1988 BMW 3 SERIES icv

10
General
Power steering fluid type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 1
Tyres
Tyre sizes
3-Series, E30
316 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175/70x14
316i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175/70x14, 195/65x14
318i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175/70x14
320i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195/65x14
325i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195/65x14, 200/60x356, 205/55x15
5-Series, E28 (“old-shape”)
518 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175x14
518i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175x14
525i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175x14, 195/70x14
528i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195/70x14
535i and M535i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220/55x390
5-Series, E34 (“new-shape”)
518i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195/65x15
520i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195/65x15, 225/60x15
525i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195/65x15, 205/65x15, 225/65x15
530i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205/65x15, 225/60x15
535i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225/60x15, 240/45x415
Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 1 Specifications
Chapter 10 Suspension and steering systems
Balljoints - check and renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Control arm (3-Series) - inspection, removal and refitting,
and bush renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Control and thrust arms (5-Series) - inspection, removal and
refitting, and bush renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Front anti-roll bar - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Front hub and wheel bearing assembly - removal and refitting . . . . 8
Front strut assembly - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Power steering fluid level check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 1
Power steering pump - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Power steering system - bleeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Rack-and-pinion steering gear (3-Series) - removal and refitting . . . 19
Rear anti-roll bar - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Rear coil springs (3-Series) - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Rear shock absorbers (3-Series) - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . 9
Rear shock absorber/coil spring assembly (5-Series) - removal
and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Rear trailing arms (3-Series) - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Rear trailing arms (5-Series) - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Rear wheel bearings - renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Steering and suspension check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 1
Steering box (5-Series) - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Steering gear boots (3-Series) - renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Steering linkage (5-Series) - inspection, removal and
refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Steering system - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Steering wheel - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Strut or shock absorber/coil spring - renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Suspension and steering checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 1
Track rod ends - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Tyre and tyre pressure checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 1
Tyre rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . See Chapter 1
Wheel alignment - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Wheels and tyres - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
10•1
Easy,suitable for
novice with little
experienceFairly easy,suitable
for beginner with
some experienceFairly difficult,
suitable for competent
DIY mechanic
Difficult,suitable for
experienced DIY
mechanicVery difficult,
suitable for expert
DIY or professional
Degrees of difficulty
Specifications Contents

11
1 General information
These models feature an all-steel welded
construction, where the floorpan and body
components are welded together and
attached to separate front and rear subframe
assemblies. Certain components are
particularly vulnerable to accident damage,
and can be unbolted and repaired or renewed.
Among these parts are the body mouldings,
bumpers, bonnet, doors, tailgate, and all
glass.
Only general body maintenance procedures
and body panel repair procedures within the
scope of the do-it-yourselfer are included in
this Chapter.
2 Bodywork and underframe-
maintenance
1
The general condition of a vehicle’s
bodywork is the one thing that significantly
affects its value. Maintenance is easy, but
needs to be regular. Neglect, particularly after
minor damage, can lead quickly to further
deterioration and costly repair bills. It is
important also to keep watch on those parts
of the vehicle not immediately visible, for
instance the underside, inside all the wheelarches, and the lower part of the engine
compartment.
The basic maintenance routine for the
bodywork is washing - preferably with a lot of
water, from a hose. This will remove all the
loose solids which may have stuck to the
vehicle. It is important to flush these off in
such a way as to prevent grit from scratching
the finish. The wheel arches and underframe
need washing in the same way, to remove any
accumulated mud, which will retain moisture
and tend to encourage rust. Paradoxically
enough, the best time to clean the underframe
and wheel arches is in wet weather, when the
mud is thoroughly wet and soft. In very wet
weather, the underframe is usually cleaned of
large accumulations automatically, and this is
a good time for inspection.
Periodically, except on vehicles with a wax-
based underbody protective coating, it is a
good idea to have the whole of the
underframe of the vehicle steam-cleaned,
engine compartment included, so that a
thorough inspection can be carried out to see
what minor repairs and renovations are
necessary. Steam-cleaning is available at
many garages, and is necessary for the
removal of the accumulation of oily grime,
which sometimes is allowed to become thick
in certain areas. If steam-cleaning facilities are
not available, there are some excellent grease
solvents available which can be brush-
applied; the dirt can then be simply hosed off.
Note that these methods should not be usedon vehicles with wax-based underbody
protective coating, or the coating will be
removed. Such vehicles should be inspected
annually, preferably just prior to Winter, when
the underbody should be washed down, and
any damage to the wax coating repaired.
Ideally, a completely fresh coat should be
applied. It would also be worth considering
the use of such wax-based protection for
injection into door panels, sills, box sections,
etc, as an additional safeguard against rust
damage, where such protection is not
provided by the vehicle manufacturer.
After washing paintwork, wipe off with a
chamois leather to give an unspotted clear
finish. A coat of clear protective wax polish will
give added protection against chemical
pollutants in the air. If the paintwork sheen has
dulled or oxidised, use a cleaner/polisher
combination to restore the brilliance of the
shine. This requires a little effort, but such
dulling is usually caused because regular
washing has been neglected. Care needs to be
taken with metallic paintwork, as special non-
abrasive cleaner/polisher is required to avoid
damage to the finish. Always check that the
door and ventilator opening drain holes and
pipes are completely clear, so that water can
be drained out. Brightwork should be treated in
the same way as paintwork. Windscreens and
windows can be kept clear of the smeary film
which often appears, by the use of proprietary
glass cleaner. Never use any form of wax or
other body or chromium polish on glass.
Chapter 11 Bodywork and fittings
Bodywork and underframe - maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Bodywork repair - major damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Bodywork repair - minor damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Bonnet - removal, refitting and adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Boot lid/tailgate - removal, refitting and adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Bumpers - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Door - removal, refitting and adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Door trim panel - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Door window glass - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Door window regulator - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Exterior mirror - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Fixed glass - renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Hinges and locks - maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Interior trim - maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Latch, lock cylinder and handles - removal, refitting and
adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Radiator grille - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Seat belt check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Seats - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Steering column shrouds - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Upholstery and carpets - maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
11•1
Easy,suitable for
novice with little
experienceFairly easy,suitable
for beginner with
some experienceFairly difficult,
suitable for competent
DIY mechanic
Difficult,suitable for
experienced DIY
mechanicVery difficult,
suitable for expert
DIY or professional
Degrees of difficulty Contents

12
Chapter 12 Body electrical systems
Bulb renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Central locking system - description and check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Cruise control system - description and check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Direction indicator/hazard warning flasher - check and renewal . . . 5
Electric windows - description and check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Electrical system fault finding - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Fuses - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Headlight housing - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Headlights - adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Headlights - bulb renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Heated rear window - check and repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Ignition switch - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Instrument cluster - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Radio - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Radio aerial - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Relays - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Service Indicator (SI) board - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Steering column switches - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) - general information . . . . . . 18
Windscreen/tailgate wiper motor - removal and refitting . . . . . . . . . 16
Wiring diagrams - general information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
12•1
Easy,suitable for
novice with little
experienceFairly easy,suitable
for beginner with
some experienceFairly difficult,
suitable for competent
DIY mechanic
Difficult,suitable for
experienced DIY
mechanicVery difficult,
suitable for expert
DIY or professional
Degrees of difficulty Contents
1 General information
The chassis electrical system of this vehicle
is of 12-volt, negative earth type. Power for
the lights and all electrical accessories is
supplied by a lead/acid-type battery, which is
charged by the alternator.
This Chapter covers repair and service
procedures for various chassis (non-engine
related) electrical components. For
information regarding the engine electrical
system components (battery, alternator,
distributor and starter motor), see Chapter 5.
Warning: To prevent electrical
short-circuits, fires and injury,
always disconnect the battery
negative terminal before
checking, repairing or renewing electrical
components.
Caution: If the radio in your
vehicle is equipped with an anti-
theft system, make sure you have
the correct activation code
before disconnecting the battery, Refer to
the information on page 0-7 at the front of
this manual before detaching the cable.
Note: If, after connecting the battery, the
wrong language appears on the instrument
panel display, refer to page 0-7 for the
language resetting procedure.
2 Electrical system fault
finding- general information
2
A typical electrical circuit consists of an
electrical component, any switches, relays,
motors, fuses, fusible links or circuit breakers,
etc related to that component, and the wiring
and connectors that link the components to
both the battery and the chassis. To help you
pinpoint an electrical circuit problem, wiring
diagrams are included at the end of this book.
Before tackling any troublesome electrical
circuit, first study the appropriate wiring
diagrams to get a complete understanding of
what makes up that individual circuit.
Troublespots, for instance, can often be
isolated by noting if other components related
to that circuit are routed through the same
fuse and earth connections.
Electrical problems usually stem from
simple causes such as loose or corroded
connectors, a blown fuse, a melted fusible
link, or a bad relay. Inspect all fuses, wires
and connectors in a problem circuit first.
The basic tools needed include a circuit
tester, a high-impedance digital voltmeter, a
continuity tester and a jumper wire with an in-
line circuit breaker for bypassing electrical
components. Before attempting to locate or
define a problem with electrical testinstruments, use the wiring diagrams to
decide where to make the necessary
connections.
Voltage checks
Perform a voltage check first when a circuit
is not functioning properly. Connect one lead
of a circuit tester to either the negative battery
terminal or a known good earth.
Connect the other lead to a connector in
the circuit being tested, preferably nearest to
the battery or fuse. If the bulb of the tester
lights up, voltage is present, which means that
the part of the circuit between the connector
and the battery is problem-free. Continue
checking the rest of the circuit in the same
fashion.
When you reach a point at which no voltage
is present, the problem lies between that point
and the last test point with voltage. Most of
the time, problems can be traced to a loose
connection.Note:Keep in mind that some
circuits receive voltage only when the ignition
key is turned to a certain position.
Electrical fault diagnosis is simple if you
keep in mind that all electrical circuits are
basically electricity running from the battery,
through the wires, switches, relays, fuses and
fusible links to each electrical component
(light bulb, motor, etc) and then to earth, from
where it is passed back to the battery. Any
electrical problem is an interruption in the flow
of electricity to and from the battery.