1998 BMW CONVERTIBLE heating

20

Turn signal left/right, green

k

Flashes when the turn signals
are in operation.

Battery charge current, red

v

Goes out after the engine has
started.
If the lamp comes on during
normal vehicle operation:
The battery is no longer being charged.
Indicates a defect in the generator drive
belt or the charging circuit.

a

If the V-belt is defective, do not run
the coolant pump; overheating and
potential engine damage would result.
Contact your BMW Retailer.

c

High beam, blue

l
Lights up when the high beams
are switched on or the head-
lamp flashers are activated.
Engine oil pressure, redw
Goes out after the engine has
started. May come on briefly at
idle when the engine is hot,
but must go out again at higher engine
speed.
If the lamp comes on during normal vehi-
cle operation: stop vehicle and switch off
engine immediately. Check engine oil
level; if necessary, add oil. If oil level is
correct: contact your BMW Retailer.
Foglamps
*, green
t
Lights up whenever you switch
on the foglamps.
Airbags, redp
This lamp turns on for an oper-
ational check when you turn the
ignition key to position 1. If, at
the operation check, it does not go on,
or goes on while driving, have it checked
at your BMW Retailer.
Additional notes: Page 50
Automatic transmission
*, yellow
O
Goes out after the engine has
started.
Additional notes: Page 58
ASC+T (Automatic Stability
Control plus Traction), yellows
Goes out shortly after the igni-
tion is switched on:
System OK.
Additional notes: Page 84
ABS (Antilock Brake System),
yellowo
Goes out after the engine has
started. If the lamp comes on
during normal vehicle opera-
tion: ABS has been deactivated in
response to a system malfunction. Con-
ventional braking force remains unim-
paired.
Additional notes: Page 103
Brake pad wear, yellow#
Lights up when starter is actu-
ated and goes out when the
engine is started.
If the lamp comes on during normal
vehicle operation: replace brake pads
immediately.
a
Use only original BMW-approved
brake pads otherwise the vehicle
authorization is no longer valid.c
Indicator and warning lamps

32
a
Children can lock the doors from
inside. Therefore, you should always
remove the key and take it with you to
ensure that you can unlock the car from
the outside at all times.c
In an accident, the central locking sys-
tem automatically unlocks the doors
and the interior lamps switch on.
Depending on the version, the hazard
warning flashers are also activated.
a
Avoid using the inside lock buttons
to lock the rear doors while driving, as
these doors would then fail to unlock au-
tomatically in the event of an accident.c
Opening doors from the insidePull interior door handle of a front door
twice in succession (the initial pull
unlocks the door, the second opens it).
Central locking system buttonThis button operates the central locking
system when the driverÕs door is
closed. It unlocks the doors and lug-
gage compartment, but does not arm
the alarm system.
The fuel filler door remains unlocked to
allow refueling.
The picture shows, as an example, the
shift arrangement for the BMW sedan.
Opening doors from the outsideLift the handle.Automatic window lowering (BMW Coupe, Convertible)a
The door windows are lowered
somewhat when the doors are opened
and then are raised again immediately
after the doors are locked. This makes it
easier to open the doors, prevents the
rubber door seals from being damaged
and ensures proper seating of the
windows in the rubber door seals after
closing.c
Driver's door lock heating
*
Lift the handle of the driver's door for
approx. 3 seconds: the heating
switches on. The switch-on time is
automatically controlled to save power.
S
360us124
Doors

86
Foglamps
*
0 Continuously off.
1 Lamps on:
dWith door open (switching via door
contact).
dFor a few seconds after closing the
door; lamps go out immediately
when the ignition is switched on.
dAfter the ignition has been switched
off for a few seconds, if the vehicle
lighting was switched on.
dIf your car is equipped with the
driver's door lock heating option,
when the driver's door handle is
lifted for a few seconds with the vehi-
cle closed (possible a maximum of
three times).
dFollowing an accident.BMW Convertible: With the switch set
to position 1, a safety circuit ensures
that any lamps in the vehicle which may
still be on are switched off automatically
approx. 15 minutes after leaving the
vehicle.
2 Continuously on.
Footwell lamps
*
The footwell lamps operate in the same
way as the interior lamp.Reading lamps
*
The reading lamps are located in the
front near the interior lamp and in the
rear
*. They can be switched on and off
with the switch adjacent to each lamp.
t
A green indicator lamp lights
up in the instrument cluster to
indicate that the front foglamps
are on.
0
360us034
01
2
360de041
10 2
36cde001
BMW Convertible
Foglamps Interior lamps

87
At a glanceControls Car careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
BMW ConvertibleThe switches for the map reading lamps
next to the interior lamp are operated in
the same manner as the interior lamp
switch.
The seat cushion and backrest can be
heated at ignition key position 2.
Press the switches with the heating
symbols:
To switch over while heating: press the
dimly lit switch.
To switch off prematurely: press the
brightly lit switch.This ventilates the vehicle's interior and
lowers its temperature using the heater
or the air conditioner fan.
The system is operated by the onboard
computer, refer to page 77.
You can set the time for the system to
start; it will remain active for 30 min-
utes. You can also turn it on and off
directly.
As the system uses a substantial
amount of electric current, you should
refrain from activating it twice in suc-
cession without allowing the battery to
be recharged in normal operation
between use.
The independent ventilation is available
for use when the outside temperature is
above 60 5F (166), but not when driv-
ing.
The air comes out through the vents for
the upper body area. The vents must
therefore be open for the system to
operate. Rapid heat-up as long as the
switch lights up brightly. Auto-
matic changeover to regular
heating.
Heating as long as the switch
lights up brightly. The heater
switches off automatically.
360de026
Interior lamps Seat heating*Independent ventilation*

91
At a glanceControls Car careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
To defrost windshield and door
windows
Air conditioner Circulated air mode/Automatic
recirculated air control (AUC)
*
Press the button repeatedly to run
through the following control sequence:
dIndicator lamps off: outside air flow
operational.
dLeft-hand indicator lamp on Ð AUC
mode: the system detects pollutants
in the outside air and responds by
deactivating the outside air flow as
required. The system then recircu-
lates the air currently within the vehi-
cle.
dRight-hand indicator lamp on: the
flow of outside air into the vehicle is
permanently blocked. The system
then recirculates the air currently
within the vehicle.a
If the windshields fog over in circu-
lated air mode, switch off the circulated
air mode/Automatic recirculated air
control and increase the air supply. if
necessary.c
Rear window defrosterBMW Convertible: Heated rear-window
blower.
The rear-window blower is always
switched off with the convertible top
down.
When the hardtop
* is in place, press
the rear-window heating button.
Temperature
This program is designed for
rapid removal of ice and con-
densation from the windshield and side
windows.
The air conditioner cools and
dehumidifies incoming air
before reheating it to the selected tem-
perature.
Depending on the weather, the wind-
shield may fog over briefly when the
engine is started.
Switching off the air conditioner at out-
side temperatures below approx. 41 5F
(56) will prevent the windows from
fogging up.
Frequently switching the air condi-
tioner on and off may also promote the
formation of condensation on the win-
dow surfaces.
b
Condensation forms in the air
conditioner system during operation,
which then exits under the vehicle. It is
not unusual for a small puddle to form
there.c
You can respond to unpleas-
ant odors in the outside air
by temporarily excluding the outside air.
The system then recirculates the air
currently within the vehicle.
A
The indicator lamp comes
on to confirm that the rear
defroster is operating.
The defroster switches off automatically
after approx. 15 minutes.
On both the driver's and the
passenger's side you can
adjust the specific temperature. The fig-
ures in the display provide a general
indication of interior temperature. We
recommend 70 5F (226) as a standard
setting for comfortable travel, both with
and without the air conditioner. When
you start the vehicle, the system
ensures that the selected temperature
is achieved as quickly as possible and
maintained at a constant level by the
control.
Automatic climate control

92
Air supply
Draft-free ventilation
You can adjust the vent outlets for the
upper body area to select the optimum
airflow rates and directions for your
own personal requirements:
Use rotary controls 1 to open and close
the vents throughout and infinitely-vari-
able range. Use the levers 2 to adjust
the direction of the air flow.
The rotary control 3 allows you to mix
the air from the outlets for your upper
body by warming or cooling it as
desired:
Turn toward blue Ð colder
Turn toward red Ð warmer
MicrofilterThe microfilter removes dust and pollen
from the incoming air. The filter is
changed by your BMW Retailer when
you bring your vehicle for maintenance.
A substantial reduction in air flow indi-
cates that the filter needs to be
replaced prematurely. In the AUTO mode, the air
supply is controlled automat-
ically and AUTO appears in display 3,
refer to the summary on page 90. Using
"+" and "Ð" you can vary the air flow.
Your setting is indicated by bars, the
automatic control is switched off. You
can reactivate it by pressing the AUTO
key.
When you press "-" during operation at
minimum blower speed all displays are
canceled: the fan, heating and air con-
ditioner are switched off, the air supply
is blocked. By pressing on any key of
the air conditioning you can again
engage the system.
Effective heating and cooling is ensured
at a medium blower speed.
1 2 3
360de056
Automatic climate control

10 2
The catalytic converter reduces harmful
exhaust emissions.
It is designed for use with unleaded fuel
only.
Even minute quantities of lead would be
enough to permanently damage both
the catalytic converter and the system's
oxygen sensor.
To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and avoid potential damage:
dAlways have your car serviced in
accordance with maintenance
instructions.
dNever continue driving until the fuel
tank is empty.
dRespond to engine miss by switching
off the engine at once.
dNever tow-start the car unless the
engine is cold, or else unburned fuel
may reach the catalytic converter.
Better yet: use jumper cables!
dAvoid other situations in which the
fuel would not be (completely)
burned, for instance:
Frequent, extended, or repeated
starting attempts during which the
engine fails to start. (Switching off
and restarting a healthy engine
causes no damage).
Never let the engine run with any of
the spark-plug cables disconnected.
a
Always observe the above points
to prevent unburned mixture from
entering the catalytic converter. This
could result in overheating, leading to
serious damage.
High temperatures occur on all vehicles
equipped with a catalytic converter.
Heat shields are installed adjacent to
some sections of the exhaust system.
Never remove these shields; do not
apply undercoating to their surfaces.
When driving, standing at idle or park-
ing the vehicle, take care to avoid con-
tact between the exhaust system and
flammable materials (e.g., grass, hay,
leaves, etc.). Such contact could lead to
a fire, resulting in personal injury and
property damage.c
Traveling abroadAlways make sure that unleaded fuel
meeting your engineÕs octane require-
ments will be available when planning
trips outside the country. The use of
fuel failing to meet the official octane
requirements could result in engine
damage.
If you are considering traveling to a
country in which unleaded fuel is not
readily available, please remember that
leaded fuel will destroy the lambda oxy-
gen sensor and the catalytic converter
on your BMW. After operation on
leaded fuel, your vehicle will no longer
meet American and Canadian exhaust
emission standards, and there will also
be a loss of fuel economy. Upon your
return to the US or Canada, you will be
expected to comply with legal ordi-
nances requiring that you replace both
the oxygen sensor and the catalytic
converter, and to have the fuel system
flushed to remove any traces of leaded
fuel.
Catalytic converter

10 4
Disc brakes furnish optimum decelera-
tion and braking control as well as
greater fade resistance under heavy
use.
Limited vehicle use, extended periods
with the car parked or in storage and
light loading will increase the tendency
for corrosion to form on the rotors, and
dirt to accumulate on the pads. This
happens because the minimum pres-
sure between the pad and the disc
required for the self-cleaning function
of the disc brakes is not achieved.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they
will tend to respond to braking with a
pulsating effect which even extended
application will fail to cure.
a
Use only original BMW-approved
brake pads, as otherwise vehicle autho-
rization is no longer valid.c
Driving notes While driving in wet conditions and in
heavy rain, it is a good idea to apply
light pressure to the brake pedal every
few miles - Watch traffic conditions to
ensure that this maneuver does not
endanger other road users. The heat
generated in this braking process helps
dry the brake pads and rotors.
Maximum braking force is obtained
while the wheels continue to rotate,
peaking when the wheels remain on the
verge of locking without actually doing
so. ABS maintains this state automati-
cally. If the ABS fails, you should revert
to the staggered braking technique
described above (refer to page 106).
Extended or steep mountain descents
do not necessarily have to lead to
reduced braking efficiency; downshift
to a gear in which only minimal periodic
brake applications are required (you
can move the selector lever to the
appropriate lower range if your car is
equipped with an automatic transmis-
sion).
You can further increase the engine's
braking effect by selecting a lower gear,
downshifting as far as first gear or plac-
ing the selector lever in position 1 (2).Should engine braking prove inade-
quate, you should still avoid extended,
continuous braking. Instead of main-
taining low to moderate pressure over
an extended period of time, you should
decelerate the vehicle by applying more
substantial force at the pedal (watch for
following traffic!) and then pausing
before repeating the application. This
staggered braking technique allows the
brakes to cool in the intervals between
active braking phases, preventing over-
heating and ensuring that full braking
capacity remains available at all times.
a
Do not allow the vehicle to coast by
pressing down the clutch pedal or shift-
ing into neutral while underway. Never
drive with the engine switched
off (!). The engine provides no braking
effect when the clutch is disengaged or
the transmission is in neutral, and there
is no power-assist for brakes and steer-
ing when the engine is not running.
Never allow floor mats, carpets or other
objects to protrude into the area around
the accelerator, clutch and brake pedals
and obstruct their movement.c
Disc brakes