DIY: Replacing the Front Window Regulator/Lifter on an E39 M5

A step-by-step guide on how to replace the front window regulator on an E39 M5.
The procedure should be similar for all E39 5-Series vehicles.

[@islamismydeenforever]

Great video. A window of opportunity for all DIY enthusiasts!

[@francispowell1811]

That will have been lost on this crowd.

[@AmjadKhan-vb9do]

Wow! This video may open doors to many a DIY car buff 💪

[@brymck]

just finished this and this video was SUPER HELPFUL! one big tip i found on a forum - my window would not go up all the way, kept catching and stopping 2/3 of the way up - alignment wasn't great but it wasn't the window in the clips, it turns out it was the bottom mount of the regulator. Suggestion from the forum post was to loosen all 5 bolts that secure the regulator (3 torx on top, 2 10mm on bottom) and re-mount the window in the clips - this allowed one of the bottom posts to slide a bit better into position and no issues after that! re-tightened the bottom two, couldn't get the top three because window was in the way but i'm not super concerned, only half a turn out of snug.

[@mmca2]

let me elaborate a bit more: tighten the upper 2 corner bolts but leave the middle one loose. Same for the bottom 2 and the middle one, with the plank. drop the window to the bottom. tighten bottom 2 and the middle. bring up the window all the way to the top. you should now have access to the middle top bolt and tighten it up.

[@snakegriffin4928]

I’m having the exact same problem as you. Window rolled only 2/3 of the way up and got jammed. Thanks for all the suggestions👍

[@dmclaren]

Just did my driver's side after watching your excellent tutorial. Thanks!

[@bbianhci6764]

Thanks a million. Your video helped me a great deal. I would have broken a few things if I hadn't looked at your posting. Put an aftermarket part in, so I hope it work well for a few years.

[@nikkabasyuk1]

You the best!!! I replaced my rear right side and its a totally different animal than the front one. This video is the best on youtube for sure!!!

[@Ryukachoo]

a quick note, a regulator from an e38 7-series fits right in where the e39 regulator does, just use the bolts from the e39 regulator since they're a little shorter. you can get e38 regulators from junkyards for cheap, like under $100, they always include the motor make sure to get one from a 2000 or 2001 because they used a later-style cable guide which was more durable then, drop $100 on some stainless steel machined pulleys sold by this guy on bimmerforums www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2202261-BMW-Window-Regulator-Metal-Pulley-Retrofit-Kit these pulleys on an e38 regulator makes it basically indestructible, since e38 regulators ONLY fail from shattered pulleys. congrats, for $200 you have an unkillable window regulator

[@lahorite]

Extremely Helpful ! Was able to fix both front window regulators on 540i -

[@Shopaholic-li8ll]

Have previously done the RH side drivers window; and the window has become 'displaced' or the regulator broken (again) so useful refresher to open up and repairs. Thanks for your useful and informative guide. (In Aus - so this is the driver's side which gets all the use.)

[@DaytonCarCare]

with cars with door air bag don't unplug or you'll get a airbag light you'll have to pay to clear. unbolt 3 10mm bolts move the airbag upward and use lower bolt hole to mount on upper thread hole to place out of the way. The door panel can be bundee'd out of the way to the inner headliner handle to hold out of the way. The driver door will have plastic rivets holding window control switches in so this method works without removing it

[@kateschonenke4187]

Great video - THANK YOU!

[@tombelieves]

Excellent job Muhammad! Thank you

[@tiderfish]

Thanks for the help! it worked great!

[@smileasikillu]

NOTE: Plug the motor back in before reinstalling glass.

[@adampa1006]

Thank you for this!

[@gary5325]

Awesome thanks for this DIY

[@mz-khan]

SUPER CRUSADER COMBO BREAKER glad you found it helpful

[@gary5325]

Thanks again, all went well except for myself managing to lose one of the three top bolts in between two sheets of metal. Another time for replacement later oh and I wasn't paying attention and connected the door light wire to the window switch and burned it out lol. With your video both I know how to quickly replace.

[@joannasikora971]

Its help me very mutch! Thx!

[@Jac0nas]

thanks :) you helped me a lot :)

[@SRSLYREEL]

Ditto! Thanks!

[@kostaspatrakoulakis8489]

Hi there thanks for the video, when you removed the glass from the top of the door, I take it you had to unscrew it from the rubber holders of the regulator yes ? & if so if the window won't go down i take it you can still get to these screws ? Many thanks again 😃👍

[@mz-khan]

Kostas Patrakoulakis Yes, it has to be unscrewed. Having done this about 6-7 times now, I don't recall ever facing a problem loosening the clamps on the window guides. Get it down as far as you can to make life easier. Even if it is stuck at the top it is still accessible. Notice my Torx key isn't so deep at 6:36 onwards.

[@seveneightm5]

Awesome video, I am waiting for the part to arrive, as my drivers window doesn't go down. Approximately how much time does it take to do the whole procedure? I am already familiar with removing the door panel and getting to the window regulator, but I've never removed it before. Is it a one man job?

[@mz-khan]

Apostrofix It's definitely a one-man job. If you haven't done it before I'd budget at least an hour to do the job from start to finish if you're going to use this video to guide you through the steps.

[@st8kout961]

This is a good time to mention that people have been killed by that door airbag trying to use a 'slim jim' to unlock the car door. For those who don't know, it's a long slender strip of metal with a notch that slips in between the window and door seal. The idea is to snag the door latch mechanism inside the door panel to unlock the door. Most modern cars now have door airbags so it's no longer the car thief's tool of choice, but there's always going to be some newbie who doesn't know any better and BOOM, the metal rod gets propelled up into the thief's head, killing him instantly.

[@fitnessjunkies-lj2iw]

got damn that was a lot of work. what all tools did you use?

[@mz-khan]

Just basic tools. A ratchet set and screwdriver were the only things needed. A trim removal tool makes things go by a lot easier, but is not essential.

[@meinegeheim2801]

Didn't see you remove cable from motor. How did you install motor without attaching cable which allows window to go up or down??? Did I miss something.

[@mz-khan]

You're not the first one to notice that step was omitted in the final cut :)

[@RAYTHYuen]

Hey man great video, I want to know: I can hear the motor running but the window doesn't go down properly, do I need a new regulator/actuator or new motor?

[@mz-khan]

most likely it's the regulator but you'll have to take it out to be sure. What you're looking for are things like cable shrinkage and/or pulley damage.

[@RAYTHYuen]

+Mohammad Zaid Khan after I removed the five torx screw and removed the motor... do I just plug the cables of the new regulator back in??

[@RAYTHYuen]

+Mohammad Zaid Khan Sorry I wasn't clear... I mean after I remove the 5 torx screws and release the motor, the motor is still attached to the cable, how do I take out the cable?

[@CarlosHernandez-gc6no]

I think the problem with mine might be that one of the red plastics on the motor broke and that's what's making my window only go about a quarter up. those anyone know where I can buy those red plastics

[@tee228]

did your car come stock with the blue leather interior panels or how did you do that? looks sick..

[@mz-khan]

+paperboi714 Yeah, it's stock. Le Mans Blue on Black

[@tee228]

+Mohammad Zaid Khan ok cool. im gonna see if theres a way to dye my leather haha

[@jordanbaisas5959]

+714smurf leathrique.com

[@islamismydeenforever]

Great video. A window of opportunity for all DIY enthusiasts!

[@snakegriffin4928]

Ha. Nice