Converting to manual windows...

[BMWE30]

Hey guys,

My power windows stopped working soon after I bought the car. They came on 2 times since then, one time when my friend opened the pass side door (2 door car) and they worked..then stopped. I thought it was a bad connection there...so I took off pass door panel and looked around...took switches out and checked them...all seemed fine...no loose connections...fuse is okay....k5 relay seems okay...I dont know what else to do. Im sick of the problem with the windows and was wondering if its possible to convert to manual cranks somewhat easy. My door panels have the little plugs where the cranks go...but how hard is it to do and can u just take out the motor and replace it with the crank mech...etc? Please let me know whats involved and if it can be done cheaply.. Im sick of not having working windows and I've been using my crank roof for air. Thanks! :)

[E30ZeRo]

just open the door and close it and try it
mine did the same thing

[ZiMMie]

same here or kick the side panel a bit hard.
Mines did the same but after hittin it couple times it has been workin fine.

[toffa182]

yes it's possible and not actually that difficult. i might be able to show some pics of the procedure later today.

i would recommend you really tro to locate the problem first, because power windows are much more fun.

but i'll try and fix pics today.

[snd84318i]

wow you guys beat your cars up lol
i have manual i wish they were power :(

[Skunk#1]

manual windows would be kick ass, my switches are all jacked up. the swap would be real easy. i can get all the hardware from my local junk yard for less than $50. i will be doing that sometime when i get my tax return. do it yourself though, i work at a mechanic shop, i dont know what shops around you charge, but here in the city of atx i cost 2.5 hour per door worth of labor just to open the door panel, but no extra labor for replacing stuff. should only take 1 hour per side if you dont know what your doing. anyway that is my two cents. the reason i was saying manual windows would be great is if you ever submerged the car then your power windows would not work anyway, and with my driving record you cant be to careful.

[BladeRunner]

My manual windows keep locking up they'll go half way down or half way up. I tryed taking the door apart but there's plastic film between the metal door and that cloth+handel stuff. Skunk brought up a good idea about the windows, but once water reaches like half way up the windshield the wind shield will collapse on you in like a fraction of a second thats if it hasn't already done so from the collision...

[felixthecat]

bmw manual windows are almost like power windows....you can roll them up with one finger......beautiful!

[BimmerKris]

screw manual windows, i'm tellin ya, the window motors out of a supercoupe are the way to go.