grease the tracks they slide in.

if thats the riveted type, order the right rivets, you won't find them in a hardware store as they are metric pop rivets. you should be able to set them with a heavy duty pop-rivet tool.