2001 BMW 325i SEDAN light

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Alarm system
*
>If the indicator lamp flashes for
10 seconds when the system is
disarmed: an attempted entry has
been detected in the period since the
system was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the
indicator lamp will flash continuously.Avoiding an unintentional alarmThe tilt alarm sensor and interior motion
sensor may be switched off at the same
time. You can do this to prevent a false
alarm from being triggered (in garages
with elevator ramps, for instance), or
when the vehicle is transported by
trailer or train:
Lock the vehicle twice (= arm the
system). Press button 2 on the remote
control twice in succession or lock the
vehicle twice with the key (refer to
page 36).
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm
sensor and the interior motion sensor
are deactivated as long as the system is
armed.
Activate the alarm to reactivate the tilt
alarm sensor and the interior motion
sensor.
Interior motion sensorThe transmitter and receiver of the inte-
rior motion sensor are located in a trim
panel in the vehicle's roof.
In order for the interior motion sensor to
function properly, the windows and
sliding/tilt sunroof must be completely
closed.
However, you should switch off the inte-
rior motion sensor (see previous column
under the heading "Avoiding an unin-
tentional alarm") if you wish to leave the
windows or sliding/tilt sunroof open.460de159

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Sliding/tilt sunroof
*
Automatic opening and closing>Press the switch past the resistance
point briefly: the sunroof travels to
either the fully-closed or fully-open
position.
>With the sunroof open, press the
switch briefly toward "Lift:" the
sunroof automatically extends to its
fully raised position.
Pressing the switch again briefly stops
the motion immediately.
Safety featureIf 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
sunroof will open again slightly.
Despite this safety feature, always
be careful to ensure that the
closing path of the roof is not
obstructed. Otherwise, an object might
not touch the contact strip in some situ-
ations (very thin objects, for instance).
You can disable this safety feature by
pressing the switch beyond the resis-
tance point and holding it.<
Power loss or malfunctionIn the event of an electrical system
malfunction, the sliding/tilt sunroof can
be manually operated. Refer to
page 172.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
For your personal safety when adjusting
the seat position, please follow the
instructions below carefully:
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with an unexpected
movement, and the ensuing loss of
vehicle control could lead to an acci-
dent.
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 front passenger to remember).
If you do so, there is a risk that you will
slide under the safety belt in an acci-
dent, 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 angle slightly to
reduce muscular tension. You should
be able to grasp the steering wheel at
its highest point with your arms slightly
bent.
After a seat adjustment, adjust the
height of the safety belt also. Refer to
page 54.1 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 as
required.
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Seat adjustment Mechanical seat

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Power seat
*
Seat and mirror memory
*
BMW sports seat1 Tilt angle
2 Backward/Forward adjustment
3 Cushion height
4 Backrest angle
The head restraint (refer to page 48)
and the thigh support area (refer to
page 49) are adjusted manually.
Please refer to the adjustment
instructions on page 47 to reduce
the risk of personal injury.<460de025
You can store and recall three different
driver's seat and outside mirror posi-
tions.
The adjustment setting of the lumbar
support is not saved in the memory.To store1 Turn the key to ignition key
position 1 or 2.
2 Adjust your seat and outside mirrors
to the desired position.
3 Press the
M
EMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up.
4 Press memory button 1, 2 or 3 as
desired: the indicator lamp goes out.
460de017
To select a stored setting Convenience function:
1 Open the driver's door after unlocking
or set the ignition key in position 1.
2 Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3
as desired.
The adjustment cycle is canceled
immediately if you press a seat
adjustment switch or one of the
memory buttons.
Security function:
1 With the driver's door closed and the
ignition key either removed or in posi-
tion 0 or 2.
2 Maintain pressure on the desired
memory button (1, 2 or 3) until the
adjustment process is completed.
If you press the
M
EMORY button acci-
dentally: press the button a second
time; the indicator lamp goes out.
Do not select a memory position
while the vehicle is moving. If you
do so, there is a risk of accident from
unexpected seat movement.<

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Mirrors Exterior mirrors1 Switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Selection switch for changing
between mirrors460us302
You can also adjust the mirrors manu-
ally by pressing against the outer edges
of their lenses.
The mirror on the passenger's
side features a lens with a more
convex surface than the mirror installed
on the driver's side. When estimating
the distance between yourself and
other traffic, bear in mind that the
objects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. Estimations of the
distance to following traffic should
therefore not be regarded as precise. with the ignition key in position 2.
Interior rearview mirror To reduce glare from behind when
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.Sun visorsThese can be folded down toward the
windshield or swiveled out against the
side windows.463us011

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Mirrors Car Memory, Key Memory Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming feature
*
By responding to the effects of ambient
light and the glare from following traffic,
this mirror automatically dims through
an infinitely variable range.
The mirror switches to its clear,
undimmed mode whenever the trans-
mission is placed in reverse gear
(selector lever in "Reverse").
To ensure that the mirror continues to
operate properly, keep the two photo-
cells clean and unobstructed. One
photocell (arrow) is in the mirror glass,
while the other is offset somewhat on
the other side of the mirror.
For an explanation of the electro-
chromic technology used in this mirror,
refer to page 184.460de020
How the system functionsYou have probably frequently wished
that you could configure individual
functions of your vehicle to reflect your
own personal requirements. In engi-
neering your vehicle, BMW has
included several user-defined func-
tions in the vehicle's design. Your BMW
center can make these settings for you
in accordance with your wishes.
There are settings related to the vehicle
("Car Memory") and settings related to
individuals ("Key Memory"). You can
have up to four different basic settings
adjusted for four different persons. The
only requirement is that each person
uses his or her own remote control key.
When your vehicle is unlocked with the
remote control, the vehicle recognizes
the individual user by means of a data 463de029
exchange with the key, and makes
adjustments accordingly.
In order for you to distinguish between
different keys, colored decals are
supplied together with the keys.What the system can doYour BMW center can provide you with
details on the capabilities of the Car
Memory and Key Memory systems. A
few examples follow below:
Examples for Car Memory:
>Various signals as acknowledgement
when locking or unlocking your
vehicle.
>Deactivating/activating the Follow-
Me-Home lamps function.
>Activating/deactivating
* daytime
running lamps.
Examples for Key Memory:
>Automatically setting the driver's
power seat.
>Locking your vehicle after starting off.
>When unlocking your vehicle, first
unlock the driver's door, then the rest
of the vehicle.
You will see this symbol through-
out the Owner's Manual. It is to
remind you at appropriate places of the
settings that are available to you.<

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Airbags
The side airbags in the rear
passenger area
* of your vehicle
may already have been deactivated
either at the time of manufacture or by a
BMW center. You may have them acti-
vated if you desire to do so. Please
contact your BMW center for additional
information.<
The illustration depicts schematically
the primary directions of vehicle impact
that initiate an airbag deployment.
The airbags will not be triggered in
the event of a minor accident, a
vehicle roll-over, or collisions from the
rear.c
460de141
Operational status
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster displays the opera-
tional status of the airbag
system when the ignition key is in posi-
tion 1 and higher.
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 lights up
again.
If there is a system malfunction, there is
a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered within their normal response
range, even if the level of impact would
normally have triggered them.
Have your BMW center inspect the
system immediately.
The airbag indicator lamp also
comes on if the safety belt
tensioners have been triggered.<
Sitting correctly with airbags
For your safety, comply with the
following instructions for the
airbags. If you do not, the airbags may
not be able to provide their maximum
protection. All passengers in the vehicle
should be aware of and comply with this
information:
The airbags are supplemental restraint
devices designed to provide extra
protection; 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
vehicle roll-over, or collisions from the
rear. In these instances, the safety belt
provides optimal protection.
Airbags are located under cover panels
in the steering wheel, in the dashboard,
in the side trim panels in the front and
rear, in the roof panels, and in the sides
of the inside roof lining.
Adjust your seat to a position that
provides maximum distance between
you and the steering wheel, the instru-
ment panel and the door while still
allowing comfortable and safe access to
all vehicle controls.
To avoid sustaining hand and arm inju-
ries, always grasp the steering wheel
on the rim with the hands at the 9 and
3 o'clock positions.

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0 Steering lock engaged The key can only be inserted or
removed in this position.
After removing the key, turn the
steering wheel slightly to the left or right
until the lock engages.
If the key is not removed, an acoustic
signal is sounded after the driver's door
has been opened.
Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion:
Do not move the selector lever from the
"Park" position until the engine is
running (ignition key at position 2).
In order to turn the key back to posi-
tion 0 or to remove it, move the selector
lever into position "Park" first (Inter-
lock).<460de022
1 Steering lock disengaged Turning the steering wheel slightly to
the right or left often makes it easier to
turn the key from 0 to 1.
Individual electrical devices are ready
for operation.2 Ignition onAll electrical equipment and accesso-
ries are available for use.3 Starting the engine
Vehicles with manual transmis-
sion: depress the clutch when
starting the vehicle. A lockout prevents
the engine from starting if the clutch is
not depressed.c
Before starting>Engage the parking brake
>Be sure that the shift lever is in
"Neutral" or "Park" if the vehicle is
equipped with an automatic transmis-
sion
>Depress the clutch pedal.
Do not run the engine 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 unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a potential safety hazard.<
Steering/Ignition lock Starting the engine