1997 BMW 540i windshield

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002 Vehicie identification and
VlN Decoder
Vehicle identification Number (VIN), decoding
Some of the information in this manual applies only to cars of a parlicuiar model year or range
of vears. For
examole. 1999 refers to the 1999 model vear but does not necessarilv malch the
caiendsr year in which the car was manufactured or sold. To be sure of the model year of a
particular car,
checic the Vehicle ldentification Number (VIN) on the car.
The VIN is a unique sequence of 17 characters assigned by BMW lo identify each individual
car. When decoded, the VIN tells the country and year of manufacture; make, model and serial
number: assembly
plant and some equipment specifications.
The BMW VIN is on a plate mounted on top of the dashboard, on the driver's side where the
number can be seen through the windshield, The 10th character is the model year code. The
letters
I. 0, Q and U are not used for model year designation. Examples: X for 1999, Y for 2000,
1 for 2001,2 for 2002, etc. The table below explains some of the codes in the VIN for 1997
through 2002 BMW
E39 5 Series BMWs covered by this manual.
Sample
VIN: ~~Iz~o~w~B~w~ 13 8 9 1 lposition 1 2 3 zi 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12-17
VIN
position Description Decoding information
1-3 Countrv of WBA B
I J 1 znan~+q ;BT BMW Molorsporl. Gmon, ~;nch Gerrn;!n,
Linc 525 (2UU1 - 2003) 528 (2000-2003. 530; 540 i
5
1
Manual belts with dual airbags Manual belts with advanced airbaos
Series
Body
type
i engine lype . ..
D 5251 (2001 - 2002), 528i (1997 - 2000) E MS. 530i, 540i (1997 - 1998) J 5251 Wagon
M 528i (1999 - 2000) N 5401 Sedan (1999 - 2003) 540i wagon (2001)
P 528i wagon (1999 - 2000) R 540i waaon 12002 - 20031
6,4 Aulomatic 5,3 Manual
Vehicle type 3.4.7 Passenger vehicle
Checlr digit
Model year Restraint
system
1 0 Manual belts
3 Manual belts wilh driver
& passenger airbags 4
Manual belts with advanced passenger B driver airbags
0 - 9 or X, calculated by NHTSA
V 1997 W 1RRR
Assembly plant A, F, K Munich, Germany
B, C, D, G Dingolfing. Germany E, J. P Reqensburq. Germany .
Serial number
Sequential produclion number lor specific vehicle

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01 0-1 2
1 General
Information you need to know
Model
When ordering parts it is important that you know the correct
model designation for your car. Models covered in this E39
manual are the
525i,5281,530i, 540i in Sedan and Station
Wagon body styles.
Model year
This is not necessarily the same as date of manufacture or
date of sale.
A 1999 model may have been manufactured in
late 1998, and perhaps not sold until early 2000. It is still a
1999 model. Model years covered by this manual are 1997 to
2002.
Date of manufacture
This information is necessary when ordering replacement
parts or determining if any of the warranty recalls are applica-
ble to your car. The label on the driver's door below the door
latch will specify the month and year that the car was built.
Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN)
This is a combination of letters and numbers that identify the
particular car. The VIN appears on the state registration doc-
ument, and on the car itself. One location is on the right front
strut tower in the engine compartment (arrow), another in the
lower left corner of the windshield.
Engine code
5 Series car covered in this manual are powered by
6 and 8 - cylinderengines. For information on engine codes and en- -. -
gine applications, see 100 Engine-General. -
Transmission code
The transmission type with its identifying code may be
impor- :
tant when buying clutch parts, seals, gaskets, and other .- transmission-related parts. For information on transmission
codes and applications, see 200 Transmission-General.

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020 Maintenance
General ........................... .02 0.2
Special tools ........................ .02 0.2
Service Interval Indicator (Sll) ........... .02 0.3
Service Interval Indicator (Sll), resetting ... .02 0.3
Inspection I, Inspection 11 ............... .02 0.5
Maintenance Tables ................ .02 0.6
Fluid and Lubricant Specifications .. .02 0.9
Fluids and lubricants ................. .02 0.10
Engine Oil Service ................ .02 0.1 I
Engine oil. checking level ............. .02 0.12
Engine oil and filter. changing .......... .02 0-13
Engine Compartment Maintenance . .02 0.14
Accelerator and linkage ............... .02 0.14
Air filter. replacing ................... .02 0.1 4
Cooling system service ............... .02 0.15
Engine drive belt service .............. .02 0.16
Idlespeed .......................... 020-19
Catalytic converter and oxygen sensors .. .02 0.19
Power steering fluid, checking level ..... .02 0.20
Spark plugs ........................ .02 0.20
Spark plugs, replacing ................ .02 0.21
Interior ventilation microfilter, replacing ... .02 0.22
Other Mechanical Maintenance ..... .02 0.22
Battery, checking. cleaning. and replacing .02 0-22
Brake fluid. replacing ................. .02 0-24
Brake pad 1 rotor wear. checking ........ .02 0.24
Brake system, inspecting ............. .02 0.25
Parking brake. checking ............... 020-25
Clutch fluid. checking ................. 020-26
Differential oil level. checking ........... 020-26
Drive axle joint (CV joint) boots. inspecting 020-27
Exhaust system. inspecting ............ 020-27
Fuel filter. replacing .................. 020-27
Fuel tank and fuel lines. inspecting ...... 020-28
Suspension. front. inspecting ........... 020-29
Suspension. rear. inspecting ........... 020-29
Tires. checking inflation pressure ........ 020-29
Tires. rotating ....................... 020-29
Transmission service. automatic ........ 020-29
Transmission service. manual .......... 020-30
Transmission fluid. checking and filling
(manual transmission)
................ 020-30
Wheels. aligning ..................... 020-30
Body and Interior Maintenance ..... 020-31
Body and hinges. lubricating ........... 020-31
Exterior washing ..................... 020-31
Interior care ........................ 020-31
Leather upholstery and trim ............ 020-31
Polishing ........................... 020-32
Seat belts .......................... 020-32
Special cleaning ..................... 020-32
Washing chassis ..................... 020-32
Waxing ............................ 020-32
Windshield wiper blade maintenance ..... 020-33

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--- -
Maintenance
Table b. Inspection I Service (continued)
I I I I
Warm engine Dealer service
required recommended
Check windshield
washer fluid level and
antifreeze protection.
Add washer fluid as necessary.
Replace ventilation
microfilter. (Note:
reduce replacement intervals in dusty
operation conditions)
Reset Service interval Indicator
(Sil).
Additional
repair
information
Tools Required
*
eck aim of washer jets and adjust if
necessary.
covers, obvious damage or attachment o
s or accessories.
Road test
Check braking performance, steering,
heating and air conditioner operation.
Check manual transmission and clutch
operation or automatic transmission
operation. New
parts
required
*
Bodylelectrical
121
630
630
Checic battery state of charge
Check operation of:
headlights,
parking iights, back-up lights.
license plate lights, interior lights,
glove box
illumination, engine compartment light,
trunk light, turn signals, emergency
flashers, stop iights.
Check operation of horn and headlight
dimmer switch
:i:

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ing at the finish when it is wet. If the water coats the paint in
smooth sheets instead of forming beads that roll off, a new
coat of wax is needed. Waxshould not be applied to black trim
pieces, rubber, or other plastic parts.
Windshield wiper blade maintenance
Common problems with the windshield wipers include streak-
ing or sheeting, water drops afler wiping, and blade chatter.
Streaking is usually caused when wiper blades are coated
with road
film or car wash wax. Clean the blades using soapy
water.
If cleaning the blades does not cure the problem, they
should be replaced. BMW recommends replacing the wiper
I blades twice a year, before and after the cold season.
I
< To replace wiper blade, depress retaining tab (arrow) and
slide blade out of arm.
I - Checlc tension spring that forces wiper against glass. Re-
place wiper arm if spring tension is weak.
Drops that remain behind after wiping are caused by oil, road
film, or diesel exhaust coating the windshield. Use an alcohol
or ammonia solution or a nonabrasive cleanser to clean the
windshield.
Wiper blade chatier may be caused by dirty or worn blades,
by a dirty windshield, or by bent or twisted wiper arms. Clean
the blades and windshield as described above.
Adjusithe
wiper arm so that there is even pressure along the blade, and
so that the blade is perpendicularto the windshield at rest. Lu-
bricate the wiper linkage with a light oil. The
linkage is located
under the hood on the driver's side. If the problem persists,
the blades are excessively aged or worn and should be re-
placed. See
61 1 Wipers and Washers for more information.

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Body shell
Exterior and aerodynamics
Crash behavlor -frontal impact
-side impact
Body
-rear impact Structural body components -rigidity
-rollover -strength -vibrations -acoustics
Bumpers compartment lid -bendable Seets,.steerlng system .dents -vibrations bars -vibration patterns
Fenders -aerodvnamic
With its traditional styling features, such as the ltidney grille.
circular headlights behind a glass cover (for reasons of
streamlining), and the
"kiclt" in the rear most roof pillar (C-pil-
lar), the E39 can be immediately recognized as a BMW.
The BMW 5 Series chassis is a unibody design constructed of
high strength steel. Attaching parts, such as the front fenders,
rear quarter panels, doors,
trunk lid and hood are also con-
structed of
steel.
Computer aided design (CAD) techniques have been used in
refining the
E39 body to reduce vehicle weight while retaining
strength and increasing torsional rigidity. For good handling
purposes, the more rigid the structure the more precisely the
suspension can operate.
Wind resistance
Windows bonded flush to the body and the guided flow of
cooling air into the engine compartment provide the
carwith a
good coefficient of drag (Cd).
E39 cars have been designed
for balanced aerodynamics but not necessarily an extremely
low Cd. See table below.
Windshield wipers are designed for effectiveness at speeds
up to and beyond 200
ltph (124 mph).
Coefficient of aerodynamic drag (Cd)
6-cylinder sedan 0.30
V-8 sedan 0.31
6-cylinder Sport Wagon 0.31
V-8 Sport Wagon 0.33
Fenders
The exterior panels are corrosion-resistant zinc coated (gal-
vanized) steel. The front fenders are bolted on. For front fend-
er replacement information, see
410 Fenders, Engine
Hood.

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41 0-4
Fenders, Engine Hood
Working from below, remove front wheel arch fastener (ar-
row).
With door open remove fastener
fender to door post. (arrow) attaching upper
Remove screw
(arrow) at front of fender.
Remove ground strap nut and hood hinge bolts
(arrows)
CAUTION-
Secure hood in such a way that the windshield and body pan-
els
wiN not be damaged.

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Hood, raising to service position
CAUTION-
Do not switch on the windshield wipers with the engine
hood raised. As a precaution, remove the wiper
motor
fuse. See 610 Electrical Component Locations.
The
hoodis heavy Before removing the hoodsupports,
be sure to have an assistant help support the hood.
< Open hood fully. With the help of a partner, support hood and
remove retaining clips (arrow) on upper end of pressurized
lifting struts. Pull struts off hood.
< Raise hood to service position and loclc in position by placing
bolts (arrow) in right and
left hinges.