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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
BatteryBattery careThe battery is completely maintenance-
free. That means that the original acid
will normally last for the service life of
the battery under temperate climatic
conditions.
For all questions that regard the
battery, please consult your BMW
center. Since the battery is absolutely
maintenance-free, the following is for
your information only.
please be cautious whenever you work
with or near the battery.
Before handling the battery,
please read the following infor-
mation.
Wear eye protection. Do not al-
low particles containing battery
acid or lead to come into con-
tact with your eyes, your skin, or your
clothing.
Battery acid is extremely corro-
sive. Wear eye protection and
protective gloves. Do not tip the
battery. Battery acid can leak from the
ventilation openings.
Do not allow children to have
access to batteries and battery
acid.
Never allow sparks or open
flame near the battery. Do
not smoke in the vicinity of the
battery. Avoid sparks from electrical
cables or electrical equipment. Turn the
key to position 0 in the steering lock
when disconnecting or connecting the
battery. Never short-circuit the battery
terminals. This creates a risk of injury
from high-energy sparks.
A highly explosive gas is gener-
ated when the battery is
charged.
If you happen to get acid in
your eyes, rinse thoroughly for
15 minutes with clear water.
Consult a physician immediately. If you
get acid spray on your skin or clothing,
rinse with plenty of water. If acid is
accidentally swallowed, consult a
physician immediately.
In order to protect the battery
case from ultraviolet radiation,
do not place it in direct sunlight.
A discharged battery can freeze. Store
the battery in areas where temperature
remains above freezing.
Removal and installation
Do not disconnect the battery
while the engine is running.
Disconnecting the battery cable when
the engine is running will cause a
voltage surge which will damage the
vehicle's onboard electronics.
Do not make any modifications in the
wires to the positive terminal. If you do
so, the protective function of the safety
battery terminal is no longer ensured.
Repairs and disposal may only be per-
formed by specially trained personnel.<
When removing the battery, disconnect
the cable on the negative terminal first,
then the cable on the positive terminal.
Loosen the center adjusting screw on
the battery retaining strap (use the
screwdriver included with the onboard
tool kit) and disconnect the strap.
When installing a battery, connect the
positive terminal first, then connect the
negative terminal.
When installing a battery, be sure
that it is mounted properly and that
the retaining strap is installed using the
center adjustment screw, otherwise, the
battery will not be secure enough in
case of an accident.<
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Battery FusesCharging the battery Charge the battery in the vehicle only
when the engine is not running.
Before performing any work on
the electrical system, disconnect
the cable from the negative terminal. If
you do not, short circuits can cause fire
or personal injury.<
If you plan to park the vehicle for longer
than 4 weeks, disconnect the battery
from the vehicle electrical system by
disconnecting the cable at the negative
terminal. Then recharge the battery with
an appropriate battery charger.
If you intend to store the vehicle for
longer than 12 weeks, remove the
battery, charge it and store it in a cool
and dust-free room where there is no
danger of freezing. During storage,
have the battery recharged every
3 months. Also recharge the battery
before it is reinstalled. If this is not
done, the battery will not be service-
able. Every time the battery is drained,
especially over extended periods, its
service life is reduced.
Return used batteries to a recy-
cling point or your BMW center.
Maintain the battery in an upright
position for transport and storage.
Secure the battery to prevent it from
tilting during transport.<
Storage periods during which
the battery is disconnected are
not taken into consideration by the
Service Interval Display for changing
the brake fluid.
For this reason, be sure that the brake
fluid is changed every two years,
regardless of the information displayed.
Read and comply with the information
on page 138 covering this subject.<
If an electrical accessory should fail,
switch it off and check the fuse. In glove compartment1 Open the glove compartment and
turn the two white quick-release
fasteners outward. Spare fuses and
plastic tweezers are located on the
fuse holder.
2 Use the plastic tweezers to remove
the fuse for the accessory or equip-
ment that has stopped working.
3 If the fuse is burned through ("blown"),
the metal strip will have melted and
separated; replace it with a new fuse
of the same ampere rating (color
code).460de062
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Do not use spray starter fluids to start
the engine.
If the battery is drained, the engine can
be started using two jumper cables and
another vehicle's battery. Use only
jumper cables with fully insulated grips
on the terminal clamps.
Do not touch the parts conducting
current while the engine is
running. Failure to comply with this
creates a risk of fatal injury.<
Carefully comply with the following
instructions to avoid personal injury or
damage to one or both vehicles:
1 Be sure that the battery on the
support vehicle is also rated at
12 volts, and that the capacities of
the two batteries (Ah) are roughly
comparable (printed on casing)
2 Leave the drained battery connected
to the vehicle's electrical system
3 Make sure that there is no contact
between the bodywork of the two
vehicles Ð short circuit risk!
4 Start by connecting the jumper cable
from the positive terminal of the
support vehicle to the positive
terminal connector located in your
BMW's engine compartment. The
cover of the auxiliary terminal for
jump-starting is identified by a "+"
sign. Refer to the illustration. Remove
the cover by pulling the tab (arrow 1).
5 Then connect the negative terminals.
Attach the cable to either the support
vehicle's negative battery terminal (Ð),
or to a suitable ground on its engine
or bodywork. Then connect the other
end of the cable to a ground on the
engine or on the bodywork of the
vehicle that is to be started. There is
a special nut provided for this on the
BMW (arrow 2).
Follow the same sequence for
connecting the jumper cables if
you assist in jump-starting another
vehicle. If you do not, there is a risk of
injury caused by spark generation at the
battery.<460de123
6 Start the support vehicle's engine
and let it run.
7 Start the engine on the vehicle
needing the jump-start, and allow it
to run as usual. If the first start
attempt is not successful, wait a few
minutes before another attempt in
order to allow the drained battery to
recharge.
8 Before disconnecting the jumper
cables from your BMW, turn on the
rear window defroster and set the
blower to the highest speed; allow the
engine to run approx. 10 seconds.
This will prevent a voltage surge from
the voltage regulator to the electrical
accessories.
9 Then disconnect the jumper cables in
reverse sequence.
Depending on the reason for the
malfunction, recharge the battery.
Jump-starting
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Towing the vehicleBMW 325xi: tow the vehicle with
one raised axle1 Place the gearshift lever or selector
lever in "Neutral."
2 Switch off the engine.
3 Towing speed:
Maximum 30 mph (50 km/h).
4 Towing distance:
Maximum 95 miles (150 km).
Remove the rear driveshaft for
longer towing distances with the
front axle lifted; remove the front drive-
shaft for towing over longer distances
with the rear axle lifted. Failure to
comply with this will result in damage to
the transfer box.<
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
On vehicles with an automatic trans-
mission, the Adaptive Transmission
Control (ATC) uses a number of factors
to calculate the gear which provides
maximum efficiency. In this process, it
considers your individual driving style
as well as current driving conditions.
ATC recognizes your personal driving
style from the positions and movements
of the accelerator pedal, deceleration
when braking, and lateral acceleration
through curves. Based on different shift
characteristics Ð from comfort-oriented
to performance-oriented Ð ATC will
select the appropriate gear.463us005
In order to include driving conditions in
its calculations, ATC registers curves
and both uphill and downhill gradients.
For example, if you maintain speed
through a curve, the transmission does
not shift up. On uphill gradients, it shifts
up only when the engine speed
increases in order to make more effi-
cient use of power reserves. On down-
hill gradients, ATC shifts down when
the speed of the vehicle increases and
the driver must apply the brakes.Highly sensitive sensors monitor the
number of revolutions of the wheels,
steering angle, lateral acceleration,
brake pressure and the movement of
the vehicle around its vertical axis.
If differences in the wheel speeds
occur, ASC+T recognizes the danger of
wheelspin and reduces torque. If
necessary, the system also responds
with additional brake applications at the
rear wheels.
In addition, DSC permanently monitors
the vehicle's current operating condition
and compares it with an ideal condition
that is calculated from the sensor's
signals. If deviations from this occur
(understeering or oversteering, for
instance), DSC can stabilize the vehicle
in fractions of a second by reducing
engine output and with the assistance of
braking intervention at individual
wheels. As a result, dangerous skids can
be prevented even as they are just
beginning.
You may need some time to become
accustomed to this system's interven-
tion. However, it provides optimum drive
force and vehicle stability.
The braking intervention may be
accompanied by sounds specific to the
system.
ATC
*
ASC+T/DSC
*
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Four-wheel drive Safety belt tensionerThe transmission of power to the four
drive wheels is provided permanently
through a transfer box. The distribution
of torque between the front and rear
axles is 38% to 62%.
Traditional differential locks at the front
and rear axles and in the transfer box
are not required. Their function is
assumed by automatic braking inter-
vention at all four wheels. These trac-
tion interventions are governed by
Automatic Differential Brake (ADB-X), a
sub-function of DSC.
If a wheel tends to slip, it is braked
automatically by ADB-X until it once
again gains traction, and drive force
can be transmitted to that wheel. In
addition, the drive force is distributed to
the remaining wheels during this 530us133
system intervention. Engine output is
also reduced if necessary.
When the DSC is deactivated, the
ADB-X traction intervention is set for
the maximum drive force. However, the
engine intervention and the stability
controls are no longer available. For
this reason, DSC should only be deacti-
vated in the exceptional circumstances
described on page 81.
The BMW 325xi is not an off-road
vehicle. Instead, permanent four-wheel
drive provides a high degree of vehicle
stability and tractive ability under all
road conditions, and will aid you in crit-
ical driving situations, e. g. driving in
extreme winter conditions or on loose
road surfaces.The safety belt tensioner responds to
severe frontal collisions by tightening
the belts to ensure that occupants
remain firmly positioned in their seats.
A gas-pressure system retracts the
buckle assembly to tension the
shoulder and lap belts within fractions
of a second. This reduces the tendency
to slide under the lap belt.
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Self-diagnostics All of the important electrical and elec-
tronic systems in the vehicle are tested
regularly and automatically; the driver
does not have to perform any extra
operations or adjustments.
The indicator lamps also come on
briefly after the ignition has been turned
on.
While you are driving, the functional
status of the actuator motors (for the
windshield wipers, power windows,
seats, sliding/tilt sunroof, etc.) is
constantly analyzed by current
measurements in their relays.460de177
In the same manner, the electrical
resistance of the airbag ignition genera-
tors and all of the remaining airbag
components is measured at all times.
Any fault in this system would be
detected immediately by a current fluc-
tuation that would necessarily accom-
pany it. The fault would be indicated
immediately by the airbag warning
lamp.
Even after you shut off the engine, the
overall functional status of your vehicle
is monitored. For example, all of the
flaps of the heating and ventilation
system travel to the nearest limit posi-
tion. This action ensures that the
system will be able to provide
defrosting, regardless of other circum-
stances, e. g. if a malfunction in the air
conditioner/climate control system
should occur during the night while the
vehicle is parked.
A calibration cycle runs every tenth time
the engine is shut off. During this cycle,
the actuator motors move all air condi-
tioner/automatic climate control flaps to
their limit stops in both directions. The
limit positions and the return travel
paths are checked in this manner in
order to ensure that appropriate adjust-
ments for the operating elements can
be made at any time.You will hear the sounds of the air flaps
as the air conditioning system/auto-
matic climate control carry out their
self-diagnostic functions after the igni-
tion has been turned off. All of the other
self-diagnostics functions operate
silently in the background.
Any possible defects detected during
these self-diagnostics can be read out
by your BMW center and quickly
corrected during the vehicle's next
regularly scheduled maintenance.
Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Engine data184
Dimensions185
Weights186
Capacities187
Electrical system188
Drive belts188
Data
Owner service procedures