
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
Brakes
Warnings and cautions
WARNING-
. E39 cars require special BMWsen/ice equipment toprop-
erly bleed the brake hydraulic system. See Bleeding
Brakes for additional information.
Semi-metallic and metallic brake friction materials in
brake pads or shoes may produce dangerous dust.
Brake fluid is poisonous, corrosive and dangerous to
the environment. Wear safety glasses and rubber
gloves when worliing with
bralie fluid. Do not siphon
brake fluid with your mouth. Dispose of brake fluid
properly
Do not reuse self-locking nuts, bolts or fasteners. They
are designed to be used only once and may fail if re-
used. Always replace them with new self-locliing fas-
teners.
CAUTlOI\C
Immediately clean bralie fluid spilled on painted surfaces
and wash with water, as
bralie fluid will remove paint.
Always use new brake fluid from a fresh, unopened
container.
Brake fluid will absorb moisture from the air.
This can lead to corrosion problems in the
braking sys-
tem, and will also lower the fluid boiling point.
. Plug open lines and brake fluid ports to prevent con-
tamination.
Only tighten brake hoses on front wheels
with wheels
in straight ahead position.
If carrying out electric welding
worlc, be sure to discon-
nect electrical harness connector from electronic con-
trol module.
Do not expose electronic control modules to high sus-
tained heat, such as in a paint drying booth. Maximum
heat exposure:-95°C (203
OF) for short periods of time-
85'C (185°F) for Ions periods of time (approx. 2 hours)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
Brakes
Brakes, bleeding
The procedure below requires a BMW Service Tester (DIS-
pluslGTl/MoDiC).
- Determine type of traction control (ASC, DSC with precharge
pump, DSC without precharge pump). Be sure to use correct
specification brake fluid, according to application table below.
Brake fluid applications
ABS I ASC and ABS / DSC models DOT 4 brake fluid
with precharge pump (to 911998)
ABS I DSC models without precharge DOT 4 low viscosity
pump (911998 and later) brake
fluid
< Remove left side interior ventilation microfilter housing:
Remove upper cover and microfilter loclting clip
(A).
Release locking clamp (B), and rotate air tube in direction
of arrow to remove.
Disconnect wiring harness from hood switch
(C).
Release filter body mounting clamp (D) and remove lower
microfilter housing.
- Top off bralte fluid in reservoir and connect BMW Service
Tester to
20 pin Data Link Connector (DLC) under hood or 16
pin
DLCIOBD I1 connector under dash.
- Call up service function Bleeding ABS / ASC or service func-
tion Bleeding ABS
/ DSC, depending on installed system.
- Fill pressure bleeding device with the correct brake fluid and
connect to brake fluid reservoir and apply pressurize.
Do not exceed a pressure of
2 bar (29 psi) when pressure
bleeding the
brake system. Excessive pressure will damage
4 Starting at right rear wheel, connect bleed hose and fluid re-
ceptacle to bleeder screw (arrow).
CA UTlON-
Bleeder hose must always remain submersed in clean brake
fluid whenever the bleeder valve is open.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
340-1 2
Brakes Brake pads, checking and replacing
Brake pads can be replaced without disconnecting the brake
fluid hose from the caliper or having to bleed the brakes. The
rotors can be replaced without disassembling wheel hub and
bearing. Always machine or replace rotors in pairs. Replace
pads in sets.
Front and rear brake pad replacement procedures are identical.
WARNING -
* Altllough semi-metallic andmetallic brale friction materials
in brake pads or shoes no longer contain asbestos, they
produce dangerous dust.
Treat all
brale dust as a hazardous material.
Do not create dust by grinding, sanding, or cleaning
brake friction surfaces with compressed air.
CAUTION--
Pressing caliper piston in may cause brake fluid reservoir to
overflow To prevent this, use a clean syringe to first remove
some fluid
from reservoir.
Raise car and remove wheels,
WARNING-
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
parts.
/ 4 To measure brake pad lining thickness, insert BMW special
n 1 tool 34 1 260 at either frontilght wheel or left rear wheel -
Move wheel until notch for brake wear indicator can be
seen through wheel opening.
Insert tip of tool into notch so that the body of tool rests on
brake pad backing plate
(A), and tip touches bralte disc
(B).
Replace pads if thickness is 3.0 mm (0.12 in) or less.
Pry off
bralte calipe~ , anti-rattle spring (arrow).

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
.- -
Brakes
Disconnect master cylinder brake lines (A)
Plug open brake lines to prevent contamination.
Remove master cylinder mounting nuts
(6) and remove
cylinder.
NOTE-
It may be necessary to remove the brake booster with master
cylinder attached due to limited access.
Bralce master cylin-
dercan then be removed from booster. See Brake booster,
removing and installing later
in this repair group.
- During reinstallation, make sure all nuts, fluid couplings,
thread bores, and mating surfaces are clean.
- Mount master cylinder to bralte booster using new sealing O-
ring and new self-locking nuts.
CAUTIOI\C
* Be sure to align master cylinderpushrod and booster
pushrod.
* Do not over-torque master cylinder mounting nuts. This
could damage the brake booster and prevent proper
vacuum build-up.
Tightening torque Brake master cylinder to brake booster
26 Nm (19 ft-lb)
- Connect bralte fluid lines to master cylinder.
Tightening torque Brake fluid line to master cylinder
18 Nm (13 ft-lb)
- Carefully reinstall fluid reservoir using new sealing grommets.
- Reconnect precharge pump fluid supply hose, if applicable. -
- Reconnect hydraulic clutch fluid supply hose, if applicable.
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal.
Top up with fresh brake fluid.
Bleed entire brake system as described earlier

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
400-8
Body-General
Airbags
Front airbags, s~de a~rbags, pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners
and the Battery Safety Terminal (BST) are integrated into the
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) and its variants.
NOTE-
The BMW SRS system is called Multiple Restra~nt System
(MRS). Over the years,
E39 cars were equipped with MRS,
MRS
11, MRS 111. Each version offers varied features and im-
provements over the previous system.
< As many as 8 airbags may be installed in E39 cars, depend-
ing on model and MRS version.
The front
airbags operate without sodium azide propellant,
widely considered an irritant when an
airbag is deployed.
Starting with
1999 models. "smart"front passenger and driver
airbags were installed. These are of the dual-threshold, dual
stage design, including a
sensorto help prevent the unneces-
sary deployment of the passenger side
airbag if the seat is un-
occupied.
MRS control Depend~ng on options chosen, one airbag may be installed in module each door of the sedan and Sport Wagon models, protecting
passengers against
s~de impacts.
Head Protection System (ITS)
airbags strelch diagonally
across the tops of the front doors.
Airbag deployment automatically triggers fuel shutoff, turns
on the hazard and interior lights, and unlocks the doors.
- -
WARNING -
Airbags are inflated by an explosive device. Handled im-
properly or without adequate safeguards,
airbag units can
be very dangerous. Special precautions must be observed
prior to any worlc at or near any of the airbags. See
721 Air-
bag System (SRS).
Always disconnect the battery and cover the negative
(-) battery terminal with an insulator before starting di-
agnostic, troubleshooting or service work on cars fitted
with SRS, and before doing any welding on the
car.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
Fenders, Engine ~ood/
Hood, removing and installing
With hood open:
Remove hood wiring harness mounting clip
(A)
Disconnect electrical harness connector (B).
Unplug windshield washer hose (C).
WARNING-
The hood is heavy Before removing the hoodsupports, be
sure to have an assistant help
support the hood.
Mark position of hinge plates.
With the help of a assistant, support hood and remove retain-
ing clips
(A) on upper end of pressurized lifting struts. Pull
struts off hood.
Loosen upper hinge bolts
(B)
Remove lower hinge bolts (C). Lift hood off carefully.
Installation is reverse of removal.
* Repair any paint damage and paint any exposed metal
Check hood alignment. See
Hood, aligning.
NOTE-
The hood was fitted and attached to an unfinished body at
the factory Unfinished
sun'aces exposed by this procedure
must be touched up with paint,