Window problem

[john neuhoff]

i am loving my E34, warts and all. Recently the passenger front window started making a strange noise when it reached the top. Instead of just stopping and making a motor noise until you release the switch, it makes a popping sort of ratcheting noise like it is maxed out and then a gear is slipping. Today it refused to go up, as if it got stuck about 2/3 up. It makes the same gear slipping sort of noise, after about ao minutes of rest it went on up, weakly though as if it was slipping.
Thanks for your help
John
95 530ia, 155K alusil

[ilya]

i had kind of the same problem until eventually the window completely fell off its tracks. what caused it was the lubricant that is on the tracks where the window motor moves has dried out, causing the motor to slip off the plastic holders thus causing the window to fall off.
easy fix, really.
take the door panel apart. get some graphite based lubricant. replace the plastic pieces.
that's all.

[DueyT]

...it may have also stripped a tooth in the regulator's gear. There's a thread here recently on that very topic...Bill R. posted a pic of the gear...