Club 80-90 Forums

The previous owner fitted electric motors to the front windows, using (if I remember rightly) BMW units. The driver's side one has now developed a reluctance to close properly without a bit of manual assistance.

It'll go so far up, then stop accompanied by a "ratchety" noise if you keep the button pressed down. A pull on the glass will get it going again, but only up to about 90% closure.

I had the door card off the other day to have a shufti, but it's a sealed unit and other than lubricating the moving parts, there wasn't much I could do.

Can anyone help?

best hope maybe to get the part number off the unit and get a replacement. Probably cogs worn internally if it's making ratchety noises. But just check it's getting full battery power and there is no corrosion in the connectors.

By the way, nothing is "factory sealed" with the right tools you can get into anything (cutting knife on a gas soldering iron?) Getting it back together is another matter though! But at least you may be able to see why it has failed. If you need to secure the van disconect the window clamp and raise it to the top and prop it in place with a bit of notched wood. If you leave the door card off you can manually lower the window by removing the wood, being careful to support it to ease the descent!

Also when you disconect the motor and check that the window travels without too much physical effort along the tracks, spray a bit of lithium grease to aid it's travel.