2001 BMW 540I SEDAN Owners Manual

Owner's Manual for the Vehicle.
With a quick reference guide
for your convenience.

525i
530i
540i
sedan
sport wagon
BMW recommends Castrol

Congratulations, and thank you for choosing a BMW.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with enhanced control and
security when you drive it. We therefore have this request:
Please take the time to read this Owner's Manual and familiarize yourself with the
information that we have compiled for you before starting off in your new car. It
contains important data and instructions intended to assist you in gaining maximum
use and satisfaction from the unique range of technical features on your BMW. The
manual also contains information on care and maintenance designed to enhance
operating safety and contribute to maintaining the value of your vehicle throughout
an extended service life.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehicle.
It should stay with the vehicle when sold to provide the next owner with important
operating, safety and maintenance information.
This manual is supplemented by a Service and Warranty Information Booklet
(US models) or a Warranty and Service Guide Booklet (Canadian models).
We recommend that you read this publication thoroughly.
Your BMW is covered by the following warranties:
– New Vehicle Limited Warranty
– Limited Warranty Rust Perforation
– Federal Emissions System Defect Warranty
– Federal Emissions Performance Warranty
– California Emission Control System Limited Warranty
Detailed information about these warranties is listed in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet (US models) or in the Warranty and Service Guide Booklet
(Canadian models).
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW AG

© 2000 BMW AG
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 155 420
US English I/2001
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper
(bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling).
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Notes on the Owner's Manual

We have made every effort to ensure
that you are able to find what you need
in this Owner's Manual as quickly as
possible. The fastest way to find certain
topics is by using the detailed index at
the end. If you desire an initial overview
of your vehicle, this can be found in the
first chapter. The detailed table of con-
tents that directly follows the summary
of contents is intended to stimulate
your curiosity regarding your BMW and
to encourage you to read the manual.
Should you wish to sell your BMW at
some time in the future, please remem-
ber to hand over the Owner's Manual to
the new owner; it is part of the vehicle.
If you have any additional questions, an
authorized BMW center will be glad to
advise you.

Symbols used

Indicates instructions or precau-
tions that must be followed pre-
cisely in order to avoid the possibility of
personal injury and serious damage to
the vehicle.

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Contains information that will as-
sist you in gaining the optimum
benefit from your vehicle and enable
you to care more effectively for your
vehicle.

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Refers to measures that can
be taken to help protect the
environment.

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<

Marks the end of a specific item of
information.

*
Indicates special equipment, coun-
try-specific equipment and optional
extras.

t

Indicates index entries that refer to
owner service and maintenance proce-
dures
Identifies systems or components,
which your BMW center can either
activate or adapt to suit an individual
driver's requirements ("Car Memory",
"Key Memory"). Refer to page 60.

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The individual vehicle

On buying your BMW, you have de-
cided in favor of a model with individu-
alized equipment and features. This
Owner's Manual describes all models
and equipment that BMW offers within
the same group.
We hope you will understand that
equipment and features are included
which you might not have chosen for
your vehicle. Any differences can easily
be identified, since all optional acces-
sories and special equipment are
marked with an asterisk

*
.
If your BMW features equipment which
is not described in this Owner's Manual
(car radio, for instance), Supplementary
Owner's Manuals are enclosed. We ask
you to read these manuals as well.

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Status at time of printing

BMW pursues a policy of continuous,
ongoing development that is conceived
to ensure that our vehicles continue to
embody the highest quality and safety
standards combined with advanced,
state-of-the-art technology. For this
reason, it is possible that the features
described in this Owner's Manual could
differ from those on your vehicle. Nor
can errors and omissions be entirely
ruled out. You are therefore asked to
appreciate that no legal claims can be
entertained on the basis of the data,
illustrations or descriptions in this
manual.

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For your own safety

Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to 10% ethanol or
other oxygenates with up to 2.8% oxy-
gen by weight (that is, 15% MTBE or
3% methanol plus an equivalent
amount of co-solvent) will not void the
applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
Field experience has indicated signifi-
cant differences in fuel quality (volatility,
composition, additives, etc.) among ga-
solines offered for sale in the United
States and Canada. The use of poor-
quality fuels may result in driveability,
starting and stalling problems, espe-
cially under certain environmental con-
ditions, such as high ambient tempera-
ture and high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability pro-
blems that you suspect could be rela-
ted to the fuel you are using, we recom-
mend that you respond by switching to
a recognized high-quality brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Follow the relevant safety rules when
you are handling gasoline.

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Important safety information!
For your own safety, use genuine parts
and accessories approved by BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Original
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been
thoroughly tested by BMW to ensure
optimum performance when installed
on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for
damage resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved by
BMW.
BMW cannot test every product from
other manufacturers to verify if it can be
used on a BMW safely and without risk
to either the vehicle, its operation, or its
occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on
using these items, are available from all
BMW centers.

Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake
dust shields, telephones (including
operation of any portable cellular phone
from within the vehicle without using an
externally-mounted antenna) or trans-
ceiver equipment (for instance, CBs,
walkie-talkie, ham radio or similar ac-
cessories) may cause extensive da-
mage to the vehicle, compromise its
safety, interfere with the vehicle's elec-
trical system, or affect the validity of the
BMW Limited Warranty. Visit your BMW
center for additional information.

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Maintenance, replacement, or re-
pair of the emission control de-
vices and systems may be performed
by any automotive repair establishment
or individual using any certified auto-
motive part.

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Symbol on vehicle parts

Indicates that you should consult
the relevant section of this
Owner's Manual for information on a
particular part or assembly.

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The following only applies to vehicles owned and operated in the US.

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying BMW of
North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone (201) 307-4000.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in
a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your BMW center, or BMW of North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in
Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You
can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.

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