400-
4
BODY-GENERAL
INTERIOR
EQUIPMENT
E36
interiors
have
a
unique
character,
with
a
combínation
of
sporty
features
and
innovative
design
.
Al¡
body
versions
were
made
in
a
wide
choice
of
interior
and
exterior
colors
.
New
colors
with
matching
leather
and/or
fabric
upholstery
were
in-
troduced
for
each
model
year,
including
light-alloy
wheels
in
new
designs
.
Driving
comfort
is
enhanced
by
power
steering,
tilt
steering
wheel
(optional),
height-adjustable
front
seats,
and
electrical-
ly
adjustable
and
heated
rear-view
mirrors
.
Inside
thecar
there
are
reading
lights
at
four
seating
positions
.
Seats
and
Seat
Belts
NOTE-
Theseat
base
usedon
cars
with
pyrotechnic
seatbelt
Anatom¡cal
ly-correct
seats
are
constructed
from
polyure-
tensioners
is
not
interchangeable
with
the
earlier
seat
thane
foam
containing
areas
or
"zones"
of
different
firmness
.
base
.
The
seat
bases
have
steel
springs
for
added
support
and
strength
.
The
power
seats
are
provided
with
conveniently
lo-
Instruments
and
Controls
cated
switches
along
the
outside
edge
of
the
seat
.
Heated
seats
are
an
option
in
all
models
.
See
520
Seats
for
more
de-
Everything
in
the
interior
passenger
compartment
essential
tails
.
to
the
driver
is
logically
grouped
and
easy
to
reach
.
Al¡
instru-
ments
and
controls
havebeen
arranged
ergonomically
and
The
M3
sport
seat
is
shown
in
Fig
.
3
.
are
fully
integrated
into
the
overall
design
of
the
vehicle
.
Fig
.
3
.
M3
sport
seat
.
INTERIOR
EQUIPMENT
0013195
The
early
E36
cars
areequipped
with
a
single
(driver
side)
airbag
in
the
steering
wheel
.
Startingwith
the
1994
models,
a
dual
airbag
Supplemental
Restraint
System
has
been
stan-
dard
equipment
.
Side-impact
airbags
in
the
front
doors
are
op-
tional
in
1997
4-door
cars
and
standard
equipment
in
all
1998
models
.
Through
1996,
E36
seatbelts
were
equipped
with
BMW's
original-designspring
tensioners
.
In
1997,
the
seat
base
de-
sign
was
modified
to
accommodate
a
pyrotechnic
(explosive
charge)
seatbelt
tensioner
.
Both
types
of
tensioners
arede-
signed
to
automatically
tension
the
belts
by
about2
inches(55
mm)
in
the
event
of
a
collision
.
The
padded
dashboard
houses
the
instrument
cluster
and
the
ventilation
and
heating
system
.
The
instrument
cluster
uses
large
easy-to-read
analog
instruments
and
is
removable
as
a
unit
without
removing
the
dashboard
.
The
Service
Inter-
val
Indicator
(SII)
will
remind
the
driver
when
thecar
requires
service
.
See
620
Instruments
.
The
Multi-Information
Display
(MID)
unit
in
thecenter
of
the
dashboard
comes
in
a
variety
of
four
configurations,
the
most
advanced
being
the
On-Board
Computer
(OBC)
.
See
Fig
.
4
.
Al¡
versions
of
the
MID
have
a
clock
and
calendar
.
In
addi-
tion,
different
versions
areequipped
with
a
"check
control,"
display
for
fuel-economy
information
and
system
warnings
.
Consult
the
owner's
manual
for
fui¡
operating
instructions
.
Ambient
temperaturelclock
MÍM
Aa
.Mi}rm
-Mil"
IMua~naa~u~itacar
"
za
.~
Central
Body
Electronics
0013028
Fig
.
4
.
Different
versionsof
Multi-information
Display(MID)
installed
in
E36
cars
.
The
E36
cars
are
equipped
with
a
sophisticated
centralized
body
electric/electronics
plan
.
The
system
is
self-diagnostic
and
incorporates
many
functions
into
a
single
control
module
.
The
consolidation
of
several
systems
into
a
single
control
module
minimizes
power
requirements
and
the
incorporation
of
the
diagnostic
link
results
in
more
efficient
and
accurate
troubleshooting
.
Self-diagnostic
codes
are
accessible
electronically
through
the
data-link
connector
in
the
engine
compartment
.
See610
Electrical
Component
Locations
.
BODY-GENERAL
400-
5
Two
versions
of
central
body
electronics
are
used
depend-
ing
on
model
year
.
1992
and
1993
models
are
equipped
with
a
central
locking
module
(ZVM)
which
incorporates
control
of
the
following
sys-
tems
:
"Interiorlighting
"
Central
locking
with
double
lock
feature
"
Output
relays
for
powerwindows
and
sunroof
"
Electronic
power
protection
E36
cars
since
the
1994
model
year
are
equipped
with
ZKE
IV
.
This
is
an
electronic
comfort
and
convenience
system
that
includes
the
following
additional
features
:
"
One
touch
up/down
power
window
operation
"
Power
window
and
sunroof
closure
from
driver
or
pas-
sengerdoor
lock
"
Vehicle
locking
or
unlocking
from
the
trunk
lock
.
Other
features
of
the
system
are
discussed
in
515
Central
Locking
and
Anti-Theft
.
Electronic
Immobilization
System
Beginning
in
model
year
1994,
all
E36
vehicles
incorporate
adriveaway
protection
system
regardless
of
whether
the
vehi-
cle
is
equipped
with
a
BMW
Alarm
System
or
an
On-Board
computer
.
Two
types
of
factory
systems
were
installed,
de-
pending
on
vehicle
production
date
.
On
the
early
system
(model
year
1994
up
to
January
1995),
the
ignition
and
fuel
injection
functions
are
disabled
whenever
the
vehicle
is
locked
in
the
double
lock
mode
.
This
is
referred
lo
as
EWS
or
EWS
I
.
Beginning
in
January
1995,
the
driveaway
protection
sys-
tem
was
upgraded
to
a
more
sophisticated
system,
called
EWS
II
.
This
system
uses
a
wireless
communication
link
be-
tween
a
transponder
chip
in
the
ignition
keyand
the
ring
an-
tenna
surrounding
the
ignition
switch
.
The
EWS
II
control
module
blocksthe
starting
of
the
vehicle
unlessthe
correct
coded
ignition
key
is
used
.
For
further
information
about
drive
away
protection
sys-
tems,
see
515
Central
Locking
and
Anti-Theft
.
INTERIOR
EQUIPMENT
GENERAL
This
repair
group
covers
interior
trim
removal
and
installa-
tion
procedures
.
Forremoval
and
installation
of
interior
switches,
including
interior
lighting
equipment,
see
612
Switches
and
Electrical
Accessories
.
Most
of
the
interior
trim
and
finish
paneis
are
clipped
or
screwed
into
place
.
Many
of
the
trim
retaining
clips
arede-
signed
to
be
used
only
once
.
When
removing
trim
that
is
held
in
place
with
clips,
it
is
a
good
idea
lo
have
spareson
hand
be-
fore
beginningthejob
.
CENTER
CONSOLE
The
front
section
center
console
houses
the
Multi-Informa-
tion
Display
(MID)
module,the
front
ashtray
and
cigarette
lighter
;
shifter
lever,
power
window
switches
and
the
hazard
warning
switch
.
The
rear
center
console
section
houses
the
ashtray(s)
and
covers
the
emergency
brakecable
ends
.
Center
console,
removing
and
installing
1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
cable
from
battery
and
cover
terminal
with
insulating
material
.
CA
UTION-
Prior
to
disconnectiog
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautionsgiven
at
the
front
of
this
manual
onpage
viii
.
2
.
Remove
shifter
boot
or
selectorlever
cover
.
See250
Gearshift
t-inkage
.
3
.
Remove
rear
ashtray
retaining
screws
totake
out
ash-
tray
.
Remove
rear
console
retaining
screwunder
ash-
tray
.
513
Interior
Tri
m
INTERIORTRIM
513-1
GENERAL
..
.
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
......
.
.
.
513-1
DASHBOARD
.....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...
.
:
.
.513-2
Glove
compartment,removing
and
installing
.
.513-2
CENTER
CONSOLE
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.........
513-1
Lower
left
dash
panel,
Center
console,
removing
and
installing
.....
513-1
removing
and
installing
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
513-2
Dashboard,removing
and
installing
.
.
.
.
...
.
.513-3
4
.
Remove
Multi-Information
Display
module
.
See620
In-
struments
.
5
.
Remove
hazardwarning
switch
and
power
window
switches
bypushing
up
and
out
from
below
.
6
.
Remove
lower
left
dashboard
panel
and
glove
compart-
ment
as
described
later
in
this
repair
group
.
7
.
Remove
retaining
screwunder
hazard
light
switch
.
Pull
rear
console
back
and
remove
retaining
nut
at
back
of
front
console
.
See
Fig
.
1
.
Fig
.1.
Console
retaining
screw
.
8
.
Take
out
rear
console
first,
then
front
console
.
0013154
CENTER
CONSOLE
Dashboard,
removing
and
installing
1
.
Disconnect
negative
(-)
cable
from
battery
and
cover
terminal
with
insulating
material
.
CAUTION-
Prior
to
disconnectiog
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautionsgiven
at
the
front
of
this
manual
onpage
vi¡¡
.
2
.
Remove
center
console
as
described
earlier
.
3
.
Remove
glove
compartment
as
described
earlier
.
4
.
Remove
lower
left
dash
trim
piece
as
described
above
.
Remove
lower
right
dash
trim
panel
.
See
Fig
.
4
.
Fig
.
4
.
Lower
right
dash
trim
piece
retaining
screw
(arrow)
.
WARNING
-
Store
the
removed
airbags
in
a
safe
place
.
Position
the
airbags
facing
up
.
8
.
Remove
instrument
cluster
.
See
620
Instruments
.
5
.
Remove
driver
and
passenger
airbags
.
See
721
Air-
bag
System
(SRS)
.
6
.
Remove
steering
wheel
.
See
320
Steering
and
Wheel
Alignment
.
INTERIOR
TRIM
513-
3
Fig
.
5
.
Driver
side
knee
bolster
mounting
bolts
(arrows)
.
9
.
Remove
headlight
switch
.
Remove
turn
signal
and
windshield
wiper/washer
stalk
switches
.
See612
Switches
and
Electrical
Accessories
.
10
.
Remove
A/C
control
head
and
module
.
See
640
Heat-ing
and
Air
Conditioning
.
11
.
Remove
radio
.
See650
Radio
.
12
.
Remove
A-pillar
(windshield
pillar)
trim
on
left
and
right
sides
.
See
Fig
.
6
.
UU13156
Fig
.
6
.
A-pillar
(windshield
pillar)
trim
removal
.
Right
side
shown,
left
7
.
Remove
driver
side
knee
bolster
.
See
Fig
.
5
.
is
similar
.
DASHBOARD
002262
In
this
system,
three
microswitches
are
operated
via
the
door
lock
cylinder
at
each
front
door
.
Turning
the
key
approximately
Fig
.
17
.
Pufl
off
luggage
compartment
lock
actuating
rod
in
the
direc-
45°
(position
1)
operates
the
door
locking
microswitch
.
Tuming
tionof
arrow
.
the
key
approximately
90°
(position2)
actuates
the
double
locking
microswitch
.
Tuming
the
key
approximately
45°
in
the
opposite
di-
rection
through
position
0
actuates
the
unlocking
microswitch
and
deactivates
the
alarm
system
(position3)
.
See
Fig
.
19
.
Fig
.
18
.
Luggage
compartment
actuatorwire
connectors
and
attach-
ing
screws
(arrows)
.
LOCKING
SYSTEM
AND
ELECTRONIC
IMMOBILIZATION
The
central
locking
system
uses
electrical
lock
actuators
at
each
door
and
at
the
trunk
lid
.
The
locking
system
can
be
ac-
tuated
by
either
front
door
lock
or
by
the
luggage
compartment
lock
.
Onsome
1994
and
later
cars,
an
additional
remote
con-
trol
keypadcan
also
be
used
to
activate
the
lock
and
anti-theft
systems
.
When
the
key
is
tuned
to
the
lock
position,
a
micro-switch
signals
a
central
control
module
to
lock
all
doors,
luggage
compartment,
gas
tank
flap
and,
in
later
convertibles,
the
glove
box
lid
.
Where
applicable,
this
also
arms
the
anti-theft
system
.
CENTRAL
LOCKING
AND
ANTI-THEFT
515-7
NOTE-
The
central
locking
system
responds
to
accidents
vía
animpact
(inertia)
switch
.
When
this
function
ís
activat-
ed,
the
doors
are
automatically
unlocked
and
the
haz-
ard
warning
lights
and
interiorlights
are
turned
on
.
The
impact
switches
are
mounted
in
the
left
and
right
foot-
wells
behind
the
speaker
grilles
.
Central
Locking
System
(ZVM)
Different
versions
of
the
central
locking
control
havebeen
used
in
the
E36
cars
.
In
early
production
cars
(model
years
1992
and
1993),
the
locking
system
is
controlled
through
the
central
locking
module
.
This
system
is
referred
to
as
ZVM
.
Fig
.
19
.
ZVM
door
lock
cylinderpositíons
.
CAUTION-
Do
not
engage
double
locking
position
with
pas-
sengers
in
the
car
unless
the
master
key
isavail-
able
.
The
door
cannotbe
opened
from
outside
orinside
without
the
master
key
.
NOTE-
In
case
of
a
discharged
battery,
the
car
can
still
be
locked
orunlocked
using
the
key
.
0011762
LOCKING
SYSTEM
AND
ELECTRONIC
IMMOBILIZATION
4
.
Rear
adjustment
:
Loosen
rear
adjusting
wedges
and
push
in
or
out
until
rear
of
sunroof
is
aligned
correctly
withroof-top
.
See
Fig
.
5
.
0013103
Fig
.
5
.
Adjust
rear
of
sunroof
by
loosening
nuts
1
and3
.
Push
adjust-
íng
wedges2
in
or
out
to
achieve
correctheight
.
NOTE-
"
Push
sunroofforward
before
retightening
wedge
fas-
teners
.
0013170
Fig
.
6
.
Adjust
front
of
sunroof
by
loosening
screw
(arrow)
.
Push
sun-
roof
up
or
down
to
achieve
correctheight
.
SUNROOF
540-
3
NOTE-
Use
Loctite®
270
or
an
equivalent
thread
sealing
com-
pound
when
reinstalling
theretaining
screws
.
Alterna-
tively,
install
new
screws
.
6
.
Open
sunroof
slightly
.
Rear
of
sunroofshould
be2
to
3
mm
below
surface
of
roof
.
7
.
Slide
sunroof
liner
slowly
and
carefully
forward
out
of
roof
cavity
as
far
as
possible
.
Sunroof
Height
Adjustment
Specifications
"
Rear
........
....
.
.
flush/1
mm
higher
than
roof
top
"
Front
...
..
.
....
..
.
..
flush/l
mm
lower
than
roof
top
Tightening
Torque
"
Front
orrear
adjusting
fasteners
...
...
6
Nm
(53
in-lb)
Sunroof
motor,
removing
and
installing
"
Use
Loctite®270
oran
equivalent
thread
sealing
com-
pound
when
reinstalling
the
retaining
fasteners
.
Alter-
The
sunroofshould
be
in
theclosed
posítion
before
remov-
natively,install
new
fasteners
.
ing
or
installing
the
sunroof
motor
.
If
necessary,
manually
5
.
Front
adjustment
:
Loosen
retaining
screws,
then
push
close
the
sunroof
panel
as
described
under
Sunroof
panel,
frontof
sunroof
panel
up
or
down
until
it
is
aligned
cor-
emergency
ciosing
.
rectly
with
roof-top
.
Retighten
screws
.
See
Fig
.
6
.
1
.
With
ignition
switch
off,
Rmove
access
panel
from
be-low
sunroof
motor
.
Refer
to
Fig
.
2
.
2
.
Remove
sunroof
motormountingscrews
.
See
Fig
.
7
.
0011825
Fig
.
7
.
Sunroof
motor
mountingscrews
(A
and
B)
.
Screw
at
A
is
longer
than
screws
at
B
.
SLIDE-TILT
SUNROOF
Convertible
Top
Lid
The
components
of
the
convertible
top
lid
are
shown
in
Fig
.
20
.
Fig
.
20
.
Components
of
the
convertible
top
lid
.
ROLLOVER
PROTECTION
SYSTEM
The
lid
latches
are
cable
operated
by
a
drive
motor
located
in
the
left
sideof
the
luggagecompartment,
behind
the
trim
lin-
er
.
The
same
motor
is
used
to
raise
and
lower
the
lid
during
automatic
convertible
topoperation
.
The
latch
cables
must
be
adjusted
so
that
the
lidfits
snugly
against
the
body
when
locked
.
The
lid
drive
motor
can
be
removed
and
replaced
from
the
luggage
compartment
.
Two
spring-locaed
cassettes
are
mounted
behind
the
rear
seat
.
A
single
rollover
sensor,
mounted
on
the
left
cassette,
signals
the
convertible
top
module
(CVM)
of
animminent
roll-
over,
whereupon
the
module
triggers
both
cassettes
within
3j10th
of
a
second
.
See
Fig
.
21
.
Once
the
cars
ignition
has
been
switched
on,
the
rollover
sensor
performs
a
self-test
lasting
6
seconds
.
During
this
time
a
yellow
warning
light
is
lit
on
the
dashboard
.
If
thewarning
lightfails
to
go
out
after
6
seconds,
this
means
that
a
fault
has
been
detected
in
the
system
.
The
fault
is
stored
in
the
CM
Faults
canbe
retrieved
and
diagnosedby
special
diagnostic
equipment
.
NOTE-
Diagnosis
of
the
convertible
top
and
the
Rollover
Pro-
tection
System
are
beyond
the
scope
of
this
book
.
Your
authorized
BMW
dealer
has
the
proper
diagnostic
equipment
and
tools
to
carry
out
these
tasks
.
CONVERTIBLE
TOP
541-
9
Fig
.
21
.
Construction
of
the
rollover
protection
cassette
.
After
deployment,
thedetent
pawl
in
a
rollover
protection
cassette
can
be
retracted
using
the
special
tool
in
the
tool
kit,
fitted
to
the
screwdriver
handle
.
The
rear
seatheadrest
needs
to
be
raised
for
this
procedure
.
WARNING
-
Ensure
that
the
area
above
and
adjacent
to
the
roll-
over
bars
remains
clear
and
unobstructed
at
all
times
.
CAUTION-
"
Itis
not
possible
to
close
the
convertible
top
with
the
rollover
bars
extended
.
"
If
a
hardtop
is
mounted,
be
sure
to
install
the
pro-
tective
rollover
bar
covers
provided
with
the
hard-
top
to
prevent
damaglng
the
rear
window
in
case
of
deployment
.
0012744
ROLLOVER
PROTECTION
SYSTEM
600-2
ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM-GENERAL
CAUTION
-
"
Always
turn
off
the
engine
and
disconnect
the
negative
()
cable
from
the
batterybefore
remov-
ing
any
electrical
components
.
Disconnecting
the
battery
may
erase
fault
code(s)
stored
in
control
module
memory
.
Check
for
fault
codes
using
spe-
cial
BMW
diagnostic
equipment
.
"
Prior
to
disconnecting
the
battery,
read
the
bat-
tery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
onpage
viii
.
"
Connect
and
disconnect
ignition
system
wires,
multiple
connectors,
and
ignition
test
equipment
leads
only
while
the
ignition
is
off
.
"
Do
not
disconnect
the
battery
with
engine
run-
ning
.
"
Do
not
quick-charge
the
battery
(for
boost
start-
ing)
for
longer
than
one
minute,
and
do
not
ex-
ceed
16
.5
volts
at
the
battery
with
the
boosting
cables
attached
.
Wait
at
feast
one
minute
before
boosting
the
battery
a
second
time
.
"
Do
not
usea
test
famp
that
has
a
normal
incan-
descent
bulb
to
test
circuits
contafning
electronic
components
.
The
high
electrical
consumptionof
these
test
lamps
may
damage
the
components
.
"
Do
not
use
an
analog
meter
.
Use
onfy
a
digital
multimeter
.
"
Many
of
the
solid-state
modules
are
static
sensi-
tive
.
Static
discharge
will
permanently
damage
them
.
Always
handle
the
modules
using
proper
static
prevention
equipment
and
techniques
.
"
To
avoid
damaging
harness
connectors
or
relay
panel
sockets,
use
jumper
wires
with
flat-blade
connectors
that
are
the
same
size
as
the
connec-
tor
or
relay
terminals
.
"
Always
switch
a
digital
multimeter
to
the
appropri-
ate
function
and
range
before
making
test
con-
nections
.
"
Do
not
tryto
start
the
engine
of
a
carwhich
has
been
heated
above176°F
(80°C),
(for
example,
in
a
paint
dryingbooth)
.
Allow
it
to
cool
to
normal
temperature
.
"
Disconnect
the
battery
before
dolng
any
electric
welding
on
the
car
.
"
Do
not
wash
the
engine
while
it
is
runnfng,
or
any-
time
the
ignition
is
switched
on
.
WIRING
DIAGRAMS
Electrical
Test
Equipment
Many
of
the
electrical
tests
described
in
this
manual
call
for
measuring
voltage,
currentorresistanceusing
a
digital
multi-
meter
(DMM)
.
Digital
meters
are
preferred
for
precise
mea-
surements
and
for
electronics
work
because
they
are
generally
more
accuratethan
analog
meters
.
The
numerical
display
is
alsoless
likely
to
be
misread,
since
there
is
no
nee-
dle
position
to
be
misinterpreted
by
reading
at
an
angle
.
An
LED
test
light
is
a
safe,
inexpensive
tool
that
can
be
used
to
perform
many
simple
electrical
tests
that
would
otherwise
require
a
digital
multimeter
.
The
LED
indicates
when
voltage
is
present
between
anytwo
test-points
in
a
circuit
.
CA
UTION-
"
Choose
test
equipment
carefully
.
Use
a
digital
multimeter
with
at
leadt
10
megaohm
input
im-
pedance,or
an
LED
test
light
.
An
analog
meter
(swing-need1e)
ora
test
light
with
a
normal
incan-
descent
bulb
may
draw
enough
current
to
dam-
age
sensitive
electronic
components
.
"
An
ohmmeter
must
not
beused
to
measure
resis-
tance
on
solidstate
components
suchas
controlunits
or
time
delay
relays
.
"
Always
disconnect
the
battery
before
making
re-
sístance
(ohm)
measurements
on
the
circuit
.
WIRING
DIAGRAMS
The
wiring
diagrams
shown
in
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams
have
been
specially
designed
to
enable
quick
and
efficientdi-
agnosis
and
troubleshooting
of
electrical
malfunctions
.
Wiring
Codes
and
Abbreviations
A
lot
of
information
is
included
in
each
wiring
diagram
if
you
know
how
to
read
them
.
Wire
colors
in
the
diagrams
are
ab-
breviated
.
Combined
color
codes
indicate
a
multi-colored
wire
.
For
example
the
code
BLU/RED
indicates
a
Blue
wire
with
a
Red
stripe
.
Many
electrical
components,
connectors,
fuses,
and
ground
locations
are
identified
using
a
unique
number
.
Each
of
there
numbers
corresponds
to
a
particular
part
in
the
circuit
commonly
found
in
Electrical
Wiring
Diagrams
.