Comments on: Ask MF: R50/R53 Window Issues

By: paulgraz

paulgraz — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:28:48 +0000

I had the same symptoms on my wife's 03 MC. It would also trigger the factory alarm. Basically the car thought the doors were opening when in fact they were quite firmly closed.

Solution: replace body control unit. Out of warranty and rather pricey...

By: STIGG

STIGG — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:08:14 +0000

My 2002 “S” had this problem one time during a downpour. Fix: git rid of it and bought a 2004.

By: EmJay

EmJay — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:48:25 +0000

I had a similar issue in a ‘03 R50, the window would stick in different positions only on the drivers side. Always happened after a heavy rain and went away a few days later after it dried out. The dealer was never able to fix it as I had to drive 2 hours to my nearest dealer and it was always working again by the time I got there.

By: Timmee

Timmee — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:08:26 +0000

In terms of squeeky windows – use talcum powder on the door seals where the glass rubs.

By: Timmee

Timmee — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:06:33 +0000

Sounds like a window calibration issue to me. Wind the window up and down a few times to calibrate the control unit. You'll know it's calibrated when the window rolls all the way down.

I had this issue twice on an 04 r53.

By: Chris Lamb

Chris Lamb — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:57:04 +0000

Solution was to add a cover over the BCU to keep it dry from the falling water. Can be retrofiited to earlier cars if wanted, but you need to take off the RHS sill finisher to get to the BCU. Its part no. 9 here :-

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=RE32&mospid=48020&btnr=61_1500&hg=61&fg=25&hl=31

Whilst you are there, dry everyting and then waterproof the connectors with vaseline.

By: GregW

GregW — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:17:55 +0000

Early Minis had water ingress into the body control unit as Owen said in first comment. There was a recall for this subject.

By: halogenrep

halogenrep — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:19:57 +0000

No Way!! According to the folks here, R50/53s are perfect.

By: Liam

Liam — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:24:26 +0000

Thanks for the replies folks. Sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack the original request for info. :embarrassed:

By: heyduard

heyduard — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:17:16 +0000

dr wrote:

You don’t want to use WD-40 on anything that is rubber, or anything that contacts the rubber.

QFT. Visit your dealer and get the door gasket treatment aka gummi pflege (1Z). IIRC, it's under $10. it will last you. Once or twice a year is good enough, esp before winter.

By: dr

dr — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:12:27 +0000

You don’t want to use WD-40 on anything that is rubber, or anything that contacts the rubber. use some 303 and/or wax the contacting surfaces.

By: C4

C4 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:41:42 +0000

Liam, you need to lube the rubber stripping around the opening for both front doors. Get some WD-40 on a towel/rag and then wipe the stuff on the weather stripping. Pay attention to the area where the glass makes contact at the top of the door opening.

You should be good to go. A cheap and easy first attempt. Well worth the try.

As for any Window issues, I have been lagerly spared from them in my 2004 and 2005 R53 S. My 2002 R50 did have an intermittent problem with the windows refusing to go down randomly for no reason. I never got around to troubleshoot the problem as I sold the car earlier this year. The car had 45K miles when I sold it.

By: Liam

Liam — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:02:00 +0000

If anyone can come up with a long term solution to stopping the squeak when I open and close my window I’d love to hear it! :p

By: Owen

Owen — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:18:54 +0000

Way back when, I remember this affecting quite a few MINIs. I believe a control unit lives under one of the A Pillars, and if the A Pillar isn’t sealed completely – if the car has had a windscreen replaced for example – water can get it and affect this control unit, which will then drive the windows mad, and give the locking mechanism touretts.