2001 BMW 330i TOURING transmission

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Parking brake To engageThe parking brake is designed primarily
to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
it is parked. It acts on the rear wheels.
The 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 21.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button (arrow) and lower the lever.460us024
If, in exceptional circumstances,
it should be necessary to apply the
parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull the lever with exces-
sive pressure. Keep your thumb
pressed against the release button
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 applied.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always apply the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined surfaces,
since placing the lever in 1st gear or
reverse may not provide adequate
resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake lightly
from time to time when coasting to a
standstill (at a traffic signal, for
instance), provided that it is safe to do
so.

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Manual transmission Completely depress the clutch pedal
each time you shift, pressing the
manual-shift gear lever into its respec-
tive end position.
Also depress the clutch when starting
the vehicle, as otherwise lockout will
prevent the engine from starting.
The shift lever's neutral plane (dot in the
illustration) is located between 3rd and
4th gears.
When shifting from each gear into
"Neutral," the shift lever returns auto-
matically to this gear plane because
of its spring loading.360de044
Reverse Select "Reverse" only when the vehicle
is stationary. Press the shift lever to the
left to overcome the resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
turn on automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
Otherwise, riding the clutch will cause
heavy wear and tear to the clutch.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
You have the option of driving with a
normal automatic transmission or
switching to manual.
When you move the selector lever from
the "D" position to the left into the M/S
range, the performance-oriented shift
programs of the automatic transmission
are engaged. As soon as you tap the
selector lever in the "+" or "Ð" direction,
Steptronic changes the gear. The
manual mode is engaged. Whenever
you want to use the automatic mode
again, move the selector lever to the
right into position "D."
The automatic transmission with Step-
tronic is equipped with Adaptive Trans-
mission Control (ATC). ATC reacts with
precision to your individual driving style
and the current driving conditions. It is
for this reason that various shift
programs are used.
For additional information concerning
the ATC, please refer to the chapter
describing "Advanced technology" on
page 173.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + Ð
Starting the engineThe engine can only be started in
selector lever positions P ("Park") or N
("Neutral").Range selectionA detent prevents inadvertent shifts into
some selector lever positions. To
release the shift-lock mechanism, press
the button on the front side of the
selector handle (arrow).463de061
While the vehicle is stationary
and before shifting out of "Park" or
"Neutral," depress the footbrake, other-
wise the selector lever will be blocked
(shiftlock).
Hold the footbrake down until starting
off. Otherwise the vehicle will "creep"
when a drive position is engaged.<
Before leaving the vehicle with the
engine running, move the selector
lever to the "Park" or "Neutral" position
and apply the parking brake. The
vehicle will move if this is not done. Do
not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.<
P ParkSelect "Park" only when the vehicle is
stationary. The transmission locks to
prevent the rear wheels from turning.R ReverseSelect "Reverse" only when the vehicle
is stationary.N Neutral Select "Neutral" only if your journey is
interrupted for a longer period.

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Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
D Drive (automatic shift program)This position is designed for driving
under all normal operating conditions.
All forward gears are available and the
ATC is fully operational."Kickdown"You will get maximum vehicle perfor-
mance in the "kickdown" mode.
To activate this mode, depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle position, at which a resistance
point must be overcome.
M/S Manual mode and Sport
ProgramShifting from D into M/S activates the
Sport Program. This is indicated by
"SD" in the gear selection display. This
position is recommended for a perfor-
mance-oriented driving style.
With the first brief touch, the automatic
transmission shifts from the Sport
Program to the manual mode.
Whenever you tap the selector lever
forward in the "+" direction, the trans-
mission shifts up. Whenever the lever is
moved back in the "Ð" direction, the
transmission shifts down. M1 to M5
appear in the gear indicator.463de062
Upshifts or downshifts will only be
carried out by the ATC at appropriate
engine speeds and road speeds. If the
engine speed is too high, for instance,
a downshift will not be executed. The
gear selected will appear briefly in the
instrument cluster followed by the
current gear.
To accelerate quickly in the
manual mode (to pass another
vehicle), shift down manually or employ
the "kickdown" mode.<
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
positions P, R and N is possible only by
going through D.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
In the following situations, the Step-
tronic "thinks" for you in the manual
mode:
>In order to prevent engine over-
speeding, the transmission shifts
automatically to the next higher gear
shortly before the engine speed
cutoff point.
>At low speeds, the transmission
shifts down automatically Ð you do
not have to act.
>In the "kickdown" mode, the trans-
mission shifts down to the lowest
gear possible, depending
on the engine speed.
>Depending on the situation Ð when
driving in adverse winter conditions,
for example Ð you may also start out
in 2nd or 3rd gear.
Available displays
P R N D SD M1 M2 M3 M4 M5460us143
Electronic transmission control
module
If the indicator lamp comes on,
there is a malfunction in the
transmission system.
Bring the vehicle to a stop, select trans-
mission position "P," set the parking
brake and turn the engine off (ignition
key to position 0).
Wait a few seconds, then start the
engine. If the indicator lamp goes out
after a few seconds, normal transmis-
sion performance has been restored.
Drive off normally.
If the indicator lamp does not go out,
all selector lever positions can still be
selected, however in the forward posi-
tions the vehicle has limited perfor-
mance, as it drives only in 3
rd and 4
th
gear.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine
loads and consult the nearest BMW
center.
Do not perform service operations
in the engine compartment with
a drive position engaged. If you do so,
the vehicle could move.<
For towing, tow-starting or jump-
starting the vehicle, refer to the infor-
mation beginning on page 167.

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Cruise control
*
To cancel the cruise control When the system is activated, press
button 1. The indicator lamp stays on.
You can use the cruise control again as
required.
In addition, cruise control is canceled
automatically:
>When braking.
>If the clutch is depressed or the auto-
matic transmission selector lever is
moved from "Drive" to "Neutral".
>If you exceed or fall below the
programmed speed for an extended
period (by depressing the acceler-
ator, for example).
To resume the stored settingPress button 4:
The vehicle accelerates to and main-
tains the last speed stored. When you
turn the ignition key to position 0, the
stored speed is deleted from the
system's memory and the system is
deactivated.To deactivate the system When the cruise control has been
canceled, press button 1 again. The
indicator lamp goes out and the stored
speed is deleted.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Brakes:
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light but
consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear, and
possibly to brake failure.
Aquaplaning:
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water may form between the
tires and the road surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as aqua-
planing or hydroplaning. It is character-
ized by a partial or complete loss of
contact between the tires and the road
surface. The ultimate results are loss of
steering and braking control.
Driving through water:
When there is water on the roads, do
not drive in it if it is deeper than 1 ft
(30 cm), and then only at walking speed
at the most, otherwise the vehicle can
sustain damage to the engine, the elec-
trical systems and the transmission.
Roll-up cover:
Never use the rear window shelf to
store heavy or bulky objects. If you do
so, such objects could injure vehicle
occupants during braking or evasive
maneuvers or in a crash.
Clothes hooks:
When suspending clothing from the
hooks, ensure that they will not obstruct
the driver's vision. Do not hang heavy
objects on the hooks. If you do, such
objects could pose the risk of personal
injury during braking or evasive maneu-
vers. exhaust emissions, and is designed for
use with unleaded fuel only.
Even minute quantities of lead would be
enough to permanently damage both
the catalytic converter and the system
oxygen sensor.
To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and to avoid potential
damage:
>Be sure to comply with the scheduled
maintenance requirements.
>Fill the fuel tank well before it is
empty.
>Tow-start only when the engine is
cold. If you attempt to tow-start with
a warm engine, unburned residual
fuel in the catalytic converter could
ignite and cause damage. It is better
to start the vehicle with an outside
starting aid.
>Avoid other situations in which the
fuel is not burned, or burns incom-
pletely, such as engaging the starter
frequently or for extended periods, or
repeated start attempts in which the
engine does not start (stopping and
restarting an engine which is running
properly does not present a problem).
Never allow the engine to run with
any of the spark plug cables
disconnected.
Driving notes Catalytic converter

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Disc brakesDriving notesWhen driving in wet conditions and in
heavy rain, it is effective to apply light
pressure to the brakes every few miles
or kilometers. Watch traffic conditions
to ensure that this maneuver does not
endanger other drivers. The heat which
is generated by the brake applications
helps to dry the brake pads and discs.
Maximum braking force is obtained
while the wheels are not locked, but
rather when they are still barely turning
immediately prior to locking. ABS main-
tains this state automatically. If the ABS
fails, you should revert to the staggered
braking technique (refer to page 122).
Extended or steep mountain descents
should be driven in the gear in which
only minimal periodic brake application
is required. This avoids excessive strain
on the brakes and possible
impairment of the braking effect.
The braking effect of the engine can be
further increased by downshifting, into
first gear, if necessary. In the manual
mode of the automatic transmission,
you can also downshift into first gear.
Refer to page 66.If engine braking should prove to be
inadequate, you should still avoid
extended, continuous braking. Instead
of maintaining low to moderate pres-
sure over an extended period of time,
you should decelerate by applying
more substantial pressure to the brake
pedal (watch for following traffic),
releasing the pedal, and then repeating
the application (staggered braking). The
cooling phases between active braking
intervals prevent the brakes from over-
heating, thus ensuring that full braking
capacity remains available at all times.
Do not allow the vehicle to coast
when the clutch is depressed or
by shifting into neutral while moving. Do
not drive when the engine is switched
off. The engine provides no braking
control when the clutch is depressed or
the transmission is in "Neutral" and
there is no power-assist for the brakes
when the engine is shut off.
BMW 325xi: have brake inspections
performed at a BMW center only. If you
do not, parts of the four-wheel drive
system could be damaged.
Do not allow floor mats, carpets or any
other objects to protrude into the area
around the brake pedal, the clutch or
the accelerator which could obstruct
their freedom of movement.<