BMW 1989-1995 525i Service Manual page 11

FUNDAMENTALS FOR THE DO-IT-YOURSELF OWNER
010-3
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8 348 FUN.8
8 348.FUN.8
Fig . 1. BMW jacking points (arrows).
• Illuminate the work area adequately and safely.
Use
a
portable safety light for working inside or
under the car. A fluorescent type light is best be·
cause it gives off less heat. If using
a
light wif/)
a
normal incandescent bulb. use rough service
bulbs to avoid breakage. The hot filament of an
accidentally broken bulb can ignite spilled fuel or
oil.
• Fuel is highly flammable. When working around
fuel. do not smoke or work near heaters or other
fire hazards. Keep an approved lire extinguisher
handy.
WARNING-
• Never work under
a
lifted car unless it is solidly
supported on jack stands that are intended for
that purpose. Do not support
a
car on cinder
blocks. bricks. or other objects that may shift or
crumble under continuous load. Never work an-
tier
a
car that is supported only by the lifting jack.
• Keep sparks. lighted matches. and any open
flame away from the top of the battery. Hydro-
gen gas emitted by the battery is highly flamma-
ble. Any nearby source of ignition may cause the
battery to explode.
• Never lay tools or parts in the engine compart-
ment or on top of the battery. They may fall into
confined spaces and be difficult to retrieve.
be -
come caught in belts or other rotating parts
when the engine is started. or cause electrical
shorts and damage to the electrical system .
• The fuel system is designed to retain pressure
even when the ignition is off. When working with
the fuel system . loosen the fuel lines slowly to et-
low the residual pressure to dissipate gradually.
Take precautions to avoid spraying fuel.
Lifting the Car
For those repairs that require raising the car, the proper jack-
ing points should be used to raise the car safely and avoid dam-
age. There are four jack ing points from which the car can be
safely raised. The jack supplied with the car by BMW can only
be used at the four side points-just behind the front wheel or
just in front of the rear wheel. See Fig. 1.
WARNING-
• When raising the car using
a
floor jack or
a
hy-
draulic lift. carefully position the jack pad to pre-
vent damaging the car body. A suitable liner
(wood, rubber. etc.) should be placed between
the jack and the car to prevent body damage.
To raise car safely
1. Park the car on a flat . level surface.
2. Place the jack in position. See Fig. 2. Make sure the jack
is resting on flat. solid ground. Use a board or other sup-
port to provide a firm surface for the j ack. if necessary.
Fig . 2. BMW supplied jack correctly positioned under front jacking
point.
• Watch the jack closely. Make sure it stays stable
and does not shift or tilt. As the car is raised. the
car may roll sligh tly and the jack may shift.
3. Raise the car slowly while constantly checking the po-
sition of the jack and the car.
4. Once the car is raised . block the wheel that is opposite
and farthe st from the jack to prevent the car from unex-
pectedly rolling.
GETTING
S TA RTED