E36 Seat Belt Assembly Guide
E36 Seat Belt Assembly Guide
GENERAL
All E36 models are equipped with 3-point shoulder belts at tract and tension the seat belt by 55 mm (approximately 2
four seating positions. On 4-door models, there is an addition- inches) in the event of an accident .
al lap belt in the center of the rear seat .
The seat belt reel should lock when driving quickly through
Automatic seat belt tensioners are integrated into the front curves, during severe braking or in case of a collision. The au-
seat belt locks. Through the 1996 model year cars, a mechan- tomatic reel does not require any servicing and should never
¡cal spring tensioner is used . See Fig. 1 . On 1997 and later be opened . Belts that do not retract and/or lock properly
cars, a pyrotechnic (explosive charge) tensioner is used . Au- should be replaced promptly.
tomatic seat belt tensioners are designed to automatically re-
GENERAL
720-2 SEAT BELTS
WARNING -
" For maximum protection from injury, seat belts
should be replaced as a set (including all hard-
ware), if they are subject to occupant loading in a
collision.
Fig . 2 . Electrically adjustable front seat . Turn screw (A) to disarm me-
FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY chanical tensioner. Display B tucos from green to red .
WARNING -
Both the mechanical and the pyrotechnic tensioners
are powerful devíces and should be handled with
extreme care.
NOTE-
Green is armed. Red is disarmed.
0012672
Fig. 5. B-pillar seat belt guide nut trim (arrow).
ou12a74
3. On 4-door and coupe models : Remove plastic trim cov-
Fig. 6. B-pillar trim removed to show seat belt cross-bracket bolts
er from B-pillar (rear door jamb pillar) sliding seat belt (arrows) .
guide. Remove nut and guide loop . See Fig . 5.
4. On 4-door models : Starting at upper corners, peel rub- 8. Disconnect harness connector from reel assembly. Re-
ber door seals away from B-pillar trim . Remove trim move reel and seat belt .
from B-pillar.
9 . Installation is reverse of removal.
5. On 2-door models : Remove reas side panel. See 411
Doors.
Tightening Torque
6. Remove two bolts holding cross bracket to B-pillar . See " Front seat belt to seat
Fig. 6. (use thread locking compound) . . . . . 47 Nm (35 ft-Ib)
" Front seat belt guide loop
7. Remove seat belt reel mounting bolt at base of B-pillar. to B-pillar sliding anchor . . . . . . . . . . 31 Nm (23 ft-Ib)
" Front seat belt reel to B-pillar . . . . . . . 48 Nm (36 ft-Ib)
Fig. 8. Remove rear shoulder belt reel trim cover from rear window
shelf. Unclip plastic, then slide off shoulder belts as shown by
arrows .
Rear seat belt, removing and installing Fig. 9. Remove rear window shelf. Speaker grilles and third brake
(fixed seat back modeis) light socket will have to be removed . The front of the shelf lifts
off its clips (black arrows) before the shelf slides forward.
1 . Remove rear seat cushion and backrest. See 520
Seats. 6. On 4-door models : Unbolt shoulder belt lock bolt from
body next to rear door frame.
2. Remove plastic trim cover over shoulder belt reels from
rear window shelf. See Fig. 8. 7. On 2-door models : Remove rear side panel as de-
scribed in 411 Doors. Unbolt shoulder belt lock bolt
3. Remove rear window shelf. See Fig. 9. from body next to quarter panel .
Rear seat belt, removing and installing 7. Gently pry off plastic trim at top of backrest and pull out
(foid-down seat back modeis) seat belt reel from seat .
5. Unlock and flip down folding rear seat backrest . Re- 2. Remove shoulder belt anchor bolts from beneath rear
move trim plug from back of cushion (luggage compart- seat .
ment side).
NOTE-
6. Remove seat belt reel bolt and washer. See Fig. 10 . The shoulderbeltanchorbolts also hold the centerlap-
belt in place. Be sure to note relative positions of metal
belt-end anchors in order to reassemble correctly.
WARNING -
Alignment tabs on seat belt reels must be rein-
stalled in their original positions.
Tightening Torques
" Lap-belt reel bolt or lock bolt to body . 48 Nm (36 ft-Ib)
0012676
GENERAL WARNING -
" Airbag(s) are inflated by an explosive device.
This repair group covers only removal and installation of air- Handled improperly or without adequate safe-
bag components . Airbag system repair and fault diagnosis is guards, the System can be very dangerous. Spe-
not covered here . Diagnostics, component testing, and airbag cial precautions must be observed prior to any
system repair should be carried out by trained BMW service work at or near the driverside airbag, the passen-
technicians. ger side airbag (where applicable) or the side-im-
pact airbags (where applicable).
GENERAL
721-2 AIRBAG SYSTEM (SRS)
Some 1997 and al¡ 1998 cars also have side-impact airbags
in the front doors.
Airbag contact ring, replacing 7. Remove mounting nuts or screws from contact ring .
See Fig. 3. Disconnect wire lead(s) and remove contact
The airbag contact ring is mounted to the rear of the steer- ring from rear of steering wheel.
ing wheel and is made up of a wire ribbon that cofs and un-
coils as the steering wheel is tumed. The contact ring assures
continuous electrical contact to the driver side airbag unit .
CA UTION-
Prior to disconnectiog the battery, read the battery
disconnection cautions given at the front of this
manual on page viii.
0011903
Fig. 2. Airbag contact ring lock (arrow). Pry out lock and remove
spríng from behind lock . Some airbag steering wheels are not
equipped with contact ring lock .
WARNING -
" The contact ring lock holds the contact ring in the
centered position . Once the lock is removed, the
contact ring is free to rotate. Do not allow the con-
tact ring to rotate once the lock is removed.
" If the contact ring is accidentally rotated out of Fig. 4. Airbag contact ring locking screw (arrow), as installed on new
center, turn the ring either fully clockwise or coun- replacement part from BMW (early production cars).
terclockwise, then turn in the opposite direction 3
complete revolutions until the alignment arrow
can be seen through the lock opening.
0012543
CAUTION-
A new contact ring is held in center position with a
screw or pin. This locking device must be removed
after contact ring is installed on steering wheel.
See Fig. 5.
0011891
The airbag system in cars produced through 1993 uses two 4. Working in engine compartment, remove anti-tamper
crash sensors mounted in the engine compartment on the left Torx screws from crash sensor. Remove sensor and
and right wheel arches . The sensors are identified by their or- disconnect harness connector . See Fig . 8 .
ange color .
5. Installation is reverse of removal . Make sure arrow on
sensor faces forward when installing sensor.
WARNING -
If en airbag is deployed, both sensors must be re-
placed. WARNING -
Once the airbag unit is installed and all other ser-
vice procedures have been completed, start the en-
1 . Disconnect negative (-) cable from battery and cover
gine and check that the SRS warning light goes out.
negative terminal with insulating material . If the warning light stays on, the SRS system will not
function as designed. Have the system diagnosed
CAUTION- and repaired by en authorized BMW dealer.
Prior to disconnectiog the battery, read the battery
disconnection cautíons given at the front of thls
manual on page viii.
AIRBAGS
WARNING -
On cars with ZAE system: If the airbag system has
detected a fault (SRS indicator illuminated), a wait-
ing period of at least ten minutes must be observed
before removing the airbag from the steering wheel.
This will allow the system capacitor to discharge, re-
ducing the possibility of a trigger pulse being gener-
Fig . 8 . Airbag crash sensor mounting screws (arrows) on early cars . ated to the airbag.
Note Torx screws with anti-tamper pin in screw-head .
CAUTION-
ZAE control module, replacing Prior to disconnecting the battery, read the battery
disconnection cautions given at the front of this
NOTE- manual on page vi¡¡.
Some versions of early ZAE control modules are no
longer available from BMW. When replacing control 2 . Remove lower steering column trim mounting screw
modules on cars built between September 1993 and and remove lower trim . Refer to Fig . 6 .
June 1994, consulta BMW parts department for the lat-
est information on retrofitting the later module.
3 . Remove orange SRS connector from its holder and
carefully separate connector. Refer to Fig . 7 .
1 . Disconnect negative (-) cable from battery and cover
negative terminal with insulating material . 4. Working behind steering wheel, completely loosen Torx
screws (T30) while holding airbag in place. See Fig . 9 .
2 . Lift rear seat cushion . Unplug harness connectors and Support airbag unit to prevent it from falling out .
remove ZAE airbag control module, which is bolted to
top of driveshaft tunnel .
AIRBAGS
721-6 AIRBAG SYSTEM (SRS)
5 . Carefully lift airbag unit off steering wheel and discon- 6 . Installation is reverse of removal . Tighten right side
nect orange harness connector from rear of airbag unit . screw on airbag first (as viewed from driver's seat),
See Fig . 10 . then left side screw.
NOTE- NOTE-
In some models, the airbag electrical connection to the If there is no electrical harness connector between the
steering wheel is via a plug in back of the airbag unit. airbag and the steering wheel, be sure to fit the push
There is no wire harness to disconnect. in electrical plug in back of the airbag finto the proper re-
ceptacle in the steering wheel.
Tightening Torque
" Airbag unit to steering wheel . . . . . . . . 8 Nm (71 in-lb)
0013184
Fig . 10. Driver side airbag unit harness connector (arrow) .
WARNING -
" Store the removed airbag unit with the horn pad
facing up. If stored facing down, accidental de-
ployment could propel it violently into the air,
causing injury.
and Wheel Alignment . Fig . 11 . After removing glove compartment, lift out passenger side air-
bag cover. Note airbag mounting bolts (A) and airbag electri-
" Once the airbag unit is installnd and all other ser- cal connector (B) .
vice procedures have been completed, start the
engíne and check that the SRS warning light 4. Remove passenger side airbag mounting bolts . Dis-
goes out. If the warning light stays on, the SRS
connect electrical harness connector from rear of air-
system will not function as designed. Have the
bag unit and remove airbag .
system diagnosed and repaired by an authorized
BMW dealer.
5 . Installation is reverse of removal . Make sure wiring har-
ness is not pínched when installing airbag unit in dash-
board .
AIRBAGS
AIRBAG SYSTEM (SRS) 721-7
CA UTION- " Store the removed airbag unit with the soft pad
Prior to disconnectiog the battery, read the battery facing up. ff stored facíng down, accidental de-
disconnection cautions given at the front of this ployment could propel it violently into the air,
manual on page viii. causing injury.
2. Remove inside door panel as described in 411 Doors. 4. Remove mounting screws and remove airbag from
Remove vapor shield . door.
Tightening Torque
" Side-impact airbag to door . . . . . . . 8.5 Nm (75 in-lb)
WARNING -
The plug connector inside the door is not marked in
orange, unlike other SRS connectors in the car.
AIRBAGS