Contents
Operation, care and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Advanced technology
Under the hood:
Hood133
Engine compartment134
Washer fluid136
Washer nozzles136
Engine oil137
Coolant140
Brake fluid141
Vehicle Identification No.141
Care and maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System142
Caring for your vehicle143
Airbags148
Vehicle storage148
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications149
OBD interface socket150
Replacement procedures:
Onboard tool kit154
Wiper blades154
Lamps and bulbs155
Changing a wheel160
Battery165
Fuses167
In case of electrical
malfunction:
Fuel filler door168
Sliding/Tilt sunroof168
Liftgate168
Tailgate169
Assistance, giving and
receiving:
Jump-starting170
Towing the vehicle171Airbags176
Adaptive Transmission Control
(ATC)176
Four-wheel drive177
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)177
Radio reception178
Safety belt tensioner178
DSP sound system179
Rearview mirrors with automatic
dimmer179
Rain sensor180
Integrated rear suspension180
Level control system181
Xenon lamps181
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
43n
Alarm system The concept The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, or the liftgate
is opened.
>To movement inside the vehicle (inte-
rior motion sensor).
>To variations in the vehicle tilt sensor
such as occur during attempts to
steal the wheels or tow the vehicle.
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized
vehicle entry and attempted theft by
simultaneously activating the following:
>Sounding an acoustical alarm for
30 seconds.
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes.
>The high beams flash on and off in
the same rhythm.
To activate and deactivate the
alarm system When the vehicle is locked or unlocked
with the key or the remote control, the
alarm system is also simultaneously
armed or disarmed.
The interior motion sensor is activated
approx. 30 seconds after you have fin-
ished locking the vehicle.
The system indicates that it has been
correctly armed by switching on the
hazard flashers for a single cycle and
by emitting an acoustical signal.
You can have different acknowl-
edgment signals set to confirm
system arming and disarming.<
You can still open the liftgate after the
system has been armed by pressing
button 3 of the remote control. Refer to
page 39. When you close the liftgate,
the system is secured again.
Indicator lamp displays >The indicator lamp below the interior
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes during
arming: a door(s), the hood or liftgate
are not completely closed. Even if
you do not close the alerted area, the
system begins to monitor the remain-
ing areas, and the indicator lamp
flashes continuously after 10 sec-
onds. 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 armed. 530us018
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
47n
Sliding/Tilt sunroof with glass moonroof
*
Automatic
* opening and closing
Press the switch past the resistance
point and then release it.
Other automatic operations are:
>With the sunroof open, press the
switch briefly toward "Lift:" the sun-
roof automatically extends to its fully
raised position.
>With the sunroof raised, hold the
control switch toward "Open" until
the roof has reached the desired
position.
Pressing the switch again briefly stops
the motion. Safety feature If the sliding/tilt sunroof encounters
resistance at a point roughly past the
middle of its travel when it is closing,
the closing cycle is interrupted and the
sliding/tilt sunroof will open again
slightly. Despite this safety feature, be
extremely careful that the closing
path of the sunroof is not obstructed
whenever it is closed. Otherwise, trig-
gering the closing-force limitation may
not be ensured in some situations (with
very thin objects, for instance). You can
disable this safety feature by pressing
the switch beyond the pressure point
and holding it.<
Power loss or malfunction After interruptions in the electrical sup-
ply (when the battery is disconnected,
for instance), the sunroof may only lift.
To reinitialize the mechanism:
1 Raise the sliding/tilt sunroof fully.
2 Press and hold the switch for approx-
imately twenty seconds.
3 In the event of an electrical malfunc-
tion, you can also operate the sliding/
tilt sunroof manually. Refer to
page 168. 530us023
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
53n
Mirrors Interior rearview mirror To reduce glare from vehicles behind
you when you are driving at night, tilt
the mirror by turning the button. Lighted vanity mirror Fold down the sun visor and slide the
cover panel to the side as required.
The mirror lamps operate from ignition
key position 1 and up. Sun visors These can be folded down toward the
windshield or swiveled out against the
side windows. 530us030
Interior and exterior rearview
mirror with automatic dimmer
*
By responding to the effects of ambient
light and the glare from following traffic,
these mirrors automatically dim through
an infinitely-variable range.
The mirrors automatically revert to their
clear, undimmed setting whenever you
select "Reverse."
To ensure that the mirrors continue to
operate properly, keep the two photo-
cells on the interior mirror clean and un-
obstructed. One photocell (arrow) is in
the mirror glass, while the other is offset
somewhat on the opposite side of the
mirror. 530us031
For an explanation of the electro-chro-
mic technology used in these mirrors,
refer to page 179.
68n
Automatic transmission with Steptronic engine speed is too high, for instance,
the downshift will not be executed. The
gear selected will appear briefly in the
instrument cluster followed by the
current gear.
If you are driving in the manual
mode and wish to accelerate rap-
idly Ð to pass another vehicle, for exam-
ple Ð shift down manually or with the
kickdown function.<
You can only change from M/S to se-
lector lever positions "P," "R" and "N"
via the "D" position.
In the following situations, the Step-
tronic "thinks" for you in the manual
mode:
>In order to prevent engine over-
speeding, the transmission shifts
automatically to the next higher gear
shortly before the RPM cutoff point.
>At low speeds, the transmission
shifts down automatically Ð you do
not have to act.
>In the "Kickdown" mode, the trans-
mission shifts down to the lowest
possible gear based on the engine
speed.
>Depending on the situation Ð when
driving in adverse winter conditions,
for example Ð you may also start out
in 2nd or 3rd gear.
Electronic transmission control
module
If the indicator lamp comes on
or the message "TRANS.FAIL-
SAFE PROG" appears in the
Check Control
*, there is a fault in the
transmission system.
Bring the vehicle to a stop. Move the
transmission selector lever to "P." Set
the parking brake and turn the engine
off (ignition key to position 0).
Wait a few seconds, then start the en-
gine.
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 indica-
tor lamp does not go out, you can place
the selector lever in all positions. How-
ever, the vehicle will now only drive for-
ward with limited gear selection.
If this should occur, avoid extreme en-
gine loads and consult the nearest au-
thorized 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.<
Information on jump-starting, tow-start-
ing and towing begins on page 170.
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
83n
PDC
*
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
The PDC system does not remove
the driver's personal responsibility
for evaluating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstacles. Even when
sensors are involved, there is a blind
spot in which objects cannot be de-
tected. This applies especially in those
cases where the system approaches
the physical constraints of ultrasonic
measurement, as occurs with tow bars
and trailer couplings, and in the vicinity
of thin and painted objects.
Certain sources of sound, such as a
loud radio, could drown out the PDC
signal tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free
of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they continue to operate effectively.
Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Maintain an adequate distance of more
than 4 inches (10 cm).<
The concept DSC maintains 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 to keep the vehicle on a
sure course by intervening via the en-
gine and by braking intervention at the
individual wheels.
The system starts up automatically
each time you start the engine. Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly
after you switch on the ignition.
Refer to page 24.
Indicator lamp ßashes:
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 comes on dur-
ing 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. Consult
your authorized BMW center to have
the system repaired.
To deactivate the system Press the button (arrow); the indicator
lamp comes on and stays on.
Traction intervention remains active;
that is, braking intervention will con-
tinue. Refer also to Four-wheel drive on
page 177.
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.
>on sandy road surfaces.
>on poor surfaces with deep ruts.
>if the wheels "churn" on muddy
surfaces.
>or when driving with snow chains. 530us048
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
91n
Automatic climate control 1 Air flow directed toward the wind-
shield and side windows
2 Air flow for the upper body
The side rotary dials provide infi-
nitely-variable regulation of the air
supply, while the levers change the
airflow direction. The center rotary
dial controls the temperature of the
air as it flows out. Refer to page 94
3 Front footwell ventilation
4 Rear footwell ventilation
5 Air flow for the upper body in the
rear seat94
6 Automatic air distribution92
7 Individual air distribution92
8 Temperature control Ð
left-hand side92
9 Display for temperature and air
supply9310 Temperature control Ð
right-hand side92
11 To defrost windshield and side
windows93
12 Air conditioner93
13 Automatic recirculated air control
(AUC)93
14 Rear window defroster71, 94
15 Air supply93
16 Residual heat mode94
17 Air grille for interior temperature
sensor Ð please keep clear and un-
obstructed
92n
Automatic climate control Tips for pleasant driving Use the automatic system (that is press
AUTO button 6). Select an interior tem-
perature that is comfortable for you Ñ
we recommend 72 7 (22 6). When
the outside temperature is above 41 7
(5 6), you can also use the air condi-
tioner 12. This will dry the air as well as
preventing condensation on the win-
dow surfaces Ñ if there are passengers
with damp clothing, for example. Set
the air outlets 2 so that the air flows
past you and is not directed straight at
you. Set the rotary dial between the
outlets 2 for the upper body to a central
position so that cooler air will help to
prevent fatigue during the journey.
Detailed setting options are described
for you in the following section.
Your vehicle is set in such a man-
ner that, when you unlock the ve-
hicle via remote control with your per-
sonalized key, your own setting for the
automatic climate control is initiated.<
Automatic air distribution
The AUTO program as-
sumes the adjustment of
the air distribution and the air supply for
you and also adapts the temperature to
external influences (summer, winter) to
meet preferences you can specify. This
program maintains a comfortable in-car
climate regardless of the season. Select
an interior temperature that is comfort-
able for you Ñ we recommend 72 7
(22 6).
The selected temperature and AUTO
for the air flow appear in the display 9.
Refer to the overview on page 90. Open
the ventilation outlets for the upper
body. Switch on the air conditioner 12
in warm weather. The maximum cooling
capacity is achieved when you set ro-
tary dial 3 (refer to page 94) to cold.
Individual air distribution
You can cancel the AUTO
program by selecting spe-
cific air distribution patterns
for your personal comfort.
You can direct air to flow
onto the windows , toward the upper
body , and into the footwell .
Temperature
You can make individual
temperature adjustments on
the driver's side or the front
passenger side. Your settings will be
shown in the display 9. The displayed
temperatures are reference values for
the interior temperature. We recom-
mend 72 7 (22 6) as a comfortable
setting, whether the air conditioner is
operating or not. When you start the
vehicle, this system ensures that the
selected temperature is achieved as
quickly as possible. It then maintains
this temperature, regardless of the
season.
Set the rotary dial 3 (refer to "Draft-free
ventilation" on page 94) to a medium
position to provide somewhat cooler
air. This helps to promote driving with-
out fatigue. Utilize this method of mix-
ing air especially for making minor
adjustments for personal comfort.
You can set uncontrolled heater
output up to 90 7 (32 6). Full
cooling output is available from the air
conditioner down to 60 7 (16 6).<