The BMW 323i sedan is a part of the E46 3-series platform produced from 1999 through 2006. A commonly reported issue with E46 cars are broken or partially functional windows. If your windows are no longer going up or down, you will need to replace your window regulators, which ensure the correct amount of electricity is being received by the window motors to roll the glass up and down.
Park your car on a level surface, turn it off and disconnect the negative terminal on your battery.
Pry the horizontal plastic door trim off the interior door panel using a flathead screwdriver. Insert the flat end into the end of the trim and pry upward, gently pulling the remainder of the trim off with your hand.
Use a T-20 screwdriver to remove the two screws that sit underneath the trim you just removed.
Pry off the plastic caps that sit underneath the armrest portion of the front and rear interior door panels and remove the revealed screws using the T-20 screwdriver.
Pry off the plastic surrounding the door window switch and insert the T-20 screwdriver into the panel to remove the final mounting screw.
Place the flathead screw driver in between the door panel and the metal door frame and pry upward to remove the door panel from the door. Do not let the door panel drop to the ground at this point; hold it steady with your hand after it has been pried off.
Unplug the three electrical plugs that are revealed when looking in between the plastic door panel and door. Once these have been unplugged, you may remove the door panel entirely and set it aside.
Peel off a corner of the vapor barrier, a plastic and rubber compound that lines the metal door, starting from the upper right corner near the door lock. Gently pull it down approximately six inches to reveal the window regulator motor.
Peel off several long strips of packing tape and place them on top of the window frame, firmly applying the draped sides of the tape against the window glass. This will prevent the window glass from falling down when you remove the regulator motor.
Remove the three mounting screws on the window regulator with a T-30 screwdriver from the left-hand side of the motor.
Locate the two red brackets that are near the window regulator. Loosen, but do not remove, the bolts that sit in on top of the red brackets.
Remove the remaining five regulator bolts from the metal door frame using 10-millimeter and 8-millimeter socket wrenches.
Locate the zip tie holding the window regulator wires to the door in the upper left-hand corner of the metal door frame, and cut the zip tie using a razor blade. Be mindful of the electrical wires when you are making the cut.
Pull out the window regulator in pragmatic steps, pulling its two mechanical arms out one at a time.
Place the new window regulator in place and follow the instructions in reverse order to reassemble the window regulator and door panel.
