2000 BMW Z8 wheel

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
For maximum safety when adjusting the
seating position, please observe the
following:
Never try to adjust your seat while
driving the vehicle. The seat could
respond with an unexpected move-
ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle
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 angle (especially important
for the passenger to remember). If you
do so, there is a risk that you will slide
under the safety belt in an accident,
thus reducing the protection provided
by the safety belt.<
Correct sitting postureTo reduce strain on the spinal column,
sit all the way back in the seat and rest
your back fully against the backrest.
The ideal sitting posture is achieved
with your head extending from your
spine in a straight line.
For long-distance driving, you may wish
to increase the backrest tilt-angle
slightly to reduce muscular tension.
You should be able to grasp the steer-
ing wheel at its highest point with your
arms slightly bent.
1 Backward/Forward adjustment
2 Cushion height
3 Backrest angle
Adjust the head restraint manually.
Move the seat backward only if
the backrest is first locked into
place. Whenever the backrest has been
flipped forward, moved back and sub-
sequently folded back into place, it
cannot lock, which can damage the
back of the backrest and the rear trim
panel.
Do not move a seat whose backrest has
been tilted too far back, otherwise, the
back of the backrest and the rear trim
panel could be damaged.<
520de017
Seat adjustment

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Adjusting the steering wheel
Mirrors
Press button: set the steering wheel
vertical to the seating position.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving. If you
do so, there is a risk of accident from
unexpected movement.<520de118
Exterior mirrors1 Switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Selection switch for changing
between mirrors, switch either all the
way to the left or the right 520de018
You can also adjust the mirrors manu-
ally by pressing against the outer edges
of their lenses.
When estimating the distance be-
tween yourself and other traffic,
bear in mind that the objects reflected
in the mirror are closer than they ap-
pear. This means that estimating of the
distance to following traffic should not
be regarded as precise. with the ignition key in position 2.

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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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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
The conceptDSC maintains vehicle stability even in
critical driving situations. The system
optimizes vehicle stability during accel-
eration and when starting from a full
stop, as well as optimizing traction. In
addition, the system recognizes unsta-
ble vehicle conditions (understeering or
oversteering, for example) and holds
the vehicle on a sure course by inter-
vening via the engine and by braking
intervention at the individual wheels,
within physically feasible limits.
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 20.
Indicator lamp flashes:
The system is active and governs drive
force and braking force.
If the indicator lamp does not go out
after the engine is started, or if it comes
on during normal driving and stays on:
There is a system malfunction or the
system was deactivated with the button.
You can continue to drive the vehicle
normally, but without DSC.
Please consult your BMW center for re-
pairs.
To deactivate the systemPress the button, and the indicator
lamp comes on and stays on.
When the DSC is deactivated, you are
operating the vehicle in the conven-
tional drive mode.
In the following rare circumstances, it
may be a good idea to deactivate the
DSC for a short period of time:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces.
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the system
switched on when possible.<520de035
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Tire Pressure Warning (RDW)The conceptThe RDW monitors the tire pressure in
all four wheels while driving. The sys-
tem provides an alert whenever the in-
flation pressure drops significantly in
one of the tires.
For RDW to "learn" the correct tire infla-
tion pressure, check the inflation pres-
sure in all tires, comparing them with
the values in the inflation pressure table
(refer to page 25), and make correc-
tions as necessary. Then activate the
system.
This indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will flash to inform
you if the inflation pressure in
one of the tires has dropped signifi-
cantly.
To activate the system 1 Turn the ignition key to position 2
2 Press the switch long enough for the
indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter to light up red for a few seconds
3 The RDW undergoes an automatic
"learning" process while you are driv-
ing, and stores this data to aim for op-
timal conditions. This one-time "learn-
ing" process lasts at least 10 minutes,
after which the RDW is able to detect
and report any tire failure.
Repeat this process after any changes
in tire inflation pressure, tire rotation or
replacement.
Once the pressures have been adjusted
to the reference values used in the
"learning" process, do not activate the
system a further time.520de117
Tire failureThe red indicator lamp will flash in the
event of a tire failure.
A supplementary gong is also heard.
Carefully reduce speed to less than
50 mph (80 km/h), avoiding any hard
braking or steering maneuvers while
doing so.
For additional details, refer to page 135.
The RDW cannot alert you to
severe and sudden tire damage
caused by external factors.
Nor can it detect the gradual loss of
pressure at all four tires that normally
occurs over a period of time.<