2000 BMW 323Ci CONVERTIBLE Air condition

6n

For your own safety

Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight (i.e. 15 %
MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an equiva-
lent amount of co-solvent) will not void
the applicable warranties respecting
defects in materials or workmanship.
Field experience has indicated signifi-
cant differences in fuel quality (volatility,
composition, additives, for example)
among gasolines offered for sale in the
United States and Canada. The use of
poor-quality fuels may result in drive-
ability, starting and stalling problems,
especially under certain environmental
conditions, such as high ambient tem-
perature and high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be re-
lated to the fuel you are using, we rec-
ommend that you respond by switching
to a recognized high-quality brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Follow the relevant safety rules when
you are handling gasoline.

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Important safety information.
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Original
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been thor-
oughly tested by BMW to ensure opti-
mum performance when installed on
your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for
damage resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved
by BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made
by other manufacturers to verify if it can
be used on a BMW safely and without
risk to either the vehicle, its operation,
or its occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on
using these items, are available from
all BMW centers.

Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake
dust shields, telephones (including op-
eration of any portable cellular phone
from within the vehicle without using an
externally mounted antenna) or trans-
ceiver equipment (such as C.B., walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar devices) may
cause extensive damage to the vehicle,
compromise its safety, interfere with
the vehicle's electrical system or affect
the validity of the BMW Limited War-
ranty. See your authorized BMW center
for additional information.

<


Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of the emission control de-
vices and systems may be performed
by any automotive repair establishment
or individual using any certified auto-
motive part.

<



Symbol for vehicle parts

Denotes vehicle parts for which
you should consult this Owner's
Manual.

For your own safety

11n

Controls and features
Operation, care and maintenance

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams91
Instrument lighting91
High beams/Parking lamps92
Fog lamps92
Interior lamps92
Reading lamps93

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Automatic climate control94
Seat heating99

Cabin convenience:

Glove compartment99
BMW Universal
Transmitter *100
Storage compartments102
Cellular phone103
Ashtray front103
Cigarette lighter104
Ashtray rear104

Loading and transporting:

Ski bag105
Cargo loading106
Luggage rack for the
hardtop108

Special operating instructions:

Break-in procedures112
Driving notes113
Catalytic converter113
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)114
Disc brakes116
Brake system117
Winter operation118
Power steering120
Cellular phone120
Radio reception120
Hardtop121

Wheels and tires:

Tire inflation pressure123
Tire condition123
Tire replacement124
Tire rotation125
Wheel and tire
combinations126
Winter tires127
Snow chains127
Approved wheel and tire
specifications128

Under the hood:

Hood129
Engine compartment130
Washer fluids132
Washer nozzles132
Engine oil133
Coolant135
Brake fluid136
Vehicle Identification
Number137

Care and maintenance:

The BMW Maintenance
System138
Caring for your vehicle139
Cleaning and caring for your
convertible top144
Airbags146
Vehicle storage147

Laws and regulations:

Technical modifications to the
vehicle148
OBD interface socket149

37n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Opening and closing – from outsideSwitching on the interior lampsAfter locking the vehicle, press button 2
again.Switching off the tilt sensor
alarm system
* and interior motion
sensor
*
Press button 2 again immediately after
locking.
For additional information, refer to
page 43.46cde057
Opening the luggage
compartment lid Press button 3.
The luggage compartment lid will open
slightly, regardless of whether the lid
was previously locked or unlocked.
Before and after a trip, be sure
that the luggage compartment lid
was not opened unintentionally.<46cde058
System interferenceThe proper functioning of the remote
control system may be affected by
other units or equipment operating in
the immediate vicinity of your vehicle.
If this should occur, you can still open
and close the vehicle using the master
key in both the door and luggage com-
partment locks.For US owners onlyThe transmitter and receiver units comply
with part 15 of the FCC (Federal Commu-
nication Commission) regulations. Oper-
ation is governed by the following:
FCC ID: LX8EWS
LX8FZVS
LX8FZVE
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
>This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
>this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications or
changes to these devices could
void the user's authority to operate this
equipment.<

43n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Alarm system
*
>If the indicator lamp flashes for
10 seconds when the system is dis-
armed, an attempted entry has been
detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the
indicator lamp will flash continuously.Avoiding an unintentional alarm The tilt sensor alarm system and interior
protection system can be deactivated.
Doing this prevents a false alarm from
being triggered (in garages with eleva-
tor ramps, for instance), or when the
vehicle is transported by trailer or train:
Lock the vehicle twice (= arm the sys-
tem). Press button 2 on the remote
control twice in succession or lock the
vehicle twice with the key (refer to
page 34).
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and
then flashes continuously. The tilt sen-
sor alarm system and interior protection
system are deactivated until canceled.
Re-arm the anti-theft alarm system to
re-activate the tilt sensor alarm system
and interior protection system.
Interior protection systemThe transmitter and receiver of the inte-
rior protection system are located in the
front area of the center console, hidden
from the driver, and in the rear area of
the center console under a cap.
However, deactivate the interior protec-
tion system (see previous column) when
children or animals are to remain in the
vehicle.
For US owners onlyThe transmitter and receiver units com-
ply with part 15 of the FCC (Federal
Communication Commission) regula-
tions. Operation is governed by the
following:
FCC ID: LTQSDR2G5
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
>This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
>this device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications to
these devices could void the
user's authority to operate the equip-
ment.c

75n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
D Drive (automatic shift program)This position is designed for driving un-
der all normal operating conditions. All
forward gears are available."Kickdown" In the "Kickdown" mode, you achieve
maximum performance and the top
speed in position "D".
To activate this mode, depress the ac-
celerator pedal beyond the full-throttle
position, going beyond the point of re-
sistance.
M/S Manual mode and Sport
ProgramShifting from D into M/S activates the
Sport Program. This is indicated by
"SD" in the gear selection display. This
position is recommended for a perfor-
mance-oriented driving style.
With the first brief touch, the automatic
transmission shifts from the Sport Pro-
gram to the manual mode.
When you move the selector lever for-
ward in the "+" direction, the transmis-
sion shifts up. When the lever is moved
back in the "–" direction, the transmis-
sion shifts down. M1 to M5 appear in
the gear indicator.46cde054
Upshifts or downshifts will only be car-
ried out by the ATC at appropriate en-
gine speeds and road speeds. If the en-
gine speed is too high, for instance, a
downshift will not be executed. The
gear selected will appear briefly in the
instrument cluster followed by the cur-
rent gear.
To accelerate quickly in the man-
ual mode (to pass another vehi-
cle), shift down manually or employ the
"Kickdown" mode.<
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
positions P, R and N is possible only by
going through D.

83n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Fuel gauge
Coolant temperature gauge
Service Interval Display
When you switch on the ignition, the
indicator lamp lights up briefly as an
operation check.
Once the indicator lamp stays on con-
tinuously, there are still approx. 2.1 gal-
lons (8 liters) of fuel left in the fuel tank.
For fuel tank capacity, refer to page 185.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies (extended
driving in mountainous areas, for exam-
ple), there may be slight fluctuations of
the needle.
Please refuel early, since driving
to the last drop of fuel can result in
damage to the engine and/or catalytic
converter.<462us020
BlueThe engine is still cold. Drive at moder-
ate engine and vehicle speeds.RedWhen you switch on the ignition, the
warning lamp comes on briefly to con-
firm that the system is operational.
If the lamp comes on while operating
the vehicle the engine is overheated.
Shut off the engine immediately and
allow it to cool down.Between the blue and red zonesNormal operating range. It is not un-
usual for the needle to go as far as the
edge of the red zone in response to
high outside temperatures or severe
operating conditions.Checking coolant level, refer to page 13 5.460de082
Remaining distance for serviceThe displays shown in the illustration
appear for a few seconds when the
ignition key is in position 1 or after the
engine is started.
The next service due appears with the
message OILSERVICE or INSPECTION,
together with the remaining distance
before scheduled service.
The computer bases its calculations of
the remaining distance on the rate of
fuel consumption in the period immedi-
ately preceding your data request.
A flashing display and a "–" in front of
the number indicate that service inter-
val has already been exceeded by the
distance shown in the display. Please
contact your BMW center for an
appointment.46cus006

88n
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) The conceptDSC helps maintain vehicle stability,
even in critical driving situations.
The system optimizes vehicle stability
during acceleration and when starting
from a full stop, as well as optimizing
traction. In addition, the system recog-
nizes unstable vehicle conditions (un-
dersteering or oversteering, for exam-
ple) and helps hold the vehicle on a
sure course by intervening via the
engine and by braking intervention at
the individual wheels.
The system activates automatically
each time you start the engine.46cus012
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly
after you switch on the ignition.
Refer to pages 21 and 22.
Indicator lamp flashes:
The system is active and governs drive
force and braking force.
If the indicator lamp fails to go out after
the engine is started, or if it comes on
during normal driving and stays on:
There is a system malfunction or the
system was deactivated with the but-
ton. You can continue to drive the vehi-
cle normally, but without DSC. Please
consult your BMW center for repairs.
To deactivate the systemPress the button, the indicator lamp
comes on.
The illustration depicts the arrangement
of the buttons if the vehicle is fully
equipped. This may vary, depending on
the equipment actually installed.
When the DSC is deactivated, you are
operating the vehicle in the conven-
tional drive mode.
In the following exceptional circum-
stances, it may be effective to deacti-
vate the DSC for a short period:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
>or when driving with snow chains.
Refer also to page 118.To reactivate the systemPress the button again; the indicator
lamp goes out.
The laws of physics cannot be re-
pealed, even with DSC. Any con-
sequences arising from traction loss
due to excessive vehicle speed remain
the responsibility of the driver. For this
reason, do not take risks by using the
additional safety margin provided by
the system as an excuse.<
For additional details concerning DSC,
please refer to the chapter describing
"Advanced technology" on page 173.

95n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Automatic climate control 1 Air onto the windshield and the side
windows
2 Air flow toward the upper body
The side rotary dials provide infi-
nitely variable regulation of the air
supply, while the levers change the
air flow direction. The center rotary
dial controls the temperature of the
air as it flows out, refer to page 98
3 Front footwell ventilation
There are corresponding air vents in
the rear footwell as well
4 Recirculated air mode/Automatic
recirculated air control (AUC)97
5 Air supply97
6 Temperature96
7 Automatic air distribution96
8 Individual air distribution96
9 Air grill for interior temperature
sensor – please keep clear and
unobstructed
10 Display for temperature and air
supply96
11 Defrost the windshield and side
windows97
12 Air conditioner97
13 Rear window defroster79, 98