Fixing Driver's Power Window

[Traian]

My window has been stuck in the up pos. for a few days now, and it has done this intermittently for the last few months. It usually starts going again in a while and then stops. When I press the switch, I get a clicking noise from inside the door, that sounds like a relay, dunno what it is... Reading previous threads, everyone with similar symptoms was told to replace the regulator. I am guessing this is the 'regulator' which as far as I understand, is #1 in the following diagram (i'm totally clueless!):
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HE63&mospid=47410&btnr=51_0406&hg=51&fg=10

Here is where I am stuck however: I removed the door panel, however there seems to be a layer of insulation that is glued to the door. It is like a thin padding and I do not see any clips holding it on. I have to remove this to see the motor and regulator below, however Bentley doesn't mention it at all. They just say remove the panel and you're done. Also, being a '95 model, is the regulator riveted? How do I go about drilling it if it is? With a regular cordless drill? Sorry folks, I am not technically gifted.

[Scott C]

My window has been stuck in the up pos. for a few days now, and it has done this intermittently for the last few months. It usually starts going again in a while and then stops. When I press the switch, I get a clicking noise from inside the door, that sounds like a relay, dunno what it is... Reading previous threads, everyone with similar symptoms was told to replace the regulator. I am guessing this is the 'regulator' which as far as I understand, is #1 in the following diagram (i'm totally clueless!):
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HE63&mospid=47410&btnr=51_0406&hg=51&fg=10

Here is where I am stuck however: I removed the door panel, however there seems to be a layer of insulation that is glued to the door. It is like a thin padding and I do not see any clips holding it on. I have to remove this to see the motor and regulator below, however Bentley doesn't mention it at all. They just say remove the panel and you're done. Also, being a '95 model, is the regulator riveted? How do I go about drilling it if it is? With a regular cordless drill? Sorry folks, I am not technically gifted.

Having just finished this miserable job, yes, you do have to remove the vapor barrier.... Remove carefully as you do want to reuse it...

I bought a new regulator from Vines (Ebay) and motor from Patrick at BMA. The motor is actually an assembly that has gears, mine were chewed up. Only replace what you need as I spend many hours adjusting (bending the arms) to make the window follow the track. The new regulator was not quite the same as the old. And yes it was riveted in which further frustrated me.

Be careful putting it all back to gether - there is black plastic piece on the regulator mechanism that must be removed and put on the door panel prior to installation.

Scott

[Traian]

Thanks a lot for the thorough reply! hehe you're gonna hate me for this, but before I read your reply, i looked at that foam insulation and decided I really didn't want to rip it off, so I just tried the slam-the-door-while-pressing-the-window-switch "fix" and lo and behold, my window works again? So my new question is (since I am sure it will stop working again at some point in the future, when I will again attemp this 'fix') - what causes this? Is the motor or regulator on its way out? Or is it just a misalignment? or a broken gear tooth?