Windows stuck (won't roll down) in cold weather

down boy · 12-22-2008, 09:37 AM

I did a search and didn't find anything, so....

This morning was the first really cold morning around here and, when I went to roll my window down to swipe my keycard at the garage at work, the window was stuck and wouldn't budge. I could hear it trying to roll down but it was frozen. Does anyone else have this problem? Any fixes, or do I just have to wait for it to thaw?

GeauxChadE90 · 12-22-2008, 09:55 AM

i had mine go down and get stuck down, and it started doing it when the weather got cooler. I took it in and they reinitialized the window and it works fine. It sounds like your window was actually frozen shut, and it wasn't a mechanical failure on BMW's part. Hot water does the trick....you could probably get one of those plug in coffee mugs and put water in it on your way to work, then voila!

down boy · 12-22-2008, 11:10 AM

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I guess it's not too major of a problem. It was probably just frozen shut (it was in the 20s this morning in the MD/DC area), and not a mechanical problem. Both the back and front ones wouldn't go down but I hear it trying. Hopefully, it doesn't happen too often though. It'd be nice if the mechanism was stronger to overcome any freezing.

venom7777 · 12-22-2008, 06:44 PM

I have had this happen to me multiple times. Sometimes I can get the window to work by pressing up and down a few times and pushing the window down with my hand, sometimes not. It always works again once the temperature gets warmer.

down boy · 12-23-2008, 09:14 AM

Yep, it appears to be temporary and cold-induced. Last evening, I got it to roll down again after pressing up and down several times. It finally unstuck. But this morning (another cold one), it was again frozen shut.

bimmerFUD · 12-23-2008, 01:00 PM

This morning, I just had a window stick in the down position

After a minute of messing with it, I was finally able to get it to go up, but this makes me nervous. This was the first time I drove it after washing it two days ago, so maybe washing doesn't help.

CFM3 · 12-23-2008, 01:16 PM

I had this happen years ago in a previous car (e36m3 maybe?) when I lived in the NE. I moved to SoCal and the problem cleared right up :P

12-22-2008, 09:37 AM	#1
down boy Hobo Whisperer 3 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Eastern Sea Bored iTrader: (0)	Windows stuck (won't roll down) in cold weather I did a search and didn't find anything, so.... This morning was the first really cold morning around here and, when I went to roll my window down to swipe my keycard at the garage at work, the window was stuck and wouldn't budge. I could hear it trying to roll down but it was frozen. Does anyone else have this problem? Any fixes, or do I just have to wait for it to thaw?
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12-22-2008, 09:55 AM	#2
GeauxChadE90 Private 4 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2006 Black/Terra 325i Sport Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Baton Rouge, LA iTrader: (0)	i had mine go down and get stuck down, and it started doing it when the weather got cooler. I took it in and they reinitialized the window and it works fine. It sounds like your window was actually frozen shut, and it wasn't a mechanical failure on BMW's part. Hot water does the trick....you could probably get one of those plug in coffee mugs and put water in it on your way to work, then voila!
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12-22-2008, 11:10 AM	#3
down boy Hobo Whisperer 3 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Eastern Sea Bored iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I guess it's not too major of a problem. It was probably just frozen shut (it was in the 20s this morning in the MD/DC area), and not a mechanical problem. Both the back and front ones wouldn't go down but I hear it trying. Hopefully, it doesn't happen too often though. It'd be nice if the mechanism was stronger to overcome any freezing.
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12-22-2008, 06:44 PM	#4
venom7777 Enlisted Member 0 Rep 39 Posts Drives: BMW 328xi Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	I have had this happen to me multiple times. Sometimes I can get the window to work by pressing up and down a few times and pushing the window down with my hand, sometimes not. It always works again once the temperature gets warmer. __________________ Alex http://www.fairbmwlease.com/guide.html
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12-23-2008, 09:14 AM	#5
down boy Hobo Whisperer 3 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Eastern Sea Bored iTrader: (0)	Yep, it appears to be temporary and cold-induced. Last evening, I got it to roll down again after pressing up and down several times. It finally unstuck. But this morning (another cold one), it was again frozen shut.
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12-23-2008, 01:00 PM	#6
bimmerFUD Free Your Heel 12 Rep 309 Posts Drives: 2007 E90 335xi Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Jemez Mountains iTrader: (0)	This morning, I just had a window stick in the down position After a minute of messing with it, I was finally able to get it to go up, but this makes me nervous. This was the first time I drove it after washing it two days ago, so maybe washing doesn't help. __________________ 2007 E90 335xi \|\| Sparkling Graphite \|\| Terra \|\| Burl \|\| 6MT \|\| Premium \|\| Sport \|\| Cold Weather \|\| Sirius \|\| Comfort Access ED May 2007 Report
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12-23-2008, 01:16 PM	#7
CFM3 Second Lieutenant 61 Rep 291 Posts Drives: M6 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: ATL iTrader: (3)	I had this happen years ago in a previous car (e36m3 maybe?) when I lived in the NE. I moved to SoCal and the problem cleared right up :P
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