1992 BMW 318i 100

B
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BENTLEY,
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.
I
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s

Do
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unless
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are
familiar
with
basic
automotive
repair
procedures
and
safe
workshop
practices
.
This
manual
illustrates
the
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procedures
required
for
most
service
work
.
It
is
not
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fui¡
and
up-to-dateinformation
from
the
vehicie
manufacturer
or
for
proper
training
asan
automotive
technician
.
Note
that
it
is
not
possible
for
us
to
anticipate
al¡
of
the
ways
or
conditions
under
which
vehicles
may
be
serviced
or
to
provide
cautions
as
to
all
of
the
possible
hazards
that
may
result
.

The
vehicie
manufacturer
will
continue
to
issue
service
information
updates
and
parts
retrofits
after
the
editorial
closing
of
this
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.
Some
of
those
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and
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will
apply
to
procedures
and
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We
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.

We
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the
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the
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in
this
manual
.
Please
note,
however,
that
considering
thevast
quantity
and
the
complexity
of
the
service
information
involved,
we
cannot
warrant
the
accuracy
or
completeness
of
the
information
contained
in
this
manual
.

FORTHESE
REASONS,NEITHERTHEPUBLISHER
NORTHE
AUTHOR
MAKES
ANY
WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS
OR
IMPLIED,THATTHE
INFORMATION
IN
THIS
BOOK
IS
FREE
OF
ERRORS
OR
OMISSIONS,
AND
WE
EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMTHE
IMPLIED
WARRANTIESOF
MERCHANTABILITY
AND
OF
FITNESS
FOR
A
PARTICULAR
PURPOSE,
EVEN
IF
THE
PUBLISHER
OR
AUTHOR
NAVEBEEN
ADVISED
OF
A
PARTICULAR
PURPOSE,
AND
EVEN
IF
A
PARTICULAR
PURPOSE
IS
INDICATED
IN
THE
MANUAL
.
THE
PUBLISHER
AND
AUTHOR
ALSO
DISCLAIM
ALL
LIABILITY
FOR
DIRECT,
INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL
OR
CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES
THAT
RESULT
FROM
ANYUSE
OF
THE
EXAMPLES,
INSTRUCTIONS
OR
OTHER
INFORMATION
IN
THIS
BOOK
.I
N
NO
EVENTSHALL
OUR
LIABILITY
WHETHER
INTORT,
CONTRACT
OR
OTHERWISE
EXCEEDTHECOST
OFTHIS
MANUAL
.

Your
common
sense
and
good
judgment
are
crucial
to
safe
and
successful
service
work
.
Read
procedures
through
before
starting
them
.
Thinkabout
whether
the
condition
of
your
car,
your
leve¡
of
mechanical
skill,
or
your
leve¡
of
reading
comprehension
might
result
in
or
contribute
in
some
way
to
an
occurrence
which
might
cause
you
injury,
damage
your
car,or
result
in
an
unsafe
repair
.
lf
you
have
doubts
for
these
or
other
reasons
about
your
ability
to
perform
safe
repair
workon
your
car,
have
the
work
done
at
an
authorized
BMW
dealeror
other
qualified
shop
.

Part
numbers
listed
inthis
manual
are
for
identification
purposes
only,
not
for
ordering
.
Always
check
with
your
authorized
BMW
dealer
toverifypart
numbers
and
availability
beforebeginning
service
work
that
may
requíre
new
parts
.

Before
attempting
any
work
on
your
BMW,
read
the
wamings
and
cautions
on
pages
vi¡
and
vi¡¡,
andany
waming
or
caution
that
accompanies
a
procedure
in
the
service
manual
.
Review
the
warnings
and
cautions
on
pages
vi¡
and
viü
each
time
you
prepare
to
workon
your
BMW
.

Special
tools
required
to
perform
certain
service
operations
are
identified
in
the
manual
and
are
recommended
for
use
.
Use
of
tools
other
than
those
recommended
inthis
service
manual
may
be
detrimental
to
the
car's
safe
operation
as
well
as
the
safety
of
the
person
servicing
thecar
.

Copies
of
this
manual
may
be
purchased
from
most
automotiveaccessories
and
parts
dealers
specializing
in
BMW
automobiles,
from
selected
booksellers,
or
directly
from
the
publisher
by
mail
.

The
publisher
encourages
comments
from
the
reader
of
this
manual
.
These
communications
havebeen
and
will
be
carefully
considered
in
the
preparation
of
this
and
other
manuals
.
Please
write
to
Robert
Bentley,
Inc
.,
Publishers
at
the
address
listed
on
the
top
of
this
page
.

This
manual
was
published
byRobert
Bentley,
Inc
.,
Publishers
.
BMW
has
not
reviewed
and
does
not
vouch
forthe
accuracy
of
thetechnical
specifications
and
procedures
described
in
this
manual
.

Libraryof
Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication
Data

BMW
3
SeriesService
ManualM3,
318i,
323i,3251,
328i,
Sedan,
Coupe
and
Convertible
:
1992,
1993,
1994,
1995,
1996,1997,
1998
.
p
.
c
m
.
Includes
index
.
ISBN
0-8376-0326-9
1
.
BMW
3
Series
automobile--Maintenance
and
repair--Handbooks,
manuals,
etc
.
I
.
Robert
Bentley,
inc
.
TL215
.13251356
1999
629
.28'
722--cic21



99-17179
CIP
Bentley
Stock
No
.
B398

Editorial
closing
01/99

0302010099
1098765432

The
paper
used
in
this
publication
is
acidfree
and
meets
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requirements
of
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National
Standard
for
Information
Sciences-
Permanence
of
Paper
for
PrintedLibrary
Materials
.
O

©Copyright
1999
Robert
Bentley,
Inc
.

All
rights
reserved
.
All
information
contained
in
this
manual
is
based
onthe
information
available
to
the
publisher
at
the
time
of
editorial
closing
.
The
right
is
reserved
to
make
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at
any
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without
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.
No
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This
includes
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.
All
rights
reserved
underBerne
andPan-American
Copyright
conventions
.
Manufactured
in
the
UnitedStates
of
America

General
Data
and



010
FundamentalsfortheDo-lt-YourselfOwner

Maintenance



020
Maintenance
Program

Engine

Transmission

Suspension,

Steering
and

Brakes

4
Body

100
Engine-General

110



Engine
Removal
and
Installation
113



Cylinder
Head
Removal
and
Installation
116



Cylinder
Head
and
Valvetrain
117



Camshaft
Timing
Chain

119



Lubrication
System

200
Transmission-General
210
Clutch
230
Manual
Transmission

510



Exterior
Trim,
Bumpers



520



Seats

Bo
y
Equipment



512
DoorWTdws



540



nr
t

513



InteriorTrim



541



Convertible
Top

515



Central
Locking
and
Anti-Theft

600



Electrical
System-General



620



Instruments

Electrical
S



stem
610
Electrical
Component
Locations



630
Exterior
Lighting

611



Wipers
and
Washers



640



Heating
and
Air
Conditioning

6



612



Switches
and
Electrical
Accessories



650



Radio

Equipment
and



720
SeatBelts

Accessories



721
Airbag
System
(SRS)

Electrical
Wiring

Diagrams

Foreword
.
...
.
.
.
..................
.
.
.
.....
.
............
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
................
.
.
.
.....
.
......
.
................
.
.
.
.....
v

Warnings
and
Cautions
.....
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
..........
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
......
.
.........
.
.
.
...
.
.
.
......
.
.
.
.
.
............
.
.
.
.
.
.
.vii

Index
..............
.
.
.
.....
.
............
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
........
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.......
.
......
.
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
........
.
.
.
..
back
of
book

300



Suspension,
Steering
and



330



RearSuspension

Brakes-General



331



Final
Drive

310



Front
Suspension



340



Brakes

320



Steering
and
Wheel
Alignment

400
Body-General



411
Doors

410



Fenders,
Engine
Hood



412



Trunk
Lid

120



Ignition
System
121



Battery,Starter,
Alternator
130



Fue¡
Injection
160



Fuel
Tank
and
Fuel
Pump
170



Radiator
and
Cooling
System180



Exhaust
System

240



Automatic
Transmission
250



Gearshift
Linkage

260
Driveshaft

BMW
SERVICE
MANUUAS
BMW
7
Series
Service
Manual
:
1988-1994
7351,735iL,
740i,
740iL,
750iL
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0328-5

BMW
3
Series
Service
Manual
:
1992-1998
M3,
3181,323i,325i,
328i,
Sedan,
Coupe
and
Convertible
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0326-9
Glory
Days
:
When
Horsepowerand
BMW
Z3
Service
Manual
:
1996-1998



Passion
Ruled
Detroit
4-cylinder
and
6-cylinder
models



Jim
Wangers
ISBN
0-8376-0208-4
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0327-7



Alfa
Romeo
Owner's
BibleTM
BMW
3-Series
Service
Manual
:
1984-1990



Pat
Braden
with
foreword
by
Don
Black
3181,
325,325e(es),
325i(is),
and
325i



ISBN
0-8376-0707-9
Convertible
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0325-0



Ford
F-Series
Pickup
Owner's
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0152-5
BMW
5-Series
Service
Manual
:
1989-1995
5251,
530i,535i,
540i
including
Touring
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0319-6

BMW
5-Series
Service
Manual
:
1982-1988
528e,
5331,
535i,
535is
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0318-8

ENTHUSIAST
TITLES
Complete
Roundel
1969-1998
:30
Years
of
the
Magazine
of
the
BMW
Car
Club
of
America
(CD-ROM)
ISBN
0-8376-0322-6

A
French
Kiss
WithDeath
:
Steve
McQueen
and
the
Making
ofLe
Mans
Michael
Keyser
ISBN
0-8376-0234-3

The
Speed
Merchants
:
A
Journey
Through
The
World
of
Motor
Racing,1969-72Michael
Keyser
ISBN
0-8376-0232-7

Mustang
5
.0
Technical
Reference
&
Performance
Handbook
Al
Kirschenbaum
ISBN
0-8376-0210-6

Maximum
Boost
:
Designing,
Testing,
and
Installing
Turbocharger
Systems
Corky
Bell
ISBN
0-8376-0160-6

Volkswagen
Sport
Tuning
for
Street
and
Competition
Per
SchroederISBN
0-8376-0161-4

Sports
Carand
CompetitionDriving
Paul
Frérewithforewordby
PhilHill
ISBN
0-8376-0202-5

Automotive
Books
From
Robert
Bentley

GTI,
Golf,
and
Jetta
Service
Manual
:
1985-
The
Design
and
Tuning
of
Competition



1992
Gasoline,
Diesel,
and
Turbo
Diesel,
EnginesPhilipH
.
Smith,
6th
editionrevised
by



including
16V
Robert
Bentley
David
N
.
Wenner
ISBN
0-8376-0140-1



ISBN
0-8376-0342-0
Going
Faster
:
The
Skip
BarberRacing



Corrado
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
School
Carl
Lopez
ISBN
0-8376-0227-0



1990-1994
Volkswagen
United
States
9M-f,
Ir-
Win
n
on
Alexander
with
foreword



ISBN
0-8376-0387-0

by
Mark
Martín
ISBN
0-8376-0070-7



Passat
Service
Manual
:
1990-1993,

The
Technique
of
Motor
Racing
Piero



including
Wagon
Volkswagen
United
States

Taruf
fi
with
foreword
by
Juan
Manuel
Fangio



ISBN
0-8376-0378-1

ISBN
0-8376-0228-9



Cabriolet
and
SciroccoService
Manual
:
Race
Car
Aerodynamics



1985-1993,
including
16V
Joseph
Katz
ISBN
0-8376-0142-8



RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0362-5

The
Scientific
Design
of
Exhaust
and



VolkswagenFox
Service
Manual
:
1987-
Intake
Systems
Philip
H
.
Smith
and
John
C
.



1993,
including
GL,
GL
Sport
and
Wagon
Morrison
ISBN
0-8376-0309-9



RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0363-3

Volkswagen
Model
Documentation



Rabbit,
Scirocco,
Jetta
Service
Manual
:
Joachim
Kuch
ISBN
0-8376-0078-2



1980-1984
Gasoline
Models,
including

Volkswagen
Beetle
:
Portrait
of
a
Legend



Pickup
Truck,
Convertible,
and
GTI
Robert

Edwin
Baaske
ISBN
0-8376-0162-2
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0183-5

Jeep
Owner's
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0154-1

Eurovan
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:



MANUUAS

Volkswagen
Inspection/Maintenance
(I/M)
Emission
Test
Handbook
:1980-1997
Volkswagen
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0394-3

Rabbit,
Jetta
Service
Manual
:
1977-1984Diesel
Models,
including
Pickup
Truck
and
Turbo
Diesel
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0184-3

Super
Beetle,
Beetle
and
Karmann
Ghia
Official
Service
Manual
Type1
:1970-1979Volkswagen
United
States
ISBN
0-8376-0096-0

Beetle
and
Karmann
Ghia
Official
Service
Manual
Type1
:1966-1969
Volkswagen
United
States
ISBN
0-8376-0416-8
Harley-Davidson
Evolution
V
Twin
Owner's
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0146-0
Audi
100,
A6
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1992-1997,
including
S4,
S6,
quattro
and
Wagon
models
.
Toyota
Truck
&
Land
Cruiser
Owner's



Audi
of
America
.
ISBN
0-8376-0374-9
BibleTM
Moses
Ludel
ISBN
0-8376-0159-2



Audi
80,
90,
Coupe
Quattro
Official

AUDI
SERVICE
MANUUAS

The
Racing
Driver
Denis
Jenkinson



Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1988-1992
ISBN
0-8376-0201-7



including
80
Quattro,
90
Quattro
and
20-valve
models
Audi
of
America
Unbeatable
BMW
:
Eighty
Years
of



FUEL
INJECTION



ISBN
0-8376-0367-6
Engineering
and
Motorsport
Success



Ford
Fuel
Injection
and
Electronic
Engine



Audi
100,
200
Official
Factory
Repair
JeremyWalton
ISBN
0-8376-0206-8



Charles
O
Probst,
SAE



Manua1
:1988-1991
Audi
of
America
Control
:
1788-1993
.
BMW
6
Series
Enthusiast's
CompanionTM



ISBN
0-8376-0301-3



ISBN
0-8376-0372-2
Jeremy
W
.11

ISBN
0-8376-0149-5
Ford
Fuel
Injection
and
Electronic
Engine



Audi
50005
5000CS
Official
Fa
,ctory
BMW
Enthusiast's
CompanionTM
BMW



Control
:
1980-1987
Charles
O
.
Probst,
SAE



Repair
Manual
:
1984-1988
Gasoline,
Car
Club
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0321-8



ISBN
0-8376-0302-1



Turbo,
and
Turbo
Diesel,
including
Wagon

BMW
Notecards
Series
1
Photography
by



Bosch
Fuel
In1ection
and
Engne



and
Quattro
Audi
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-
i
Klaus
Schnitzer
ISBN
0-8376-0211-4



Management
Charles
O
.
Probst,
SAE



0370-6

ISBN
0-8376-0300-5



Audi
5000,
50005
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1977-1983
Gasoline
and
Turbo
VOLKSWAGEN
OFFICIAL
SERVICE



Gasoline,
Diesel
and
Turbo
Diesel
MANUUAS



Audi
of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0352-8

New
Beetle
Service
Manual
:
1998-1999



Audi
40005,
4000CS,
and
Coupe
GT
RobertBentley
ISBN
0-8376-0385-4



Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:
1984-1987including
Quattro
and
Quattro
Turbo
Audi
Jetta,
Golf,
GTI,
Cabrio
Service
Manual
:



of
America
ISBN
0-8376-0373-01993-early
1999,
including
VR6
and
TDI
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0366-8



SAAB
OFFICIALSERVICE

1992-1999
Volkswagen
of
America



Saab
90016
Valve
Official
Service
Manual
:
ISBN
0-8376-0335-8



19851993
RobertBentl



ISBN
0837603129
-ey---

Saab
900
8
Valve
Official
Service
Manual
:
1981-1988
Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0310-2

Passat
Official
Factory
Repair
Manual
:



VOLVO
SERVICE
MANUAL
1995-1997
Volkswagen
of
America



Volve
240
Service
Manual
:
1983-1993
ISBN
0-8376-0380-3



Robert
Bentley
ISBN
0-8376-0285-8

Robert
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Please
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Robert
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.,
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Foreword

This
service
manual
covers
1992
through
1998
BMW
3
Series
models,
and
is
specifically
de-
signed
to
cover
only
those
models
built
for
sale
in
the
United
States
.

BMW,
and
most
accessories
and
parts
sellers
specializing
in
BMWs,
refer
to
the
3
Seriescars

coveredby
this
manual
as
the
E36
model
.
The
code
"E36"
is
BMW's
internal
code
for
the
basic
plat-

form
sharedby
al¡
of
the
cars
coveredby
this
manual
.
Except
for
the
engine
and
a
few
other
compo-

nents,
the
models
coveredby
this
manual
share
many
of
same
components
suchas
suspension

parts,
body
panels,
and
the
interior
pieces
.
When
ordering
parts,
especially
body
parts,
knowing
the

E36
code
may
be
helpful
.

BMW
also
usesan
interna¡
code
for
the
enginesused
in
the
3
Series
models
.
Consult
the
text
in

the
100
Engine-General
repair
group
ofthis
manual
for
a
complete
listing
of
engine
codes
.
Engine
-

code
information
is
primarily
used
internally
by
BMW,
but
may
be
helpful
if
you
haveaccess
to
BMW

technical
information
.

Forthe
BMW
ownerwith
basic
mechanical
skills,
this
manual
gives
detailed
maintenance
and
re-

pair
information
.
In
addition,
the
BMW
owner
who
hasno
intention
of
working
on
his
or
her
own
car

will
findthat
owning
and
reading
this
manual
will
make
it
possibleto
be
better
informed
and
todis-

cuss
repairs
more
intelligently
with
a
professional
technician
.
This
manual
has
been
prepared
from

the
repair
information
that
BMW
provides
to
its
factory-trained
technicians
and
has
been
developed

primarily
with
the
do-it-yourself
BMW
owner
in
mind
.
The
aim
throughout
has
been
clarity
and
un-

derstanding
with
practical
descriptions,
step-by-step
procedures,
and
accurate
specifications
.

The
BMW
owner
intending
to
do
maintenance
and
repair
should
have
a
set
of
tools
including
a
set

of
metric
wrenches
and
sockets,
screwdrivers,
a
torque
wrench,
and
feeler
gauges,
since
these
ba-

sic
tools
will
beused
to
do
the
majority
of
the
maintenance
and
repair
procedures
described
in
this

manual
.
This
manual
includes
detailed
information
onthese
basic
tools
and
other
tips
for
the
begin-

ner
in
the
first
section
of
the
manual,
entitled
010
Fundamentals
for
the
Do-It-Yourself
Owner
.

For
some
of
the
repairs
described
in
this
manual,
BMW
technicians
use
special
tools
.
The
text
will

note
when
a
repair
requires
these
special
tools
and,
where
possible,
will
recommend
practica¡
alter-

natives
.

Please
read
these
warnings
and
cautions

before
proceeding
with
maintenance
and
repair
work
.

CAUTION-

"
See
also
Warnings
onpage
vi¡



"
Beforedoing
any
electrical
welding
on
cars
equipped
with
ABS,
disconnect
the
battery
negative
(-)
terminal
(ground
strap)
and
the
"
If
you
lack
the
skills,
tools
and
equipment,
ora
suitable
work-



ABS
control
unit
connector
.
shop
for
any
procedure
described
in
this
manual,
we
suggest
you
leave
such
repairs
to
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
or
other
qualified



"
On
cars
equipped
with
anti-theft
radios,
make
sureyou
know
the
shop
.



correct
radio
activation
code
before
disconnecting
the
battery
or
removing
the
radio
.
lf
the
wrong
code
is
entered
into
the
radio
"
BMW
is
constantly
improving
its
cars
and
sometimes
these



when
power
is
restored,
that
radio
may
lock
up
and
be
renderedchanges,
both
in
parts
and
specifications,
are
made
applicable
to



inoperable,
even
if
the
correct
code
is
thenentered
.
earlier
models
.
Therefore,
part
numbers
listed
in
this
manual
are
for
reference
only
.
Always
check
with
your
authorized
BMW
dealer



"
Always
make
sure
ignition
is
off
before
disconnecting
battery
.
parts
department
for
the
latest
information
.
"
Label
battery
cablesbefore
disconnecting
.
Onsome
models,
"
Before
starting
a
job,
make
certain
that
you
have
all
the
neces-



battery
cablesarenot
color
coded
.
sary
tools
and
parts
on
hand
.
Read
al¡
the
instructions
thoroughly,
do
not
attempt
shortcuts
.
Use
tools
appropriate
to
the
work
and



"
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault
code(s)
stored
in
con-

use
only
replacement
parts
meeting
BMW
specifications
.
Make-



trol
module
memory
Using
special
BMW
diagnostíc
equipment,
shift
tools,
parts
and
procedures
will
not
make
good
repairs
.



check
forfault
codes
prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery
cables
.If
the
Check
Engine
light
is
illuminated,
see100
Engine-General
for
"
Use
pneumatic
and
electric
tools
only
to
loosenthreaded
parts



On-Board
Diagnostics
(OBD)
fault
code
information
.
lf
any
other
and
fasteners
.
Never
use
these
tools
to
tighten
fasteners,
espe-



system
faults
have
been
detected
(indicated
by
an
ílluminated
cially
on
light
alloy
parts
.
Always
use
a
torque
wrench
to
tighten



warning
light),
see
an
authorized
BMW
dealer
.
fasteners
to
the
tightening
torque
specification
listed
.
"
If
a
normal
or
rapid
charger
is
used
to
charge
battery,
the
battery
"Be
mindful
of
the
environment
and
ecology
.
Before
you
drain
the



mustbe
disconnected
and
removed
fromthe
vehicle
in
order
to
crankcase,
find
outthe
proper
way
to
dispose
of
the
oil
.
Do
not



avoid
damaging
paint
and
upholstery
pour
oil
onto
the
ground,
down
a
drain,
or
into
a
stream,
pond
orlake
.
Dispose
of
in
accordance
withFederal,
State
and
Local
laws
.



"Do
not
quick-chargethe
battery
(for
boost
starting)
for
longer
than
one
minute
.
Wait
at
least
one
minute
before
boosting
the
bat-
e
If
battery
power
is
lost
or
the
battery
has
been
disconnected,
the



tery
a
second
time
.
powerwindows
must
be
re-initialized
.
Both
one
touch
up/down
and
pinch-protection
will
be
inactive
until
windows
are
re-initial-



"
Connect
and
disconnect
a
battery
charger
only
with
the
battery
ized
.
See
512
Door
Windows
.



charger
switched
off
.

"
The
control
module
for
the
anti-lock
brake
system
(ABS)
cannot
withstand
temperatures
from
a
paint-drying
booth
or
aheat
lamp
in
excess
of
203°F
(95°C)
and
should
not
be
subjected
to
temper-
atures
in
excess
of
185°F
(85°C)
for
more
than
twohours
.

"
Sealed
or
"maintenance
free"
batteries
shouldbeslow-charged
only,
at
anamperage
ratethat
is
approximately
10%
of
the
bat-
tery's
ampere-hour
(Ah)
rating
.

"
Do
not
allow
battery
chargingvoltage
to
exceed
16
.5
volts
.
If
the
battery
begins
producing
gas
or
boiling
violently,
reduce
the
charg-
ing
rate
.
Boosting
a
sulfated
battery
at
a
high
charging
rate
can
cause
an
explosion
.

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
.

Non-returnable
Parts

FUNDAMENTALS
FOR
THEDO-ITYOURSELF
OWNER
010-
7

Many
independent
repair
shops
make
a
point
of
using
genu-



Original
body
paneis
and
other
large
components
are
identi-

ine
BMW
parts,
even
though
they
may
at
times
be
more
expen-



fied
by
a
label
bearing
the
VINand
two
BMW
roundellogos
.
Re-

sive
.
Theyknow
the
value
of
doing
thejob
right
with
the
right



placement
parts
have
a
similar
label,
bearing
one
BMW
roundel

parts
.
Parts
from
other
sources
can
beas
good,
particularly
if



logo
and
the
letters
DOT-R
.
See
Fig
.
6
.
Parts
or
assemblies

manufactured
by
one
of
BMWs
original
equipment
suppliers,



bearing
the
label
arethe
engine,
transmission,
front
and
rear

but
it
is
often
difficult
to
know
.



bumpers,
front
fenders,
rear
quarter
paneis,
hood,
trunk
lid
and

doors
.
These
labels
shouldnot
be
removed
as
they
will
tear

BMW
is
constantly
updating
and
improving
their
cars,
often



apart
.

making
improvements
during
a
given
model
year
.
BMW
may

recommend
a
newer,
improved
part
as
a
replacement,
and

your
authorized
dealer's
parts
department
will
know
about
it

and
provide
it
.
The
BMW
parts
organization
is
best
equipped
to
deal
with
any
BMW
parts
needs
.

Some
parts
cannot
be
returned
for
credit,
even
if
they
arethe

wrong
parts
forthe
car
.
The
best
example
is
electrical
parts,

which
are
almost
universally
considered
non-returnable
be-



,
..

cause
they
are
so
easily
damaged
internally
.

Buy
electrícal
parts
carefully,
and
beas
sure
as
possible
that
P-
DOT~
R

a
replacement
is
needed,
especially
for
expensive
parts
such
as
electronic
control
units
.
It
may
bewise
to
let
an
authorized



B328FUN

BMW
dealeror
other
qualified
shop
confirm
your
diagnosisbe-

fore
replacing
an
expensive
part
that
cannot
be
retuned
.



Fig
.
6
.



Labels
used
to
identiy
parts
.
Original
equipment
labelwith

VIN
number
and
roundel
logos
(top)
and
replacement
part
la-

bel
with
one
roundel
logos

Information
You
Need
to
Know

Engine
.
3-Seriescars
covered
in
this
manualare
powered

Model
.
When
ordering
parts
it
is
important
that
you
know
the



by
either
a
4-or
6-cylinder
engine
.
For
information
-
on
engine

correct
model
designation
for
your
car
.
Models
covered
in
this



codes
and
engine
applications,
see100
Engine-General
.

manual
are
E36
3
Series
in
both
4-
and
6-cylinderconfigura-

tions
.



Transmission
.
The
transmissiontype
with
its
identifying

code
may
be
important
when
buying
clutch
parts,
seals,
gas

Moda¡
Year
.
This
is
not
necessarily
the
same
as
date
of



kets,
and
othertransmission-relatedparts
.
For
information
on

manufacture
or
date
of
sale
.
A
1997
model
may
havebeen



transmission
codes
and
applications,
see200
Transmission

manufactured
in
late
1996,
and
perhaps
not
sold
until
early



General
.

1997
.
It
is
still
a1997
model
.
Model
years
covered
by
this
man-

ual
are
1992
to
1998
.

SERVICE
Date
of
Manufacture
.
This
information
is
helpful
when
or-

dering
replacement
parts
or
determining
if
any
of
the
warranty



BMW
dealers
are
uniquely
qualified
to
provide
service
for
recalls
are
applicable
to
your
car
.
The
label
on
the
driver's
door



BMW
cars
.
Their
authorized
relationship
with
the
large
BMW
below
the
door
latch
will
specify
the
month
and
year
that
the
car



serviceorganization
means
that
they
are
constantly
receiving
was
built
.



new
tools
and
equipment,
together
with
the
latest
and
most
ac-

curate
repair
information
.
Vehicle
Identification
Number
(VIN)
.
This
is
a
combination

of
letters
and
numbers
that
identify
the
particular
car
.
TheVIN

appears
on
the
state
registration
document,
and
on
thecar
it-

self
.
One
location
isin
the
rear
of
the
engine
compartment,
en-

other
in
the
lower
left
comer
of
the
windshield
.

The
National
Highway
Traffic
Safety
Administration
(NHT-

SA)
requires
passenger
cars
with
a
high
theftrateto
have
the

VINmarked
on
specific
parts
of
thecar
when
manufactured
.
On

BMW
cars,
these
parts
are
identified
byan
adhesive
label
.

)WBADK00000000

0
000
0

The
BMW
dealers
service
technicians
are
highlytrained
and

very
capable
.
Unfke
most
independent
repair
shops,
autho-

rized
BMW
dealers
are
intensely
committed
tosupporting
the

BMW
product
.
They
share
the
owners
interest
in
BMW
value,

performance,
and
reliability
.
On
the
other
hand,
there
are
many

independent
shops
that
specialize
in
BMW
service
and
are
ca-

pable
of
doing
high
quality
repair
work
.
Checking
with
other

BMW
owners
for
recommendations
on
service
facilitiesis
a

good
way
to
leam
of
reputable
BMW
shops
in
yourarea
.

SERVICE

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