Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
31n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Driving:
Steering/Ignition lock63
Starting the engine63
Switching off the engine64
Parking brake65
Manual transmission66
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic67
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher70
Washer/Wiper system70
Rear window defroster72
Cruise control73
Everything under control:
Odometer75
Tachometer75
Energy Control75
Fuel gauge76
Temperature gauge76
Service Interval Display76
Check Control77
Computer77
Technology for driving comfort
and safety:
Park Distance Control (PDC)81
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)82
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
with Automatic Differential
Brake (ADB) and Dynamic
Brake Control (DBC)83
Tire Pressure Control (RDC)85Lamps:
Side lamps/Low beams87
Instrument panel lighting87
High beams/Parking lamps88
Fog lamps88
Interior lamps88
Controlling the climate
for pleasant driving:
Air conditioner90
Automatic climate control96
Seat heating101
Roller sun blind101
Interior convenience:
HiFi System101
Glove compartment102
Storage facilities102
Cellular phone104
Ashtray, front104
Cigarette lighter105
Ashtray, rear105
Clothes hooks105
Loading and transporting:
Through-loading system106
Ski bag107
Cargo loading108
Roof-mounted luggage rack109
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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
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 front passenger to remember),
otherwise, you run the risk that you will
slide under the safety belt during an
accident, thus negating the protection
the safety belt provides.<
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 55.1 Backward/Forward adjustment
Pull up on the lever and slide your
seat into the desired position.
After releasing the lever, gently move
the seat backward or forward to
ensure that it snaps securely into
place.
2 Cushion height
Pull the lever and apply weight to or
remove weight from the seat to reach
the desired position.
460de109
Seat adjustment Mechanical seat
52n
Seat and mirror memory* Adjusting steering wheel Mirrors Passenger side exterior mirror tilt
function(automatic curb monitor
*)
1 Move the mirror selector switch 1 to
the "driver's mirror" position.
2 When the selector lever is placed in
"Reverse," the passenger-side mirror
tilts downward. This allows the driver
to see the area directly adjacent to
the vehicle during parking (curbs,
etc.).
You can deactivate this automatic
feature: set the mirror selection switch
to the "passenger side" position.
462us058
1 Push the locking lever downward.
2 Adjust the steering wheel (fore/aft
and up/down) to the desired position.
3 Pull the lever back in to clamp the
steering wheel in the new 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.<460de073
Exterior mirrors1 Switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Selection switch for changing
between mirrors462us057
58n
AirbagsSitting 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 instrument
panel, 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. Do not place your
hands on the center pad.
Never allow any objects to obstruct the
area between the airbag and an occu-
pant.
Do not use the cover panel above the
passenger-side airbag as a storage
area.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them
or modify them in any other way.
Do not install a rear-facing child
restraint system in the front passenger
seat of this vehicle.
Children under 13 years of age and
children less than 5 feet (150 cm) tall
should ride only in the rear seat.
Infants or small children should never
be held on the lap of a passenger.
If your vehicle is equipped with side
airbags in the rear passenger area
*, be
sure that child restraints are mounted
correctly and provided with the
greatest-possible distance between the
airbags in the side trim panels. 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 triggered.
(infants and small children in appro-
priate child restraint systems; larger
children and adults using the safety
belts). Never let an occupant's head
rest near or on a side airbag because
the inflating airbag could cause a
serious or fatal injury. Please note that
the word "Airbag" imprinted on the door
trim panel indicates the airbag's loca-
tion.
Accident research shows that the
safest place for children in an automo-
bile is in the rear seat. However, a child
sitting in the rear seat and not properly
restrained may place his or her head on
or near the airbag, if so equipped. For
example, a child Ñ even though belted
Ñ may fall asleep with his or her head
against the side airbag. It may be diffi-
cult for a driver to ensure that children
in the rear seat will remain properly
positioned at all times and not place
their heads on or near the side airbag.
Therefore, we recommend that the rear
seat side airbags, if so equipped, be
deactivated if children will travel in the
rear seat.
The rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
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, a signal will
sound 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).<46cde093
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 devices and accessories
are available for use.3 Starting the engine
Vehicles with manual transmis-
sion:
Step on the clutch when starting the
vehicle. A lockout prevents the engine
from starting if the clutch is not
depressed.<
Before starting>Engage the parking brake.
>Put manual-shift gear lever in the
idling position or in P for automatic
transmissions.
>Step on 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
64n
Starting the engine Switching off the engine Do not press the accelerator pedal
while starting the engine.
Do not actuate the starter for too
short a time, but do not actuate it
for more than approx. 20 seconds.
Release the ignition key immediately
when the engine starts.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by
leaving it running while the vehicle
remains stationary. Instead, begin
driving immediately at a moderate
engine speed.<
If the engine does not start on the first
attempt (if it is very cold or hot, for
instance):
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter.
Cold starts at very low temperatures,
starting at about +57 (Ð156) and
at high altitudes above 3,300 ft
(1,000 meters):
>On the first start attempt, engage the
starter for a longer period (approx.
10 seconds).
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter.
Engine idle speed is controlled by the
engine computer system. Increased
speeds at start-up are normal and
should decrease as the engine warms
up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from
discharging, always deactivate
electrical devices 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.
Do not remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is still moving.
If you did so, the steering lock would
engage when the steering wheel is
turned.
Whenever you leave the vehicle, always
remove the ignition key and lock the
steering wheel.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always apply the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined
surfaces, since placing the shift lever in
1st gear or reverse may not provide
adequate resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
The following information and/or condi-
tions are indicated using symbols,
starting with the ignition key position 2,
until the condition has been corrected.
1 Inspect the low beam and high beam
headlamps, as well as the side lamps
2 Door open
3 Luggage compartment lid open
4 Check brake and tail lamps.
When you open the driver's door after
stopping with the lights still on, a
warning signal sounds for LIGHTS ON.462de272
Mode selectionFrom ignition key position 1 on, you can
call up information from the computer
using the button in the turn signal lever.
Every time you press the button briefly
in the direction of the steering column,
you can call up a new function for
display.
The displays appear in the following
order:
Time, outside temperature, average fuel
consumption, cruising range, average
vehicle speed.
From ignition key position 1 on, the last
active setting is displayed.46cde096
Check Control Computer
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
ASC+T DSC
*
Reactivating the ASC+TPress the button again; the indicator
lamp goes out.
The laws of physics cannot be
repealed, even with ASC+T. It will
always be the driver's responsibility to
drive in a manner that matches road
conditions. We therefore urge you to
avoid using the additional safety margin
of the system as an excuse for taking
risks.<
For additional details concerning
ASC+T, please refer to the chapter
"Advanced Technology" on page 175.
The ConceptDSC maintains vehicle stability, even in
critical driving situations.
The system optimizes vehicle stability
during acceleration and when starting
from a full stop, as well as optimizing
traction. In addition, it recognizes
unstable vehicle conditions, such as
understeering or oversteering, and, as
far as is possible within the laws of
physics, helps keep the car on a steady
course by reducing the engine spped
and brake applications to the individual
wheels.
The DSC is operational every time you
start the engine. DSC contains the
functions of ADB and CBC, refer to
page 116.
The ADB (automatic differential braking)
copies the function of conventional
differential and transverse lock through
brake intervention, and increases trac-
tion whenever conditions merit, e. g.
when driving on snow-covered roads.
If the DSC is switched off the ADB will
still be in ready mode.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp on the instru-
ment panel will go out shortly
after the ignition has been
started. Refer to pages 21 and 22.
If the indicator lamp flashes:
ASC+T or DSC control the drive and
braking forces.
The indicator lamp stays lit:
DSC has been switched off via the
button; ADB is operational.
ADB intervention not indicated.
The indicator lamp and the
brake warning lamp will light up
continously:
The DSC, ADB and DBC have
been turned off with the switch
or are defective.
The vehicle will remain completely
operational, however, without DSC. In
the event of a fault, please see your
BMW center. Refer to pages 21 and 22.
Indicator and warning lamps for
Canadian models.