[toicy4ya]

Sup guys,

I have a 06 330XI. The drivers side rear window keeps getting stuck open. When I click on the drivers side or rear window switch to try and close it, it makes a "clunk" sound but doesn't close. I have replaced the window regulator twice and reset the window a number of times but still continue to have the same problem. The issue is intermittent but it is happening more often now. Any idea what it could be? I tried searching the forums and net. Everyone suggests a new regulator. Unfortunately, I have replaced it twice but still encounter the same issue. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[colorado.e9x]

Lol, mine does the exact same thing on my 06 330xi. It's muscle memory now to look behind me, roll it down until it reaches the weather stripping, and stop it before it goes below it

[Ziggens96]

I know you posted this a long time ago but I thought I'd chime in and say that I have the exact same issue on both rear windows. Well, I did, but I replaced the rear passenger regulator already.

The one that came out of there was not the original regulator and appears to be a non-OE replacement. The driver's side rear regulator is the original one with the factory sticker on it. I bought URO Parts replacement regulators for both sides from eeuroparts because they were less than OE ones and have a lifetime manufacturer's warranty. The one I've already installed fixed the issue, as expected. When you replaced your regulator twice did it work at first and then stop working at a later time, or just never work properly off the bat?

I read a forum thread somewhere recently in which they were talking about the cause of regulator issues, particularly the issue both of us had. I'll try to find it and post the link for you later, but the speculated cause was that the cables become stretched out over time and when you try to close the window from the fully down position, there is too much slack in the cable and it ends up activating the pinch protection falsely causing the window to not move.

If you don't know the trick to getting them back up in the meantime, just flick the window switch up little by little and it will unstick itself from the bottom and then you can close the window.

I'm afraid I don't have another solution aside from replacing the regulator yet another time, but I will mention that I have also read some threads where people talk about regulator repair kits which you can buy for something like 12-15 bucks. My guess is that they would only work for OEM regulators though as the exact cable length is crucial.

I also suggest that if you replace the regulator again, do a few things to try to guarantee smooth operation and longevity:
1. Lube up the regulator track with a little extra grease in all of the places that the replacement regulator has it. On mine some of the grease rubbed off on the bag it was packed in and it looked like they weren't very thorough at the factory with lubing it to begin with.
2. Use some Gummi Pflege or silicone spray on your window seals.
3. Be 100% sure you reprogrammed the regulators correctly after reinstallation by checking the 1-touch operation.

Sorry if it's not the answer you were looking for but I hope some of this helps at least a little!

[bmwbob89]

The 07 328XI I picked up this year had the same issue with both rear windows. Both regulators had been replaced with aftermarket ones. I picked up a used reg and motor assembly on ebay and that fixed the left side. So for jollies and educational purposes I found a brand new motor for the right side. Installed it with the aftermarket regulator and it worked. I assumed from this that the motors fail after the regulator falls apart. Get some new motors. Try one at a time just in case. I took one of the motors apart but could find nothing wrong with it.

[ewicky]

Originally Posted by Ziggens96

...
I read a forum thread somewhere recently in which they were talking about the cause of regulator issues, particularly the issue both of us had. I'll try to find it and post the link for you later, but the speculated cause was that the cables become stretched out over time and when you try to close the window from the fully down position, there is too much slack in the cable and it ends up activating the pinch protection falsely causing the window to not move.
...

This. It might have even been me. Tighten the cable TIGHT. I had t make little spacer washers for the cable end crimp.

[Ziggens96]

Originally Posted by bmwbob89

The 07 328XI I picked up this year had the same issue with both rear windows. Both regulators had been replaced with aftermarket ones. I picked up a used reg and motor assembly on ebay and that fixed the left side. So for jollies and educational purposes I found a brand new motor for the right side. Installed it with the aftermarket regulator and it worked. I assumed from this that the motors fail after the regulator falls apart. Get some new motors. Try one at a time just in case. I took one of the motors apart but could find nothing wrong with it.

that's a weird way to go about it...aren't the motors more expensive than the regulators? I'm guessing your used regulator and motor assembly wasn't super expensive but still...I'd be hesitant to replace a regulator with a used part considering the penchant for failure with these parts.

I tested my motor while I was replacing the regulator with the motor removed from the regulator but still plugged in, and it worked, as expected. Replaced the regulator and the window works perfectly now. Why replace the motor if you don't need to?

[Ziggens96]

Originally Posted by ewicky

This. It might have even been me. Tighten the cable TIGHT. I had t make little spacer washers for the cable end crimp.

Did you do that to repair a broken regulator? Or did you do that to a new unit as a preemptive thing?

[ewicky]

Originally Posted by Ziggens96

Did you do that to repair a broken regulator? Or did you do that to a new unit as a preemptive thing?

The broken one was actually snapped plastic, so no real repairing that. I bought an aftermarket one with good reviews, but I experienced the "wouldn't go back up" issue. After a bunch of experimentation, I figured out it was the slack in the aftermarket cable causing a false pinch detection.

[bmwbob89]

Originally Posted by Ziggens96

that's a weird way to go about it...aren't the motors more expensive than the regulators? I'm guessing your used regulator and motor assembly wasn't super expensive but still...I'd be hesitant to replace a regulator with a used part considering the penchant for failure with these parts.

I tested my motor while I was replacing the regulator with the motor removed from the regulator but still plugged in, and it worked, as expected. Replaced the regulator and the window works perfectly now. Why replace the motor if you don't need to?

They worked fine until the regulators were replaced. So it was a bit of a learning experience. I got the drivers used unit for like 50 bucks. Viola it was fixed. So then I found a new motor on ebay for 50 bucks. Installed it on the after the aftermarket regulator and again it was fixed. So my experience was the motors were the culprit. I think they get damaged or just weak and trip the pinch circuit when fully open. It was kind of a scientific method.

[Ziggens96]

Originally Posted by bmwbob89

They worked fine until the regulators were replaced. So it was a bit of a learning experience. I got the drivers used unit for like 50 bucks. Viola it was fixed. So then I found a new motor on ebay for 50 bucks. Installed it on the after the aftermarket regulator and again it was fixed. So my experience was the motors were the culprit. I think they get damaged or just weak and trip the pinch circuit when fully open. It was kind of a scientific method.

Not to be difficult but what it sounds like you are describing has more variables than you may realize. For example, if your window wasn't going back up from the fully open position (or there was some other issue) and you removed the regulator and replaced the motor that is attached to it, you still removed the regulator and reinstalled it in the process of replacing the motor, so there is a possibility that the motor was fine all along and simply removing and reinstalling the regulator corrected the problem - it could have been jammed or the glass became detached from the hook on the plastic clip anymore or something like that. Did you test the old motor while the regulator was removed? That would be a real giveaway of course. Did the old regulators have an obvious visual failure point when you removed them?

Also a bit confused that you said the motors (I assume) worked fine until you replaced the regulators. It sounds like you may not have reinstalled your parts correctly the first time though, or you purchased a used regulator and then replaced that with a used regulator/motor assembly that happened to work? Unfortunately it's hard to tell what the details of your situation are from your description though. Seems strange that there are countless reports of regulator failure but next to none of failed motors.

[Ziggens96]

Originally Posted by ewicky

The broken one was actually snapped plastic, so no real repairing that. I bought an aftermarket one with good reviews, but I experienced the "wouldn't go back up" issue. After a bunch of experimentation, I figured out it was the slack in the aftermarket cable causing a false pinch detection.

So you detached one side of the cable from the plastic clip that the bottom of the window clicks into, put a spacer next to one of the springs, and reattached the cable? If so I wouldn't be surprised if I could have just done that and skipped buying a new regulator.

[bmwbob89]

Originally Posted by Ziggens96

Not to be difficult but what it sounds like you are describing has more variables than you may realize. For example, if your window wasn't going back up from the fully open position (or there was some other issue) and you removed the regulator and replaced the motor that is attached to it, you still removed the regulator and reinstalled it in the process of replacing the motor, so there is a possibility that the motor was fine all along and simply removing and reinstalling the regulator corrected the problem - it could have been jammed or the glass became detached from the hook on the plastic clip anymore or something like that. Did you test the old motor while the regulator was removed? That would be a real giveaway of course. Did the old regulators have an obvious visual failure point when you removed them?

Also a bit confused that you said the motors (I assume) worked fine until you replaced the regulators. It sounds like you may not have reinstalled your parts correctly the first time though, or you purchased a used regulator and then replaced that with a used regulator/motor assembly that happened to work? Unfortunately it's hard to tell what the details of your situation are from your description though. Seems strange that there are countless reports of regulator failure but next to none of failed motors.

I replaced the regulators for the previous owner of the car. He didn't want to repair them any further since they were closed and he really didn't use them. I can't stand anything not working correctly. I've been a BMW tech since the 70's. I removed the drivers rear several times. Took the motor apart it seemed fine. I'm also cheap and didn't want to spring for new motors. So I found a used assembly and that fixed one. Then I found a new motor cheap and that fixed the other one. They were assembled correctly and they are fairly simple. Take all of that any way you choose but they are both fixed now. There are plenty of other people with the same issue but nobody ever says if or how they fixed them. Most people seem to just live with toggling the switch to close them.

[Pittz1]

Put a brand new motor and regulator in from Advance auto and it gets stuck every time it goes all the way down. Super annoying. Runs up and down smooth otherwise.

[lookalikehuuh]

Yeah so all the local discount autopart places like Oreilly, Autozone, Advance etc. sell the ABSOLUTE GARBAGE Doman "OE FIX" window regulators. There is design flaw in the Dorman version that will cause that exact same issue when fully rolled down on E90s.

Do yourself a favor and get some OE/OEM ones and the problem will be solved.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/BMW-parts/33...ow%20regulator

Ask me how I know..... lets just say I can replace window regulators in like 4 minutes flat now.

[e90yyc]

Is it possible to code out the pinch protection? If so, this would seem like a decent fix for anyone who doesn't have kids riding in the back.

[Pittz1]

My cable snapped so I was in a pinch for a new part. Advance Auto was the only place that had it. I lock my kids window so they can not roll it down. I now know not to mess with it. If I ever feel like spending $100, I will get OE.

[Ziggens96]

If the Dorman ones have a design flaw, the OEM ones do too. As I said before, both of my rear regulators would get stuck when the window was all the way open and one of them was the factory one and the other was replaced at some point by the PO although I'm not sure what brand it is. Both regulators worked fine other than that issue and there is no visible damage to them. The cause of this issue seems to be either the cables becoming stretched out, or the springs in the plastic clip losing tension. If you have the same issue I did, the motor is not the cause therefore there is no need to replace it. Test your motor while it is disconnected from the regulator if you don't believe me.

[Pittz1]

I have yet to use ProTool to do the programming. I will give that a try first and see what happens. I did it the manual way with the window switches. I will get back to everyone once I do it.

[Ziggens96]

For those interested, here is a thread that also mentions possible causes of the "window stuck at the bottom" issue and discusses rebuilding regulators with the ~$12 kit, which I imagine would solve most regulator issues, particularly when combined with ewicky's suggestion of using a washer/spacer for the cable if it isn't tight enough.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1407827

check out post #10 and #17 in particular

[Ziggens96]

Originally Posted by Pittz1

Put a brand new motor and regulator in from Advance auto and it gets stuck every time it goes all the way down. Super annoying. Runs up and down smooth otherwise.

I would probably remove it again and try to put a washer/spacer at the end of the cable like ewicky did.

Some people have even reported success by deprogramming/deactivating the 1-touch operation and then resetting it again. I should have tried that too before replacing my regulator.

I've been reading a lot about this issue because so many people have it yet there never seems to be a real resolution. In the process, I found something interesting here in post #12 where the guy says he removed and reinstalled his motor without even replacing it, and his issue went away:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1184191