2000 BMW 323i SEDAN automatic transmission

64n
Manual transmission The shift lever's neutral plane (dot in the
illustration) is located between 3rd and
4th gears.
When shifting from each gear into
"Neutral," the shift lever returns auto-
matically to this neutral position be-
cause of its spring loading.360de044
Reverse Select "Reverse" only when the vehicle
is at a complete stop. Press the shift
lever to the left to overcome the slight
resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
turn on automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
A slipping clutch increases clutch
wear.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
You have the option of driving with a
normal automatic transmission or
switching to manual.
When you move the selector lever from
the "D" position to the left into the M/S
range, the performance-oriented shift
programs of the automatic transmission
are engaged. As soon as you briefly
touch the selector lever in the "+" or "Ð"
direction, Steptronic changes the gear.
The manual mode is engaged. When-
ever you want to use automatic again,
just shift the selector lever toward the
right to position D.
The automatic transmission with Step-
tronic is equipped with ATC (Adaptive
Transmission Control). ATC reacts with
precision to your individual driving style
and the current driving conditions. It is
for this reason that various shift pro-
grams are used.
For additional details concerning the
ATC, please refer to the chapter de-
scribing "Advanced technology" on
page 162.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + Ð
Starting the engineThe engine can only be started in selec-
tor lever positions P ("Park") or N ("Neu-
tral").Range selectionA detent prevents inadvertent shifts into
certain selector lever positions. To dis-
engage the detent, press the button on
the front of the shift knob (arrow).460de076
While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of "Park" or
"Neutral," depress the footbrake in
order to disengage the selector lever's
lock mechanism (Shiftlock).
Hold the footbrake down until starting
off. Otherwise the vehicle will "creep"
when a drive position is engaged.<
If you leave the vehicle with the
engine running, move the selector
lever to the "Park" or "Neutral" position
and apply the parking brake. If you fail
to do this, the vehicle could move. Do
not leave the car unattended with the
engine running. An unattended vehicle
with a running engine represents a po-
tential safety hazard.<
P ParkSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary. The transmission locks to prevent
the rear wheels from turning.R ReverseSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary.N NeutralSelect only if your journey is interrupted
for a long period.

66n
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
the maximum acceleration and the top
speed in position D.
To activate this mode, depress the ac-
celerator pedal beyond the full-throttle
position, at which a resistance point
must be overcome.
M/S Manual operation 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 "Ð" direction, the transmis-
sion shifts down. M1 to M5 appear in
the gear indicator.460de145
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 instru-
ment cluster followed by the current
gear.
To accelerate quickly in the man-
ual mode (to pass another vehicle,
for instance), 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.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
In the following situations, the Step-
tronic "thinks" for you in the manual
mode:
>In order to prevent the engine from
overrevving, the transmission shifts
automatically to the next higher gear
just before the RPM cutoff point.
>If you do not do anything to inter-
vene, it will automatically downshift
at lower speeds.
>In kickdown, it will downshift into
the lowest gear possible, depending
on the engine speed.
>According to the situation, for in-
stance in wintry conditions, the
vehicle can be started in 2nd or
3rd gear.
Available displays
P R N D SD M1 M2 M3 M4 M5460de138
Electronic transmission control
module
If the indicator lamp comes on,
there is a malfunction in the
transmission system.
Bring the vehicle to a stop, select trans-
mission position "P," set the parking
brake and turn the engine off (ignition
key to position 0).
Wait a few seconds, then start the
engine.
If the indicator lamp goes out after a
few seconds, normal transmission per-
formance has been restored. You may
continue to drive as usual.
If the indicator lamp does not go out,
you can place the selector lever in all
positions. However, the vehicle will now
only operate in 3rd and 4th gear.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine
loads and consult the nearest BMW
center.
Do not work in the engine com-
partment when a drive gear (for-
ward or reverse) is engaged. If you do
this, the vehicle could move.<
For towing, tow-starting or jump-start-
ing the vehicle, refer to the information
beginning on page 157.

72n
Cruise control
*
To cancel the cruise control When the system is activated, press
and hold button 1. The indicator lamp
stays on. You can use the cruise control
again as desired.
In addition, cruise control is canceled
automatically:
>if the brakes are applied
>if the clutch is depressed or the auto-
matic transmission selector lever is
moved from "Drive" to "Neutral"
>if you exceed or fall below the pro-
grammed speed for an extended pe-
riod (by depressing the accelerator,
for example).
To resume the stored settingPress button 4:
The vehicle accelerates to and main-
tains the last speed stored. When you
turn the ignition key to position 0, the
stored speed is deleted from the sys-
tem's memory and the system is deacti-
vated.
To deactivate the system When the cruise control has been can-
celed, press button 1 again. The indica-
tor lamp goes off and the stored speed
is canceled.
Do not use cruise control on twist-
ing roads, when high traffic density
prevents driving at a constant speed,
when the road surface is slick (snow,
rain, ice), or when the road surface is
loose (rocks, sand).<

108n
Disc brakesDisc brakes furnish optimum decelera-
tion and braking control and greater
fade resistance under heavy use.
When the vehicle is driven only occa-
sionally, during extended periods when
the vehicle is not used at all, and in oper-
ating conditions where brake applica-
tions are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion of the
rotors and accumulation of contamina-
tion on the brake pads. This occurs
because the minimal pressure that must
be exerted by the pads to clean the
rotors by brake applications is not
reached.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they
will tend to respond to braking with a
pulsating effect that even extended
brake applications will fail to cure.
For your own safety: Use only
brake pads that BMW has ap-
proved for your particular vehicle
model. BMW cannot evaluate non-
approved brake pads to determine if
they are suited for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of
the vehicle if they are installed.<
Driving notesWhen driving in wet conditions and in
heavy rain, it is effective to apply light
pressure to the brakes every few miles
or kilometers. Be aware of traffic condi-
tions to ensure that this maneuver does
not endanger other road users. The
heat that is generated by the brake ap-
plications helps to dry the brake pads
and rotors.
Maximum braking force is obtained
while the wheels are not locked, but
rather when they are still barely turning
immediately prior to locking. ABS main-
tains this state automatically. If the ABS
fails, you should revert to the staggered
braking technique described above on
page 110.
Long or steep mountain descents do
not necessarily lead to reduced braking
efficiency if you drive downhill with the
transmission in a gear that allows mini-
mal brake applications (or, with an au-
tomatic transmission, in an appropriate
lower range).
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.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 by applying more substantial
pressure to the brake pedal (watch for
following traffic), releasing the pedal,
and then repeating the application
(staggered braking). The cooling phases
between active braking intervals pre-
vent the brakes from overheating, thus
ensuring that full braking capacity re-
mains available at all times.
Do not coast with the clutch de-
pressed or with the shift lever or
selector lever in neutral. Do not drive
with the engine shut off. The engine
provides no braking effect when the
clutch is depressed or the transmission
is in neutral, and there is no power-
assist for braking or steering when the
engine is not running.
Do not allow floor mats, carpets or any
other objects to protrude into the area
around the brake pedal, the clutch or
the accelerator which could obstruct
their freedom of movement.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Winter operation Power steering
Do not shift down on slick road
surfaces. Doing so could cause
the rear wheels to lose traction and
skid, resulting in a loss of vehicle con-
trol.<
Depress the clutch during hard
braking on road surfaces that pro-
vide only poor or uneven traction.<
Skid control Depress the clutch and release the ac-
celerator pedal, or place the selector
lever of the automatic transmission into
the "Neutral" position. Countersteer
carefully and attempt to regain control
of the vehicle.
ParkingEngage 1st or reverse gear. If your car
is equipped with an automatic trans-
mission, place the selector lever in
Park. On vehicles with manual trans-
mission, also apply the parking brake
when parking on inclined surfaces. In
order to prevent the parking brake lin-
ings from locking due to frost or corro-
sion, dry them by gently applying the
parking brake as the vehicle is coming
to a stop. Make sure that following traf-
fic is not endangered.
The brake lamps do not light up
when the parking brake is ap-
plied.<
High steering effort:
Contact an BMW center immediately to
have this system inspected.
If the power steering fails, in-
creased effort will be required to
steer the vehicle.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Engine oilChecking the oil level 1 Park the vehicle on a level surface.
2 Shut the engine off after it has
reached normal operating tempera-
ture.
3 After approx. 5 minutes, pull the dip-
stick out and wipe it off with a clean
lint-free cloth, paper towel, or similar
material.
4 Push the dipstick all the way into the
guide tube and pull it out again.
5 The oil level should be between the
two graduations on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption
is directly influenced by your driving
style and vehicle operating conditions.460de051
The space between the two marks on
the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts (1 liter). Do not fill beyond
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess
oil will damage the engine.460de189
To add oil Wait until the level has dropped to just
above the lower mark before adding oil.
However, never let the oil drop below
the lower mark.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without oil additives; the
use of additives could lead to damage
in some cases. This also applies for the
manual transmission, automatic trans-
mission, differential and the power
steering system.<462de245