
 
6n
 
For your own safety
 
Use unleaded gasoline only. 
Fuels containing up to 10% etha-
nol or other oxygenates with up to 2.8% 
oxygen by weight (i.e. 15% MTBE or 
3% methanol plus an equivalent 
amount of co-solvent) will not void the 
applicable warranties with respect to 
defects in materials or workmanship. 
Field experience has indicated signifi-
cant differences in fuel quality (i.e. vola-
tility, composition, additives, etc.) 
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 that you suspect could be related 
to the fuel you are using, we recom-
mend 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.
 
c
 
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 from 
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) may cause 
extensive damage to the vehicle, com-
promise its safety, interfere with the 
vehicle's electrical system or affect the 
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty. 
See your authorized BMW center for 
additional information.
Do not use key or remote to lock doors 
or luggage compartment lid with any-
one inside the car. See page 34 for 
more details.
"Maintenance, replacement, or repair of 
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automo-
tive repair establishment or individual 
using any certified automotive part".
 
c 

 
20n
 
Indicator and warning lamps 
 
Technology that monitors itself 
 
Many of the systems of your BMW mon-
itor themselves automatically, both dur-
ing engine starts and while you are driv-
ing. Indicator and warning lamps that 
are identified by "
 
l
 
" are tested for 
proper functioning whenever the igni-
tion key is turned. They each light up 
once for different periods of time.
If a fault should occur in one of these 
systems, the corresponding lamp does 
not go out after the engine is started or 
it lights up while the vehicle is moving. 
You will see how to react to this below.
 
Red: Stop immediately
 
Battery charge current
 
 
 
l
 
 
The battery is no longer being 
charged. There is a malfunction 
of the alternator ribbed V-belt or in the 
charging circuit of the alternator. Please 
contact the nearest BMW center.
If the ribbed V-belt is defective, do 
not continue driving. The engine 
could be damaged due to overheating. 
If the ribbed V-belt is defective, in-
creased steering effort is also re-
quired.
 
<
 
Engine oil pressure
 
  
l
 
  
Stop vehicle and switch off en-
gine immediately. Check level of 
oil in engine, top up as required. If oil 
level is correct: Please contact the 
nearest BMW center.
Do not continue driving. The en-
gine could be damaged because 
of inadequate lubrication.
 
< 
Tire Pressure Control (RDC)
* l
In addition, there is an acousti-
cal warning signal: A tire failure 
has occurred. Reduce vehicle speed 
immediately and stop the vehicle. Avoid 
hard brake applications. Do not over-
steer. 
For additional information: Refer to 
page 82.
Brake hydraulic system l
If the lamp comes on when the 
parking brake is not engaged: 
Check the brake fluid level. Before driv-
ing further, be sure to read the notes on 
pages 109 and 127.
Brake-warning lamp for Cana-
dian models. 

24n
Multi-function steering wheel (MFL)
 
The controls integrated in the multi-
function steering wheel are provided so 
that you can operate a number of ac-
cessories quickly and without being 
distracted from traffic conditions. You 
may operate:
>selected radio functions
>the cruise control and
>selected cellular phone functions.
In order to operate a system via 
the MFL, the corresponding sys-
tem controls must be switched on.< 
The illustration shows the maximum 
possible number of controls, corre-
sponding to a full range of optional 
equipment. Refer to the individual 
accessory manuals for more detailed 
descriptions.
1 Switch between the radio and the 
cellular phone 
2 Cellular phone: Receive a call, start 
dialing, terminate a call
3 Radio/Cellular phone volume
4 Radio/Cellular phone: Search in re-
verse or station keys (or browse in list 
of names)
5 Radio/Cellular phone: Search for-
wards or station keys (or browse in 
list of names)463de057
6 Horn: The entire surface
7 Cruise control: Resume stored 
setting
8 Cruise control: Store and accelerate 
(+); decelerate and store (–)
9 Cruise control: Activate/Interrupt/
Cancel. 

42n
Alarm system
*
The conceptThe vehicle's alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the lug-
gage compartment lid is opened 
>To motion within the passenger com-
partment (interior motion sensor) 
>To a change in the inclination of the 
vehicle, e. g. during an attempted 
wheel theft of unauthorized towing
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The alarm system signals unauthorized 
access to the vehicle or an attempted 
theft in different ways:
>Sounding an acoustical alarm for 
30 seconds
>Activating the hazard warning flash-
ers for approx. five minutes
*.
To activate and deactivate the 
alarm systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked 
by using a key or with the remote con-
trol, the alarm system is also simulta-
neously armed or disarmed.
The interior motion sensor is activated 
approx. 30 seconds after you have fin-
ished locking the car.
If the alarm system has been armed 
correctly, the hazard warning flashers 
cycle once. An acoustic warning signal 
sounds at the same time.
You can have various confirmation 
messages set to inform you that 
the alarm system has been armed or 
disarmed.<
You can also open the luggage com-
partment lid when the system is armed 
by pressing button 3 of the remote con-
trol (refer to page 37). When it is closed, 
the lid is once again secured.
Indicator lamp displaysThe indicator lamp is located under the 
inside rearview mirror.
>When the indicator lamp flashes 
continuously: The system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes when it is 
armed: The door(s), the hood or lug-
gage compartment lid are not com-
pletely closed. Even if you do not 
close the alerted area, the system be-
gins to monitor the remaining areas, 
and the indicator lamp flashes contin-
uously after 10 seconds. However, 
the interior motion sensor is not 
activated
>If the indicator lamp goes out when 
the system is disarmed: No manipula-
tion or attempted intrusions have 
been detected in the period since the 
system was armed460de105 

44n
Electric power windowsOpen and close windowsIn ignition key position 1 or 2:
>Press the switch up to but not past 
the pressure point:
The window moves downward or the 
rear vent window moves outward as 
long as the switch is pressed.
>Press the switch briefly past the 
pressure point:
The window moves automatically. 
Pressing the switch again briefly 
stops the opening cycle.
You can close windows in the same 
manner by pulling the switch. The rear 
vent window does not close automati-
cally.463de200
After the ignition has been switched off:
You can still operate the electric win-
dows for up to 15 minutes, provided 
that no door has been opened and then 
closed. 
Remove the key from the ignition 
key and close the doors when you 
leave the vehicle, so that children can-
not operate the power windows and 
possibly injure themselves.< 
For the convenience operating mode 
with the door lock or the remote con-
trol, refer to page 34 or 35.
Safety feature A contact strip is located on the inside 
upper frame of each of the windows. If 
pressure is exerted against this contact 
strip while a window is being raised, the 
system will respond by stopping the 
window and then retracting it a small 
distance.
In spite of this safety feature, 
always make sure that the win-
dow's path is clear. Otherwise in some 
cases (e. g. with thin objects) proper 
contact with the contact strip is not en-
sured.
You can disable this safety feature by 
pressing the switch beyond the resis-
tance point and holding it.< 

47n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
For maximum safety when adjusting the 
seat position, please observe the fol-
lowing:
Never try to adjust your seat while 
operating the vehicle. The seat 
could respond with an unexpected 
movement, and the ensuing loss of ve-
hicle control could lead to an accident. 
Be sure that the safety belt remains 
firmly against your body at all times. In 
the event of a frontal impact, a loose lap 
belt could slide over the hips, leading to 
abdominal injury. In addition, the safety 
belt's restraint effectiveness is reduced 
if the belt is worn loosely.
Never ride with the backrest reclined to 
an extreme horizontal angle (especially 
important for front passengers to re-
member). Keep the backrest relatively 
upright to minimize the risk of "sliding 
under" the safety belt and sustaining in-
jury in a crash.<
1 Longitudinal adjustment
Pull the lever and slide the seat to the 
desired position.
After releasing the lever, apply pres-
sure to the cushion to ensure that the 
latch engages securely.
2 Cushion height
Pull the lever and apply weight to or 
remove weight from the seat to reach 
the desired position.460de109
3 Backrest angle
Pull the lever and apply weight to or 
remove weight from the backrest to 
reach the desired position.460de068
Seat adjustment  Mechanical seat 

57n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Airbags 1 Front airbag for driver and passenger
2 Side impact Head Protection System 
(front)
3 Side airbags (front and rear side
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional protection for the front-seat oc-
cupants, in the event of a severe frontal 
collision in which the protection af-
forded by the belts alone may no longer 
be sufficient. The head and side airbags 
help provide protection in the event of a 
side impact. Each of the side airbags is 
designed to help support the upper 
body.462de207
The illustration schematically depicts 
the primary directions of vehicle impact 
that initiate airbag deployment.462de208
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp shows that 
the airbag system is operational 
in ignition key positions 1 and 2.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly 
then goes out.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp fails to come on
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly 
before going out and then lighting up 
again.
If there is a system malfunction, there 
is a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered in their normal response range in 
the event of an accident, even though 
the impact is severe.
Please have your authorized BMW cen-
ter inspect and repair the system as 
soon as possible. 
The airbag indicator lamp also 
comes on if the safety belt ten-
sioners have been triggered.< 

60n
Child restraints
*
All occupants and especially children 
should be restrained whenever riding 
in a motor vehicle.
Infants or small children should never 
be held on the lap of a passenger.
Children should always sit in the rear 
and, depending on age, use either a 
child restraint system or the existing 
safety belts. Accident statistics have 
shown that children are safer when 
properly restrained in the rear seats 
than in the front seating positions.
Infants or toddlers should be secured 
with a child restraint system appropri-
ate for their size.
Commercially available child seats 
complying with the legal standard are 
designed to be secured with a lap belt 
or with the lap belt portion of a combi-
nation lap/shoulder belt. 380us123
Improperly or inadequately installed re-
straint systems can increase the risk of 
injury to children. Always read and fol-
low the instructions that come with the 
system.
If the child restraint of your choice re-
quires the use of a tether strap, three 
fastening points (see arrows) have been 
provided on the rear shelf for attach-
ment. Ask your BMW center to perform 
the necessary work.
Before installing any child restraint 
device or child seat, please read 
the following:
Never install a rearward-facing child 
restraint system in the front passenger 
seat of this car.
Your car is equipped with an airbag 
supplemental restraint system for the 
front passenger. Because the backrest 
on any rear-facing child restraint sys-
tem (of the kind designed for infants 
under 1 year and 20 lbs.) would be 
within the airbag's deployment range, 
you should never mount such a device 
in the front passenger seat, as the im-
pact of the airbag against the child re-
straint's backrest could lead to serious 
or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child (not an 
infant) to ride in the front seat, certain 
precautions should be taken. First, 
move the passenger seat as far away 
from the dashboard as possible. This 
important precaution is intended to 
maximize the distance between the air-
bag and the child. Older children should 
be tightly secured with the safety belt. 
Younger children should be secured in 
an appropriate forward-facing child re-
straint system that has first been prop-
erly secured with a safety belt.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint 
system in the front passenger seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read 
and comply with the instructions for in-
stallation and use provided by the child 
restraint's manufacturer whenever you 
use such a device.
Be sure that all occupants (of all ages) 
remain properly and securely restrained 
at all times.c
All rear seating positions in your vehicle 
meet the recommendations of SAE 
J1819, an industry recommended prac-
tice for securing child restraint systems 
in motor vehicles.