Trim BMW 540i 1998 E39 Repair Manual

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WARNING -
E39 cars are fitted with side-impact airbags in the front doors
and optional side impact
airbags in the rear doors. When
servicing doors, always disconnect the negative
(-) battery
terminal. See
721 Airbag System (SRS) for cautions and
procedures relating to the
airbag system.
Door trim panel, removing and installing
Disconnect negative (-) battery cable.
CAUTION--
Prior to disconnecting the battem read the batfew discon-
nection cautions given in
001 General Cautions and warn-
ings.
Q Open door, and remove screw (arrow) located
in air
duct.
< Pry out seat memory switch and disconnect wiring harness.

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411-8
Doors
< Pry off plastic plug (arrow) from door handle trim and remove
screw.
4 Carefully pry out window switch panel and disconnect elec-
trical harness plugs.
< Slide door handle through trim panel

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I
< Unclip door panel from door perimeter using a plastic trim
panel tool. Pry panel retaining clips off one at a time.
- Lift bottom of door trim panel up and away from window trim
to release clips.
- Pull door panel upwards to release center mount clip.
- Disconnect radio speaker wiring harness.
- Remove door trim panel.
< Before installing door trim panel, replace any damaged plas-
tic clips (arrows).
NOTE-
Yellow door trim clips (white arrows) at front are longer than
white door trim clips (blaclc arrows).
4 Checlt if support clip for door bracltet remains on door (ar-
row).
4 If so, remove support clip from door and replace in bracltet on
door trim panel (arrow).
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal. Note the fol-
lowing:
Align metal retainers on window sill with openings on top
of door panel.
Checlc door-lock mechanism and window for ease of
movement.

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411-10
/Doors
Sill trim panels
Using a trim tool, gently pry up door sill trim. Starting at A-pil-
lar, press radius of trim downwards while sliding trim forward
off trim clips. Remove clips from body using pliers. Save for
installation.
Installation is reverse of removal. Replace any damaged
plastic parts or clips.

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41 2-2
Trunk Lid, Tailgate
This repair group covers trunk lid and tailgate removal and in-
stallation. Also included here are replacement proceduresfor
the gas-charged support struts that hold the trunk lid or tail-
gate in the open position.
NO JE -
The body is painted at the factory after assembly. Realign-
ment of body panels may expose unpainted metal. Paint all
exposed metal once the
work is complete.
Trunk lid, removing and installing
4 Raise trunlc lid.
Open tool ltit cover and remove screws attaching tool kit to
trunlc lid (black arrows).
Disconnect tool ltit cover retaining strap from
trunk lid and
remove tool kit.
Remove insulating liner expansion rivets (white arrows).
4 Pry out moulded trim cover (arrow).

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. .- -
Trunk Lid, Tailgate
Rear window gas strut, removing and
installing
- Tailgate and window struts are located in left and right sides
of roof.
- Open rear window.
WARNING-
The tailgate is very heavy and will close without both pressu-
rized lifting struts installed. Properly support tailgate prior to
removal of the lifting struts.
< Remove fasteners (A) from rear window hinge trim cover,
< While pressing detents (A) and (6) pull down (arrow) on trim
panel to remove.
- Close rear window and open tailgate and support.
- Remove weather stripping along rear of roof panel.
< Remove tailgate hinge trim panel fasteners (A).

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.-
l~runk Lid, Tailgate
Starting at top, pull down (arrow) on trim cover. Carefully re-
move wiring harness support clip from trim cover.
NOTE-
Tailgate window trim cover and weather stripping shown in
place.
Insert BMW special tool 51 2
153 into body cavity below
hinge.
WARNING-
Tlie tailgate is ve!y heavy and will close without both pressu-
rized liftinq struts installed. Properly support
tailgafe prior to r
1 removal of the lifting struts.
- Working at hinge end of strut, remove strut retaining clip and
remove strut from mounting pin.
Slide BMW special tool 51 2 152 over strut until end of tool is
aligned with strut pin
(arrow).
Press down on outer end of special tool to release inner
strut mount.
Remove special tool with strut.
When installing strut make sure ball cup is pointing straight
down.
Rema~nder of installation 1s reverse of removal.
Tailgate gas strut, removing and installing
- Open tailgate and support.
Remove tailgate hinge trim panel fasteners
(A).

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Trunk Lid, Tailgate
Starting at top, pull down (arrow) on trim cover. Carefully re-
move wiring harness support clip from trim cover.
Install protective plate
(BMW special tool 51 2 153) between
roof panel and hinges.
WARNING -
The tailgate is very heavy and will close without both pressu-
rized lifting
struts installed. Properly support tailgate prior to
removal of the lifting struts.
Worlting at left side:
Remove gas strut retaining clip and pin (arrow).
4 Insert BMW special tool 51 2 151 over strut.
NOTE-
BMW special tool 51 2 151 must be chamfered in area (A).
Press tool down to release inner end of gas strut.
Push strut forward and toward center of vehicle to remove.
- When installing strut make sure ball cup is pointing straight
down.
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal.
Tailgate, removing and installing
- Remove radio antenna amplifier. See 650 Radio.
- Disconnect outer end of window and tailgate gas struts. See
Rear window gas strut, removing and installing and Tail-
gate gas strut, removing and installing.
WARNING-
The tailgate is very heaq and will close without both pressu-
rized lifling struts installed. Properly support tailgate prior to
removal of the lifling struts.
- Remove trim panel from tailgate.

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Trunk Lid, Tailgate
Rear window and tailgate, alignment
- Alignment procedures involve adjusting tailgate, window, and
spoiler to have equal space between
iefl and right sides and
to be flush with body. Measurement locations and specific di-
mensions are shown.
- If alignment has been disturbed during repair, adjust fit of tail-
gate to body. Then adjust fit of rear window to tailgate.
Clearance of the rear window is adjusted by adding or re-
moving shims between hinge bracket and rear window
(maximum of three shims).
Adjust spoiler gap to body last.
Height of spoiler is set by alignment of the rear tailgate.
Gap of spoiler to body is set by adjusting spoiler attach-
ment fasteners.
- Lateral and vertical alignment of the window and tailgate is
done using hinge bolts. Fine adjustment of the tailgate to the
body is made using rubber stop buffers and latch assembly.
Spoiler gap specification Rear spoiler to roof 4.25
- 5 mm
(0.167 - 0.197 in)
Max. deviation from parallel 0.5
mm (0.019 in)
Tailgate alignment, preliminary work
- Open rear window and tailgate.
< Remove lower sill trim panel fasteners covers (arrows) and
fasteners.
- Remove rear window and tailgate trim panel.
- Checlc left and right side lateral guides and tailgate latch ful-
crums for wear or damage. Replace
if necessary.

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51 0 Exterior Trim. Bumpers
General ........................... .51 0.2 Exterior Trim ...................... 51 0-1 3
Outside Rear View Mirrors
Outside mirror glass. replacing
Outside mirror housing.
removing and installing
......
Outside mirror assemblv .
BMW emblem. removing and installing ... 510-13 .......... .51 0.2
Body side molding. replacing ........... 51 0-13 .......... .51 0.2
Radiator grill. removing and installing .... 51 0-1 4
Headlight housing trim panel.
.......... .51 0.3
removing and installing ............... 510-14 . .
removing and installing ................ .51 0.4
Bumpers ......................... .51 0.5
Front bumper assembly
............... .51 0.6
Front bumper, removing and installing
.... .51 0.7
Front bumper impact absorber. replacing
. .51 0.8
Rear bumper assembly ............... .51 0.9
Rear bumper. removing and installing
... .51 0.10
Rear bumper impact absorber. replacing
. .51 0.1 1
Front bumper height. adjusting
......... .51 0.12