Brake fluid BMW 540i 2000 E39 Owner's Guide

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Brakes
- Open bleeder screw. Carry out bleeding procedure with
BMW Service Tester until clear, bubble-free fluid flows.
Models with DSC: After BMW Service Tester bleeding rou-
tine has finished, press brake pedal to floor
5 times until
clear, bubble-free fluid runs out. Close right rear bleeder
valve.
Models with ASC: Close right rear bleeder valve.
- Repeat procedure at left rear brakes.
- Repeat BMW Service Tester bleeding at right front brakes.
Models with DSC: After
BMW Service Tester bleeding rou-
tine has finished, press brake pedal to floor
5 times until
clear, bubble-free fluid runs out. Close right front bleeder
valve.
Models with ASC: After BMW Service Tester bleeding rou-
tine has finished, press brake pedal to floor
12 times until
clear, bubble-free fluid runs out. Close right front bleeder
valve.
- Repeat procedure at left front brakes.
- Remove brake bleeding apparatus and disconnect BMW
Service Tester. Top up brake fluid. Check to make sure
brake 1
fluid reservoir cap seal is intact.
Tightening torques Bleeder screws (wrench size)
- 7 rnrn screw
3.5 - 5 Nrn (2.5 - 3.7 ft-lb)
11 rnrn screw 12-16Nrn(9-12ft-lb)

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340-1 2
Brakes Brake pads, checking and replacing
Brake pads can be replaced without disconnecting the brake
fluid hose from the caliper or having to bleed the brakes. The
rotors can be replaced without disassembling wheel hub and
bearing. Always machine or replace rotors in pairs. Replace
pads in sets.
Front and rear brake pad replacement procedures are identical.
WARNING -
* Altllough semi-metallic andmetallic brale friction materials
in brake pads or shoes no longer contain asbestos, they
produce dangerous dust.
Treat all
brale dust as a hazardous material.
Do not create dust by grinding, sanding, or cleaning
brake friction surfaces with compressed air.
CAUTION--
Pressing caliper piston in may cause brake fluid reservoir to
overflow To prevent this, use a clean syringe to first remove
some fluid
from reservoir.
Raise car and remove wheels,
WARNING-
Make sure that the car is firmly supported on jack stands de-
signed for the purpose. Place jack stands beneath structural
chassis points. Do not place jack stands under suspension
parts.
/ 4 To measure brake pad lining thickness, insert BMW special
n 1 tool 34 1 260 at either frontilght wheel or left rear wheel -
Move wheel until notch for brake wear indicator can be
seen through wheel opening.
Insert tip of tool into notch so that the body of tool rests on
brake pad backing plate
(A), and tip touches bralte disc
(B).
Replace pads if thickness is 3.0 mm (0.12 in) or less.
Pry off
bralte calipe~ , anti-rattle spring (arrow).

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4 Remove plastic caps from caliper mounting bolts (arrows).
Use BMW special tool 34 1 080 (7 mm Alien wrench) to re-
move caliper mounting bolts. Remove caliper from pad
carri-
e r.
NOTE-
If there is a ridge on brake rotor edge, press caliper pistons
back into caliper before removing caliper.
- Check brake rotor thickness. Inspect for rust or damage. if
necessary replace or machine brake rotors as described lat-
er. Bralte rotor specifications are given in table below.
Spread bralte pads using BMW special tool
34 1 050 or
equivalent. Remove brake pads.
CA UTIOG
Pressing caliperpistons in may cause brake fluid reservoir to
overflow. To prevent this, use a clean syringe to first remove
some fluid from reservoir.
NOTE-
Inner brake pad lias a spring to locate it in the caliper piston.
4 Carefully pry pad wear sensor from brake pad
- Check caliper dust boots for damage and replace if neces-
sary.
- Clean contact surfaces between caliper and caliper carrier.
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340-1 5
Brakes
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal.
- Clean brake caliper mounting bolts (7 mm Allen). Replace
ones which are not in perfect condition. Do not grease.
Top up brake fluid to MAX marking.
- Before driving car, pump bralte pedal several times so that
brake pads contact brake rotors.
Check that brake fluid level is correct. Top up if necessary.
Hold ignition key for at least
30 seconds in accessory po-
sition without starting engine. This clears any fault codes in
memory and turns off brake pad warning light.
Tightening torques Brake caliper to pad carrier
(7 mm Allen)
Front caliper
30 Nm (22 It-lb)
- Rear caliper 28 Nm (21 It-lb)
Road wheel to hub
120i 10 Nm (89i7 ft-lb)
Brake rotors, removing and installing
- Raise car and remove wheels
WARNING-
Male sure that the car is firmly supported on jack stands de-
signed for the purpose. Place jack stands beneath structural
chassis points. Do not place jack stands under suspension
parts.
Remove brake caliper carrier bolts (arrows). Suspend brake
caliper from chassis using stiff wire.
NOTE-
Hydraulic brake line remains connected.
4 Remove bralte rotor mounting screw (arrow) and remove ro-
tor.
- Inspect rotor for cracks, signs of overheating and scoring.
- Minimum allowable thickness (MIN TH) is stamped on rotor
hub. Measure rotor braking surface with a micrometer at
eight to ten different points and use the smallest measure-
ment. Compare to specifications in table below.
- If rotor does not pass minimum thickness requirements or is
damaged, replace rotor.

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Brakes
Master cylinder, removing and installing
CAUTlOI\C
Brake fluid is highly corrosive and dangerous to the environ-
ment. Dispose of it properly.
4 Remove left side interior ventilation microfilter housing:
Remove upper cover and microfilter locking clip
(A).
- Release locking clamp (B), and rotate air tube in direction
of arrow to remove.
Disconnect wiring harness from hood switch
(C).
Release filter body mounting clamp (D) and remove lower
microfilter housing.
4 Remove side trim panel from left rear of engine compartment
by releasing clips
(arrows).
4 Disconnect bralte fluid level sensor connector (A) from fluid
reservoir. Remove reservoir cap.
. Using a clean syringe, empty bralte fluid reservoir.
Where applicable, disconnect hydraulic clutch system sup-
ply line from fluid reservoir duct
(5). Keep supply line sup-
ported and above clutch master cylinder to prevent air
bubbles from reaching clutch hydraulic system.
Where applicable, disconnect DSC system precharge
pump supply line from fluid reservoir duct
(C). Secure sup-
ply line in vertical position to prevent fluid loss.
Plug open brake fluid lines and ducts to prevent fluid leak-
age or contamination.
- Remove brake fluid reservoir by tilting sideways.

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.- -
Brakes
Disconnect master cylinder brake lines (A)
Plug open brake lines to prevent contamination.
Remove master cylinder mounting nuts
(6) and remove
cylinder.
NOTE-
It may be necessary to remove the brake booster with master
cylinder attached due to limited access.
Bralce master cylin-
dercan then be removed from booster. See Brake booster,
removing and installing later
in this repair group.
- During reinstallation, make sure all nuts, fluid couplings,
thread bores, and mating surfaces are clean.
- Mount master cylinder to bralte booster using new sealing O-
ring and new self-locking nuts.
CAUTIOI\C
* Be sure to align master cylinderpushrod and booster
pushrod.
* Do not over-torque master cylinder mounting nuts. This
could damage the brake booster and prevent proper
vacuum build-up.
Tightening torque Brake master cylinder to brake booster
26 Nm (19 ft-lb)
- Connect bralte fluid lines to master cylinder.
Tightening torque Brake fluid line to master cylinder
18 Nm (13 ft-lb)
- Carefully reinstall fluid reservoir using new sealing grommets.
- Reconnect precharge pump fluid supply hose, if applicable. -
- Reconnect hydraulic clutch fluid supply hose, if applicable.
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal.
Top up with fresh brake fluid.
Bleed entire brake system as described earlier

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Brakes
- Pump brake pedal a few times to reduce vacuum in brake
booster. This makes removal of
check valve easier.
- Remove or loosen hose clamp(s) at check valve.
- Disconnect hoses. Remove valve to test or replace.
NOTE-
If valve is pressed into grommet in vacuum booster, pry it out
carefully.
- Reinstall valve using new hose clamps
NOTE-
Install the valve so that the molded arrow is pointing toward
the intake manifold.
Brake booster, removing and installing
CAUTIO&
All E39 vehicles sold in the USA are equipped with Antiloclc
Braking System (ABS) and either Automatic Stability Control
(ASC) or Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). In order for the
bralchg and stability controls to work properk if brake fluid
lines are disconnected and reconnected,
male sure that the
brake system is bled by an authorized BMW dealer or other
qualified repair facility using the BMW Service Tester: See
Brake Bleeding earlier in this group.
- Disconnect negative (-) cable from battery.
I CAUTION- I
Prior to disconnecting the battery read the battery discon-
nection cautions given in
001 General Cautions and
I Warnings. I
- Remove bralte master cylinder as described earlier.
- Disconnect engine vacuum hose from bralte booster.

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1 Brakes
Pull down panel
If applicable, disconnect electrical harness
rows) from 16-pin OBD-ll plug.
Remove panel from interior. connectors
(ar-
Working
above and in front of pedals, remove locking clip (A)
and slide brake booster pushrod off bralte pedal pin. Remove
brake booster mounting nuts
(6).
Working in engine compartment, carefully separate bralte
booster from engine compartment bulkhead.
CAUTION-
Do not use force on booster when separating from bulkhead.
This can damage booster and pushrod.
Remove booster by tilting out in direction of engine. Lift
booster up and out of engine compartment.
- Installation is reverse of removal, noting the following:
Make sure all nuts, fluid couplings, thread bores and mat-
ing surfaces are clean.
Replace bralte booster self-locking mounting nuts.
Replace sealing O-ring between master cylinder and bralte
booster.
Bleed bralte system as described earlier.
CAUTION--
Do not over-torque tlie master cylinder mounting bolts.
This could damage the
bralce booster and prevent proper
vacuum build-up.
After
30 minutes of use recheclc the torque on bralce
booster mounting nuts.
Tightening torques
Brake master cylinder to brake booster
26 Nm (19 it-lb)
Brake booster to bulkhead 22 Nm (16 it-lb)
(Recheck torque after
30 minutes of use.)
Brake fluid line to master cylinder 18 Nm (13 it-lb)
NOTE-
When replacing the brake booster check valve or vacuum
hose, install the valve so that the molded arrow is pointing to-
ward the
fntalce manifold. Use new hose clamps

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340-23
Brakes
- Using flat-bladed screwdriver, reach into brake drum through
lug bolt hole. Turn brake adjuster until wheel no longer turns.
Back adjuster off
12 notches.
Parking brake adjusting (initial)
Back
off adjuster through wheel
lug bolt hole 12 notches
- Working inside car, set parking brake several times to seat
cable. Then pull parking brake
lever up two notches. Tighten
cable adjusting nuts until it is just possible to turn rear wheels
with slight resistance.
- Release lever and make sure rear wheels turn freely
- Turn on ignition. Pull up parlting brake lever 1 notch and
make sure that parking bralte warning light comes on. if not,
adjust parking bralte warning light contact switch.
- Install parking brake lever boot. Install road wheel lug bolts.
Tightening torque Road
wheel to hub 120 i. 10 Nrn (89 i- 7 ft-lb)
Parking brake shoes, removing and
installing
- Raise rear of car and remove road wheels.
WARNING-
Make sure that the car is firmly supported on jack stands de-
signed for
the purpose. Place jack stands beneath structural
chassis points. Do not place
jaclc stands under suspension
parts.
- Without disconnecting brake fluid hose, remove rear bralte
calipers from trailing arms. Remove rear brake rotors as de-
scribed earlier.
CAUTION-
Do not let the brake caliper assembly hang from the brake
hose. Support caliper from chassis with strong wire.
4 Unhook return sprlngs (arrows) from brake shoes

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Remove snap ring from steering shaft.
- Slide steering angle sensor off steering shaft
< Installation is reverse of removal, noting the following.
Take care to line up loclting pin
(arrow) with mount hole in
sensor.
Perform steering angle offset test using BMW scan tools
DISplus, GT1, or MoDiC. Once calibrated, the sensor
sends a confirmation ID code to the DSC control module
to indicate proper calibration.
DSC precharge pump, removing and
installing
(1 998 models)
1998 V-8 cars with Bosch DSC Ill v. 5.3 are equipped with a
DSC precharge pump mounted in the engine compartment.
There is no separate precharge pump in the Bosch DSC
Ill v.
5.7 system (1999 models and later).
WARNING-
E39 cars require special BMWservice equipment to properly
bleed the brakes. Removal of hydraulic components is not
recommended unless this equipment is available. For safety
reasons, the
brake system on cars with ABS must be bled us-
ing the procedures described in this repair group.
- Using a clean syringe, empty brake fluid reservoir.
CAUTIOI\C
Brake fluid is highly corrosive and dangerous to the environ-
ment. Disoose of it
orooerlv.
Working at precharge pump, disconnect hydraulic lines (A)
and electrical harness connector (6). Clean up dripping fluid.
hydraulic unit. Label all
con-