URGENT electric windows stopped working

[snoops]

today had the drivers window open and now it doesnt operate, passenger and drivers side arent working at all, checked the fuses they're all ok, changed the switches and they're fine, took the cap off the door card so i could turn the window motor with an allen key but the grooves are wrecked so can't do anything there either, anyone have any ideas, don't feel very comfortable as car is outside with drivers side window open full!

[SlipNSlide]

is it just the drivers side? if you cant get the window back up, is there a wall you could use to block the open window at night? obviously use something else to cover the window aswell.

Also, anyone near by with a donor door you could borrow/buy?

[SPADGE]

Not working with door both open and shut?

[snoops]

its both the passenger and drivers side, never used to work with door open anyway even though every other e30 ive had they have, but no doesn't work shut or open.

[eko]

Trip switch in the centre console?

[Brianmoooore]

If they've both quit, then chances are it's an electrical fault before the switches. I take it you've checked the cut out button is in?
Did they work before, either with the ignition on or the doors open, but not with the ignition off and the doors closed.

[Brianmoooore]

Did they work before, either with the ignition on or the doors open, but not with the ignition off and the doors closed.

I see you've answered this while I've been writing!
Check fuses 17 and 28.
If these checks don't produce any results, pull out the cut out switch, pull off its wires, connect one end of a piece of wire to the battery + terminal, and touch the other end to each of the green wires you pulled off the cut out switch in turn. One should make the bulbs in the switches light up.
With the wire from the battery connected to this green wire, try the window switch, but watch out for wires suddenly getting hot, as we don't know what the basic fault is, and you are using an unfused supply.

[snoops]

thanks for the info will give it a try in the morning, the switches never used to light up and the windows never used to operate with doors open, i've tried the switches in other e30s and they light up so must be the wiring in the car

[Brianmoooore]

thanks for the info will give it a try in the morning, the switches never used to light up and the windows never used to operate with doors open, i've tried the switches in other e30s and they light up so must be the wiring in the car

This sounds like it could be the dealer fitted electric windows, which are not good news at all! Very poor compared with the factory fit.