2000 BMW 323i SEDAN air condition

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Winter tiresChoosing the right tireBMW recommends winter tires (M+S
radial tires) for driving in adverse winter
road conditions. Although all-season
M+S tires provide better winter traction
than standard summer tires with H, V,
W, Y and ZR speed ratings, they gener-
ally fail to provide the same levels of
performance as standard snow tires in
winter driving.
In the interest of safe tracking and
steering response, install winter tires
made by the same manufacturer having
the same tread configuration on all four
wheels.
Mount only winter tires approved by
BMW. Any BMW center will be glad to
provide you with information on the
best winter tires for your particular driv-
ing conditions.Never exceed the maximum speed
for which the tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
service tires can lead to damage and
accidents.
Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. Any BMW center
has the required technical knowledge
and the proper equipment and will be
happy to assist you.<
Tire condition, tire pressureWinter tires display a perceptible loss in
their ability to cope with winter driving
conditions once the tread wears to
below 0.16 inches (4 mm), and should
thus be replaced.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures Ð and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assemblies balanced
every time you change the tires.
StorageAlways store tires in a cool, dry place.
Store them away from light whenever
possible. Protect the tires against con-
tact with oil, grease and fuel.Snow chains
*
The use of narrow-link BMW snow
chains on summer or winter tires is
approved only in pairs and only on the
rear wheels. Comply with all manufac-
turer's safety precautions when mount-
ing the chains.

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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

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
The BMW Maintenance System has
been designed as a reliable means of
providing maximum driving and operat-
ing safety Ð and as cost-effectively as
possible for you. Technical innovations
have made it possible to reduce main-
tenance costs significantly compared to
earlier models.
Please keep in mind that regular main-
tenance is not only necessary for the
safety of your vehicle, but also plays a
significant role in maintaining the resale
value of the vehicle. 460us112
Service Interval DisplayAdvanced technology is employed to
calculate the optimal maintenance in-
tervals. These are then indicated in the
Service Interval Display. While conven-
tional systems rely on distance traveled
alone to determine when service is due,
the BMW Maintenance System has for
years considered the actual conditions
under which the vehicle operates, be-
cause miles can be traveled in many
different ways.
From the point of view of maintenance,
62,000 miles (100,000 km) accumulated
in short-distance urban driving are not
the equivalent of the same distance
covered at moderate speeds in long-
distance highway travel.
The BMW Maintenance System in-
cludes the Engine Oil Service and In-
spections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals
according to the actual use of the car
covers every kind of operating situation.
Minimal use drivers Ð those who drive
significantly less than 6,000 miles
(10,000 km) per year Ð should neverthe-
less have the oil changed at least every
two years, since engine oil ages regard-
less of use.
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet (US models) /
Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet (Canadian models) Please refer to the Service and War-
ranty Information Booklet (US models)
or Warranty and Service Guide Booklet
(Canadian models) for additional infor-
mation on maintenance intervals and
procedures.
As a precaution against rust, it might be
a good idea to have the body checked
for damage from rocks or gravel at the
same time, depending upon operating
conditions.
Have your BMW center perform
maintenance and repair.
Your BMW center is always informed on
the latest maintenance work and repair
techniques and equipped with the re-
quired special tools. In addition, check-
ing parts known from experience to be
subject to wear is a permanent part of
the maintenance specifications.
Be sure that all maintenance work is
confirmed in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet (US models) or War-
ranty and Service Guide Booklet (Cana-
dian models). These entries are your
verification for the regular maintenance
of your vehicle and are required for the
performance of warranty repairs.<
The BMW Maintenance System

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Deceleration sensors continuously
monitor the acceleration forces acting
upon the vehicle. If, as the result of a
frontal collision, a deceleration is
reached at which the protection of the
safety belts alone is no longer ade-
quate, the gas generators of the driver
and passenger-front airbags are ignited.
However, the passenger-side airbag is
only triggered if an additional sensor
has recognized that the passenger seat
is occupied.
In the event of a side collision, the Head
Protection and side airbags in the front
or rear
* are triggered if necessary.
390de319
The airbags located under the marked
covers inflate and unfold in a matter of
a few milliseconds. In this process, they
tear through the designed separation
points of the upholstered covers or
press them out.
Because the inflation process must be
virtually instantaneous, it is necessarily
accompanied by a certain amount of
ignition and inflation noise. The gas
required to inflate the airbags is not
dangerous, and the smoke associated
with it dissipates.
The entire process is completed within
fractions of a second.Highly sensitive sensors monitor the
number of revolutions of the wheels.
When equipped with DSC, they also
monitor steering angle, lateral accelera-
tion, brake pressure and the movement
of the vehicle around its vertical axis.
If differences in the wheel speeds occur,
the system counteracts the danger of
wheelspin by reducing engine torque.
If necessary, the system also responds
with additional application of the brakes
at the rear wheels.
If the system detects an instability in the
vehicle's condition, the braking action
can also be directed to the front wheels
by the DSC in order to help stabilize the
vehicle.
You may need some time to become
accustomed to this system's interven-
tion. However, it provides optimum
drive force and driving stability.
The braking intervention may be ac-
companied by sounds specific to the
system.
Airbags DSC

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Interior rearview mirror with automatic dimming feature
*
The interior rearview mirror with auto-
matic dimming feature reduces blinding
from following traffic by adapting the
intensity of the reflected images to cor-
respond to levels of light registered by
the unit's sensors. The mirror reverts to
its undimmed setting as soon as the
light source disappears. One lamp sen-
sor is mounted on the front of the mirror
housing. This sensor, which is directed
forward, measures light intensity in the
area ahead of the vehicle. The second
sensor is integrated within the mirror's
glass. The electronic control system
compares the light intensity from front
and rear. The difference provides the
basic parameter used to modulate an
electrical current and induce chemical
changes in a semisolid layer incorpo-
rated in the lens.390de113
The semisolid reacts chemically to this
electrical current, thus providing dim-
ming of the mirror through an infinitely-
variable range (electrochromic technol-
ogy).
As a result, it is no longer necessary to
dim the mirror manually, and the driver
can concentrate completely on traffic
conditions.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Xenon lamps
*
The xenon lamp provides forward illu-
mination with significantly more bright-
ness and uniformity than the traditional
halogen lamp.
In a xenon lamp, an electric arc replaces
the filament in order to generate intense
illumination. A gas mixture in a quartz
glass tube with metal vapor is ignited by
a high electric voltage. The arc that is
generated is then sustained by a lower
voltage. When the lamp is turned on,
there is a brief warm-up period. Maxi-
mum brightness is attained in approx.
15 seconds.390de134
Xenon lamps provide significantly-
improved visibility, especially during
adverse weather conditions and driving
situations, (driving at night in heavy rain
or through road repair areas where
there are no lane markers, for instance).
Xenon lamps make a significant contri-
bution to highway safety since other
highway users, bicyclists and motorcy-
clists in the right lane, and pedestrians
are more easily detected.