The problem is now your window is down under, you need to get it up above.

Could be:
1. switch
2. motor

I suspect the switch.
Pry the switch out with a small screwdriver.
locate the wires to the up button.
Connect these wires, if window goes up nicely then it is the switch.

Or it is easier to swap a known good switch (such as the right rear switch), then if it works then keep the good switch on the driver's side as you need it the most there.
If you have $ then replace the switch, if not then keep the defective switch where you least likely to need it (for ex. right rear or left rear).

Take care.
cn
1983 735i 5spd 134Kmiles

Fellow 7 lovers:

Couple of days ago I wound down my driver's side (electric) window and for some unexplained reason the mechanism must have jammed up or short-circuited and refused to wind back up. I also noticed the 'up' button for the window was hot.

My question is: Is it easy to remove the door panelling to check on the problem? How do I do that? What would I be looking for?

Or do you reckon I'm better off sending it to a machanic for a proper fix?

Any info much appreciated.

Tom L
1985 735i 199k km
Down Under

The switch - a friend of mine had the same problem with her 1986 Nissan Maxima (pile of junk) - couldn't get the window back up, and it was an intermittant problem - all of a sudden the thing would engage and slowly wind back up. The problem ?? - too many drive-through hamburgers and fries. I took the switch apart and found some coagulated rendition of grease and salt mixture fouling up the connection. You see, these power windows need so much juice, if you don't get exactly 12 volts, they just won't work, heat up the salt and grease a bit if you hold it long enough, but won't drive the motor. As the previous reader mentioned above, dismantle the switch, have a look at it, clean it up, throw in a slab of bacon, maybe exchange it with a rear window switch you rarely use as "cn" suggested. My friend laughed when I told her the same finger she used to eat her fries probably fouled up the switch ! (Her power window is working fine) Good luck . -Ralph.