[jsunma]

OK, I see, the glass-opening switch is what you were talking about.

And your problem now is that the wiper shaft won't move?

The wiper motor is in the tailgate, the part you're trying to remove, I believe, is attached to the glass. There are two nuts on the reverse side of the glass (they are covered by plastic covers). You take those out (the screws are affixed to the glass) and the assembly will come off of the glass. You will then need to free up the shaft by working it out of the so-called "pivot assembly" and then reconditioning what the shaft goes through. This happens on my car every other year or so due to corrosion building up in the pivot assembly. I fix it, lube it up, and it's good to go for another year or so.

You can buy a whole new pivot assembly, and depending on how much grinding and wrenching you've done on yours...it looks pretty chewed up...you may have to do that. The part number is 61627209167 and it's expensive (around $100 US). I'd look for one at a salvage yard...you're in the land of E91s, so maybe you'd have luck finding one (there aren't many E91s in salvage yards here). Just be aware that a used one will probably be corroded like yours.

(sorry, we seem to be cross-posting here. Bottom line, you need to remove the pivot assembly from the glass. I don't think you're going to have any luck pressing out the shaft while the assembly is still affixed to the glass. A hammer? Really??? Yikes.)

[ruimpinho]

Originally Posted by jsunma

OK, I see, the glass-opening switch is what you were talking about.

And your problem now is that the wiper shaft won't move?

The wiper motor is in the tailgate, the part you're trying to remove, I believe, is attached to the glass. There are two nuts on the reverse side of the glass (they are covered by plastic covers). You take those out and the assembly will come out. You will then need to free up the shaft by working it out of the so-called "pivot assembly" and then reconditioning what the shaft goes through. This happens on my car every other year or so due to corrosion building up in the pivot assembly. I fix it, lube it up, and it's good to go for another year or so.

You can buy a whole new pivot assembly, and depending on how much grinding and wrenching you've done on yours...it looks pretty chewed up...you may have to do that. The part number is 61627209167 and it's expensive (around $100 US). I'd look for one at a salvage yard...you're in the land of E91s, so maybe you'd have luck finding one (there aren't many E91s in salvage yards here). Just be aware that a used one will probably be corroded like yours.

Thanks. Yep, that's the wiper shaft I need to get out. Issue is the cylinder that holds the wiper is too large. I've never seen one like this. Has anyone? If I can't get this one off, then I need a whole new rear window.

Also, I triple checked, all the screws are out obviously. It's just very weird!

[jsunma]

I don't get it. It looks in your picture that there's clearance around what you're calling the cylinder and the glass. Assuming you have removed all of the nuts on the assembly (from the interior side of the glass), that assembly should come right out. I can't see what it's hung up on. Maybe a picture of the assembly on the inside of the glass will help figure out what you haven't removed yet?

[ruimpinho]

Originally Posted by jsunma

I don't get it. It looks in your picture that there's clearance around what you're calling the cylinder and the glass. Assuming you have removed all of the nuts on the assembly (from the interior side of the glass), that assembly should come right out. I can't see what it's hung up on. Maybe a picture of the assembly on the inside of the glass will help figure out what you haven't removed yet?

Here's the part that doesn't go through. Every other Wiper Shaft I see on the internet does not have that larger section below. It's just the above diameter all across. Look here:




Keep in mind the window is has a tighter inside cutout than what it looks.




That's very weird indeed!

[ruimpinho]

I also carefully sliced a knife underneath the wiper shaft to make sure it wasn't superglued or anything. Currently, I don't have a picture of the underside, but I will try tomorrow once I get better lighting. But I removed all 3 screws (2 for the plastic bit, 1 for the wiper shaft), so there is no issue there. The wiper shaft is loose, but because of that larger section described above, it doesn't slide out.

[jsunma]

Yeah, short of going into the garage to take mine apart right now (and it's been a couple of years since I had to disassemble mine), I can't confirm that mine looks different. But I guess I have to say that your car must be different. The Bentley Manual doesn't seem to show any extra parts on the "cylinder". Rather, it shows an assembly just like what I remember my car having. Once I take off the wiper arm, the nut that holds down the switch, and maybe a gasket, and then remove the nuts INSIDE the car that hold the assembly to the glass, the thing just drops right out of the hole in the glass.

I will say that it looks like that part you've circled might possibly be designed to come off. But I assume you've tried that.

All I can suggest now is that you go to something like RealOEM - https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select - and look to see if they have a part picture for your car. That might help figure out why you seem to have something that neither the Bentley Manual or my US-spec 2008 pre LCI E91 has.

Regardless, the only way I can see getting out the pivot assembly on your car is to removed that knurled nut (the "extra" piece). You've tried blasting the thing with PB Blaster and then using vise grips on it (while holding on to the assembly from the inside)? Make sure you have the assembly disconnected from the glass before you do that though as torquing that thing just from the nut (with the vise grips) will almost certainly break the glass if it's still attached to the glass. I'd also suggest light heat, but probably not that close to the glass.

[ruimpinho]

Originally Posted by jsunma

Yeah, short of going into the garage to take mine apart right now (and it's been a couple of years since I had to disassemble mine), I can't confirm that mine looks different. But I guess I have to say that your car must be different. The Bentley Manual doesn't seem to show any extra parts on the "cylinder". Rather, it shows an assembly just like what I remember my car having. Once I take off the wiper arm, the nut that holds down the switch, and maybe a gasket, and then remove the nuts INSIDE the car that hold the assembly to the glass, the thing just drops right out of the hole in the glass.

I will say that it looks like that part you've circled might possibly be designed to come off. But I assume you've tried that.

All I can suggest now is that you go to something like RealOEM - https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select - and look to see if they have a part picture for your car. That might help figure out why you seem to have something that neither the Bentley Manual or my US-spec 2008 pre LCI E91 has.

Regardless, the only way I can see getting out the pivot assembly on your car is to removed that knurled nut (the "extra" piece). You've tried blasting the thing with PB Blaster and then using vise grips on it (while holding on to the assembly from the inside)? Make sure you have the assembly disconnected from the glass before you do that though as torquing that thing just from the nut (with the vise grips) will almost certainly break the glass if it's still attached to the glass. I'd also suggest light heat, but probably not that close to the glass.

Thank you very much for all the support. Yes, I have tried unsuccessfully to remove it. It looks like a previous owner for some reason hammered that ring around the wiper shaft. But why would anyone do that?

[ruimpinho]

I just noticed my previous tailgate switch also has a larger opening than the replacement one. So this is a very awkward situation. How am I supposed to remove the older wiper shaft without breaking the window or melting the metal?

There has to be a solution!

[jsunma]

Originally Posted by ruimpinho

Thank you very much for all the support. Yes, I have tried unsuccessfully to remove it. It looks like a previous owner for some reason hammered that ring around the wiper shaft. But why would anyone do that?

Well, that's why I have suggested RealOEM, because I doubt that this is just some kind of home-grown solution by the previous owner. It would be useful to know what BMW thinks the car left the factory with.

Also, I don't think that hammering has anything to do with this. How that nut/ring/collar looks indicates to me that it's supposed to be removable. In your case, probably it's just corroded on so thoroughly that it's seized.

And in the end, if you can't get the nut removed, you may have to buy new glass and new pivot mechanism. You might also take the thing to a shop that could possibly be more proficient at removing the seized nut But be prepared that they may break the glass and then you'd still need to buy new glass and the mechanism.

Or, just live without opening rear glass. Your choice.

Good luck! Let us know what you end up doing/finding.

[ruimpinho]

Update! After being super patient and hammering, grinding down the shaft, trying to scrape/wear down the cylinder, more gentle hammering, I was finally able to get the shaft out! Progress!

Now waiting for the new shaft to arrive. Using some duct tape and leaving the E91 in the garage until then.

Ps: just like in many tutorials, I accidentally broke the shaft into two pieces, which is no big deal since I am buying a new one anyway. I can still screw the latch so that it stays closed!

[ruimpinho]

By the way, I ordered the new shaft because this original one not only isn't compatible with the new tailgate window switch, but also it is completely stuck. It's just easier for me to do a full replacement.

The motor below the shaft (inside the trunk) is still working perfectly! I gave it a try by simulating a closed latch (push the lock with a screwdriver) and turning the rear wiper and washer on.

[jsunma]

Well, congrats! :-)

So it's super clear from your latest pictures that that thing you're calling the "collar" is threaded onto the shaft and is supposed to unscrew.

Just for laughs, now that you've removed the mechanism and are going to replace it, how about locking that thing down in a vise and attempting to unscrew the "collar" with a pair of vise grips? See if it moves at all, and if it does, which direction does it go? It may be reverse threaded.

Most likely though, it's standard threaded but the previous owner cross-threaded it and that's why it's stuck. Looks to me like it may be aluminum and that would make cross-threading rather easy. If they cross-threaded it and then just wrenched it down tight, that would be why it's stuck.

I can say for sure though that my car does not have that collar thing threaded onto the shaft. Rather, I have what you've now ordered. I wonder if someone out there is making non-OEM rear wiper mechanisms, or maybe it's a euro market thing. Hope the OEM part works for you.

[ruimpinho]

Originally Posted by jsunma

Well, congrats! :-)

So it's super clear from your latest pictures that that thing you're calling the "collar" is threaded onto the shaft and is supposed to unscrew.

Just for laughs, now that you've removed the mechanism and are going to replace it, how about locking that thing down in a vise and attempting to unscrew the "collar" with a pair of vise grips? See if it moves at all, and if it does, which direction does it go? It may be reverse threaded.

Most likely though, it's standard threaded but the previous owner cross-threaded it and that's why it's stuck. Looks to me like it may be aluminum and that would make cross-threading rather easy. If they cross-threaded it and then just wrenched it down tight, that would be why it's stuck.

I can say for sure though that my car does not have that collar thing threaded onto the shaft. Rather, I have what you've now ordered. I wonder if someone out there is making non-OEM rear wiper mechanisms, or maybe it's a euro market thing. Hope the OEM part works for you.

I tried as hard as I could. No way, the thing is completely stuck! I just threw it away, hope to never see it again
My new wiper shaft and microswitch are now installed. It was very easy to get it done! Success!

[juni0r123]

Hi there, i've got problems which are either the wiring or the diversity on my E91, looking at your pictures yours is the same as mine.
All the info I can find shows removing of the spoiler requires removing 5 bungs, but just like yours I can only see 3 as the bodywork covers the others.
So my question is, how did you get the spoiler off to access the diversity module, because I'm stuck as to what to do.

Thanks
John (juni0r123)

[juni0r123]

Solved it, me being a numptie I'm afraid.
3 of the 4 wires in the very right hand cable management tube had broken,
Soldered in an extension to each & everything works just like it would have when it left the factory.

[rustyx]

Originally Posted by ruimpinho

Update! After being super patient and hammering, grinding down the shaft, trying to scrape/wear down the cylinder, more gentle hammering, I was finally able to get the shaft out! Progress!

I faced the same issue today. Basically the metal cylinder from the button assembly gets fused to the shaft. It's a design flaw in my opinion since the parts are from aluminum and it corrodes and fuses easily.

What I did was I took out the shaft and then used the Dremel tool to cut it off from the other side. It's aluminum so it cuts easily. Took about 1/2 hour.

The best to use is the Dremel ez speedclic metal and not cut through, instead making a deep cut and breaking it off piece by piece, so as to avoid damading the parts underneath.





Voila motherf...r!



Also the button didn't work for me, so I had to unlock it via software. For some reason neither INPA nor ISTA-D had the option, so I had to go the hardcore way.

Hook up a cable, open Tool32 from EDIABAS/bin folder, load JBBF87.prg and issue command steuern_digital_output with arguments HECKSCHEIBE;ein followed by HECKSCHEIBE;aus

(you can double-click on DigitalOutputNrTexte in the help window to see all possible arguments, in case you're interested)