1998 BMW 750IL SEDAN window

112n
Center armrestsMulti-function armrest, rear
*
In order to operate certain functions
from the rear seat, corresponding con-
trols are integrated into the center arm-
rest.
Fold out the armrest and open the
cover. Refer to "Rear armrest."
The illustration shows the maximum
possible number of controls, corre-
sponding to a full range of optional
equipment. Refer to the descriptions of
the individual accessories for addi-
tional details on the equipment options.
1 Multi-Information Display for operat-
ing the radio and onboard computer
(with limited function range)380de201
2 Actuation of the power rear window
blind
3 Front passenger side shoulder
support
4 Tandem telephone
5 Power adjustment, front passenger's
seat
6 Seat memory for the front passenger
Front armrestPress the button at the front for front/
rear adjustment (arrow 1).
Press the side-mounted buttons for
access to the storage compartments
(arrows 2).380de223

152n
Caring for your carCaring for the vehicle finishRegular washing is a preventive mea-
sure against long-term effects from
substances that are harmful to the vehi-
cle's finish, especially if you drive your
vehicle in areas with high levels of air
pollution or aggressive natural sub-
stances (tree resins, pollen).
Nevertheless, you should immediately
remove especially aggressive sub-
stances. Failure to do so can lead to
changes in the paint's chemical struc-
ture or to discoloration. Gasoline spilled
during refueling, oil, grease and brake
fluid should always be cleaned away
immediately, as should bird droppings.
All of these substances cause damage
to the finish.
Any contamination remaining on the
surface of the vehicle will be especially
conspicuous after washing. Use clean-
ing fluid or alcohol with a clean cloth or
cotton pad to remove. Remove tar
spots with tar remover. After cleaning,
the affected areas should be waxed to
ensure continued protection.
A full range of car-care products is
available from your BMW center.<
Waxing your carProtect the finish using carnauba or
synthetic-based waxes only.
The best way to determine when the
finish needs to be waxed is by noting
when water stops beading on the sur-
face.
You can use a glass cleaner to remove
any wax or silicone that may have been
left on the windows during waxing.
A full range of car-care products is
available from your BMW center.<
Paint damageYou can touch up small areas of dam-
age with BMW spray paint or a BMW
touch-up stick.
The color code of your vehicle is lo-
cated on a tag near the vehicle's data
plate and on the first page of the Ser-
vice and Warranty Information Booklet
(US models) or of the Warranty and Ser-
vice Guide Booklet (Canadian models).
Damage caused by flying stones,
scratches, etc., must be touched up
without delay to prevent rust from form-
ing.
If corrosion has started to form in an
area with paint damage, remove all rust
and clean the area. Then prime the area
with a BMW Primer Stick. Finally, apply
the finish coat. Wait a few days, then
polish the repaired area. Finish by ap-
plying a wax preservative.
More extensive paint damage should be
repaired professionally in accordance
with the manufacturer's instructions.
Your BMW center uses original BMW
finish materials in accordance with ap-
proved repair procedures.

153n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Caring for your carWindow careWater and dirt-repelling windshield (re-
fer also to page 191).
The effectiveness of the coating is not
impaired by the wax used in car washes
or by windshield-washer additives.
Depending on the frequency of use of
the windshield wipers as well as on en-
vironmental factors, the coating of the
windshield is subject to natural wear.
As a result, the beneficial characteris-
tics of the coating gradually diminish.
After approx. 12,400 to 15,500 miles
(approx. 20,000 to 25,000 km), the
windshield begins to resemble more
and more a standard windshield.
The coating can be renewed by your
BMW center.
You can use window and glass cleaner
to clean interior window surfaces and
mirrors without streaking. Never use
polishing pastes or abrasive (quartz)
cleansers on mirror lenses.
Break-resistant security glassThe glass used for the side windows is
designed to provide resistance to
breakage and protection against van-
dalism. These break-resistant windows
contain several layers of a transparent
plastic film which is sandwiched be-
tween the inner and outer glass panes.
There is also one additional plastic film
on the inside of the glass pane (facing
the passenger compartment). This film
prevents shards of glass from spread-
ing into the passenger compartment if
the window is shattered.
Please observe the following pre-
cautions pertaining to this film
when caring for the interior glass sur-
faces:
>The film is not scratch-resistant. For
this reason, do not touch the glass
with sharp objects which could dam-
age the film
>Clean the glass with clean water. If
necessary, you may also use regular
household window cleaners. Wipe
the cleaner off immediately.
Do not use window cleaners contain-
ing solvents or abrasives. These
cleaners can mar the film
>Do not apply any self-adhering de-
cals, adhesive labels or other stickers
with tape to the inner window surface
>Do not apply colored films to the in-
side surfaces of the side windows
>If the windows are fogged or iced
over in cold or humid climates, do not
use an ice scraper or ice-removing
sprays to clean them. Start the en-
gine and refer to the instructions for
defrosting the door windows.<

154n
Caring for your carCaring for other vehicle
components and materialsLight-alloy wheels should be treated
with alloy wheel cleaner, especially dur-
ing the winter months. However, do not
use aggressive products containing ac-
ids, strong alkalis or abrasives. Do not
use steam cleaners operating at tem-
peratures above 1407 (606). Follow
the manufacturer's instructions.
If your vehicle has chromed parts
* such
as window moldings, door handles or
other parts, clean these parts especially
carefully with ample clean water, espe-
cially if they have an accumulation of
road salt. You may wish to add a car
shampoo supplement to the water. Use
a chrome polish for an additional treat-
ment.
Plastic components, vinyl upholstery,
headliners, lamp lenses, the clear cover
of the instrument panel and compo-
nents with a sprayed dull black surface
can be cleaned with water (add plastic
cleaner as required). Do not allow mois-
ture to soak through the seats or head-
liner. Never use solvents such as lac-
quer thinner, heavy-duty grease
remover, fuels, etc.
Rubber components should be cleaned
with water only; a rubber treatment or
silicone spray may also be applied.Clean the wiper blades with soapy wa-
ter. The wiper blades should be re-
placed twice a year, before and after
the cold season.
Use only wiper blades approved
by BMW.<
The safety belts should be cleaned with
a mild soap and water solution without
being removed from the car. Never at-
tempt chemical or dry cleaning, as
damage to the belt fabric could result.
After cleaning, never allow the inertia
reel to retract the belts until they are
completely dry. Dirty safety belts pre-
vent the inertia reel mechanism from re-
tracting the strap properly, and thus
constitute a safety hazard.
Heavily soiled floor carpets and mats
*
can be cleaned with an interior cleaner.
The floor mats can be removed from the
vehicle for cleaning.
Please use only a damp cloth to clean
wooden fascia panels and components.
Follow up by drying with a soft cloth.
A full range of car-care products is
available from your BMW center.<
Leather careThe leather upholstery used by BMW is
a natural product of the highest quality,
processed using state-of-the-art meth-
ods to ensure that it will maintain its
high quality for years to come, provided
that it is properly cared for.
Because this product is manufactured
using natural materials, you must make
allowance for its special characteristics
as well as for the peculiarities of its use
and care.
Regular periodic cleaning and care are
essential, as dust and road dirt act as
abrasives in the pores and creases of
the material. This leads to wear spots
and premature brittleness on the sur-
face of the leather. We therefore sug-
gest that you clean the leather with a
vacuum cleaner or dust cloth at fre-
quent intervals.
For cleaning, use BMW leather cleaning
foam.

155n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Caring for your carSince dirt and grease gradually attack
the protective layer of the leather, the
cleaned surfaces should be treated with
BMW leather care agent. This also acts
as an antistatic agent.
For protection against dampness or
moisture, treat the leather with a BMW
impregnating agent.
We recommend that you perform this
procedure twice a year on leather ex-
posed to normal use.
Spills should be wiped up immediately.
Remove grease and oil stains without
rubbing by carefully dabbing with a
cloth soaked in spot remover.
If the upholstery is to be exposed to in-
tense sunlight or if the vehicle is to be
stored for an extended period, cover all
leather surfaces (or, better yet, the win-
dows) to prevent fading.Cleaning agents can contain sub-
stances that are dangerous or
pose health risks. Therefore, always
comply with the warnings and danger
notices on the package.
Open the doors or windows on your ve-
hicle when cleaning the interior. Never
clean your vehicle with solvents or
other materials not specifically intended
for this application.<

180n
Jump-starting Towing the vehicle6 If the battery of the support vehicle is
weak, start its engine and let it run
7 Start the engine on the vehicle need-
ing the jump-start, and allow it to run
as usual. If the first start attempt is
not successful, wait a few minutes
before another attempt in order to
allow the discharged battery to re-
charge
8 Before disconnecting the jumper ca-
bles from your BMW, turn on the rear
window defroster and set the blower
to the highest speed; allow the en-
gine to run approx. 10 seconds. This
will prevent a voltage surge from the
voltage regulator to the electrical ac-
cessories
9 Then disconnect the jumper cables in
reverse sequence.
Have the battery recharged if neces-
sary.
Tow fittingThe screw-in tow fitting is stored in the
onboard tool kit; be sure that it remains
in the vehicle at all times. This fitting is
designed for installation in the tow
sockets located at the front and rear of
the vehicle, and is intended for towing
on proper road surfaces only.
It should not be used to pull a vehicle
out of deep snow, mud, sand, etc. Al-
ways observe all applicable towing laws
and regulations.Access to tow socketsFront:
Apply pressure to the arrow symbol on
the cover panel to remove.380de087
Rear:
Apply pressure to the arrow symbol on
the cover panel to remove.
Screw the tow fitting in until it bot-
toms firmly. If this is not done, the
threads could be damaged.
Do not tow the vehicle by any compo-
nents of the running gear, or lash them
down in any way. If you do so, the com-
ponents could be damaged, leading to
possible accidents.<
Use only a nylon towing strap to tow the
vehicle, since the inherent resilience of
this material helps protect both vehicles
from sudden jerking movements.380de088

181n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Towing the vehicle
The towed vehicle should always
be the lighter of the two vehicles.
If this is not the case, it is no longer
possible to control vehicle response.<
Tow-startingIt is not possible to start the engine of
vehicles equipped with automatic trans-
mission by towing or pushing.
For instructions on jump starting, refer
to page 179.
Never attempt to use your vehicle to
push another car, as damage to the
energy-absorbing bumpers could
result.
Towing a vehicle with automatic
transmission1 Place selector lever in position N
2 Towing speed:
Max. 45 mph (70 km/h)
3 Towing distance:
Max. 95 miles (150 km)
4 Leave the ignition key at position 1 to
ensure that the brake lamps, turn sig-
nals, horn and windshield wipers re-
main operative, and to prevent the
steering lock detent from engaging
5 Switch on the hazard-warning system
(observe country-specific regula-
tions).
Find some means of identifying the ve-
hicle in tow, for instance, place a sign
or warning triangle in the rear window.
Make sure that the ignition key re-
mains in position 1 even when the
electrical system has failed to prevent
the steering lock from engaging.
The steering and brakes are without
power assist when the engine is off.
This means that increased effort is re-
quired for steering and braking.<
Towing with a commercial tow
truck>Do not tow with sling-type equipment
>Use a wheel lift or flat bed equipment
>Please comply with applicable towing
laws.
Never allow passengers to ride in
a towed vehicle for any reason.< 380us124

186n
Radio reception BMW Active Seat
*
AM provides substantially longer recep-
tion ranges than FM. AM broadcast sig-
nals, propagated at ground level in the
form of surface waves, are also re-
flected from the ionosphere as atmo-
spheric waves.
Frequency-modulation (FM) provides
substantially better sound quality than
AM. However, because FM transmis-
sions rely on line-of-sight broadcast
waves, their effective reception range is
limited.360de062
Although numerous factors combine to
impose inherent limitations on the re-
ception quality available from mobile ra-
dios, specially designed systems can
be employed to minimize their effects:
With radio stations which broadcast
over multiple frequencies, the "Radio
Data System" (RDS) ensures that the
frequency with the best reception qual-
ity will automatically be selected.
The Diversity Antenna system employs
several FM antennas integrated within
the rear window to provide three sepa-
rate sources for receiving broadcast
waves. An integral processor automati-
cally selects the antenna with the best
FM reception quality at any given time.
Because the ongoing antenna selection
process is completed within millisec-
onds, it remains inaudible to the radio
listener.The Active Seat is an advanced devel-
opment in BMW seats. These seats are
engineered with orthopedic consider-
ations so that you will be less fatigued
during longer trips and sitting for long
periods without moving. The seat is no
longer a passive link between the road,
the running gear, and the driver. In-
stead, by means of an active modifica-
tion to the seat's surface, the seat
causes weight transfers which are slight
and imperceptible. The basic seating
position is not changed by this.
In the seat's upholstery, beneath the
surface of the seat, there is a cushion of
fluid on the left and right. The fluid is
slowly circulated back and forth be-
tween the cushions by means of a
pump.
380de676