Page 120 of 203

120n
Winter operationBrakesWinter road conditions substantially
reduce the amount of traction available
between the tires and the road surface;
the resulting increase in braking
distance is considerable and should
always be kept in mind.
ABS is intended to prevent the wheels
from locking during brake applications,
thus helping to maintain vehicle stability
and steering response.
If the ABS does not respond in a critical
braking situation and the wheels lock:
reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
until the wheels just start to roll again
while still maintaining enough force to
continue braking.
Then increase the pedal pressure,
reduce the pressure when the wheels
lock, reapply pressure etc.
This staggered braking procedure will
reduce stopping distances while
helping you maintain steering control.
You can then attempt to steer around
hazards after you have reduced pres-
sure on the brake pedal.Do not shift down on slick road
surfaces. Doing so could cause
the rear wheels to lose traction and
skid, that could result in the loss of
vehicle control.<
Depress the clutch during hard
braking on road surfaces that
provide only poor or uneven traction.<
Skid control Depress the clutch and let up on the
accelerator pedal, or place the selector
lever for the automatic transmission in
the "Neutral" position. Countersteer
carefully and attempt to regain control
of the vehicle.
ParkingEngage 1st or reverse gear. If your
vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transmission, place the selector lever in
Park. On vehicles with manual trans-
mission, also apply the parking brake
when parking on inclined surfaces. In
order to prevent the parking brake pads
from locking due to frost or corrosion,
dry them by gently applying the parking
brake as the vehicle is coming to a
stop. Make sure that following traffic is
not endangered.
The brake lamps do not come
on when the parking brake is
applied.<
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143n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Caring for your vehicleCaring for the vehicle's finish Regular washing is a preventive
measure against long-term effects from
substances that are harmful to the
vehicle's finish, especially if you drive
your vehicle in areas with high levels of
air pollution or aggressive natural
substances (tree resins, pollen).
Nevertheless, you should immediately
remove especially aggressive
substances. Failure to do so can
lead to changes in the paint's chemical
structure or to discoloration. Gasoline
spilled during refueling, oil, grease and
brake fluid should always be cleaned
away immediately, as should bird drop-
pings.
Any contamination remaining on the
surface of the vehicle will be especially
conspicuous after washing. Use
cleaning fluid or alcohol with a clean
cloth or cotton pad to remove. Remove
tar spots with tar remover. After
cleaning, the affected areas should be
waxed to ensure continued protection.
Use the cleaning and car-care
products available at your BMW
center.<
Waxing your vehicle Protect the finish using carnauba or
synthetic-based waxes only.
The best way to determine when the
finish needs to be waxed is by noting
when water stops beading on the
surface.
You can use a glass cleaner to remove
any wax or silicone that may have been
left on the windows during waxing.
Use the cleaning and car-care
products available at your BMW
center.<
Paint damageYou can touch up small areas of paint
damage with a BMW spray paint or a
BMW touchup stick.
The paint color code for your vehicle
is provided on a sticker located on the
right hand-side under the hood and on
the first page of your Service and
Warranty Information Booklet (US
models) or Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet (Canadian models).
Damage caused by flying stones,
scratches, etc., must be touched up
without delay to prevent rust from
forming.
If corrosion has started to form in an
area with paint damage, remove all rust
and clean the area. Then prime the area
with a BMW Primer Stick. Finally, apply
the finish coat. Wait a few days, then
polish the repaired area. Finish by
applying a wax preservative.
More extensive paint damage should
be repaired professionally in accor-
dance with the manufacturer's instruc-
tions. Your BMW center uses original
BMW finish materials in accordance
with approved repair procedures.
Page 159 of 203

159n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Changing a wheel
Take these precautionary
measures if you have either a flat
tire or are changing the tire:
Stop the vehicle as far as possible from
passing traffic. Park on a firm, flat
surface. Switch on the hazard warning
flashers. Turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position, remove the key
and engage the steering lock. Shift into
1st gear or reverse (selector lever in
"Park" with automatic transmission) and
engage the parking brake.
All passengers should be outside the
vehicle and well away from your imme-
diate working area (behind a guardrail,
for instance).
If a warning triangle
or portable hazard
warning lamp is available, set it up on
the roadside at an appropriate distance
from the rear of the vehicle. Comply
with all safety guidelines and
regulations.
Change the wheel only on a level, firm
surface which is not slippery. Avoid
jacking the vehicle on a soft or slippery
support surface (snow, ice, loose
gravel, etc.), as it could slide sideways.
Position the jack on a firm support
surface. Do not place wooden blocks or
similar objects under the jack. If this is
done, the jack might not be able to
reach its full support capacity because
of the limited height.
Do not lie under the vehicle or start the
engine when the vehicle is supported
by the jack. Failure to comply with this
creates a risk of fatal injury.< Your BMW has a spare tire
or a space-
saver spare tire for temporary use to
ensure your mobility.
To remove the spare tire, lift out
the floor panel in the luggage
compartment completely (refer to
page 41).<
Page 196 of 203

Everything from A to ZPDC (Park Distance
Control)81
Performance184
Pocket flashlight102
Pollen93,100
Power seat50
Power steering121
Power windows44
safety feature44
Pressure monitoring,
tires85,179
Pressure, tires27,122 Q
Quality Grades123 R
Radiator187
Radio Data System
(RDS)176
Radio reception121,176
Radio, refer also to the
separate Owner's Manual
Rain sensor71,178
RDC (Tire Pressure
Control)85,179
RDS (Radio Data
System)176
Reading lamps89
Rear backrest, folding106 Rear lamps155
Rear window
defroster72,92,100
Rear-entry assist49
Rearview mirror52
Recirculated air mode92
Reclining seat47
Refueling26
Remote control35
Removing condensation
from the windows94,99
Replacement keys32
Reporting safety defects7
Restraint system56
Reverse17,66
Roller blind, sun
protection101
Roof load capacity186
Roof-mounted luggage
rack109
Rubber parts119
S
Safety belt tensioner176
Safety belts55
height adjustment55
Safety buttons38
Safety feature44
Safety terminal, battery164 Seats47
adjusting47
electric power50
heating101
mechanical47
memory51
sitting properly58
Securing the load108
Selector lever, automatic
transmission67
Self-defrosting mirrors52
Self-diagnostics180
Service and Warranty
Information Booklet140
Service Interval Display76
Shiftlock67
Side airbags57
Side impact Head Protection
System57
Side lamps87
bulb replacement154
Sitting properly with
airbag58
Ski bag107
Skid control120
Sliding/tilt sunroof45
closing following an
electrical malfunction167
convenience operation34
Slippery roads119
Snow chains119,126 Socket105
for flashlights105
for power supplies105
for vacuum cleaner105
Spare key32
Spare tire159
Spark plugs188
Speaker104
Specifications, fuel27
Speed control75
Speed display18
Speed, average80
Speedometer18
Sports seat49
Starting assistance168
Starting
problems113,168
Starting the engine63
Steel rim127
Steering121
Steering lock63
Steering wheel52
adjusting52
Steptronic67
Stopping the vehicle64
Storage compartments102
Storage facilities102
Storing your vehicle147
Stroke184
Summer tires125,127
Sun roller blind101
Sun visors53