
Central Locking
Purpose of the System
The  Central  Locking  System  provides  locking/
unlocking  of  the  entire  vehicle  from  one  central
exterior  point.  From  the  driver’s  door  or  the
remote (key-less) entry, a lock/unlock request will
lock/unlock all exterior doors, luggage compart-
ment and the fuel filler flap.  
From inside, the vehicle can be locked/ unlocked using a cen-
tral  locking  button  located  in  the  center  console. Individual
doors can be unlocked manually by pulling twice on the inte-
rior door handle. 
From 2000 MY
- if the vehicle has been double locked, press
the central locking button and pull the interior door handle
twice (alarm will sound when the door opens).
Locking the vehicle from the central switch will “single lock” all
doors, luggage compartment and not lock the fuel filler flap.
The Central Locking System utilizes the GM III and Door Modules to carry out all of the lock-
ing/unlocking features: 
• Remote (key-less) entry is standard.
• When locked from the outside, the vehicle will double lock and arm the DWA System. The  
ignition must be switched off and the driver’s door must be opened and closed. 
• Selective  unlocking  from  the  outside  of  the  vehicle.  Unlocking  from  the  driver’s  door  or
remote transmitter will only unlock the driver’s door and disarm the DWA System. A sec-
ond request will unlock the remaining doors and luggage compartment. This feature can
be modified for individual users in Key Memory to open all doors from a single request. 
• A single central locking button is installed in the center console that will operate when all
of  the  doors  are  closed.  Locking  the  vehicle  from  the  central  switch  will  “single  lock”  all
doors,  luggage  compartment  and  not  lock  the  fuel  filler  flap.  When  unlocking,  a  single
request will unlock the driver’s door only. This feature can be modified for individual users
in Key Memory to open all doors and luggage compartment from a single request.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
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• A  remote  luggage  compartment  button  is  installed  in  the  left  kick  panel  (center  console
in the E53) to open the luggage compartment from inside the vehicle.
• The EWS is interfaced for double lock monitoring and unlock function. With the presence  
of an accepted EWS key in the ignition, the vehicle will be unlocked and disarm DWA.    
• The automatic locking feature (> 99 MY) activates the door locks when a road speed 
signal of 5 MPH  and engine RPM is detected via the K-Bus. The factory default setting 
of this feature is off (can be encoded on for individual users with Key Memory function).
• In the event of an accident (ignition on), the GM will be signalled to unlock all doors.
Hardware Features:
• The external lock cylinders are located in the  
driver’s door and luggage compartment lid   
(E53/E39 Sport Wagon does not have a tail- 
gate lock cylinder).
• The driver’s door and luggage compartment   
incorporates an overrunning lock cylinder. The  
lock cylinder will free wheel or spin If any key  
other than the vehicle key or tool, such as a  
screw driver, is inserted into the cylinder. The 
lock cylinders can be manually locked/un- 
locked  by turning the key “past” lock/unlock.
• The door lock buttons are mechanically uncoupled from the  
lock actuators when locked. 
The door lock buttons “mechanically” lock the individual 
doors. This provides manual locking in the event of a central  
locking malfunction.
• Child safety locks (located in 
the rear doors) are  actuated 
by inserting a key in the slot on  
the door latch or by sliding a  
lever (dependent on model). 
The door can now only be  
opened from outside.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
Door
Button
Lock
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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 

Principle of Operation
To  activate  this  feature,  the  ignition  must  be  in
the KL R or KL 15 and press the switch located
in the Center Console Switch Center (driver and/
or passenger front seat). 
The  switch  provides  a  ground  to  the  control
module and an LED in the switch will illuminate.
If  there  is  a  fault  in  the  system  the  LED will  not
illuminate. 
The control module, fluid bladders (2 and 3) and
pump  (1)  is  contained  in  each  seat.  The  pump
contains  a  Hall  sensor  to  monitor  the  number
motor  revolutions  and  two  pressure  sensors  to
monitor  each  bladder  for  vacuum  (indicating
empty).
The  fluid  bladders  (2  per  seat)  contain  water-
glysantin  mixture  and  are  connected  to  the  fluid
pump. The fluid bladders are equal in volume at
rest  (15  mm.  high)  and  will  raise  from  0  up  30
mm. when filled alternately from left to right.  
Note: The pump unit and fluid bladders are replaced as a unit. 
The  control  modules  (one  per  seat)  are  connected  to  the  P-Bus.  The  driver’s  side  control
module contains an acceleration sensor that monitors transverse acceleration of the vehi-
cle. Active Seat operation is temporarily interrupted during high acceleration.
Rear Power Seat (E38 750iL)
The rear seats in the 750iL provide electric adjustments for:
1. Backrest Angle - Control switch powers the motor.
2. Headrest Height - Control module behind each upper seat.
3. Lumbar Support
The headrest automatically extends when a passenger fastens
the  safety  belt  and  will  automatically  retract  when  the  safety
belt is released. The power rear seat is a purely electric control
system. No electronic diagnostic communication is possible.
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Central Body Electronics ZKE III
Center  Console  Switch  Center  (SZM): From  1999  MY  E38,  E39  and  E53  vehicles  are
equipped  with  a  SZM  to  control  the  front  seat  heating  and  provide  a  diagnostic  interface
with the DISplus/MoDiC via the K BUS. 
The SZM directly controls:
• Front Seat Heating
• Rear Window Roller Blind
SZM  also  provides  a  unitized  switching  center
for:
• Park Distance Control (PDC)
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC III)
• Electronic Damper Control (EDC). 
The switch signal output for these systems is a direct output signal. All diagnosis functions
are carried out through their respective control systems.
SZM Monitoring of Seat Heating 
Battery Voltage:The SZM switches current supply to the heating elements off when bat-
tery  voltage  drops  below  11.4  volts.  However,  the  heating  stage  LEDs  remain  on.
Regulated  output  current  resumes  when  battery  voltage  raises  above  12.2  volts  for  more
than 5 seconds.
SZM Internal Temperature: The power output stages for the seat heating elements gen-
erate a considerable amount of heat when in stage 1 operation. The SZM monitors it’s own
internal temperatures and reduces the heating output when internal temperatures rise to a
temperature  of  185
OF  or  switches  it  off  completely  above  203OF.  As  with  battery  voltage
monitoring, the heating stage LEDs remain on when these temperatures are exceeded.
Fault Monitoring:The SZM monitors the temperature sensors and heating mats for faults.
Detected faults are stored in the SZM. Fault Symptom Troubleshooting in conjunction with
stored faults will initiate the diagnostic paths using the DISplus/MoDiC. The following faults
can be recognized:   
• Shorts or opens in the wiring circuits.
• Shorts or opens in the temperature sensors.
• Open in heating element.  
If a short is detected in the temperature sensor, the seat heating is switched off to prevent
overheating. The Stage LEDs are also switched off with this fault present.