Window off track 318ti
 

My husband was pumping gas into my 1996 318ti and he was leaning against the passenger side window with his butt. I started to roll down the power window and the pressure of his butt leaning against the window somehow managed to push the window off its track. I'm pretty sure that it only went off one side (the side by the mirror).
It can be rolled up if someone is holding it so it goes up straight, otherwise it just rolls up and the other side rolls down into the door.
I contacted my BMW dealership and they said my window regulator needed to be replaced and that would run me $260 plus tax. I know its not my window regulator because the window works perfect, it just rolls up wrong. So one of my co-workers told me that all I needed to do was take apart the door and look under in one of the holes to see if its off track then somehow push it back on with a screwdriver.
Can anyone tell me how to do this or if anyone has had a problem like this before?
Thanks in advance!
Jessica
SmileWavy

I have in other cars, though not in BMWs. Hmm, come to think of it, not in any car with power windows... Anyway, I was able to get the windows back "on track" by pushing them in the other direction and raising and lowering them several times.

If that doesn't work, then you'll have to try what your co-worker suggested. I'm not sure exactly how you get into the door, nor even just what the lift and tracks look like, but hopefully once you get in there it will be more obvious.

You can also talk to an independant shop. They may be more willing to try the "easy fix" than the dealership is. You might have to be willing to pay them for the labor of trying it even if it doesn't fix the problem... (One big advantage DIY has over any pay-to-fix mechanic; you can try less-expensive things that may or may not work. A mechanic who does that risks having someone come back to fix it again--for free!)

The Bentley manual for the E36 would come in quite handy for this kind of thing. It would at least tell you how to take the inner door panel off the rest of the door, and would talk at least some about the window regulator and tracks.

It is possible that another manual (e.g., Haynes) would tell you about that as well, but the Bentley books are the best aftermarket manuals I've seen so far.

--DD

I have a 94 318i and have had window problems. You will likely have to remove the inside panel and soundproofing inner panel to get at the window regulator. If you are lucky the plastic slider and pin that plugs into it have parted company. If the slder is broken you will have to purchase a new one , a couple of bucks, at the dealer. Buy one before you take things apart. I am in Canada and have power window problems because of ice so I always have a couple of these sliders in the car.

As for the haynes manual it does a pretty good job on this section it will at least let you see what you are dealing with.

R.

Before you take off the door panel, I would try pulling up on the window as you roll it up and down. Use very light pressure and see if anything seems loose.

snap-tight...
 

Swinston nailed it. When I first got my 318i a few months ago, I never rolled the passenger window down because it was a little cold out. A month later I tried rolling it down and the whole window slammed to the bottom of the door! I took it all apart at sure enough, the white plastic sliders had not only come out of the track, but were worn out so bad that the metal "U" clips had popped off of them with ease. I went to the dealer here and spent $3.10 on each slider/clip, put them on after placing the window back in the track, and haven't had a probelm since. Apparently, the white plastic sliders are designed to break if placed under too much pressure, so as to SAVE the window regulator motor from stress. It definately worked in my case.

you might just be off track. but the regualtors bend very easy. you might end up having to replaced it also. the e36 uses gears and are much better in my opinion then the e46 that uses cables.
shaun

I agree with the slider as the diagnosis. I too had the same problem with my 318ti. Luckily it happened last year on the coldest day of the year! After I went through a drive thru for lunch it was stuck down until I could get to the dealer. You haven't lived until you've driven in 20 degree weather with your drivers side window stuck down. :p

Good luck.

I recently had a similar problem with my 325i--one of the plastic sliders failed. Probably the toughest part about replacing them is getting the door panel off without marring anything. My approach was to push two plastic putty drywall joint compound spreaders between the panel and the door, then push a screwdriver between them to pry the panel off.

If you spread the panel from the door just a little, you can find the plastic retention pins that hold the panel on. Prying adjacent to the pins will reduce the stress on them.

Good luck

my slider is broken
 

so we opened up the door panel and found that plastic clip of the slider is broken. when i called the dealer, they said i had to purchase the whole window regulator? does anyone know a place that just sells the part i need? please help!!!

u diffently dont have 2 buy the regulator if u just need the sliders......they are easy install >>slide the old one out..slide the new one in->>dont remove the pin just pop the regulator back on the new ones ~:)

if the regulator looks bent it has 2 be replaced or it will just keep popping off......mayb breaking the glass ~:(
and if its never been replaced it is rivited in and has to be drilled out

but they won't let me purchase just the slider. i called 3 dealers does anyone know a place to purchase it?

Thats craZzy>>they dont come with the regulator.....go up 2 the dealer & have them show you on the parts screen where they come WITH the regulator.....they have their OWN part number....we have a draw full of them at work...and I have several in my toolbox

hi cowboy,
well we asked...is it because we have a 328i model and that's why they don't sell it separately?

all of the e-36 models are the same

can i buy them from you ? pretty please?

Pelican doesnt sell them??? Ill get you a phone number 2morro if they dont<

Hi,
Check out here for some info and pics on fixing a 318Ti window that is off track
http://www.understeer.com/window.shtml
:D

Ian
'97 Ti Sport
DASC, TT S2, B&M SSk, x-brace
H&R coil overs & sway bars, Big brakes

i checked pelican they sell the window regulator is there another name for those sliders?

Heres the part number# 51 32 1 938 884