How To Guide Remove BMW Z3 window lifter mechanism motor

spurs fan in a coupe

spurs fan in a coupe

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As title a quick how to remove guide, took a few photos as i removed the lifter scissor style glider for a member on here.

Please note there is no need to remove the door! I just had to work on the car in my narrow garage.

First you need to remove the front 10mm screw/bolt in the base of the door - nearest the engine.

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Then, the two 10mm screws/bolts on the inside of the door where the electric mirror control would be (roughly speaking)

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Then, with a good wiggle the front smaller (quarter) glass will pull up and out, it is very tight at the end.

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Then, the main body of glass (part that goes up and down when using the electric windows) slides forwards (towards the front of the car) and lifts out quite easily.

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Then remove the four 10mm nuts that hold the scissor style lifter/mechanism. They are quite obvious, but hard to picture. The central one is the one that had snapped off of the door strengthening impact bar on my coupe and needed re-welding to the body of the door - the failure of which led to the mechanism repeated fouling until it broke.

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There are two 'push and pull' electrical connectors on the motor, beneath the wing mirror mounting point at the front edge of the door to remove.

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Then, with a lot of swearing and scraping of knuckles the mechanism can be removed.

I took it out with the motor in the 'up position, but it might be easier in the down position, as the door was off the car it wasn't that easy to experiment!

Relatively quick, only need a 10mm socket and ratchet.

I hope that helps someone.

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Thanks for taking the time to post this Andy.
It will be helpful when I get round to replacing the off side door glass :thumbsup:

Steve
 
spurs fan in a coupe said:
View attachment 36336 View attachment 36337
As title a quick how to remove guide, took a few photos as i removed the lifter scissor style glider for a member on here.

Please note there is no need to remove the door! I just had to work on the car in my narrow garage.

First you need to remove the front 10mm screw/bolt in the base of the door - nearest the engine.

View attachment 36351

View attachment 36350

Then, the two 10mm screws/bolts on the inside of the door where the electric mirror control would be (roughly speaking)

View attachment 36347

Then, with a good wiggle the front smaller (quarter) glass will pull up and out, it is very tight at the end.

View attachment 36346

Then, the main body of glass (part that goes up and down when using the electric windows) slides forwards (towards the front of the car) and lifts out quite easily.

View attachment 36345

View attachment 36344

Then remove the four 10mm nuts that hold the scissor style lifter/mechanism. They are quite obvious, but hard to picture. The central one is the one that had snapped off of the door strengthening impact bar on my coupe and needed re-welding to the body of the door - the failure of which led to the mechanism repeated fouling until it broke.

View attachment 36348

View attachment 36342

View attachment 36341

There are two 'push and pull' electrical connectors on the motor, beneath the wing mirror mounting point at the front edge of the door to remove.

View attachment 36338

View attachment 36339

Then, with a lot of swearing and scraping of knuckles the mechanism can be removed.

I took it out with the motor in the 'up position, but it might be easier in the down position, as the door was off the car it wasn't that easy to experiment!

Relatively quick, only need a 10mm socket and ratchet.

I hope that helps someone.

View attachment 36337
Click to expand...
Nice one Andy.

Tony.
 
As I said before, I don't really need to comment on your 'How To's' as they stand on there own in the Tech data base but, nice one bud....:thumbsup:
 
As the man you did this for can I say thanks for the part to start with. I go on the basis of 'if I can do it anyone can' - and I did it yesterday evening.

Took 2 and half hours leisurely - none of it difficult but some of it fiddly (getting guides back on runners for the glass without being able to see for example). I did experience the scraping of knuckles that you predicted but its all part of the fun - after the event at least

I now have a window that operates smoothly without any clangs or bangs and a Z3 that is very slowly getting back to the condition it should be.....
 
My drivers window goes up and down fine. Once it's all the way down after about a second it "clunks". It's always done it since I bought it 4 years ago. This may well give me the required nudge to pull it apart and see what's causing it.
Thanks Andy excellent write up.
 
spurs fan in a coupe said:
View attachment 36336 View attachment 36337
As title a quick how to remove guide, took a few photos as i removed the lifter scissor style glider for a member on here.

Please note there is no need to remove the door! I just had to work on the car in my narrow garage.

First you need to remove the front 10mm screw/bolt in the base of the door - nearest the engine.

View attachment 36351

View attachment 36350

Then, the two 10mm screws/bolts on the inside of the door where the electric mirror control would be (roughly speaking)

View attachment 36347

Then, with a good wiggle the front smaller (quarter) glass will pull up and out, it is very tight at the end.

View attachment 36346

Then, the main body of glass (part that goes up and down when using the electric windows) slides forwards (towards the front of the car) and lifts out quite easily.

View attachment 36345

View attachment 36344

Then remove the four 10mm nuts that hold the scissor style lifter/mechanism. They are quite obvious, but hard to picture. The central one is the one that had snapped off of the door strengthening impact bar on my coupe and needed re-welding to the body of the door - the failure of which led to the mechanism repeated fouling until it broke.

View attachment 36348

View attachment 36342

View attachment 36341

There are two 'push and pull' electrical connectors on the motor, beneath the wing mirror mounting point at the front edge of the door to remove.

View attachment 36338

View attachment 36339

Then, with a lot of swearing and scraping of knuckles the mechanism can be removed.

I took it out with the motor in the 'up position, but it might be easier in the down position, as the door was off the car it wasn't that easy to experiment!

Relatively quick, only need a 10mm socket and ratchet.

I hope that helps someone.

View attachment 36337
Click to expand...
 
Thank you for the article. My mechanism was adrift at the 3 duff little spot welds in the centre. It was easy to get out following your advice. Now, to dig out a welder or bolt it together....?
 
I preferred welding on the factory rivet

I tried using a bolt and some washers but that didn't work particularly well.
 
Rod Burns said:
Thank you for the article. My mechanism was adrift at the 3 duff little spot welds in the centre. It was easy to get out following your advice. Now, to dig out a welder or bolt it together....?
Click to expand...

No problem, thanks for the feedback. Good luck with the repair
 
This has been an incredibly helpful post thank you. The photos made it easy. the problem was the little lug on the safety bar broke off - which appears to happen on this model. My question then is how to get the safety bar out to get the fitting welded back together?
 
Very useful guide thanks for posting

It reminded me that I need to replace my door cards and driver side handle
Do you have any in black leather or black and blue ?
Also that foam door liner looks so much better than mine do you have one?
 
RAYBOY said:
Very useful guide thanks for posting

It reminded me that I need to replace my door cards and driver side handle
Do you have any in black leather or black and blue ?
Also that foam door liner looks so much better than mine do you have one?
Click to expand...

Hi @RAYBOY

yes I have black door cards. Pm me and we can go from there.
Cheers
 
As an FYI here, it is WAY easier to remove the mechanism from the door with the motor in the down position. When the mechanism in the down state, the whole thing slides right out with absolutely no trouble at all.
 
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