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Brakes
- Pump brake pedal a few times to reduce vacuum in brake
booster. This makes removal of
check valve easier.
- Remove or loosen hose clamp(s) at check valve.
- Disconnect hoses. Remove valve to test or replace.
NOTE-
If valve is pressed into grommet in vacuum booster, pry it out
carefully.
- Reinstall valve using new hose clamps
NOTE-
Install the valve so that the molded arrow is pointing toward
the intake manifold.
Brake booster, removing and installing
CAUTIO&
All E39 vehicles sold in the USA are equipped with Antiloclc
Braking System (ABS) and either Automatic Stability Control
(ASC) or Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). In order for the
bralchg and stability controls to work properk if brake fluid
lines are disconnected and reconnected,
male sure that the
brake system is bled by an authorized BMW dealer or other
qualified repair facility using the BMW Service Tester: See
Brake Bleeding earlier in this group.
- Disconnect negative (-) cable from battery.
I CAUTION- I
Prior to disconnecting the battery read the battery discon-
nection cautions given in
001 General Cautions and
I Warnings. I
- Remove bralte master cylinder as described earlier.
- Disconnect engine vacuum hose from bralte booster.

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1 Brakes
ABS COMPONENT REPLACEMENT
CA UTIOW-
If the tires on the car are of different makes, the ABS/trac-
tion controlsystem may overreact. Only fit tires of the same
make and treadpattern.
In adverse conditions, such as trying to rock the car out
of deep snow or other soft surface, or when snow
chains are fitted, it is advisable to switch off traction
control and allow
tlie car driveline to operate conven-
tionally.
All E39 vehicles are equipped with
Antilock Braking System
(ABS). Early production models featured ABS with Automatic
Stability Control (ABS
I ASC). Later models came equipped
with ABS and Dynamic Stability Control (ABS
/ DSC). This
manual will refer to these systems as ABS. ASC or DSC will
be specified when necessary.
For ABS system and component descriptions, see
300 Sus-
pension, Steering and Brakes-General.
Wheel speed sensor, replacing
- Raise applicable end of car.
Make sure that the car is firmly supported on
jack stands de-
signed for the purpose. Place
jack stands beneath structural
chassis points. Do not place jack stands under suspension
< Front sensor: Unscrew mounting bolts (arrows) at steering
knuckle.
4 Rear sensor: Unscrew mounting bolt (arrows) in rear wheel
bearing carrier.
NOTE-
ABS wheelspeed sensor application may vary depending on
traction control system installed.

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Remove snap ring from steering shaft.
- Slide steering angle sensor off steering shaft
< Installation is reverse of removal, noting the following.
Take care to line up loclting pin
(arrow) with mount hole in
sensor.
Perform steering angle offset test using BMW scan tools
DISplus, GT1, or MoDiC. Once calibrated, the sensor
sends a confirmation ID code to the DSC control module
to indicate proper calibration.
DSC precharge pump, removing and
installing
(1 998 models)
1998 V-8 cars with Bosch DSC Ill v. 5.3 are equipped with a
DSC precharge pump mounted in the engine compartment.
There is no separate precharge pump in the Bosch DSC
Ill v.
5.7 system (1999 models and later).
WARNING-
E39 cars require special BMWservice equipment to properly
bleed the brakes. Removal of hydraulic components is not
recommended unless this equipment is available. For safety
reasons, the
brake system on cars with ABS must be bled us-
ing the procedures described in this repair group.
- Using a clean syringe, empty brake fluid reservoir.
CAUTIOI\C
Brake fluid is highly corrosive and dangerous to the environ-
ment. Disoose of it
orooerlv.
Working at precharge pump, disconnect hydraulic lines (A)
and electrical harness connector (6). Clean up dripping fluid.
hydraulic unit. Label all
con-

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340-31
Brakes
ABS 1 traction electronic control module
(1 997 -1 998 models)
4 The traction control electronic control module in 1997- 1998
models is located to the left of the glove compartment.
NOTE-
In both ASC and early DSC systems this location is used for
the electronic control unit.
- Before removing the traction control electronic module, read
any fault codes in memory.
ABS I DSC control module
(1 999 - 2002 models)
The DSC electronic control unit in 1999 and later models
(from 911998) is bolted to the DSC hydraulic unit in the right
rear of the engine compartment.
- Before removing the traction control electronic module, read
any fault codes in memory.
- Install electronic control unit using new screws.
Tightening torque
DSC electronic control unit to 2.9 Nrn (26 in-lb)
hydraulic
unit (use new screws)
- Code newly installed module using either DIS or MoDiC.
- Adjust steering angle sensor using menu item Service func-
tion in
DIS or MoDiC.
ABS I traction control hydraulic unit,
removing and installing
WARNING -
E39 cars require special BMWsewice equipment to properly
bleed the brakes. Removal of the hydraulic unit is not recom-
mended unless this equipment is available. For safety rea-
sons, the
brake system on cars with ABS must be bled using
the procedures described in this repair group.
NOTE-
Before starting this procedure, read control module mem-
ory and print
out diagnostic record.
DSC system: Adjust steering angle sensor using
either
DISplus, GTI, or MoDiC. After completing work, function
test control module.

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400 Body-General
........................ General ........................... .40 0.2 Roof paddin~ 400-7
Body Assembly ................... .40 0.2
Body dimensions (in inches)
............ .40 0.2
Bodyshell
........................... 400-3
Exterior and aerodynamics
............. .40 0.3
Sport Wagon ...................... .40 0.4
Tailgate
............................ .40 0.5
Tailgate lock system
.................. .40 0.5
Rear wiper system ................... .40 0.6
Antenna and sound system ............ .40 0.6
Safety and Security Features ....... .40 0.7
Safety cage
......................... .40 0.7
Door locks and door handles
........... .40 0.7
.
........................... Seat belts 400-7
Airbags ............................ 400-8
Battery safety terminal (BST)
........... 400-9
Security
............................ 400-9
Interior Features ................... 400-9
............................. Seats 400-10
Instruments and controls .............. 400-10
Central body electronics
.............. 400-1 1
Heating and Air
Conditioning (IHKA)
............... 400-12

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400-4
I Bodv-General
Bumpers
The front and rear bumpers are clad in high quality
deform-
able plastic and, at solid barrier impact speeds of 4 kph (2.5
mph), provide protection with virtually no damage to the
bumper
orthe vehicle. In addition to hydraulic dampeners.
which absorb the initial impact energy, these bumpers are
backed by compressible tubes. These deform in a controlled
manner at impact speeds greaterthan that
forwhich bumpers
and hydraulic dampeners are designed. This helps avoid ex-
pensive damage to the body at impact speeds up to 14 kph (9
mph).
The E39 Sport Wagon was introduced to the US market in
911 998 (model year 1999). It shares many components with
the E39 sedan and is identical to it from the B-pillar forward.
US
marltet 5 Series Sport Wagons are available in two vari-
ants:
6-cylinder
(5251, 528i) powered by the 2.8 liter M52 TU en-
gine (1 999) or the 2.5 liter M54 engine (2000 and later)
* V-8 (540i) powered by the 4.4 liter M62 TU engine
The wheelbase of the Sport Wagon is the same as the sedan.
Howeverthe body is 30
mm (1.2 in) longer and 10 mm (0.4 in)
higher.
The Sport Wagon rear suspension was redesigned to elimi-
nates the upper rear spring strut mounting on the E39 sedan.
The use of separate coil springs and
shoclc absorbers results
in a flat, wide floor in the cargo area. See
300 Suspension,
Steering and Brakes-General.
The self-leveling air spring suspension system (electronic
height control or EHC) is standard on Sport Wagon V-8 mod-
els and optional on 6-cylinder models.
Sport Wagon cargo capacities are shown below.
Sport Wagon load capacities
Cargo capacity
Rear seat up 909 liters (32.1 cu ft)
Rear seat folded down I809 liters (63.9 cu ft)
Load limit
Cargo compartment
460 Kg (1014 lb)
Roof
I00 Kg (220 lb)

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400-5
Body-General
Tailgate
The E39 Sporl Wagon tailgate is large with a low sill for easy
cargo loading. The tailgate opens to an angle of
88" mea-
sured from the rear roof pillar (D-pillar) and to a height of
2029
mm (79.8 in) measured from the ground to the upper edge of
the raised tailgate.
The rear window is bonded to a load bearing frame and can
be opened separately from the main tailgate. Tailgatesupport
gas springs are recessed into cavities in the roof.
Tailgate lock system
A mechanical tailgate lock cylinder is not used; the tailgate is
opened by the unlock pad above the license plate, the remote
tailgate switch located in the drivers kick panel, or via
FZV
(Iteyless entry) control.
4 An emergency release mechanism is incorporated into the
latch assembly to open the hatch from the vehicle interior if a
malfunction occurs.
The tailgate lock assembly includes an automatic soft close
(SCA) feature. The electrical operation of SCA is a function of
central body electronics
(ZKE Ill). The SCA actuator is locat-
ed in the rear cowl panel below the tailgate. The actuator is
controlled by a load relay in the General Module. A locking
cam is mounted on an eccentric that is driven by the actuator.
4 The SCA cam always turns in the same direction to open or
close the tailgate. The cam turns
180" to open or to close.
When the cam turns in the up direction the notch in the cam
SCA actuator pushes on a lever on the back of the latch in the tailgate. This
mechanically unlocks the latch. The tailgate is raised up and
can be opened.

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.
I Body-General 1
Rear wiper system
The rear wiper assembly on the E39 Sport Wagon is a self-
contained unit. The control electronics are integrated into the
gear drive that is part of the motor assembly. The control elec-
tronics contain two hall sensors, one
forthe park position and
one
forthe end stop or to signal reverse direction of the wiper
motor.
-
Wiperlwasher
stalk switch
/ 4 - 3
502400100
4 The rear wiper is controlled through the stalk switch on the
steering column. The switch includes the following functions:
Intermittent rear window wiping
Programmed rear window wiping interval
Operation of rear window washer
The wiper system automatically controls the following safety
and convenience features:
* Wiper interrupted when rear glass is opened
Wiper interrupted if wiper arm is blocked
Continuous wiping when vehicle is shifled into reverse
Antenna and sound system
4 There are two diversity FM antenna amplifiers:
FMI amplifier located in the rear window frame
FM2 / FZV amplifier located in the lefl D-pillar
The radio amplifier and CD changer are behind the side
ac-
cess panels in the cargo compartment:
CD changer on lefl side
Sound system subwoofer on right side
The subwoofer has a hold down knob and is mounted on a
hinge. It can be swung out to access
the batteryand fuse pan-
el by unscrewing the knob.