Window Regulator Repair done

On a related note, how are you guys unplugging the window switch and speaker connections without damaging the connectors? When I replaced all door speakers, they were very difficult to remove and I damaged one speaker connector. It looks like the connectors don't have a feature to unlock them once mated--leaving one to just yank it out when removal is needed.

In the event I need to do this regulator job, I'd like to know if there is a better way to unplug the connections other than with a quick, hard yank with a set of pliers.

Originally Posted by PSUEng

On a related note, how are you guys unplugging the window switch and speaker connections without damaging the connectors? When I replaced all door speakers, they were very difficult to remove and I damaged one speaker connector. It looks like the connectors don't have a feature to unlock them once mated--leaving one to just yank it out when removal is needed.

In the event I need to do this regulator job, I'd like to know if there is a better way to unplug the connections other than with a quick, hard yank with a set of pliers.

this might help http://blog.bavauto.com/6293/bmw-diy...ator-or-motor/

how would one check to see if its the drive dog or the regulator?

I have fully disassembled my door panel, and I'm seeing the cable (behind the red plastic piece) move up and down in accordance with the switch.

My window is stuck in the downward position, and I was not with the car when the window stopped rolling up.

How will I check if that plastic part (which is supposed to be holding the cable via a nut) is broken?

Was about to order a new regulator, but I have strange feeling its just that clip thats broken.

The nut with the cable in it is supposed to remain stationary with that plastic white clip right?

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

how would one check to see if its the drive dog or the regulator?

I have fully disassembled my door panel, and I'm seeing the cable (behind the red plastic piece) move up and down in accordance with the switch.

My window is stuck in the downward position, and I was not with the car when the window stopped rolling up.

How will I check if that plastic part (which is supposed to be holding the cable via a nut) is broken?

Was about to order a new regulator, but I have strange feeling its just that clip thats broken.

The nut with the cable in it is supposed to remain stationary with that plastic white clip right?

I got the window halfway up so now i can see the white plastic part. Not sure how to tell if its broken. Would the cable not move side to side?

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

I got the window halfway up so now i can see the white plastic part. Not sure how to tell if its broken. Would the cable not move side to side?

There is a small hexagonally shaped piece of metal crimped (for lack of a better word) onto the cable. This moves up and down when you raise/lower the window. If you can feel the metal piece going up and down when you activate the switch then your regulator is fine and it's your drive dog (most likely is).

The hexagonal piece fits into the white plastic drive dog. Typically a piece of the drive dog will shear off and the metal piece pops out of the drive dog. I just did mine a couple of weeks ago and that's what happened. You can buy a new drive dog at BMW for around $55. I got copy on ebay for $15.00 which fits and works perfectly.

Originally Posted by Frenchx3

There is a small hexagonally shaped piece of metal crimped (for lack of a better word) onto the cable. This moves up and down when you raise/lower the window. If you can feel the metal piece going up and down when you activate the switch then your regulator is fine and it's your drive dog (most likely is).

The hexagonal piece fits into the white plastic drive dog. Typically a piece of the drive dog will shear off and the metal piece pops out of the drive dog. I just did mine a couple of weeks ago and that's what happened. You can buy a new drive dog at BMW for around $55. I got copy on ebay for $15.00 which fits and works perfectly.

Okay.

Yeah its hard to see the metal hexagonal piece from that cable. Based on the pictures, I think mine has broken out, but I'll double check before ordering.

I've had bad experiences with Ebay so I'll try ECS tuning. I think they have it for $35 + $10 shipping.

Last question (for now):

How does one separate the glass from the plastic (drive dog)? I feel like I'm going to shatter the glass moving it around.

Should you remove the entire window while replacing it?

Thank you so much for the help!

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

Okay.

Yeah its hard to see the metal hexagonal piece from that cable. Based on the pictures, I think mine has broken out, but I'll double check before ordering.

I've had bad experiences with Ebay so I'll try ECS tuning. I think they have it for $35 + $10 shipping.

Last question (for now):

How does one separate the glass from the plastic (drive dog)? I feel like I'm going to shatter the glass moving it around.

Should you remove the entire window while replacing it?

Thank you so much for the help!

I hear ya... I was concerned about doing the same thing. I ended up using a screw driver to pry up the tab several times. I wasn't concerned about breaking the tab because I had a new piece in hand. It took a few tries. When your prying upward it actually will pull back into the hole when you get it up high enough. You don't need to take the window out. It should stay in place in the side tracks. Just clip the new drive dog onto the rail and push the window down into place until the tab pops in. Then just grab the cable and pull it out so you can see the hexagonal piece. Line it up with the drive dog, insert it place and make sure the cable is locked in and you should be good to go.

Sounds good. I'll try to be patient with it.

Thank you again for all the help. Very much appreciated!

Annnnnnnd done.

Thanks for all the help! This thread helped a ton.

Dealer told me "tech doesn't recommend replacing only that part, so we'd have to do the entire window regulator. You're looking at $428 out the door."

No thanks.

Finished it for $47.

Originally Posted by DUI Elite

Dealer told me "tech doesn't recommend replacing only that part, so we'd have to do the entire window regulator. You're looking at $428 out the door."

That is such crap...just another example of a dealer trying to squeeze as much money out of a customer as possible. I would avoid that particular dealer like the plague. I do understand that they are in business to make money but replacing parts unnecessarily just to drive the cost up is completely unethical.

Originally Posted by Frenchx3

That is such crap...just another example of a dealer trying to squeeze as much money out of a customer as possible. I would avoid that particular dealer like the plague. I do understand that they are in business to make money but replacing parts unnecessarily just to drive the cost up is completely unethical.

Yeah I almost want to call back the service advisor and tell him he's an idiot, but I won't burn any bridges just yet.

Originally Posted by Frenchx3

.... I do understand that they are in business to make money but replacing parts unnecessarily just to drive the cost up is completely unethical.

Hasn't this always been a basic tenet of automotive service? - replace the whole assembly if taking it apart to replace just the failed component takes more time.

Or, do it to reduce the chance of the customer having to come back because the rest of the assembly may be quite worn and contributed to the individual item failure?

Doing it just to drive up the cost to the customer unfortunately does happen at times, but I'm not sure that is the case here.

For example, Audi A4/S4 owners seem to have it even worse:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...Regulator-Woes

As I understand it, replacement of just the X3's plastic drive dog was not even possible for the first few years because no one sold that part separately.

It was, I believe, partly through the foresight and innovation of contributors to this and other user forums that BMW made the part available.

Until then, some owners tried repairing the drive dog or fabricating their own.

I have read here that some BMW dealers still don't sell or even stock the drive dog - that may be because they are just not up-to-date and don't know about it, or they don't want to be bothered.

I agree that the latter category doesn't deserve our patronage for anything.

Aftermarket drive dogs are now available, and work fine according to this forum.

Some feel that plastic parts like that have a life expectancy of about 10 years at most.
Don't know if that is true, but when the time comes that I have to do mine, I sense that I should make sure other parts of the window mechanism are up to snuff before having a beer.

I successfully replaced the the drive dog but the window doesn't stop when it gets to the top. It returns down several inches then stops. I tried using the switch to manually raise and lower it but that is not working to reset the thresholds. Any suggestions? In the instructions I followed it said to remove the motor assembly by removing the 3 bolts to gain access to the plastic block. Whin I did this the front half of the motor only came off and the cable came off the spool. I had to rewind and re-install the spool which was a bitch. Removing the motor was not necessary. Hopefully this has not caused the window stopping problem. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by bluskye

FYI
I did

my friends 2004 X3 window regulator repair for both rear windows (only one was broken, but I dont want to do it again, so do both at once). Simply replaced the drive dog, instead

of the entire window regulator module. $100 for two drive dogs, and $30 for two vapor barriers. First one was a pain and took long until i realized you should move the drive dog up and down to easily remove the window and the dog itself from the rail. 2nd window took about 20min. A note, replacing just the dog itself is faster then the entire regulator module, and also cheaper =)

My vapor barriers are on order. I decided not to risk my friend complaining of water leaks and simply ripped off the old barriers. It took quite a while to remove the barriers from the gooey stuff. I have Permatex silicon adhesive/sealant purchased at local pepboys to reseal the barriers. The gooey stuff has dirt indicating where the water would tend to flow, so this should make identifying where to ensure I reseal correctly. The old gooey stuff is still on there, so that should provide something to hold the barriers as the seal I apply cures.

The windows require manually going all the way and all the way down to re-learn the thresholds for auto up/down functionality. I was confused at first, but figured it out.

Drive Dogs are : http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...=51&fg=10&hl=3
Items 51333448643 and 51353448645

Hi guys, my white plastic piece also broke a while ago, dealer said they didn't sell "just that part" I would have to buy whole regulator. So I did from eBay about $40 bucks. I took out whole bad regulator and installed new one worked great... For a while then crack pop! Same noise as when it started NOT going up or down so I took door panel off and discovered the little black piece that holds the nut that holds the screw that hold the window to the regulator was destroyed. So I when to dealer got new one and new nut and bolt and new plastic door panel clips because of course I broke a few of those off put it all back together worked fine. Then a little later pow! Crack! Pop! Did it again. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, regulator and motor work fine but those little black pieces keep Breslin like the window is slipping too far on them and also if window is rolled down and I shut the door, well you actually here is wiggle and like its popped off that black thing again. Dealer said $165 just to look at it and I know they're gonna tell me " oh new regulator" so $400 I'm sure. Any ideas? I'm so sick of taking that thin apart and cutting up my hands and sweating and cussing

Originally Posted by Rick Rothmnd

I successfully replaced the the drive dog but the window doesn't stop when it gets to the top. It returns down several inches then stops. I tried using the switch to manually raise and lower it but that is not working to reset the thresholds. Any suggestions? In the instructions I followed it said to remove the motor assembly by removing the 3 bolts to gain access to the plastic block. Whin I did this the front half of the motor only came off and the cable came off the spool. I had to rewind and re-install the spool which was a bitch. Removing the motor was not necessary. Hopefully this has not caused the window stopping problem. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks!

This probably doesn't help much, but I just replaced the drivedog on my 2004 rear left side. When finished, my window did the same thing. It would go up to the top and then retract down an inch or two. A few times all the way down and then up resolved the problem. On guessing it had to relearn the parameters.

Sent from my PC36100 using Bimmer App

Perhaps six months after buying our 04, both rear windows went out. Still under warranty at the time, so dealer replaced. Service Mgr gave me a tip (which I haven't seen here). He says failure of rear windows perhaps comes from pro-longed non-use. Suggested we periodically raise and lower rear windows to prevent "sticking" and breaking. We've followed his advice and have had no problems since. Just for what it's worth...

For what it's worth....Replaced both rear windows about six months after buying 04. Serv Mgr suggested the problem may come from non-use of the rear windows. "Exercise" them periodically to prevent "sticking". Have done so, and have had no further problems.

That makes sense, problem is its my driver side window so it gets used all the time

Originally Posted by btwillis

... "Exercise" them periodically to prevent "sticking". Have done so, and have had no further problems.

I agree with that. When possible, leave parked overnight with the windows just off the fully closed position to avoid that cracking sound on first use of the day.

Originally Posted by vrsaysso

That makes sense, problem is its my driver side window so it gets used all the time

Another theory that has been put forward on forums for other models is that damage to the drive dog and maybe other plastic parts happens when a door is slammed with the window down.

Not as much support for the mechanism when glass in the down position.

This could be an explanation for how newly acquired used X3s seem to suffer failure of the windows in the early days of new ownership.

Just replaced the front driver window regulator. In my case it wasn't the dog that had broken, the cable had sheared the pulley that both ends of the cable fit to.

Dealer quoted $600+ to fit new regulator. Found a NEW one on line for $33 including delivery!

The hardest part was unclipping the existing dogs from the window. Eventually did it using the SIRS prying tools and a lot of force. It took me a while to get over the fear of breaking the window.

I disconnected the -ve terminal on the battery so I could disconnect the airbag and move the door panel away. The downside to this is you cannot test the window until you put stuff back.
Now he pane is back on the window is going up and down but it seems like there is some resistance versus other windows. I will have to re look to make sure there is no obstruction. Anybody else had this problem?

Getting the window back not the new dogs was also hard but I found getting help from a friend to push down on the window while I pushed up on the dogs soon got it in place. Jus hoping I don't have to undo it again!

Originally Posted by Il_blu

Just replaced the front driver window regulator. In my case it wasn't the dog that had broken, the cable had sheared the pulley that both ends of the cable fit to.
.... using the SIRS prying tools and a lot of force.

Useful info. Thanks.

What were your symptoms for the front window?

Slight reversing before going up when lifting the switch? I am starting to get that.

The rear windows seem to fail most often.
Maybe the front ones less so because they have 2 drive clips/dogs - one at each end.
Makes sense that the pulleys could be the weak point for the front windows.

I have a pair of drive dogs at the ready, for left or right rear, or one front window.
Maybe I should get a couple of pulleys too.

One member earlier reported that an easy way to get the glass back into a new dog is to raise the window a bit and then power it down.
It self-engages the knob on the dog with an unnerving noise, but it works.

No tricks for releasing the glass though, other than force and not being concerned that it will break.

Is that a Sears pry tool or there is a SIRS brand?

Originally Posted by Supercourse

Useful info. Thanks.

What were your symptoms for the front window?

Slight reversing before going up when lifting the switch? I am starting to get that.

The rear windows seem to fail most often.
Maybe the front ones less so because they have 2 drive clips/dogs - one at each end.
Makes sense that the pulleys could be the weak point for the front windows.

I have a pair of drive dogs at the ready, for left or right rear, or one front window.
Maybe I should get a couple of pulleys too.

One member earlier reported that an easy way to get the glass back into a new dog is to raise the window a bit and then power it down.
It self-engages the knob on the dog with an unnerving noise, but it works.

No tricks for releasing the glass though, other than force and not being concerned that it will break.

Is that a Sears pry tool or there is a SIRS brand?

Not sure on the symptoms. My wife noticed the window was down slightly, she put it up then decided to try putting it down again and it was making a crunching sound and did not come back up.

We have already replaced at least one of the back windows, maybe both. My son had a land rover (never again!) and I think I replaced every one on that car. Those clips were really cheap and crappy and I could never find only the clips to repair the regulator.

The problem is if you do not catch the clip problem early enough the cable ends up getting jammed and twisted and it won't run properly later.

I bought the SIRS brand and am really happy with them.