2002 BMW 325Ci CONVERTIBLE ESP

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Manual convertible top4. Position the rear convertible top
frame vertically and grip it firmly
You can make it easier to raise the
rear convertible top frame by
pressing the area indicated by the
arrow.<
5. Reach into the recess created when
the convertible top compartment is
lifted and pull it all the way by hand 1
6. Lay the rear convertible top frame in
the convertible top compartment 2
Let go of the rear convertible top
frame before laying the convert-
ible top down, otherwise, the side trim
panel could be damaged.<
7. Raise the front of the top and pull it
back for storage
Now finish pushing the convertible
top all the way down into the
convertible top compartment. This
makes it easier to close the convertible
top compartment lid, especially at
lower temperatures.<
8. Press down slightly on the convert-
ible top compartment lid from above
(arrow). The closing process will then
be carried out automatically
9. Either close the slightly lowered side
windows or put them at the desired
height.
To prevent finger injuries, always
grip the convertible top compart-
ment lid from above.
An interlock device helps avoid damage
to the vehicle by preventing the
luggage compartment lid from opening
unless the convertible top compartment
lid is completely closed.<

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Manual convertible top Fully-automatic convertible top
*
At higher speeds, the ensuing
vacuum in the passenger
compartment can cause the convertible
top to begin fluttering. Increase the air
supply via the ventilation controls so
that a vacuum does not occur in the
vehicle.<
The fully-automatic convertible top
combines the benefits of effective
protection against the elements with
simple and convenient operation.
To gain maximum satisfaction from your
convertible, please observe the
following:
>We strongly recommend that you
close the convertible top before
leaving the vehicle parked. When
closed, the top not only guards the
passenger compartment from unfore-
seeable damage from the weather,
but also affords a degree of protec-
tion against theft. However, even
when the top is closed valuables
should always be stored in the locked
luggage compartment
>Never attempt to mount any kind of
roof rack or luggage carrier on the
convertible top
>Never retract or attempt to move the
convertible top at temperatures
below 14 7 (Ð 10 6), as damage
could result.
Never store the convertible top
while it is wet to avoid permanent
damage from moisture.<
Driving when the opening or
closing process has not been
completed can cause vehicle damage or
personal injury.
Try to make sure that the vehicle is
completely stationary before using the
fully-automatic convertible top, other-
wise the system could respond by stop-
ping in mid-travel.
If you set the convertible top in motion
with the vehicle stationary and then have
to start suddenly Ð for instance, at a
traffic light Ð you can still complete the
operation by driving as slowly as
possible and again pressing and main-
taining pressure on the button. To avoid
possible legal violations, always
remember that traffic regulations always
take priority over these instructions.
Before closing the top always ensure
that the windshield frame is clear and
free of any obstructions that could
prevent it from seating correctly.
Do not lay objects on the convertible
top, as they could fall off when it moves,
causing vehicle damage or personal
injury.
Always keep your hands and fingers well
away from the top's mechanism while it
is opening and closing. Ensure that chil-
dren remain at a safe distance from the
top's travel range while it is in motion.<

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Correct sitting posture SeatsFor relaxed and fatigue-free driving you
should select a sitting position that
reflects your personal requirements.
Correct posture combines with safety
belts and airbags to enhance occupant
safety in the event of an accident. To
ensure that the vehicle's safety systems
provide you with optimal protection, we
request that you direct your careful
attention to the following section.
For supplementary information on
transporting children refer to page 59. Sitting correctly with airbags
Always maintain an adequate
distance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by the rim to keep any chance of injury
to hands or arms to an absolute
minimum should the airbag be
deployed. Never allow any objects,
individuals or animals to obstruct the
areas between passengers and airbags.
Never use the front airbag's cover as a
storage tray or support for objects of
any kind. Never allow front passengers
to rest their feet or legs on the airbag
cover.<
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags refer to page 56.
Safe with safety belts
Never allow more than one person
to wear a single safety belt. Never
allow infants or small children to ride in
a passenger'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
lap belt periodically to retension 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
effectiveness is reduced if it 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 pres-
sure against the abdominal area.<
For information on using the safety
belts refer to page 52.
When adjusting your seat, always
observe the following precautions
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with unexpected move-
ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle
control could lead to an accident. Never
ride with the backrest reclined to an
extreme horizontal angle (important for
front passengers to remember). Keep
the backrest relatively upright to mini-
mize the risk of sliding under the safety
belt and sustaining injury in an acci-
dent.<
Seat adjustment>Power seat, refer to page 49
>Head restraint, refer to page 50
>Entering the rear, refer to page 51

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Head restraints Entering the rearRear head restraints
To avoid possible violation of
traffic laws, never retract the head
restraints unless the rear seats are
empty. Always ensure that the head
restraints are raised before transporting
passengers in the rear seat.<
To completely lower the rear head
restraints:
1. Press the button (arrow) and hold it
down
2. Push the head restraint down from
above.
Raising the rear head restraintsRaise the head restraints until you hear
them click into place.
Do not remove the rear head
restraints, as this would damage
them.<
For further information, please consult
your BMW center.
Do not use the rear head
restraints as storage shelves.
Always keep the travel path for the roll-
over protection system free and clear.
Under no circumstances should you put
any kind of cover (antimacassar) on the
head restraints.<
The seat-integrated safety belt system
SGS allows for easy access to the rear.
1. Lift lever 1 up and tilt the backrest
forward
2. Press and hold button 2 in driving
direction until the seat moves to the
desired position
3. After entering the rear, fold back and
lock the backrest
4 Press button 2 opposite the direction
of travel and hold. The seat moves
back into its previous position. If the
button 2 is released beforehand, the
seat stops in the respective position.

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Mirrors AirbagsInterior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming featureThis mirror automatically dims through
an infinitely-variable range. It returns to
its clear, undimmed mode whenever
you engage reverse.
To ensure that the mirror continues to
operate efficiently, ensure that the
photocells remain clear and unob-
structed. One photocell is integrated in
the mirror's lens (arrow), while the other
is located at an offset position on the
rear of the mirror. Refrain from attaching
stickers to the windshield in the area
immediately in front of the mirror.
1 Front airbags on the driver and
passenger sides
2 Side airbags on the driver and
passenger sides (front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the safety
belts by providing additional protection,
in the event of a severe frontal collision
in which the protection afforded by the
belts alone may no longer be sufficient.
The head protection system and side
airbags help provide protection in the
event of a collision from the side. Each
of the side airbags is designed to help
support the seat occupant's upper
body.
For information on the correct sitting
posture refer to page 48.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp displays the
operational status of the airbag
system from ignition key posi-
tion 1.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp fails to go out
after the engine has been started, or
comes on again during normal
driving.
Please respond to any malfunctions in
the system by immediately having it
inspected at your BMW center; other-
wise the airbag could fail to respond to
an accident in which both the angle and
the severity of the impact would
normally trigger airbag deployment.
The side airbags in the rear
passenger area
* of your vehicle
may already have been deactivated
either at the time of manufacture or by a
BMW center. You may have them acti-
vated if you desire to do so. Please
contact your BMW center for additional
information.<

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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Airbags
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor collisions, rear
impacts and certain kinds of vehicle
rollover.<
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
these directions:
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 rollover, 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 less
than 5 ft (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 with the greatest-possible
distance between them and 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. upright and be properly restrained
(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, as 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 location.
Accident research shows that the
safest place for children in an auto-
mobile 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 difficult 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 installed in the
vehicle, 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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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Park Distance Control (PDC)
*
The conceptPDC provides extra safety and conve-
nience during parking and all backing
operations by providing an acoustic
signal to indicate the distance between
your rear bumper and the nearest
object. The system features four ultra-
sonic sensors mounted in your rear
bumper. The monitoring range for the
two corner sensors extends outward
roughly 2 ft (60 cm), while two centrally
located sensors detect objects at
distances of up to approx. 5 ft (1.50
meters).
The system starts to operate automati-
cally approx. one second after you
select reverse or move the selector
lever into the "R" position with the igni-
tion key in position 2. PDC is deacti-
vated when you shift back out of
reverse.
Acoustic signalsThe distance to the nearest object is
indicated by a tone sounding at various
intervals. As the distance between
vehicle and object decreases, the inter-
vals between the tones become
shorter. A continuous tone indicates the
presence of an object less than 1 ft
(30 cm) away.
The warning signal is canceled after
approx. three seconds if the distance to
the obstacle remains constant during
this time (if you are moving parallel to
a wall, for instance).
System malfunctions will be indicated
by a continuous high-pitched tone
when the system is activated the first
time. Please refer the problem to your
BMW center.The PDC does not remove the
driver's personal responsibility for
evaluating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstacles. Always
remember that the sensors can neither
detect nor provide warnings of obsta-
cles located within their blind angles.
This applies especially in those cases
where the system approaches the
physical limits of ultrasonic measure-
ment, as occurs with tow bars and
trailer couplings, and in the vicinity of
thin or wedge-shaped objects.
Certain sources of sound, such as a
loud radio, could drown the PDC signal
tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free
of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they will continue to operate effec-
tively.
Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Always maintain a distance of more
than 4 in (10 cm).<

80n
Automatic Stability Control plus Traction (ASC+T)

The conceptThis system optimizes vehicle stability
and traction, especially when you are
starting off, accelerating or when going
through curves.
ASC+T recognizes the danger present
in traction loss and will increase driving
stability and traction by reducing the
engine's output, and if necessary, by
applying the brakes to the rear wheels.
ASC+T is ready each time you start the
engine.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly
after you switch on the ignition,
refer to pages 18, 19.
The indicator lamp flashes:
ASC+T is actively controlling drive
torque and braking intervention.
The indicator lamp fails to go out after
the engine is started, or it comes on
during normal driving and stays on:
There is a system malfunction or the
system was deactivated with the
button. Consequently, interventions to
increase driving stability (as described
in the preceding column) are no longer
available. You can still drive the vehicle
perfectly well without ASC+T
In the event of a fault, please contact
your BMW center, refer to
pages 18, 19.
Switch off the ASC+TPress the button; the indicator lamp
comes on and stays on.
The illustration depicts the arrangement
of the buttons if the vehicle is fully
equipped. This may vary, depending on
the equipment actually installed.
In the following rare situations, it may
be effective to deactivate the ASC+T
for a brief period:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
>When driving with snow chains.
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the ASC+T acti-
vated whenever possible.<