Removal of powerfold looms

[peelaaa]

Hi,

planning on removing powerfold looms and the powerfold mirrors from a donor car to use on another.

I can find info for the mirrors but not the looms? How are they removed?,

regards

[hogweed]

There's a pair of fine orange wires running across the car behind the dash to take the signal from the switch to the n/s mirror. If you follow these at each end, you'll find where they go.


Through a big rubber gaiter thingy from the car body to the door.


Oh, and there's a pair going to the o/s mirror from the switch - sorry can't remember the colour, but you should recognise them as they're on a separate plug from the main one.



Not an easy job, but maybe you're better at that sort of thing than I


*Been a while since I looked, think one of them's actually orange with a red tracer. But you'll recognise them easily enough.

[trikey]

A lot easier if you remove the front doors, sounds extreme I know, but it works.

Remove the door cards first, far easier with the doors on the car.

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by trikey

A lot easier if you remove the front doors, sounds extreme I know, but it works.

Remove the door cards first, far easier with the doors on the car.

Definitely. They're very heavy though - have something like a big block of wood, or upturned plastic crate, ready to set them on....

[peelaaa]

Don't want to drop doors if possible. I'm at the door looms now. How do I remove the one connecting to the car body? I'm assuming I have to somehow pull back the rubber sleeve and disconnect the plug somehow! After that do I pull it through back into the door?

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by peelaaa

Don't want to drop doors if possible. I'm at the door looms now. How do I remove the one connecting to the car body? I'm assuming I have to somehow pull back the rubber sleeve and disconnect the plug somehow! After that do I pull it through back into the door?

Sorry, this isn't a particularly helpful reply, but although some of the experts here will tell you it’s easy to do it with the doors on (guess it is for them!), I found it completely impossible, which is why I had to take them off.


Up to you of course, but it’s actually really easy – apart from the weight – from memory, you just undo the check strap, pop the two little circlips off (wrap a plastic bag round them before doing this, or they will jump 100 yards away into long grass), and it’s off.


Good luck Meester Bond!

[trikey]

Pull the rubber grommet from the 'A' Pillar, you will then see a BMW connector, pull the slide and the two parts will separate, then remove the loom from the door and as you say, the plug passes through the inside of the door.


It is 100% easier with the doors off though.

[peelaaa]

Just removed the looms this minute. I left doors in place. It's not that easy but once I figured out to remove the blue plastic slide and then push back the black one the body to door connector plugs then come apart.
I noted a 2 pin white/white black lead that goes up around the top of door frame on drivers side only. What's that for?
Next job is to check if new car has the relevant wires going between driver to passenger side. That's just 2 orange wires correct??

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by peelaaa

Just removed the looms this minute. I left doors in place. It's not that easy but once I figured out to remove the blue plastic slide and then push back the black one the body to door connector plugs then come apart.

A hero!

Originally Posted by peelaaa

I noted a 2 pin white/white black lead that goes up around the top of door frame on drivers side only. What's that for?

From memory, it’s for the finger-trap sensor thingy for when you close the window with one touch to the button…

Originally Posted by peelaaa

Next job is to check if new car has the relevant wires going between driver to passenger side. That's just 2 orange wires correct??

Yeah. Think one of them’s actually got a little tracer on it, maybe red, but you’ll hardly notice that.