2000 BMW Z8 ignition

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Airbags 1 Front airbag for driver and passenger
2 Side airbagsProtective effectIn addition to the three-point safety
belts, the front airbags provide addi-
tional protection, in case safety belts
are not enough in a severe frontal
impact. The side airbags help provide
protection in the event of a collision
from the side. Each of the side airbags
is designed to help support the seat
occupant's upper body.520de021
The illustration depicts schematically
the primary directions of vehicle impact
that initiate airbag deployment.520de022
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp displays the
operational status of the airbag
system from ignition key posi-
tion 1 and on.
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 the system malfunctions, there is the
danger that the airbags will not be trig-
gered within their response range dur-
ing an accident, even if the level of
impact would normally have triggered
them.
Have your BMW center inspect the
system immediately.

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AirbagsSitting correctly with airbags
Comply with the following instruc-
tions for the airbags, otherwise,
the airbags may not be able to provide
their maximum protection, with result-
ing risks to personal safety. All passen-
gers in the vehicle should be aware of
and comply with this information:
The airbags are supplemental restraint
devices designed to provide extra pro-
tection; they are not a substitute for
safety belts. Wear your safety belt at all
times. The airbags will not be triggered
in the event of a minor accident, a vehi-
cle roll-over, or collisions from the rear.
In these instances, the safety belt pro-
vides optimal protection.
Airbags are located under cover panels
in the steering wheel, in the instrument
panel and in the door side trim panels.
Assume a seating position that is com-
fortable and provides the greatest-pos-
sible distance between you and the air-
bags in your seating area. Always hold
the steering wheel by the rim Ð hands in
the "9 o'clock" and "3 o'clock" posi-
tions Ð otherwise, your hands or arms
could be injured if the airbag is trig-
gered.
Do not allow any objects to obstruct the
area between the airbag and the driver/
passenger.
Do not use the cover panel above the
front passenger airbag as a storage
area.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, or cover or
modify them in any other way.
Do not use a rear-facing child seat in the
front passenger seat. If you use a child
restraint system, read carefully and
comply with the instructions on page 51.
Be sure that child seats are installed
correctly and with the greatest possible
distance between them and the side air-
bag. Do not allow children to lean out of
the child's seat in the direction of the
side trim panels. If they do so, serious
injuries can occur if the airbag is trig-
gered.<
Even when all these guidelines are ob-
served, there is still a small residual risk
of injury to the face, hands and arms
occurring from airbag deployment in
isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise may
cause a mild temporary hearing loss in
extremely sensitive individuals.
For additional information concerning
the airbag system, refer to pages 121
and 148.The illustration shows the correct seat-
ing position for a child in a child restraint
system
* with sufficient distance be-
tween him and the side airbag (arrow).
520de115

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Your car has a steering-column lock
driven by an electric motor.Releasing the steering and
electricity supply>Insert the key in position 0. The steer-
ing is audibly released.
Encountering any resistance when
turning the key to the right means:
the steering column is still not un-
locked. Turning the steering column
to the right and left can make it easier
to turn the key.
The vehicle immobilizer is deacti-
vated
>In position 1, the radio and certain
electrical consumers are operational
>In position 2, the ignition, the starter
and all electrical consumers are op-
erational.520de023
Removing the keyThe key is removed in position 0. Turn
the steering wheel to engage the steer-
ing lock and activate the electronic
vehicle immobilizer.
With a discharged or discon-
nected battery, the steering col-
umn will not be locked or unlocked.
Leaving the key in the ignition uses up a
minimal amount of power. In order to
avoid discharging the battery, remove
the key if the vehicle is to be parked for
an extended period of time.<
If the steering is locked and the
battery discharged or discon-
nected, do not tow the vehicle, as it will
not be possible to turn the steering
wheel.<
Steering/Ignition lock

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Starting the engine Turning the engine off Before starting>Engage the parking brake
>Manual-shift gear lever in idling
position
>Depress the clutch pedal
>Key in position 2.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed areas. The exhaust
gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless, but highly toxic
gas. Breathing the exhaust gases poses
an extreme health risk, and can lead to
unconsciousness and death.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.<520de141
>Start the engine (by pressing the start
button) but do not step on the accel-
erator pedal.
Do not press on the starter button
for too short a time, but do not hold
it down for longer than 20 seconds,
either. Do not allow the engine to warm
up by leaving it running while the vehicle
remains stationary. Instead, drive off im-
mediately at a moderate engine speed.<
Cold starts at very low temperatures,
from approx. +5 7 (Ð15 6) and at alti-
tudes above 3,300 ft (1,000 meters):
>On the first start attempt, engage the
starter for a longer period (approx.
10 seconds)
Engine idle speed is controlled by the
engine computer system. Increased
speeds at startup are normal and
should decrease as the engine warms
up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from discharg-
ing, always deactivate electrical de-
vices that are not in use. Switch the
ignition off when the vehicle is not
being driven.
Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Never remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is rolling. If you
did so, the ignition lock would engage
when the steering wheel is turned.
When you leave the vehicle, always re-
move the ignition key and engage the
steering lock.
Always engage the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces, since placing the lever in first
gear or reverse may not provide ade-
quate resistance to rolling.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Parking brake To engageThe lock engages automatically when
you lift the lever, and the indicator lamp
in the instrument panel comes on when
the ignition key is in position 2. Refer to
page 19.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button and lower the lever.
The parking brake is designed primarily
to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
it is parked. It operates against the rear
wheels.520de024
If, in rare circumstances, it should
be necessary to engage the park-
ing brake while the vehicle is in motion,
do not pull hard on the lever. Keep your
thumb pressed against the release but-
ton while carefully pulling the lever up
to apply moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is engaged.
Always engage the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces, since placing the lever in first
gear or reverse may not provide ade-
quate resistance to rolling.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking effect, apply the parking brake
lightly from time to time when coasting
to a standstill (at a traffic signal, for in-
stance), provided that it is safe to do so.

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Manual transmission
Turn signal/Headlamp flasher
Every time you shift gears, always de-
press the clutch pedal all the way down,
pushing the manual-shift gear lever into
the desired position.
Depress the clutch even when starting
the engine, otherwise, a lock will pre-
vent the engine from being started.
The shift lever's neutral plane is located
between third and fourth gear.
When shifting from each gear into
"Neutral," the shift lever returns auto-
matically to this gear plane because of
its spring loading.520de114
When shifting gears in the fifth/
sixth gear, be sure to press the
gear lever to the right in order to pre-
vent inadvertent selection of a gear in
the third/fourth.<
Reverse Select "Reverse" only when the vehicle
is stationary. Press the shift lever to the
left to overcome the resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamp 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.<
1 High beam (blue indicator lamp)
2 Headlamp flasher (blue indicator
lamp)
3 Turn signal indicator (green indicator
accompanied by periodic clicking
sound from the relay).
If the indicator lamp and the clicking
from the relay are faster than normal,
one of the turn indicators has failed.To signal brieflyPress the lever up to but not beyond
the pressure point. It then returns to the
center position when released.520de025

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Washer/Wiper system 0 Wipers retracted
1 Intermittent wipe
2 Normal wipe
3 Fast wipe
4 Brief wipe520de026
0 Wipers retracted (home
position) The wipers are partially hidden behind
the hood. To bring the wipers up into
their vertical position (important when
changing the blades, or folding up
when frost is expected):
With the lever in position 1, switch off
the ignition as soon as the wipers come
to a stop.
For changing the wiper blades, refer to
page 128.
Fold the wipers back down onto
the windshield before you turn the
ignition key to position 1 or 2 again. If
you do not, they could be damaged.<1 Intermittent wipe Wiper delay varies automatically,
depending on actual road speed.
2 Normal wiper speedThe wipers automatically revert to inter-
mittent operation when the vehicle is
stationary.3 Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the
wipers operate at normal speed.

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Washer/Wiper system Rear window defroster 1 Automatic windshield washer
2 Automatic windshield washer/Head-
lamp washers1 Automatic windshield washer The system sprays washer fluid against
the windshield and activates the wipers
for a brief period.
If you only pull the lever briefly, the sys-
tem sprays washer fluid onto the wind-
shield without activating the wipers.520de139
2 Automatic windshield washer/
Headlamp washers Automatic windshield washer and head-
lamp washers are activated. Every time
they are actuated, both the windshield
and the headlamps are cleaned.
Do not use the washers if there
is any danger that the fluid will
freeze on the windshield. If you do so,
your vision could be obscured. Use an
antifreeze agent. Refer to page 108.
Do not use the washers when the reser-
voir is empty. If you do so, the washer
pump could be damaged. automatically when the ignition key is in
position 2.
To activateOnce the hardtop is in place, press the
button: as long as the indicator lamp
remains on, the rear window defroster
continues at high output (rapid thaw).
After the indicator lamp goes out, the
defroster continues operating at re-
duced power for a limited period before
deactivating automatically. To deactivateIf the indicator lamp is still on, press the
button.
The indicator lamp is always
active. The rear window defroster
will not work if the hardtop is not in
place.<520de027