M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Electrical => Topic started by: gearhead133 on March 07, 2012, 12:13:29 AM

Title: One door power failure
Post by: gearhead133 on March 07, 2012, 12:13:29 AM

hey there,
new to the forum and to my 91 e30. wondering if someone could share some knowledge. i own a 318i and the rear passenger door doesn't seem to be getting power. wont lock with the central locking and the window wont go down. Haven't taken anything apart yet just wondering if someone knows of common problems i might be experiencing or will run into.

thanks for any help

Title: One door power failure
Post by: Geoff on March 07, 2012, 05:08:08 AM

greetings..with all power seeming to have gone on the door only, I would suspect the wiring, where it comes from the body of the car to the door itself.  This wiring can be damaged as years of opening and closing the door might eventually break it, or wear a spot off the insulation and short it out.
                                        good luck,
                                             Geoff

Title: One door power failure
Post by: Gabs on March 16, 2012, 11:23:54 AM

I agree with Geoff on this one, likely wiring has been toyed with or broken from age. Though alternatively, it could be possible the door actuator no longer works, and the window switch is simply dead. My E34 had one seemingly underpowered door, though it turned out the actuator was long ruined by condensation or a leak somewhere, and the window switch was dead. Quick test would be swapping with a neighboring window switch known to work.