run flat BMW 318i 1997 E36 Workshop Manual

Please
read
these
warnings
and
cautions

before
proceeding
with
maintenance
and
repair
work
.

WARNING-



"
Friction
materials
(such
as
brake
pads
or
shorts
or
clutchdiscs)
contain
asbestos
fibers
or
other
friction
materials
.
Do
notcreate
"
See
also
Cautionson
page
viü



dustby
grinding,
sanding,
orby
cleaning
with
compressed
air
.

"
Some
repairs
may
be
beyond
your
capability
.
If
you
lack
the



Avoid
breathing
dust
.
Breathing
any
friction
material
dust
can
lead

skills,
tools
and
equipment,
or
a
suitable
workplace
for
any
proce-



to
serious
diseases
and
may
result
in
death
.

duredescribed
in
this
manual,
we
suggestyou
leave
such
repairs



"
Batteries
give
off
explosive
hydrogen
gas
during
charging
.
to
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
service
department
or
other
quali-



Keep
sparks,
lighted
matches
and
open
flame
away
from
the
top
fied
shop
.



of
the
battery
If
hydrogen
gas
escaping
from
the
cap
vents
is

"Do
not
re-use
any
fasteners
that
are
worn
or
deformed
in
normal



ignited,
it
will
ignite
gas
trapped
in
the
cells
and
cause
the
battery

use
.
Many
fasteners
are
designed
to
be
used
only
once
and



to
explode
.

become
unreliable
and
may
fail
when
used
a
second
time
.
This



"
Connect
and
disconnect
battery
cables,
jumper
cablesora
bat-
includes,
but
is
not
limited
to,
nuts,
bolts,
washers,
self-locking
nuts
or
bolts,
circlips
and
cotterpins
.
Always
replace
these
fasteners

with
new
parts
.
"Do
not
quick-charge
the
battery
(for
boost
starting)
for
longer
"
Never
work
under
a
lifted
car
unless
it
is
solidly
supportedon



than
one
minute
.
Wait
at
least
one
minute
before
boosting
the
bat-
stands
designed
for
the
purpose
.
Do
not
support
a
car
on
cinder



tery
a
second
time
.
blocks,
hollow
tiles
or
other
props
that
may
crumble
under
contin-

uous
load
.
Never
work
under
acar
that
is
supported
solely
by
a



"Do
not
allow
battery
charging
voltage
to
exceed
16
.5
volts
.
If
the

jack
.
Never
work
under
thecar
while
the
engine
is
running
.



battery
beginsproducing
gas
or
boiling
violently,
reduce
the
charg-
ing
rate
.
Boosting
a
sulfated
battery
at
a
high
charging
rate
can
"
If
you
are
going
to
work
under
acar
on
the
ground,
make
sure



cause
an
explosion
.
that
the
ground
is
level
.
Block
the
wheels
to
keep
the
carfrom
roll-

ing
.
Disconnect
the
battery
negative
(-)
terminal
(ground
strap)to



"
The
air-conditioning
system
is
filled
with
chemical
refrigerant,

prevent
others
from
starting
thecar
while
youare
under
it
.



which
is
hazardous
.
TheA/C
system
should
be
servicedonly
by

trained
technicians
using
approved
refrigerant
recovery/recycling
"
Never
run
the
engine
unless
the
work
area
is
well
ventilated
.



equipment,
trained
in
related
safetyprecautions,
and
familiar
with
Carbon
monoxide
kills
.



regulations
governing
the
discharging
and
disposal
of
automotive

"
Finger
rings,
bracelets
and
other
jewelry
shouldbe
removed
so



chemical
refrigerants
.

tery
charger
only
with
the
ignition
switched
off,
to
prevent
sparks
.

Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
while
the
engine
is
running
.

that
theycannot
cause
electrical
shorts,
get
caught
in
running



"
Do
not
expose
any
partof
the
A/Csystem
to
high
temperatures
machinery,
or
be
crushed
by
heavy
parts
.



suchas
open
flame
.
Excessiveheat
will
increase
system
pressure

"
Tie
long
hair
behind
your
head
.
Do
not
wear
a
necktie,
a
scarf,



and
may
cause
the
system
to
burst
.

loose
clothing,
or
a
necklace
when
you
work
near
machine
tools
or



"
Some
aerosol
tire
inflators
are
highly
flammable
.
Be
extremely
running
engines
.
If
your
hair,
clothing,
or
jewelry
were
to
get
caught



cautious
when
repairing
a
tire
that
may
havebeen
inflated
using
in
the
machinery,
severe
injury
could
result
.



an
aerosol
tire
inflator
.
Keep
sparks,
open
flame
or
other
sources

"
Do
not
attempt
to
work
onyourcar
if
you
do
not
feel
well
.
You



of
ignition
away
from
the
tire
repair
area
.
Inflate
and
deflate
the
tire

increase
the
danger
of
injury
toyourself
and
others
if
you
are
tired,



at
least
four
times
before
breaking
the
bead
from
therim
.
Com-

upset
or
have
takenmedication
or
any
other
substance
that
may



Pletely
remove
the
tire
from
the
rim
beforeattempting
any
repair
.

keep
you
from
being
fully
alert
.

"
Illuminate
your
work
areaadequately
but
safety
.
Use
a
portable

safety
light
for
working
inside
or
under
thecar
.
Make
surethe
bulb

is
enclosedbya
wire
cage
.
The
hot
filament
of
an
accidentally
bro-

ken
bulb
can
ignite
spilled
fuel
or
oil
.

"
Catch
draining
fuel,
oil,
orbrake
fluid
in
suitable
containers
.
Do

not
use
food
or
beverage
containers
that
mightmislead
someone

into
drínking
from
them
.
Store
flammable
fluids
away
from
fire
haz-

ards
.
Wipe
up
spills
at
once,
but
do
not
store
the
oily
rags,
which

can
ignite
and
burn
spontaneously
.

"
Always
observe
good
workshop
practices
.
Wear
goggles
when

youoperate
machine
tools
or
work
with
battery
acid
.
Gloves
or

other
protectioeclothing
should
be
worn
whenever
thejob
requires

working
with
harmful
substances
.

"
Greases,
lubricants
and
other
automotive
chemicals
contain

toxic
substances,
many
of
which
are
absorbed
directly
through
the

skin
.
Read
the
manufacturer's
instructions
and
warnings
carefully
.

Use
hand
andeye
protection
.
Avoid
direct
skin
contact

"
Cars
covered
by
this
manual
are
equipped
with
a
supplemental

restraint
system
(SRS),
that
automatically
deploys
an
airbag(s)
in

theevent
of
a
frontal
ímpact
.
The
airbag(s)
is
inflated
byan
explo-

sive
device
.
Handled
improperly
or
without
adequate
safeguards,

can
be
accidently
activated
and
cause
serious
injury
.

"
The
ignition
system
produces
high
voltages
that
can
be
fatal
.

Avoid
contact
with
exposed
terminals
and
use
extreme
care
when

working
ona
car
with
the
engine
running
or
the
ígnition
switched
on
.

"
Place
jack
stands
only
at
locations
specified
bymanufacturer
.

The
vehicle
lifting
jacksupplied
with
the
vehicle
is
intended
for
tire

changes
only
.
A
heavy
duty
floor
jack
shouldbe
used
to
lift
vehicle

before
installing
jack
stands
.
See
010
Fundamentals
for
theDo-
.

it-Yourself
Owner
.

"
Battery
acid
(electrolyte)
can
cause
severeburns
.
Flush
contact

area
with
water,
seek
medical
attention
.

"
Aerosolcleaners
and
solvents
may
contain
hazardous
ordeadly
vapors
and
are
highly
flammable
.
Use
only
in
a
wellventilated

area
.
Do
not
use
on
hot
surfaces
(engines,
brakes,
etc
.)
.

"
Disconnect
the
battery
negative
(-)
terminal
(Ground
strap)



"
Do
not
remove
coolant
reservoir
or
radiator
cap
with
theengine

whenever
you
work
on
the
fuel
system
orthe
electrical
system
.
Do



hot
.
Danger
of
bums
and
engine
damage
.

not
smoke
or
work
near
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
.
Keep
an

approved
fire
extinguisher
handy
.



continued
on
next
page
vii

010-2



FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER

HOW
TO
USE
THIS
MANUAL

A
note
contains
helpfulinformation,
tipsthat
will
hefp
in
The
manual
is
divided
into
ninesections
:



doinga
better
job
and
completing
!t
more
easíly
.

0
GENERAL
DATA
AND
MAINTENANCE

1
ENGINE

2
TRANSMISSION

3
SUSPENSION,
STEERING
AND
BRAKES

4
BODY

5
BODY
EQUIPMENT

6
ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM

7
EQUIPMENTANDACCESSORIES

ELECTRICAL
WIRING
DIAGRAMS

0
GENERAL
DATA
AND
MAINTENANCE
coversthe
rec-

ommended
maintenance
schedules
and
service
procedures

needed
to
perform
BMW
scheduled
maintenance
work
.
Also

within
this
section
is
the
010
Fundamentals
for
the
Do-It-

Yourself
Owner
section,
which
contains
basic
instructions,
tips
and
helpful
hints
for
do-it-yourself
maintenance
and
repair
.

The
next
seven
sections
(1
through
7)
are
repair
based
and

are
further
broken
down
into
three
digit
repair
groups
.
Each
ma-

jor
section
begins
with
a
General
repair
group,
e
.g
.
100En-

gine-General
.
These
"00"
(doublezero)
groups
aremostly

descriptive
in
nature,
covering
topics
suchas
theory
of
opera-
tion
and
troubleshooting
.
The
remainder
of
the
repair
groups

contain
the
more
involved
repair
information
.
The
last
major

section
contains
detailed
electrical
wiring
diagram
schematics
.

A
master
listing
of
the
9major
sections
and
the
correspond-
ing
individual
repair
groups
can
befoundon
the
inside
front
cover
.

Each
repair
group
begins
with
a
Table
of
Contents
listing
the

majos
subject
headings
within
the
group
.
Page
numbers

throughout
the
manual
are
organizedaccording
to
the
repair
groupsystem
.
For
example,
youcan
expect
tofind
repair
infor-
mation
on
brakes
(Repair
Group
340)
beginning
on
page
340-
1
.
A
comprehensive
index
can
be
found
at
the
back
of
the
man-

ual
.

Warnings,
Cautions
and
Notes
Throughout
this
manualare
many
passages
with
the
head-
ings
WARNING,
CAUTION,
or
NOTE
.
These
very
important
headings
have
diflerent
meanings
.

WARNING
-

The
text
under
this
heading
warns
of
unsafe
practic-
es
thatare
very
likelyto
cause
ínjury,
eitherby
dírect
threat
to
the
person(s)
pertorming
the
work
or
by
in-
creased
risk
of
accident
or
mechanfcal
fallure
whíle
driving
.

CAUTION-

A
caution
calls
attention
to
important
precautions
to
beobserved
during
the
repair
work
that
will
helo
prevent
accidentally
damaging
the
caror
its
parts
.

GETTING
STARTED

Safety

NOTE-

Please
read
every
WARNING,
CAUTION,
and
NOTE
at
the

front
of
the
manual
and
as
they
appear
in
repair
procedures
.

They
are
very
important
.
Read
them
before
you
begin
any

maintenance
or
repair
job
.

Some
WARNINGs
and
CAUTIONs
are
repeated
wherever

they
apply
.
Read
them
all
.
Do
not
skip
any
.
These
messages
are
important,
even
to
the
owner
who
never
intends
to
workon

thecar
.

GETTING
STARTED

Most
of
the
necessary
maintenance
and
minor
repair
that
an

automobile
will
need
canbe
done
with
ordinary
tools,
evenby

owners
with
little
or
no
experience
in
car
repair
.
Below
is
some

important
information
on
how
to
work
safely,
a
discussion
of

what
tools
will
be
needed
and
how
to
use
them
.

Although
an
automobile
presents
many
hazards,
common

sense
and
good
equipment
can
helo
ensure
safety
.
Many
acci-

dents
happen
because
of
carelessness
.
Pay
attention
and
stick
to
these
few
important
safety
rules
.

WARNING
-

"
Never
run
the
engine
in
the
work
area
unless
it
is
well-ventflated
.
Theexhaustshouldbe
vented
to
the
outside
.
Carbon
monoxide
(CO)
in
theex-
haust
kilts
.

"
Remove
all
neckties,
scarts,
loose
clothing,
or
jewelry
when
working
near
running
engines
or
power
tools
.
Tuck
in
shirts
.
Tie
long
haír
and
se-
cure
it
under
a
cap
.
Severe
injury
can
result
from
these
things
beíngcaught
in
rotating
parts
.

"
Remove
ríngs,
watches,
and
bracelets
.
Asíde
from
the
dangersof
moving
parts,
metallic
jew-
elry
conducts
electricity
and
may
cause
shorts,
sparks,
bums,
or
damage
to
the
electrical
sys-
tem
when
accidentally
contacting
the
battery
or
other
electrical
terminals
.

"
Disconnect
the
battery
negative
()
cable
when-
ever
working
on
ornear
the
fuel
system
or
any-
thlng
that
is
electrically
powered
.
Accidental
electrícal
contact
may
damage
the
electrical
system
or
cause
a
fire
.

Fig
.
16
.
Multimeter
or
Digital
Volt/Ohmmeter
(DVOM)
.

BMW
Special
Tools

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-11

0012223

Some
of
the
more
challenging
repairs
covered
in
this
manual

cal¡
for
the
use
of
BMW
special
tools
.
This,
however,
does
not

automatically
mean
that
thejob
is
too
complicated
or
out
of

reach
of
thenovice
.

Many
of
the
BMW
special
tools
mentioned
in
this
manual
are
simplythe
best
thing
to
use
to
do
thejob
correctly
.
In
these
cas-

es,
the
tool
is
identified
with
a
BMW
part
number
.
See
your
au-

thorized
BMW
dealer
parts
department
for
information
on
how

to
order
special
tools
.

There
are
some
jobs
for
which
expensive
special
tools
are

essential,
and
not
a
cost-effective
purchase
for
one-time
repair

by
the
do-it-yourself
owner
.
This
manual
includes
such
repairs

for
the
benefit
of
these
with
the
necessary
experience
and
ac-

cess
to
tools
.
For
the
do-it-yourselfer,
the
need
for
special
tools

is
noted
in
the
text,
and
whether
or
not
BMW
dealer
service
is

recommended
.

EMERGENCIES

Changing
a
Tire

Stop
thecar
onas
flat
a
surface
as
possible,
in
a
place
where

you
canbe
easily
seen
by
other
drivers
.
Avoid
stopping
just

over
the
crest
of
a
hill
.
Turnon
the
emergency
flashers,
and
set

out
(lares
or
emergency
markers
well
behindthecar
.
Chock
the

wheel
(wheel
chock
located
in
trunk)
diagonally
opposite
to
the
one
being
changed
.
Passengers
shouldgetout
of
thecar
and

stand
well
away
from
the
road
.
Remove
the
spare
tire
from
the
spare
tire
storage
tray,
as
described
later
.

WARNING
-

If
a
tire
goes
fíat
while
drtving,
pull
well
off
the
road
.
Changing
a
tire
ona
busy
street
or
highway
is
very
dangerous
.
If
necessary,
drive
a
short
distance
on
the
fíat
tire
to
get
to
a
sale
place
.
tt
is
much
better
to
ruin
a
tire
or
rim
than
to
risk
being
hit
.

Take
the
jack
and
tools
from
the
tool
area
beneath
the
trunk

mat
.
Remove
the
spare
tire
from
the
tire
storage
tray
.

Loosen
the
wheel
bolts
while
the
car
is
on
the
ground,
but

leave
them
a
little
snug
.
Placethe
jack
in
the
lifting
point
nearest

the
wheel
beingchanged,
lifting
points
are
shown
in
Fig
.
1
and

Fig
.
2)
.
Use
a
board
to
provide
a
firm
footing
for
the
jack
if
the

ground
is
soft
.
Raise
the
car
only
lar
enough
so
that
the
wheel
is

fully
off
the
ground
and
then
remove
the
wheel
nuts
and
the

wheel
.

Insta¡¡
the
spare
wheel
.
Install
the
wheel
nuts
and
tighten

them
by
hand,
then
lower
the
car
.
With
all
wheelson
the

ground,
fully
tighten
the
nuts
in
a
crisscross
pattern
.
Torque
the

wheel
nuts
when
installing
the
wheel
.
Check
the
inflation
pres-

sure
of
the
spare
tire
.

Tightening
torques

"
Wheel
to
wheel
hub
.....
100
t
10
Nm
(74
t
7
ft-Ib)

Car
Will
Not
Start

If
the
engine
tucos
over
slowly
or
not
at
all,
especially
on
cold

mornings,
the
battery
may
not
be
sufficiently
charged
.
Jump-

starting
the
battery
from
another
car
may
help
.

WARNING
-

On
carswith
manual
transmisston,
push
starting
(or

tow
starting)
acar
ts
not
recommended
by
BMW
.

NOTE-

Be
sure
to
read
the
cautions
underJump
Starting
Car
prior
boosting
a
low
battery
.
Fatlure
to
followthe
cau-

tions
may
result
in
damage
to
the
electronic
compo-
nents
in
the
car
.

If
the
engine
is
turning
over
at
normal
speed
with
the
starter

motor,
the
battery
and
starter
are
fine
.
Check
to
make
sure
that

there
is
fuel
in
the
tank
.
Do
not
rely
on
the
fuel
gauge,
it
may
be

faulty
.
Instead,
remove
the
gas
filler
cap
and
rock
thecar
.
If

there
is
gas
in
the
tank,
you
should
hear
a
sloshing
sound
at
the

filler
neck
.
lf
there
is
plenty
offuel
in
the
tank,
see100
Engine-

General
for
in-depth
diagnostics
and
troubleshootingproce-

dures
.

EMERGENCIES

If
steam
is
coming
from
the
engine
compartment
thenthere
is



With
the
engine
and
ignition
off,
check
for
loose
or
corroded
most
likely
a
burst
coolant
hose
or
a
large
leak
in
the
cooling



battery
cables
or
wires
at
the
battery
or
thealtemator
.
Discon-
system
.
To
find
the
leak,
look
for
signs
of
coolant
leakage
on



necting,
cleaning,
and
reinstalling
corroded
wires
and
connec-
hoses,
at
hose
connections,
or
on
the
radiator
.
Let
theengine



tors
may
solve
the
problem
.
Also
check
drive
belt
tension
as
cool
thoroughly,
then
add
coolant
or
water
to
fill
the
system
and



described
in
020
Maintenance
Program
.
start
the
engine
.
If
a
great
deal
of
water
or
coolant
flows
out
of
the
hole,
then
thecarshouldnot
be
driven
until
repairs
are
made
.
lf
there
is
slight
seepage,
then
it
may
be
possible
to
drive



TOWi
ng

a
short
distance,
adding
coolant
as
needed
.
The
cars
covered
by
this
manual
should
be
towed
witha
tow
truck
using
wheel
lift
or
flat
bed
equipment
.
Do
not
tow
thecar
on
all
four
wheels
except
for
very
short
distances
to
move
it
to
a
safe
place
.
If
thered
engine
oil
pressure
warning
light
illuminates,
imme-
diately
stop
thecar
and
turn
off
the
engine
.
Have
the
vehicle



A
towing
eye
is
provided
in
the
luggage
compartment
tool
kit
.
flat-bedded
or
towed
to
an
authorized
service
center
and
have



The
towing
eye
can
be
screwed
into
the
front
or
rear
bumper
.
the
engine
oil
pressure
checked
.



See
Fig
.
18
and
Fig
.
19
.

Low
Oil
Pressure

NOTE-

Detafed
information
on
checking
the
oil
pressure
is
covered
ín
119
Lubrication
System
.

Brake
Fluid
Leve¡

The
brake
fluid
leve¡
warning
light
may
bean
indicator
of
brake
fluid
loss
.
Problems
with
the
brakesystem
should
be
checked
and
repaired
immediately
.
See
340Brakes
for
more

information
.

Check
Engine
Warning
Light

Dim
Lights

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THE
DO-IT
YOURSELF
OWNER



010-13

If
the
"CHECK
ENGI
NE"
warning
light
comes
on
or
flashes,
it
indicates
that
an
emissions-related
fault
has
occurred
.
Faults
suchas
a
failed
oxygen
sensor
or
a
faultyfuelinjector
can
tum

the
light
on,
causing
the
exhaust
or
evaporative
emissions
to

exceed
a
specified
limit
.
The
engine
can
be
safely
driven
with

the
light
on,
although
the
emission
systems
should
be
checked

assoonas
possible
.
See
100
Engine-General
for
more
infor-

mation
on
the
Check
Engine
Light
and
the
On-board
diagnostic

system
.

Headlights
and
instrument
panel
illuminationthat
are
dim
or

gradually
getting
dimmer
generally
indicate
a
problem
with
the

battery
or
charging
system
.
The
battery
charge
indicator
light

may
come
on
as
the
lights
are
dimming
.
In
either
case,
theen-

gine
and
accessories
are
running
off
of
the
battery
alone,
and

will
soon
discharge
it
altogether
.

If
possible,
do
not
stop
the
engine
unless
you
have
the
capa-

bility
to
jump
start
¡t
.
There
may
not
be
enough
power
in
the

starting
system
torestart
the
engine
.
Instead,turn
off
as
many

electrical
consumers
as
possible
.
This
will
reduce
the
current

drain
and
will
allow
thecar
to
be
driven
farther
before
you
lose

all
battery
power
.

Fig
.
18
.
Pry
open
rear
tow
lúg
access
panel
.

When
towingthecar
from
the
front
with
the
rear
wheelson

the
ground,
a
maximum
distance
of
20
miles
is
acceptable
.
If

thecar
needs
to
be
towed
further,
have
the
rear
wheels
placed
on
dollies
.

CA
UTION-

"
Do
not
tow
with
sling-type
equipment
The
front
spoilers
andbumper
covers
may
sustain
dam-
age
.

"
Towínga
BMW
with
an
automatic
transmission
with
the
rear
wheelson
the
ground
can
resuft
in
transmission
damage
due
to
lackof
lubrication
and
should
be
avoided
.

0013128

EMERGENCIES

AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION



240-1

240
Automatic
Transmission

GENERAL
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
.
240-1



TRANSMISSION
REMOVAL
AND

INSTALLATION
..................
.
.
.
.
.240-4
TRANSMISSION
SERVICE
.
.
.
.
.
.......
.
240-1



Transmission,
removing
and
installing
....
.
.
.240-4

ATF
leve¡,
checking
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..........
240-1

ATF,
draining
and
filling
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..........
240-2



TABLE

a
.
Automatic
Transmission
Gear
Ratios
.......
..
.
.
240-1

GENERAL



TRANSMISSION
SERVICE



lo

Automatic
transmissions
are
identified
by
code
letters



ATF
leve¡,
checking

foundon
a
data
plate
located
on
the
sideof
thetransmission

case,
behind
the
manual
valve
lever
.
See
200Transmis-



The
automatic
transmissions
installed
in
the
E36
models
sion-General
for
application
information
.
Forgear
ratio
spec-



are
normally
filled
with
Dexron
III
automatic
transmission
fluid

ifications,
see
Table
a
.



(ATF),
although
alternative
fluids
have
been
installed
from
the

factory,
depending
on
transmission
type
and
model
year
.

CAUTION-



Some
transmíssions
are
filled
with
a
special
BMW
"lifetime"

ATF
does
not
circulate
unless
the
engine
is
run-



automatic
transmission
fluid,
which
does
not
require
periodic

ning
.
When
towing
an
automafic
transmission
ve-



fluid
changes
.

hicle,
usea
flat-bed
truck
or
ralse
the
rear
wheels
off
the
ground
.



CAUTION-

Mixing
different
types
of
transmission
fluids
will

The
electronic
transmission
control
module
(TCM)
monitors



lead
to
transmission
failure
.

transmissionoperation
for
faults
and
alerts
the
driver
by
illumi-

nating
the
transmission
fault
indicator
on
the
instrument
pan-

el
.
On-board
diagnostic
codes
stored
in
the
TCM
mustbe



NOTE-

downloaded
and
interpreted
by
trained
technicians
using
spe-



The
transmission
lubricant
instafed
can
be
foundona

cial
BMW
diagnostic
equipment
.



type
plate
on
the
side
of
the
transmission
.
In
addition,
a
sticker
may
be
located
on
the
fluid
sump
indicatingthe
typeof
transmission
lubricant
used
.
Ifin
doubt,
con

NOTE-



sult
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
for
altemate
fluid
use

Internal
repairs
to
the
automatic
transmission
require



and
current
information
regardingtransmission
operat-
special
service
equipment
and
knowledge
.
If
it
is
deter-



ing
fluids
.

mined
thatinterna¡
service
is
required,
consult
en
au-

thorízedBMWdealerabouta
factoryreconditioned
unit



The
transmission
is
not
equipped
with
a
dipstick
.
Checking
or
a
transmission
rebuild
.



the
ATF
leve¡
requires
measuring
and
maintaining
a
specified

ATF
temperature
during
the
checking
procedure
.
The
check-

ing
temperature
is
not
fully
warm
orcold
(the
ATF
sump

should
be
approximately
warm
to
the
touch)
.

Table
a
.
Automatic
Transmission
Gear
Ratios

Transmission



MS
310R
(THM-R1)



MS
310R
(THM-Rl)



MS
310Z(5HP
18)



I



MS
270R
(THM-R1)
(1992-1993)(1993-on)

Gear
ratios
:
1st



2
.40



2
.86



3
.67



2
.86

2nd



1
.47



1
.62



2
.00



1
.62
3rd



1
.00



1
.00



1.41



1
.00
4th



0
.72



0
.72



1
.00



0
.72
5th



-



-



0
.74



-
Reverse



2
.00



2
.00



4
.10



2
.00

TRANSMISSIONSERVICE

320-
6



STEERING
AND
WHEEL
ALIGNMENT

Front
Toe-in
andToe
Difference
Angle



Wheel
Alignment
Specifications

Toe-in
is
the
difference
in
the
distance
between
the
front
of



Alignment
specificationsfor
the
E36
are
listed
in
Table
a

the
front
wheels
and
the
rear
of
the
front
wheels
.
It
is
adjusted



and
Table
b
.
The
specifications
only
apply
under
the
following

by
altering
the
length
of
the
outer
tie
rods
.



conditions
:

Toe-in
adjustments
should
only
be
made
on
alignment
equipment
with
the
car
in
normalloaded
position
as
described

below
under
Wheel
Alignment
Specifications
.

Toe
difference
angledetermines
the
progressively
different

pathstaken
by
the
front
wheelsas
the
car
is
turning
.
It
is
fixed
by
the
steering
gear,
but
depends
on
accurate
setting
of
the
toe-in
.

Rear
Toe-in

There
is
no
provision
for
routinerear
wheel
toe-in
adjust-

ment
.
If
any
alignment
angles
deviate
from
specifications,
carefully
inspect
the
rear
trailing
arms,
rear
suspension
sub-
frame
and
al¡
associated
bushings
and
flexible
mounts
for
wear
or
damage
.
After
replacing
any
parts
that
appear
worn
or
damaged,
re-check
thetoe
measurements
.

WHEEL
ALIGNMENT

Table
a
.
Front
Wheel
Alignment
Specifications

"
Correct
wheels
and
tires
are
installed,
in
good
condition,
and
are
at
the
correct
inflation
pressures
.

"
Al¡
steering
and
suspension
parts
and
bushings
areun-

damaged
and
show
no
signs
of
abnormal
wear
.

"
Wheel
bearings
are
in
good
condition
.

"
Ride
height
is
in
accordance
with
specifications
.

See
310
Front
Suspension
and330
Rear
suspension
.

"
Car
isin
normal
loaded
position
.

Normal
loaded
position

"
Each
front
seat
.....:.............
68
Kg
(150
lb)

"
Rear
seat
(center)
................
68
Kg
(150
lb)

"
Trunk
.
.
.
..
.......................
21
Kg
(46
lb)

"
Fueltank
.
........................
...
.
..
..
full

3181325
Model



3181325



sport



M3
3
.0
liter



M3
3
.2
liter
suspension

Toe
angle
(total)



0°
18'±8'



0°
18'±8'



0°
10'
±5'



0°
10't5'

Camber

To
1995



-0°
40'±30'



-0°
58'±
30'



-0°55'±30'



-

1995
on



-0°
30'
±30'



-0°
51'±30'



-0°55'±30'



-0°
46'±30'

Caster

10°
wheel
lock



3°
41'±30'



3°
50'±30'



6°
38'±30'



9°
35'±30'

20°
wheel
lock



3°
52'±30'



3°
57'
t30'



6°
52'±30'



7°
50'±30'

Front
Wheel
Displacement



0°
t15'



0°t15'



0°
±15



0°
±15'

Table
b
.
Rear
Wheel
Alignment
Specifications

3181325
Model



3181325



sport



M3
3
.0
liter



M3
3
.2
liter
suspension

Toe
angle
(total)



0°
24't6'



0°
24'±6'



0'30'
.-t6'



0°
30't6'

Camber



-l'
40'
t15'



-2°
0'
t15'



-1
°
45'
t10'



-1'45'±10'

Maximum
allowabledeviation
between
sides



0°
±3'



0°
±3'



0°
t3'



0°
t3'

600-2



ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM-GENERAL

CAUTION
-

"
Always
turn
off
the
engine
and
disconnect
the

negative
()
cable
from
the
batterybefore
remov-

ing
any
electrical
components
.
Disconnecting
the

battery
may
erase
fault
code(s)
stored
in
control

module
memory
.
Check
for
fault
codes
using
spe-
cial
BMW
diagnostic
equipment
.

"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-

tery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of

this
manual
onpage
viii
.

"
Connect
and
disconnect
ignition
system
wires,
multiple
connectors,
and
ignition
test
equipment
leads
only
while
the
ignition
is
off
.

"
Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
with
engine
run-

ning
.

"
Do
not
quick-charge
the
battery
(for
boost
start-
ing)
for
longer
than
one
minute,
and
do
not
ex-
ceed
16
.5
volts
at
the
battery
with
the
boosting
cables
attached
.
Wait
at
feast
one
minute
before
boosting
the
battery
a
second
time
.

"
Do
not
usea
test
famp
that
has
a
normal
incan-

descent
bulb
to
test
circuits
contafning
electronic
components
.
The
high
electrical
consumptionof
these
test
lamps
may
damage
the
components
.

"
Do
not
use
an
analog
meter
.
Use
onfy
a
digital
multimeter
.

"
Many
of
the
solid-state
modules
are
static
sensi-
tive
.
Static
discharge
will
permanently
damage
them
.
Always
handle
the
modules
using
proper
static
prevention
equipment
and
techniques
.

"
To
avoid
damaging
harness
connectors
or
relay
panel
sockets,
use
jumper
wires
with
flat-blade
connectors
that
are
the
same
size
as
the
connec-
tor
or
relay
terminals
.

"
Always
switch
a
digital
multimeter
to
the
appropri-
ate
function
and
range
before
making
test
con-
nections
.

"
Do
not
tryto
start
the
engine
of
a
carwhich
has
been
heated
above176°F
(80°C),
(for
example,
in
a
paint
dryingbooth)
.
Allow
it
to
cool
to
normal
temperature
.

"
Disconnect
the
battery
before
dolng
any
electric
welding
on
the
car
.

"
Do
not
wash
the
engine
while
it
is
runnfng,
or
any-
time
the
ignition
is
switched
on
.

WIRING
DIAGRAMS

Electrical
Test
Equipment

Many
of
the
electrical
tests
described
in
this
manual
call
for

measuring
voltage,
currentorresistanceusing
a
digital
multi-

meter
(DMM)
.
Digital
meters
are
preferred
for
precise
mea-

surements
and
for
electronics
work
because
they
are
generally
more
accuratethan
analog
meters
.
The
numerical

display
is
alsoless
likely
to
be
misread,
since
there
is
no
nee-

dle
position
to
be
misinterpreted
by
reading
at
an
angle
.

An
LED
test
light
is
a
safe,
inexpensive
tool
that
can
be
used

to
perform
many
simple
electrical
tests
that
would
otherwise

require
a
digital
multimeter
.
The
LED
indicates
when
voltage

is
present
between
anytwo
test-points
in
a
circuit
.

CA
UTION-

"
Choose
test
equipment
carefully
.
Use
a
digital

multimeter
with
at
leadt
10
megaohm
input
im-

pedance,or
an
LED
test
light
.
An
analog
meter
(swing-need1e)
ora
test
light
with
a
normal
incan-
descent
bulb
may
draw
enough
current
to
dam-
age
sensitive
electronic
components
.

"
An
ohmmeter
must
not
beused
to
measure
resis-
tance
on
solidstate
components
suchas
controlunits
or
time
delay
relays
.

"
Always
disconnect
the
battery
before
making
re-

sístance
(ohm)
measurements
on
the
circuit
.

WIRING
DIAGRAMS

The
wiring
diagrams
shown
in
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams

have
been
specially
designed
to
enable
quick
and
efficientdi-

agnosis
and
troubleshooting
of
electrical
malfunctions
.

Wiring
Codes
and
Abbreviations

A
lot
of
information
is
included
in
each
wiring
diagram
if
you
know
how
to
read
them
.
Wire
colors
in
the
diagrams
are
ab-

breviated
.
Combined
color
codes
indicate
a
multi-colored
wire
.
For
example
the
code
BLU/RED
indicates
a
Blue
wire

with
a
Red
stripe
.

Many
electrical
components,
connectors,
fuses,
and

ground
locations
are
identified
using
a
unique
number
.
Each

of
there
numbers
corresponds
to
a
particular
part
in
the
circuit
commonly
found
in
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams
.

630-
6



EXTERIOR
LIGHTING

License
plate
light,

removing
and
installing

1
.
With
trunk
lid
raised,
remove
lícense
plate
light
trim
panel
screws
.
See
Fig
.
15
.

0012576
Fig
.
15
.
Remove
screws
(arrows)
and
remove
license
plate
light
trim
panel
.

2
.
Using
a
flat
tipped
screw
driver,
pry
gently
on
right
side
of
license
plate
light
assembly
.
See
Fig
.
16
.

3
.
Lift
license
plate
light
assembly
from
sheetmetal
.
Re-
lease
harness
connector
locking
tabs
and
separate
harness
from
license
plate
light
electrical
connector
.

REAR
LIGHTING

Fig
.
16
.
Insert
screwdriver
(arrow)
.

NOTE
-

Inspect
bulb
contactsprings
for
damageand
corrosión
.
Reptace
socket
assembly
if
necessary
.

4
.
Installatíon
is
reverse
of
removal
.

0012577