1999–2005 BMW E46 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i, 330xi Service Manual (P/N 11–00-8-123-130)

• Actual included coverage: Although the cover is marked for 1999–2005 models and lists M3, the repair chapters cover 1999–2001 non-M E46 323i/Ci, 325i/Ci/xi, 328i/Ci, and 330i/Ci/xi models in Sedan, Coupe, Convertible, and Sport Wagon body styles. No M3/S54 or 2002–2005-specific repair chapter is included.
• Covers M52TU and M54 six-cylinder engine repair, including engine removal, cylinder-head and valvetrain work, timing-chain service, double-VANOS setup, lubrication and cooling-system repair, fuel-injection diagnosis, and Siemens DME testing.
• Details Getrag and ZF manual gearboxes, GM and ZF automatics, the SAC clutch, and xi driveline service, with transmission removal, shift-linkage repair, torque-converter handling, driveshaft, transfer-case, axle-shaft, seal, and final-drive procedures.
• Includes rear-wheel-drive and xi suspension, steering, brake, and stability-control repair, covering struts, subframes, bushings, wheel bearings, rack-and-pinion steering, alignment, brake hydraulics, parking-brake adjustment, and ABS/DSC diagnosis.
• Covers body and electrical equipment including GM V/ZKE V central locking, the EWS 3.3 immobilizer, CVM II convertible-top control, IHKA climate control, lighting, audio, SRS, fuse and ground locations, component-location views, OBD II code tables, torque tables, fluid data, inspection limits, and electrical test specifications.

Technical Structure and Contents

The publication pages bear BentleyPublishers branding and a 2006 Robert Bentley, Inc. copyright notice. The PDF contains General Data and Maintenance, seven numbered repair groups, and an OBD section; electrical troubleshooting is housed within the electrical group. Application tables and cross-references tie procedures to the correct engine, transmission, body, and drivetrain configuration.

Opening chapters cover shop safety, E46 lifting and support points, maintenance schedules, specialty tools, and the Service Interval Indicator, including separate reset methods before and after June 2000. Tool references include camshaft-locking fixtures 11 3 240/11 3 244, VANOS setup bracket 11 6 150, primary-chain tensioner 11 4 220, and SAC clutch tools 21 2 150, 21 2 170, and 21 2 180.

Repair Coverage by System

Engine application tables distinguish 1999–2000 M52TU B25/B28 engines with Siemens MS 42.0 management from 2001 M54 B25/B30 engines with MS 43.0. Chapters cover engine removal, head and valvetrain repair, timing and VANOS work, lubrication, fuel and ignition testing, ECM pin assignments, and cooling-system diagnosis. They do not provide a complete procedural short-block overhaul.

Transmission tables identify Getrag S5D 250G, ZF S5D 320Z, and xi-specific ZF S5D 280Z manuals, plus GM A5S 360R/A5S 390R and ZF A5S 325Z automatics. For 323i/Ci and 328i/Ci applications, the text marks the March 2000 change from A5S 360R to A5S 325Z. Service extends through clutch hydraulics, external seals, transmission removal, driveshafts, transfer-case removal, axle shafts, and final-drive replacement. Internal transmission, transfer-case, and differential rebuilding is outside scope.

Chassis application data distinguishes Teves MK20 ASC and DSC on 1999–2000 cars, Teves MK60 DSC on 2001 rear-wheel-drive models, and Bosch DSC III 5.7 on 2001 all-wheel-drive models. The Bosch Hall-effect and Teves magnetoresistive rear wheel-speed sensors fit the same location but are electrically different. BMW DIS/MoDiC procedures cover ABS bleeding and steering-angle sensor calibration.

Body chapters address exterior panels, doors, glass and regulators, interior trim, central locking and anti-theft systems, seats, sunroof, instruments, lighting, HVAC, audio, belts, and airbags. Convertible coverage includes the electro-hydraulic top, Hall sensors, emergency operation, hydraulic components, and rollover protection. CVM II fault access is described, while full convertible-top and rollover-system diagnosis requires BMW diagnostic equipment and is outside the book’s stand-alone troubleshooting scope.

Fluid, Torque, and Diagnostic Data

The OBD II section explains the MIL, drive cycles, readiness monitoring, fault storage, and catalyst, misfire, and evaporative-system monitors. It distinguishes cars built through June 2000 with the engine-compartment BMW connector from later cars using the under-dash OBD II port for diagnostic, coding, and programming functions. Tables pair BMW fault numbers with SAE P-codes, fault type, monitored function, signal type and range, and explanatory notes. Component chapters add resistance, voltage, continuity, pressure-test, and connector-pin data.

Named references include the 1999 E46 vehicle-bus diagram; Teves MK20, MK60, and Bosch DSC III diagrams; camshaft timing and VANOS views; MS 42.0/MS 43.0 pin-assignment tables; IHKA air-distribution diagrams; and electrical component-location views. The PDF contains wire-color and terminal-number tables, circuit-testing methods, fuse positions, ground maps, bus diagrams, and location views, but not the separate full ELE Electrical Wiring Diagrams section referenced by the repair text.

Fluid sections identify application-specific engine, manual and automatic transmission, transfer-case, final-drive, steering, brake, coolant, and A/C requirements. Related chapters provide torque tables, capacities, alignment data, wear limits, adjustment specifications, and electrical test values.

Scope Limits and Workshop Notes

A/C component removal and installation is covered, while refrigerant recovery, evacuation, charging, and full system diagnosis require approved equipment and procedures outside the manual’s scope.

Several cautions are specific to these assemblies. Turning the engine with the VANOS unit removed can cause piston-to-valve contact. Mixing the specified automatic-transmission fluid types can lead to transmission failure. Tightening the rear differential input-flange collar nut beyond its original match marks can damage internal differential components.

Engine, transmission, subframe, brake, SRS, convertible-top hydraulic, and A/C repair can involve heavy assemblies, stored pressure, pyrotechnic restraint components, and refrigerant. Apply the manual’s lifting, support, pressure-release, battery-isolation, and system-specific safety procedures before beginning work.