Door Locking/Window Problem

[tonylukes3]

This is an interesting problem. I go outside to unlock the car, hit the button on the key and the car whistles and unlocks. Hit the button again and the rear doors unlock. Problem is, when I walk over to the driver door, the door is still locked. All the other doors unlocked just fine. I use the key to unlock the driver door, no problem there. I start the car up and go to roll down the windows from the driver door panel and nothing happens. I reach over to the passenger door and roll down that window, no problem. I hit the central locking button and that works, but not with the driver door. I had replaced the window control panel on the driver door a few months ago so I highly doubt that went bad.

Has anyone encountered this problem? I replaced the driver door actuator, but that didn't fix the problem. I checked the fuses and they're all fine. Also, my sunroof has been working only partially - I can tilt it up and down and open it all the way, but it won't close fully. It kicks back a quarter of the way. Not sure if this is related or not. I also posted this on Bimmerforums but nothing really helped there, so I'm hoping someone here can!
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=687518

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sal
1997 528i, 140,xxx miles

[thehobe]

Door actuators pull a lot of instantaneous current. The widow motors are pwered by a bank of relays in a box under the rear seat (in a 1995 530). I had electrical problems with windows not opening etc. and had to lubricate the window motors and apply silicone to the window seals because the force just got too great and the protection current limiting woud not allow suffficient current to the motors. You may have a similar problem. I also had a problem like yours with my 1983 533i and forund theaty the battery just needed replacing. The problem was some or all of the door lock actuators. A new battery could handle the very high peak currents required but the old one could not EVEN though it would still start the car! Try just jumpng the battery with a good set of jumper cables.

[tonylukes3]

Thanks for the reply. I found out that the window motor & regulator were both dead, in addition to the window switch. Replaced them and everything is back to normal!