1998 BMW CONVERTIBLE technical data

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Never use spot remover, paint thinner,
solvents, gasoline etc. to remove spots
from the convertible top and from the
rear window, as these substances
destroy the rubber seals and lead to
leaks. Use only BMW-approved clean-
ers.
In addition to the advantage of being
extremely flexible, the rear window also
has the disadvantage of having a rela-
tively soft surface. For this reason, only
clean the rear window with a soft, anti-
static cloth or with BMW Convertible
Rear Window Cleaner.
If you wash the vehicle frequently in
brush car washes, and in particular in
those with hard brushes, faint scratches
in the rear window may result. With the
window replacement system you can
replace a heavily scratched window at a
relatively low price. Please contact your
authorized BMW Retailer for additional
information. b
A full range of car-care products is
available from your BMW Retailer.c
a
Cleaning agents can contain sub-
stances that are dangerous or bad for
your health. Therefore always observe
the warnings and danger notices on the
package.
Open the doors or windows on your ve-
hicle when cleaning the interior.
Never clean your vehicle with solvents
or other materials not specifically in-
tended for this application.c
Hardtop:Please follow the instructions for car
care from page 131.If the vehicle is to be temporarily stored
for more than three months, have the
following maintenance performed by
your BMW Retailer:
1 Cleaning, preservation and retreat-
ment of the engine, engine compart-
ment, underbody, axles and
subassemblies in accordance with
the factory speciÞcations. Vehicle
washing with interior cleaning fol-
lowed by paint and chrome care.
Clean rubber seals of the hood, lug-
gage compartment lid and doors and
rub with either talcum powder or
glycerine oil.
2 Change engine oil and oil Þlter at
operating temperature. As an addi-
tional corrosion protection measure,
an anti-corrosive agent can be added
to the engine in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
3 Check the coolant level and concen-
tration and top up if necessary.
4 Check the acid level in the battery
cells and add distilled water if neces-
sary.
5 Increase the tire inßation pressure to
50.9 psi (3.5 bar).
Cleaning and care of the convertible top Vehicle storage

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Controls and featuresCare and maintenanceAdvanced technology
Technical data
Owner service procedure
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Index
13 9
Replacement procedures:
Onboard tool kit140
Windshield wiper blades140
Lamp and bulbs141
Master key with battery lamp145
Changing tires146
Battery149
Fuses151
In case of electrical
malfunction:
Fuel filler door 152
Sliding/tilt sunroof 152
Assistance, giving and receiving:
Jump-starting153
Towing the vehicle154
Towing154

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The lamps and bulbs on your car play a
vital role in ensuring road safety, a fact
which you should always bear in mind
in caring for them. Carefully observe the
following instructions during bulb
replacement, referring any procedures
with which you are not familiar to your
BMW Retailer.b
Never touch the bulb glass of a
new lamp with your bare hands. Use a
clean cloth, paper napkin, etc. or hold
the bulb by its metallic base.c
A replacement bulb set is available from
your BMW Retailer.
a
To prevent short circuits, always
switch off all electrical systems and
components, or disconnect the negative
terminal of the battery, before working
on them.
To prevent injuries and damage, always
observe any instructions provided by
the bulb manufacturer.c
Low and high beamsLow beam: HB4, 55 watts
High beam: HB3, 65 wattsa
Each bulb is pressurized; always
wear gloves and eye protection! Failure
to observe this precaution could lead to
injury if the bulb is accidentally dam-
aged during replacement.c
dTurn the bulb holder to the left and
remove.
dReplace the bulb.
Parking lamp 5 watt bulb
dPress in the upper tab of the bulb
holder to release and remove.
dPull out the bulb holder.
dPull off the bulb and replace.b
Please observe the following
when cleaning the headlamp covers:
dDo not rub them dry and do not apply
scouring or caustic cleaning agents.
dRemove dirt and contamination (such
as insects) by soaking with BMW Car
Shampoo and then rinsing with
plenty of water.
dAlways use a de-icer spray to remove
accumulated ice and snow Ð Never
use a scraper!c
360us089
Bulb replacement

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Taillamps 1 Turn signal yellow
21 watt bulb
2 Backup lamp white
21 watt bulb
3 Brake lamp red
21 watt bulb
4 Taillamp red
5 watt bulbdRemove the lamp cover after releas-
ing the locking device.
dOnce you have found the lamp
holder for the defective bulb, push it
gently to the rear while turning to the
left to remove.
dUse the same procedure to remove
the bulb.
Center brake lamp
*
21 watt bulb
dOpen the luggage compartment lid.
dPush the bulb holder's release knob
gently to the rear while turning to the
left to remove.
dUse the same procedure to remove
the bulb.
BMW Convertible:
LED strip in luggage compartment lid.
Please contact a BMW Retailer in the
case of a malfunction.
12
3
4
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Bulb replacement

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Luggage compartment lamps BMW Sedan, Coupe
10 watt bulb
Lamp on underside of rear shelf:
dUse a screwdriver to pry out the lamp
at the recess.
dReplace bulb.
BMW Convertible:
5 watt bulbs
There is one lamp each in the bulb cov-
ers of the rear lamps.
dUse a screwdriver to pry out the lamp
at the recess.
dReplace bulb.Glove compartment lamp 5 watt bulb
dUse a screwdriver to pry out the lamp
forward.
dReplace bulb.Footwell lamps
*
5 watt bulb
dUse a screwdriver to pry the lamp out
of the lower instrument panel trim.
dReplace bulb.
Replace batteryIf lamp intensity drops, renew the bat-
tery to safeguard against acid escaping.
To change the battery, use a screw-
driver to remove the cover on the back
of the key.
Insert a new battery of the same type
(CR 2025) - as shown in the picture - so
that it touches the contacts.
Snap the cover back on and press it in
evenly.A
Bring old batteries to a collection
point or your BMW Retailer.c365de132
Bulb replacement Master keys

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Procedure1 Wheel bolt cover
* removal.
Steel disk wheel: remove wheel cover
by hand. Light-alloy wheel with lug
cap in the shape of a large hexagon
nut: position the hexagon adapter on
the lug bolt cover, apply the lug
wrench and turn it to the left.2 Loosen lug bolts 1/2 turn.
3 Remove the respective cover cap
from the jacking point. Depending on
the vehicle version, remove the pro-
tective cap either by inserting the
screwdriver into the slot and turning
to the left (arrow in left illustration) or
by pressing in the cap on the bottom
(arrow in illustration above).4 Insert the jack all the way into the
support while ensuring that the base
of the jack is securely positioned on
the road surface. Always chock the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from
rolling.
5 Turn the handle to raise the jack until
the wheel is free of the ground.
a
The vehicle jack is designed for
changing tires only. Never use it to raise
another vehicle model or a load of an-
other kind, since that could result in ac-
cidents and personal injury.
Never lie beneath the vehicle when it is
supported by the jack Ð risk of fatal inju-
ry!c
6 Unscrew the lug bolts and remove the
wheel.
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Changing tires

14 9
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The battery is located behind the right-
side trim panel in the luggage compart-
ment. A separate positive terminal in
the engine compartment is available for
jump-starting (also refer to page 153).
Only certain battery types may be used
on the BMW convertible. Consult your
BMW Retailer for details.
The battery is maintenance-free, mean-
ing that the electrolyte will normally last
for the life of the battery.
Should the electrolyte drop to below
the minimum level - e.g., during extend-
ed operation in hot climates - add dis-
tilled water (no acid!).
Electrolyte level: Up to the "MAX" mark
on the outside of the battery in each
cell, approx. 0.2 inches (5 mm) above
the top of the plates.
Keep the top of the battery clean and
dry.
SymbolsYou will find the following symbols on
your car battery. To avoid injury, please
observe the corresponding precautions
whenever you work with or near the
battery.

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Before working with the battery,
read the following:
R
Wear eye protection. Avoid let-
ting acid or lead particles come
into contact with your eyes, your
skin or your clothing.
S
Battery acid is extremely corro-
sive. Wear eye protection and
protective gloves. Do not tilt the
battery; acid could emerge from the
ventilation openings.
T
Ensure that children keep well
away from batteries and battery
acid.
U
Never allow sparks or open
ßame, and do not smoke in the
vicinity of the battery. Avoid
sparks from electrical cables and
equipment. Never short-circuit the bat-
tery terminals. There is a danger of
injury from powerful sparks.
V
A highly-explosive gas is gener-
ated when the battery is
charged.
W
If you happen to get acid in your
eyes, rinse thoroughly for sev-
eral minutes with clear water.
Then consult a physician immediately. If
you get acid spray on your skin or cloth-
ing, apply soap immediately to neutral-
ize the acid, then rinse with plenty of
water. If electrolyte is accidentally
ingested, consult a physician immedi-
ately.
X
To protect the casing against
ultraviolet radiation, avoid
exposing it to direct sunlight.
A discharged battery can freeze; always
store the battery in areas where the
temperature remains above freezing.
Battery

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If an electrical device fails, switch it off
and check the fuse.
The fuse box (electrical distribution
center) with spare fuses, relays and
plastic tweezers, is located on the left-
hand side of the engine compartment.
dPress the retaining flap in and lift off
the cover.
dRemove the fuse of the defective
consumer from the socket with the
plastic tweezers.
dIf the fuse is burned through (the
metal wire will have melted and sep-
arated), replace it with a new fuse of
the same ampere rating.A list of the fuses with their respective
ampere ratings and the equipment in
their circuits is provided in the fuse box
lid.
a
Do not patch burned out fuses or
replace them with fuses of a different
color or ampere rating, since this could
cause an overload on an electrical wire
and lead to fire in the vehicle.c
If the fuse continues to burn through,
refer the problem to a BMW Retailer for
repair.
360de102Fuses