rear power window issues

seprowling · Post by **seprowling** » Sep 17, 2008 12:10 PM

any reason that both back power windows fail to work other than bad motors? Both rear windows not working on my new project car, an 85 528e. don,t work from back seat or front switches. could it be a fuse or some kinda relay? could all 4 switches be bad? I know I need a bentley but I have not yet purchased one. Any ideas where to look would be appreciated. Thanks Yes I did a search no results came back.

Mless5 · Post by **Mless5** » Sep 17, 2008 12:27 PM

replace with known good switches.

stuartinmn · Post by **stuartinmn** » Sep 17, 2008 1:10 PM

The simple test is to swap in one of the front switches to see if the window works, and if that does it fix or replace the switch. You can carefully pry them apart and clean up the contacts inside (watch for springs and other little bits that can fly out.) I use a pencil eraser to clean the contacts, it removes grime and corrosion without damaging them.

pldlnr · Post by **pldlnr** » Sep 17, 2008 1:23 PM

Did you play with the circuit breaker switch mounted between the two driver's side window switches?

duggi · Post by **duggi** » Sep 17, 2008 1:30 PM

pldlnr wrote:Did you play with the circuit breaker switch mounted between the two driver's side window switches?

+1 sounds like this is the first place you should look. I know my car had a faulty one that only let the back windows work intermittently. Replaced it and all was fine. Except that the back windows in my car are unbelievably slow, but that's another issue.

andy535iyes · Post by **andy535iyes** » Sep 17, 2008 7:19 PM

I recently had my passenger window working intermittently and the passenger rear window stopped working all together. I took the switches out and sprayed electrical connection cleaner carefully inside. All windows work fine now and possibly faster - but that could be my imagination.

good luck,
Andy

seprowling · Post by **seprowling** » Sep 17, 2008 9:09 PM

Thanks guys for your suggestions. I have a known good switch from my 318is that I know was good when I replaced both of them in my 318is. I tried messing with the circuit breaker? on the console. I installed the good switch and nothing happened on the back left door and in the console. I did not get a chance to try it on the passenger side yet, I am stumped.

Post by **Shawn D.** » Sep 17, 2008 9:33 PM

The switch on the console to disable the rear windows is NOT the system circuit breaker. The system circuit breaker is on the under-dash cover on the driver's side.

seprowling · Post by **seprowling** » Sep 17, 2008 9:41 PM

Thanks, I will check that out and let you know if that did anything.

pldlnr · Post by **pldlnr** » Sep 17, 2008 11:51 PM

The switch on the console to disable the rear windows is NOT the system circuit breaker

My mistake. I thought the console switch "broke" the circuit to the back windows. What would be the proper way to describe its function?

Post by **Shawn D.** » Sep 18, 2008 8:30 AM

pldlnr wrote:
The switch on the console to disable the rear windows is NOT the system circuit breaker
My mistake. I thought the console switch "broke" the circuit to the back windows. What would be the proper way to describe its function?

Yes, circuit breakers open the circuit, BUT the key difference is that circuit breakers perform as resettable fuses. Switches do not perform as resettable fuses, and the console switch is just as you said above -- a switch. You wouldn't go around calling every switch a circuit breaker simply because it opens a circuit, would you?

seprowling · Post by **seprowling** » Sep 18, 2008 7:17 PM

The dash reset button was part of the problem but the switches are bad also, they work if you keep tapping on them, so I guess thats the source of the problem. Another question comes to mind though. This may seem stup and keep in mind I have no books for information. Does this switch only reset rear windows? the front ones are fine. Thanks!

a · Post by a » Sep 18, 2008 8:18 PM

seprowling wrote:The dash reset button was part of the problem but the switches are bad also, they work if you keep tapping on them, so I guess thats the source of the problem. Another question comes to mind though. This may seem stup and keep in mind I have no books for information. Does this switch only reset rear windows? the front ones are fine. Thanks!

Yes, it is a child safety feature. The switches go bad. I recently spent some time making a good one out of 2 bad'uns.

seprowling · Post by **seprowling** » Sep 18, 2008 8:35 PM

I will order some new ones from BAV as soon as I can. I will replace all 4 of the back ones and hopefully completely solve problem. If dash switch is bad I will find one of those also. Thanks again. I am sure that I will have more question as I am not driving the car yet.
Speaking of questions any idea why factory BMW stereo will not hold code? I have 2 enter it everytime.

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rear power window issues

rear power window issues

Thanks for the responses Guys

Re: Thanks for the responses Guys

Thanks for the help