BMW 540I 2000 E39 Central Body Electronics ZKE Manual
Manufacturer: BMW, Model Year: 2000, Model line: 540i, Model: BMW 540i 2000 E39Pages: 80, PDF Size: 4.14 MB
Page 51 of 80

Interior Lighting
Purpose of the System
The GM controls the interior lighting automatical-
ly  with  the  status  change  of  several  monitored
inputs.  The  lighting  can  also  be  manually  con-
trolled using the interior light switch.
In addition to the various time controls, the inte-
rior lights are also subject to the 16 minute shut
down of the GM (consumer protection).
Principle of Operation
The interior light switch is a push button switch that will carry out the opposite command
of the current status of the lights. (ie: if the interior lights are currently on, pushing the but-
ton will switch the lights off.)
• If the interior lights are switched “ON” by the button with the ignition switched ON, the
interior lights will remain on until they are switched off by the button.
• If the interior lights are switched “ON” when the ignition is switched OFF, the lights will
remain on for 16 minutes (consumer cutout).
• Pressing  the  interior  light  button  for  longer  than  three  seconds  will  switch  the  lights  to
continuous off. This feature is intended for workshop use.
Pressing the button again will
return the lights to the normal operational status.
•    Locking the vehicle from the outside will immediately switch off the interior lights.
The ON/OFF conditions for the interior lights in the automatic mode are as follows:
ON Conditions
• Door Open.
• Switching off ignition after exterior  
lights have been switched off.
• MRS Control Module crash input.
• Unlocking with FZV or pressing FZV
lock button when the vehicle is
already locked (interior search fution).
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
OFF Conditions
• All doors closed with ignition on.
• All doors closed with ignition off after 20  
seconds.
• 20 seconds after switching off ignition with 
lights off.
• 8 seconds after remote control activation.
• 16 minutes with door(s) open.
• When doors are locked. 
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
System Components:   Inputs - Processing - Outputs
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System Components
Door Contacts: As mentioned in the Central Locking Section, the existing door contacts
opened/closed  are  also  an  input  for  the  interior  lighting  function.  The  E53  uses  the  Hall
effect  sensors  for  the  purpose  of  monitoring  door  open/closed  status  (located  directly
behind the rotary latch plate encased in the actuator). The sensor is activated by the rotary
latch plate's position.
•  Door  closed,  the  rotary  latch  plate  is  in  the  latched  position.  Current  flow  through  the
hall sensor is < 5 mA.
•  Door  open,  the  rotary  latch  plate  is  in  the  open  position.  Current  flow  through  the  hall
sensor is > 12 mA.
A change in current flow informs the General module when a door is opened or closed.
Front Seat Interior/Map Light Unit:The overhead front seat interior light unit contains a
single main interior light. The light is controlled by the GM automatically or by momentarily
pressing interior light switch located on the light assembly.
The  switch  provides  a  momentary  ground  signal  that  the  GM  recognizes  as  a  request  to
either turn the light on (if off) or turn the light off (if on). 
If the switch is held for more than 3 seconds, the
GM interprets the continuous ground signal as a
request to turn the interior light circuit off for the
Workshop Mode
. 
The  workshop  mode  is  stored  in  memory  and
will not come back on even if the GM is removed
from  it's  power  supply  and  reconnected.  The
switch  must  be  pressed  to  turn  the  lights  back
on.
There are two reading/map lights also located in the assembly. Each map light is mechan-
ically controlled by depressing the corresponding  on/off switch. The power supply for the
map lights is supplied by the GM through the Consumer Cut Off circuit.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III 
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Rear  Seat  Interior/Reading  Light  Units: In
each C pillar trim panel is an interior/reading light
unit. 
These  units  each  contain  an  interior  light  that  is
controlled  with  the  front  interior  light  and  a
mechanically  switched  reading  light  on  the  con-
sumer cut off circuit.
Front  Footwell  Lights: In  each  front  footwell,
there  is  also  a  courtesy  light.  These  lights  are
only  operated  when  the  GM  provides  power  to
the interior lighting circuit. 
On E38 and E53 the doors also contain courtesy
lights at the lower edge of the door panel (1).
Door  Warning  Lights  (E38): The  additional
“red”  warning  lights  are  installed  in  the  edge  of
the  doors  (2).  These  lights  are  illuminated  when
the doors are opened.
Illuminated  Transmission  Shift  Indicator
(E38): The  E38  uses  a  microprocessor  for  dis-
playing the shifter position in the center console.
The  processor  receives  shift  position  signals
from  a  console  mounted  range  switch.  The
processor  illuminates  the  LED corresponding  to
the position of the range selector.
The  park  position  LED  will  remain  “on”  after  the
ignition  is  switched  off  and  stay  on  until  the  GM
goes into the “sleep” mode. 
Soft Lighting Feature: The GM provides progressive voltage (up to 12v) providing the soft
on feature
to the interior lighting circuit when the interior lights are required. The GM grad-
ually reduces the full 12 volt power supply providing soft off 
when interior light deactivation
is required. 
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
Park
Position
LED 
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Visual Entry Aid (E38/E53)
Purpose of the System
The  E38  (>99  MY)  and  E53  is  equipped  with  the  “Visual  Entry  Aid”  lighting  system  which
enhances operator convenience and safety. All interior door handles are supplemented with
soft glow lighting for ease of locating the interior door handles. When activated, the exteri-
or  door  lighting  illuminates  providing  a  subtle  underglow  for  the  exterior  door  handles  on
the E38 and exterior rear view mirrors on the E53.
• The interior door handle lighting(including later E53) is provided by slim profile LEDs
and controlled directly by the LCM III.
• The exterior  door  handle  lightingis  provided  by  halogen  bulb  light  sources  in  each
door and fiber optic tubing. The light sources are controlled by a Visual Entry Aid Control
Module which activates the lights simultaneously when the GM III activates the vehicle
interior lights. 
System Components
Interior  Door  Handle  Lighting: The  light-
ing  is  provided  by  orange  glow  light  strips
illuminated by LED’s.  
• The light strips are part of the door han-
dle shell and are not replaceable.  
• The LED’s are individually replaceable.
The LED’s are connected to the KL 58g interior panel lighting circuit. KL 58g is an output
pulse  width  modulated  control  signal  from  the  LCM  III.  The  duty  cycle  changes  when  the
LCM III detects a change in the voltage drop at the light dimmer input signal.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
Replacement LED
“Orange Glow”
Light Strip
615200121.eps 
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Exterior  Door  Handle  Lighting: The  Visual
Entry Aid Control Module is located in the elec-
trical carrier forward of the glovebox. 
To control the system, the Visual Entry Aid con-
trol module requires:
• KL 30
• KL 15
• KL 31
• Interior Light control signal (GM Output)
The GM controls the soft on/off feature of the vehicle interior lights by a pulse width mod-
ulated  control  signal.  This  signal  is  also  an  input  to  the  Visual  Entry  Aid  control  module
which requests simultaneously control (soft on/off) each exterior door light source.
Light Source Modules: Mounted in each door
are the light source modules.
The  light  source  modules  are  made  up  of  the
housing,  halogen  bulb  and  reflector.  The  reflec-
tor  holds  the  bulb  and  focus  the  bulbs  light  into
the housing.
The bulbs are are available for individual replace-
ment. 
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
CONTROL MODULE
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Fiber Optic Light Conductor Cable:The fiber optic cables carry the light to their respec-
tive light output modules at each exterior door handle. 
Installation Note:The bending radius of the fiber optic cable should be less than 20mm
when installing.
Light  Output  Modules: The  exterior  door  handle  frames  have  an  additional  mount  to
accept the light output module. 
The light output modules carry the light from the conductor cables to the exterior door han-
dle recess as well as casting a soft exterior light on the outside floor area. 
Principle of Operation
Lights ON:
The exterior visual entry aid lighting is activated “on” when the vehicle interior 
lights are activated “on” automatically by the GM.
Lights OFF:
Immediately after KL 15 recognition (immediate off - no soft off function). Soft 
off after a short delay once all doors are closed.
After a maximum of 20 seconds “on” time, the control module switches exterior visual entry
aid lighting off regardless of interior light status.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
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Seat/Mirror/Steering Column Memory
Purpose of the System
The  front  seats,  outside  rearview  mirrors  and  steering  column  (if  equipped)  positions  are
electrically  adjustable.  The  “customized”  adjustment  positions  can  be  memorized  and
stored for three diferent users and recalled back to the individual positions (with the excep-
tion of the passenger seat - not in memory).
The  basic  features  of  seat/mirror/steering  column  operation,  as  well  as  the  memory  posi-
tions is integrated into the ZKE III system.
• Seat/Steering Column Memory 
Module (PM SM).
• Driver’s Door Switchblock Mod- 
ule (PM FT/SB - early E38 was  
separate).
• Passenger’s Door Module (PM  
BT - E53 combined with window  
switch).
• General Module (GM III).
• 3 Position Memory Switch.
• Seat Switch.
• Steering Column Switch.
• Seat/Steering Column/Mirror 
Motors.
The Seat/Steering Column Memory Module communicates with the DISplus or MoDiC for
diagnosis and Vehicle Memory encoding.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
System Components:                               Inputs - Processing - Outputs
E38/E39 Shown 
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
System Components
- with Principle of Operation
Manual Operation:The manual adjustments of the seat, mirrors and steering column are
carried out with the respective switches as with the previous systems.
The  mirror  adjustment  switch  is  located  in  the  driver’s  switch  block.  The  mirror  operation
input is a digital signal that is processed by each respective module for mirror positioning.
Memory Storage: The parameters for storing memory positions are are as follows:
• With  the  transmission  range
selector  in  “P”  and  the  mirror
change over switched to the left,
switch  the  ignition  on  and  press
the “M” on the memory switch.
• The memory indicator lamp swi- 
tches on for 7 seconds.
• Press one of the three position 
switches (1, 2 or 3) within the 7  
second memory period.
• The current positions of the mir-
rors, seat and steering column 
are stored for recall.
The positions of the mirrors are stored in the respective door
modules based on the position of the feedback potentiome-
ters. The positions of the seat and steering column are stored
in the seat module, based on the ripple count.
Recalling a memory position setting is possible by either
pressing and holding the recall switch (1, 2 or 3) with KL 15
“ON” or tapping the recall button (1, 2 or 3) with:
• The driver’s door open and KL 15 “OFF”.
• KL R ON and KL 15 “OFF”. 
The recall movement can be interrupted at any time by touching any of the adjusting
switches.
E38/E39
E53 
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Mirror
Principle of Operation
The  output  stages  and  memory  storage  of  mirror  positions  is  handled  by  the  respective
door  modules.  The  positioning  of  the  mirrors  is  signaled  from  the  driver’s  door  switch
block/module. The signal passes over the P-Bus to the passenger’s door module. 
The  memory/recall  for  the  driver’s  mirror  comes  directly  into  the  door  module  from  the
memory switch. The operation for the passenger’s side mirror is carried out over the P-Bus
from the driver’s door module to the passenger’s door module. 
The memory positions are stored in each respective module. The memory position is rec-
ognized by the feedback potentiometers located on each mirror motor.
The reverse gear tilt feature for the passenger’s mirror is signaled from the GM, over the P-
bus, when reverse is selected and the mirror switch is set for the driver’s side.
Mirror heating is controlled by each respective door module. The GM receives the outside
temperature from the IKE and passes it to the door modules. The “ON” time for mirror heat-
ing is adjusted based on the outside temperature.
A pulsed heating cycle is used for the mirrors based on the outside temperature.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
Temperature<-10OC  -10 to 0OC 0 to 15OC 15 to 25OC >25OC
ON - duration  100% 75% 50% 25% 5%
E39 Shown