2001 BMW SPORT WAGON lock

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
61n
Drive with your safety belt onFasten your safety belt at the beginning
of every trip.
To fasten: make sure you hear the lock
engage in the belt buckle.
To release: press the red button in the
buckle. Hold the belt and guide it back
into its reel.
The shoulder belt anchor automatically
adjusts to continue providing an opti-
mum fit when you move the seat for-
ward or back.The two rear safety belt buckles which
are integrated in the rear seat are for
passengers sitting on the left and right.
The belt buckle with the word "CENTER"

is intended exclusively for passengers
sitting in the middle.
For care instructions, refer to page 174.
390de653
For your safety, comply with the
following instructions for wearing
safety belts. If you do not, the safety
belts may not be able to provide their
maximum protection. All passengers in
the vehicle should be aware of and com-
ply with this information:
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow in-
fants or small children to ride in a pas-
senger's lap.
Avoid twisting the belt while routing it
firmly across the hips and shoulder,
wear it as snugly against your body as
possible. Do not allow the belt to rest
against hard or fragile objects. Do not
route the belt across your neck, or run it
across sharp edges. Be sure that the
belt does not become caught or
jammed.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing and pull on
the belt periodically to re-tension it over
your shoulders. In the event of a frontal
impact, a loose lap belt could slide over
your hips, leading to abdominal injury. In
addition, the safety belt's restraint effec-
tiveness is reduced if the belt is worn
loosely.
Expectant mothers should always wear
their safety belts, taking care to position
the lap belt against the lower hips,
where it will not exert pressure against
the abdominal area.<
sedan with through-loading
system
*: please comply with the
instructions for the center safety belt on
page 128.
sport wagon: if the center safety belt
cannot be pulled out, the larger rear
backrest section is not engaged. Refer
to page 132.<
If the safety belt system has been
subjected to the stresses in-
volved in an accident or otherwise
damaged: have the entire safety belt
mechanism replaced by your BMW
center, including the safety belt ten-
sioner. In addition, have your BMW
center inspect the safety belt anchors.
If a child restraint system was in the ve-
hicle during an accident, consult the
manufacturer's instructions regarding
replacement.c
Safety belts

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
67n
Transporting children safelyOlder children should be tightly secured
with a safety belt. Younger children
should be secured in an appropriate
forward-facing child restraint system
that has first been properly secured
with a safety belt. Never install a rear-
facing child restraint system in the front
passenger seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and comply with the instructions for in-
stallation and use provided by the child
restraint's manufacturer whenever you
use such a device.
Be sure that all occupants (of all ages)
remain properly and securely restrained
at all times.<
All rear seating positions in your
vehicle meet the recommendations
of SAE J1819, an industry-recom-
mended practice for securing child
restraint systems in motor vehicles.
Child restraint installationAll of the rear belt retractors and the
front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing child
restraint systems. A label with the ap-
propriate instructions for this is located
in the immediate vicinity of the buckle
latch of each safety belt.Lock the safety beltPull the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
reel to retract the belt somewhat and
engage the buckle, then tighten the belt
against the child restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.Unlock the safety beltRelease the safety belt, remove the
child's seat and retract the safety belt
to its end position on the belt retractor. 365us146
Child-safety locksInsert the key to the slot of a rear door
lock and turn it outward:
The door can now be opened from the
outside only.390de019

68n
0 Steering lock engagedThis is the only position in which the
ignition key can be inserted and
removed.
After removing the key, turn the steer-
ing wheel slightly to the left or right until
you hear the lock engage.
Once the ignition has been switched off
(ignition key in position 0 or pulled out),
the radio functions are still available for
approx. 20 minutes. Turn the radio back
on to use it.
Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion:
Do not move the selector lever from
position "P" until the engine is running
(ignition key position 2).390de010
Your vehicle is equipped with an inter-
lock. Therefore, the ignition key cannot
be turned to position 0 and removed
until the selector lever is in position "P"
(Interlock).< 1 Steering lock disengagedYou will find that it is often easier to turn
the ignition key from position 0 to posi-
tion 1 when you move the steering
wheel slightly to help disengage the
lock.2 Ignition onAll electrical equipment and accesso-
ries are available for use.3 Starting the engineBefore starting
>Engage the parking brake.
>Put the manual-shift gear lever in idle
or in P for an automatic transmission.
>Step on the clutch pedal.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. 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.
Never leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.<
Steering/Ignition lock Starting the engine

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
69n
Starting the engine Switching off the engineStarting the engine>Start the engine. Do not press the
accelerator pedal.
Do not actuate the starter for too
short a time. Do not turn it for
more than approx. 20 seconds. Release
the ignition key immediately as soon as
the engine starts.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by
leaving it running while the vehicle re-
mains stationary. Instead, begin driving
immediately at a moderate engine
speed.
BMW 540i with automatic transmission:
Your BMW is equipped with the conve-
nience starting feature. Simply turn the
key to position 3 (starter) and then re-
lease it immediately.
The starter continues to operate auto-
matically.
The automatic starting mode will not
operate if the battery voltage is low.
Should this condition arise, it remains
possible to jump-start the engine (refer
to page 200).<
Should the engine fail to start on the
first attempt (if it is very hot or cold, for
instance):
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter.
Cold starts at extremely low tempera-
tures, from approx. +57 (–156)
and at elevations above 3,300 ft
(1,000 meters):
>Be sure to let the starter remain
engaged somewhat longer the first
time (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 discharg-
ing, always deactivate electrical de-
vices which are not in use. Switch the
ignition off when the vehicle is not
being driven.Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Never remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is rolling. The
steering locks, making it impossible to
steer the vehicle.
Always remove the ignition key and en-
gage the steering lock before leaving
the vehicle.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on slopes and inclined
surfaces, since not even 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."<
Vehicles with automatic transmission
*:
The vehicle must be stationary and the
selector lever in "Park" before you can
remove the ignition key.

70n
Parking brake Manual transmissionThe parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates against the rear
wheels.To engageThe lever engages automatically and
the "PARK BRAKE" or "BRAKE" (in
Canada "P") indicator lamp comes on in
the instrument cluster in ignition key
position 2. Refer to pages 22 and 23.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button and lower the lever.390de042
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull it with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed
against the release button while care-
fully pulling up the lever to apply mod-
erate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is applied.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on slopes and inclined
surfaces, since not even 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, apply the parking
brake lightly from time to time when
coasting to a standstill (at a traffic sig-
nal, for instance), provided that it is safe
to do so.
BMW 525i, BMW 530iEvery time you shift gears, always
depress the clutch pedal all the way
down, pushing the manual-shift gear
lever into the respective end position.
Depress the clutch even when starting
the engine, otherwise, a lock will pre-
vent the engine from being started.
The shift lever's neutral gate (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 neutral position be-
cause of its spring loading.360de044

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
71n
Manual transmissionBMW 540iEvery time you shift gears, always
depress the clutch pedal all the way
down, pushing the manual-shift gear
lever into the respective end position.
Depress the clutch even when starting
the engine, otherwise, a lock will pre-
vent the engine from being started.
The shift lever's neutral gate (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 neutral position be-
cause of its spring loading.380de044
When shifting gears in the 5th/
6th-gear plane, be sure to press
the gear lever to the right in order to
prevent inadvertent selection of a gear
in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.<
ReverseSelect "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.
Riding the clutch causes increased
clutch wear.<

72n
Automatic transmission
*
The automatic transmission of your
BMW is equipped with Adaptive Trans-
mission Control (ATC), a system which
reacts with precision to your individual
driving style and the driving conditions.
To achieve this, different driving pro-
grams are automatically engaged.
For details concerning ATC, please
refer to the chapter describing
"Advanced technology" on page 206.390us625
Selector lever positions
P R N D 4 3 2
The transmission range display varies
according to model (refer to illustra-
tions).
Starting engineThe selector lever must be in "Park" or
"Neutral" before it is possible to start
the engine.390us045
Range selectionA detent prevents inadvertent shifts into
some selector lever positions. To
release the shift-lock mechanism, press
the button on the front of the selector
handle (arrow).
While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of "Park" or
"Neutral," depress the footbrake in
order to disengage the selector lever's
lock mechanism (Shiftlock).
Hold the footbrake down until starting
off. Otherwise the vehicle will "creep"
when a drive position is engaged.< 390de046

IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
73n
Automatic transmission
*
Before leaving the vehicle when
the engine is running, shift the
selector lever to the "Park" or "Neutral"
position and apply the parking brake.
The vehicle could move if this is not
done.
Never leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.
If you should accidentally select
"Neutral" while traveling at high speed,
remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal immediately. Allow the engine
speed to drop to idle before selecting
the desired drive position. Damage
could otherwise occur due to excessive
engine speed.<
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 NeutralSelect "Neutral" only if your journey is
interrupted for a long period.D Drive
(automatic shift program)This position is designed for driving
under all normal operating conditions.
All forward gears are available.4 – Sport ProgramThis position is recommended if you
wish to select a performance-oriented
driving style.
3 and 2 – shift limiterSelect this range when you wish to limit
gear changes (on steep uphill or down-
hill slopes, for instance). The transmis-
sion shifts up only as far as the selected
gear."Kickdown" In the "Kickdown" mode, you achieve
maximum performance.
To activate this mode, depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle position, at which a resistance
point must be overcome.