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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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400-5
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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41 2-1 4
l~runk Lid, Tailgate
< Loosen left and right lateral guide to body fasteners (arrows)
until guide can be moved.
4 Loosen left and right tailgate lateral guide fasteners (arrow)
and fully retract guides.
Check fulcrum pads (arrows) on lower section of tailgate
lock for damage. Replace if necessary.

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Trunk Lid, ~ail~atel
4 Loosen lower tailgate lock fasteners (arrows) so that tailgate
lock can center itself.
CAUTION-
The lower section of tailgate lock must not scrape against
the upper section.
The eccentric pin on the lower section of the tailgate
loclc rotates
when being locked from upper section of
tailgate lock.
- Disconnect tailgate latch actuator motor by squeeze locking
tabs on electrical harness connector and disconnecting.
CAUTION-
Eccentric pin in lower section of trunk lid lock must be at
lower dead center.
After disconnecting plug connector from actuator mo-
tor, tailgate is opened by electric
unloclcing fixture of up-
per section of tailgate loclc.
. For this reason, the cable connections to the upper
section of the tailgate loclc must remain connected.
Othe~tise the tailgate can only be opened by the emer-
gency handle. Eccentric pin of lower section of tailgate
loclc remains at bottom dead center point after unlock-
ing.
Tailgate alignment, height adjustment
4 Loosen left and right tailgate hinge fasteners (arrows) to al-
low tailgate to be adjusted.
CAUTION-
. When the hinge screws for the tailgate are released, the
position of the overall assembly changes with respect to
the body.
The position of the rear window frame to the tailgate re-
mains unchanged.
- Close tailgate carefully and check gap dimensions. See Tail-
gate alignment specifications below.
- Tighten hinge screws when gap dimensions are correct.

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Trunk Lid, Tailgate
4 To periorm contact pattern test, coat lower latch areas A, 6
and C with grease.
Carefully close and reopen tailgate.
Check that upper section of tailgate lock does not scrape
against lower latch.
* Eccentric pin in lower section of tailgate loclc must not
scrape against upper section
(B) of tailgate lock.
The contact pattern (C) of upper section of tailgate lock on
eccentric pin should be centered.
- To adjust height of upper section of tailgate lock, loosen fas-
teners, move upper section of lock and retighten fasteners.
Repeat contact pattern test after height adjustment.
Tailgate lateral guide, adjusting
< If necessary, loosen lateral guide to body fasteners (arrows)
to allow it to move.
Move lateral guides to center position.
< Loosen lateral guide to tailgate fasteners to allow it to move.
- Close tailgate to center guides with respect to each other.
NOTE-
The bracket of the lateral guide continues to touch against
the body without clearance as does the lateral guide against
the tailgate.
- Open tailgate and tighten guide fasteners.

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41 2-21
Trunk Lid, ~ailaatel
Rear window, adjusting
NOTE- Three versions of rear window are used on
Sport Wagon
models.
Tailgate must be correctly adjusted before rear window ad-
justments are made.
- . . . . . .. .. 4 With tailgate closeo ano rear window open, oosen ninge fas-
teners (arrows) to allow ninge to move.
- LoosL'n fasteners n lower section of ock to al ow movement.
- Care& ly c ose rear window:
Ad.~st gap dmensions and poston of rear window relative
to Oody panel. See Tailgate alignment specifications. .
FA-UTION- I
On transition area between rooflailgate, tailgate must not ex-
tend above height of roof
othe~lise wind noise will be creat-
ed.
- If necessary, adjust height of rear window frame by inserting
spacers between the hinge and the frame.
- Carefully open rear window, taking care not to alter adjust-
ment.
Tighten left and right rear window fasteners.
Close rear window and check adjustment, repeat step if
necessary. See Tailgate alignment specifications.
Rear window locking pin, adjusting
NOTE-- Several versions of rear window
locldng pin are used on
Sport Wagon models.
1999 528i model is shown. Other
models are similar.
For rear window adjustment specifications,
seeTailgate
alignment specifications.
Loosen lower assembly fasteners (arrows)

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41 2-22
1 Trunk Lid, Tailgate
4 With rear window open, loosen loclc nut (A) so that inclination
of loclting pin
(B) can be adjusted.
- Carefully close rear window, while ensuring that locking pin
is centered in rotary latch in lower section.
NOTE-
When closing rear window, be sure that there is a gap of ap-
proximately
1 mm (0.04 in) between the locliing pin and the
rotary latch in the lower section of lock.
- Open tailgate and tighten lower loclc assembly fasteners. Be
careful not to alter inclination of loclting pin
(B) when tighten-
ing loclc nut
(A).
4 To adjust height of rear window at lock, loosen loclc nut (A)
and turn locking pin (B).
Be careful not alter position of loclting pin when tightening
lock nut
(A).
CA UTIOG
After adjusting rear window, always checlr position of wiper
axis relative to drive disc and limit stop on rear window wiper
motor. Adjust if necessary See 611 Wipers and Washers.

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51 5 Central Locking and Anti-Theft
........................... General .51 5.2
Central Locking ................... .51 5.2
General Module
..................... .51 5.2
Central locking inputs and outputs
....... .51 5.3
Doorlocks
........................... 515-5
Trunklock
........................... 515-7
Remote entry (FZV)
.................. .51 5.7
Remote entry (FZV) inputs and outputs ... .51 5.8
Car Memory I Key Memory ............ .51 5.12
Trunk lid soft close (SCA)
............. .51 5.13
SCA subsystem
.................... .51 5.14
........ Tailgate and rear window locks
.51 5.14
Sport Wagon tailgate and rear
window
lock schematic ............... .51 5.15
Door Handles and Locks .......... .51 5.16
Door handle (outer), removing
and installing
....................... .51 5.16
Door latch, removing and installing
..... .51 5.17
Outer door lock cylinder, removing
and installing
....................... .51 5.18
Trunk Lock Assembly ............. 515-1 9
Trunk lock. removing and installing
...... 515-19
Trunk lock striker plate. removing
and installing
....................... 515-20
Tailgate lock. emergency release
....... 515-21
... Electronic Immobilization (EWS) 515-21
EWS variations
..................... 515-22
......... EWS control module. replacing 515-23
Transmitter
1 receiver module .......... 515-23
....................... Ring antenna 515-23
Anti-theft System (DWA) ........... 51 5-24
DWA LED Status
.................... 51 5-24
Tilt sensor
......................... 515-24
Interior protection .................... 51 5-25
Glass breakage sensors
.............. 515-26
Emergency disarming
................ 51 5-26