Why do my car windows sometimes open on their own?
The most likely reason is that–somehow–pressure is being applied to the key fob, thereby activating the remote window-opening feature. This could happen when the key fob is in a pocket or a purse, but there may be other ways for pressure to be applied–in just the right way–for this feature to be activated on the key fob.
It might also be a problem with the widow regulators. Can you raise the windows after they drop? If so, you might need new regulators/regulator motors. If not, @VDCdriver may be on the right track.
Thanks for the response. What remote window opening feature? There is no such button on my key fob.
Leigh
Look in your manual to see if you have that feature on your remote . There are several ways that is done.
Your BMW should be able to raise and lower its windows with you using the key in the drivers door… Holding the key in the lock or unlock mode will raise and lower the windows usually.
Also…not sure if you are saying your windows go fully down as being the issue here…but many a BMW has a feature that “cracks” the window down about 1/2 and inch whenever you open and close the doors… they do this to clear the weather stripping. This feature may or may not be on your car as well, not sure, but it was a common BMW thing for a long long time. You may be having an issue where the car thinks you opened the door so it drops the window to clear the weather strip…a faulty door switch located inside the door latch can cause this to happen when no one touches the door at all.
Yup!
There is rarely a dedicated button for this function, and usually it involves some sort of ritual involving the other buttons.
yes, make sure you pray to the East, otherwise it won’t work.
On my Honda, you push the unlock button, release, then push it again and hold. Your Bimmer may have this feature. Check your owner’s manual to see for sure.
One never knows…
I bet Muslims in Southeast Asia pray to the west. Praying to the west in Alaska my be closer to Mecca, too.
Thanks to all who helped explain this. I am surprised to find it is a feature. I never thought to look in the manual, since I can’t imagine why I would want to have this feature.
Drive safely!
Whether you would want this feature–or not–the bottom line is that it behooves car owners to read their Owner’s Manual in order to fully understand the vehicle that they spent thousands of dollars to purchase.
At this point, you might want to consider whether your failure to peruse that manual might have caused you to overlook some vital maintenance procedures.
Is this feature the cause of your window opening problem
My aunt had this problem with her 1948 Buick convertible. She came to visit us and the driver’s side window would slowly lower itself when the car was parked. It turned out that the power windows were raised and lowered hydraulically. The seals on the hydraulic cylinder in the left door were leaking. This was in 1958 and I was a new driver. I took her Buick to the dealer and a mechanic put new seals in the hydraulic cylinder which solved the problem. I thought her Buick was sluggish, so I took it out on the highway for a little exercise. My aunt was really pleased with our local dealer. She said they did something that pepped up the engine and didn’t even charge me for that.
I am sure the OP’s BMW doesn’t have hydraulic power windows, but the problem reminded me of that 1948 Buick.
Another idea, sometimes the wires that go to the door from the body (in the hinge area) get chaffed from years of opening and closing the doors, and the insulation wears off and causes intermittent short circuits which could cause the windows to go up and down by themselves.
I second the window regulator. Seems like super long shot accidentally hitting the fob with the right button combination.
If she didn’t wind-up with oil stains on the door panels, she was very lucky. When those old hydraulically-powered windows developed a seal leak, they frequently ruined the fabric on the door panels.
They just don’t make 'em like they used to… Thank God!
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