
 
Contents
 
© 2001 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the 
written consent of BMW AG, Munich. 
Order No. 01 41 0 156 168
US English VIII/01
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper 
(bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling). 
Overview
Controls and features
 
Cockpit14
Instrument cluster15
Indicator and warning lamps17
Multifunction steering wheel 
(MFL)21
Hazard warning triangle22
Refueling22
Fuel specifications23
Tire inflation pressures24
 
Opening and closing:
 
Keys28
Central locking system28
Opening and closing Ð via the 
remote control29
Opening and closing Ð via the 
door lock31
Opening and closing Ð from the 
inside32
Luggage compartment lid33
Luggage compartment35
Alarm system36
Electric power windows37
Sliding/tilt sunroof39
 
Adjustments:
 
Correct sitting posture41
Seats41
Manual seat adjustment42
Power seat adjustment43
Lumbar support43
Head restraints44
Safety belts45
Seat and mirror memory46
Seat heating47
Steering wheel47
Mirrors48
 
Passenger safety systems:
 
Airbags49
Transporting children safely52
Vehicle Memory, Key 
Memory55
 
Driving:
 
Ignition lock56
Starting the engine56
Switching off the engine57
Parking brake58
Manual transmission58
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic59
Indicator/Headlamp flasher61
Washer/Wiper system/Rain 
sensor62
Cruise control64
 
Everything under control:
 
Odometer66
Tachometer66
Energy control66
Fuel gauge67
Temperature gauge67
Service Interval Display67
Check Control68
Clock68
Computer69
 
Technology for safety and 
driving convenience:
 
Park Distance Control (PDC)71
Automatic Stability Control plus 
Traction (ASC+T)72
Dynamic Stability Control 
(DSC)73
 
Contents 

36n
Alarm system
*
The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the 
luggage compartment lid is opened
>To movement inside the vehicle (inte-
rior motion sensor)
>To variations in the vehicle's tilt angle 
such as those occurring during 
attempts to steal the wheels or tow 
the vehicle
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized 
vehicle entry and attempted theft by 
simultaneously activating the following:
>The acoustic alarm sounds for 
30 seconds
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes
>The high beams flash on and off in 
rhythm with the hazard warning 
flashers.
To arm and disarm the alarm 
systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked 
via the driver's door lock or with the 
remote control, the alarm system is also 
simultaneously armed or disarmed.
You can have different acknowl-
edgment signals set to confirm 
arming and disarming.<
You can open the luggage compart-
ment lid even when the system is 
armed by pressing the button on the 
remote control, refer to page 30. When 
it is closed, the lid is once again 
secured.
Indicator lamp displays>The indicator lamp below the interior 
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes during 
arming: the door(s), the hood or 
luggage compartment lid are not 
completely closed. Even if you do not 
close the alerted area(s), the 
remaining areas are secured, and the 
indicator lamp will flash continuously 
after 10 seconds. However, the inte-
rior motion sensor is not activated 

46n
Seat and mirror memory
* 
You can store and recall three different 
driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions.
Memory will not retain the adjust-
ment made to the lumbar 
support.
to the desired position
3. Press the 
M
EMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up
4. Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as 
desired: indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored setting
Do not select a memory position 
while the vehicle is moving. If you 
do so, there is a risk of accident from 
unexpected seat movement.<
Ignition key position 1:
>Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3, 
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when 
one of the seat-adjustment or 
memory buttons is activated during 
the adjustment process.
With the driver's door closed and the 
ignition key either removed or in posi-
tion 0 or 2:
>Maintain pressure on the desired 
memory button (1, 2 or 3) until the 
adjustment process is completed.
If you press the 
M
EMORY button 
accidentally: press the button 
again; the indicator lamp goes out.<
You can have this feature 
programmed so that when you 
use the remote control from your 
personalized key to unlock your door, 
your seat and exterior mirrors will all 
move into your own preferred 
positions.<
Before activating the programmed 
adjustment feature ensure that the 
footwell behind the driver's seat is 
empty and unobstructed. If you fail to 
do so, persons or objects could be 
injured or damaged if the seat should 
move backward.< 

47n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Seat and mirror memory
*
Seat heating
*
Steering wheel 
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 to help the driver 
monitor the area directly adjacent to 
the vehicle during parking (curbs, 
etc.). 
You can deactivate this automatic 
feature by setting the mirror selector 
switch to the "passenger-side" posi-
tion.
The seat cushion and backrest can 
be heated with the ignition key in posi-
tion 2.
You can select different heating modes 
by repeatedly pressing the buttons.
You can also switch the higher heating 
modes off directly:
Press the button and hold it slightly 
longer.
Adjustments1. Push the locking lever downward
2. Adjust the steering column's rake 
and reach to suit your seat 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, other-
wise you run the risk of an accident due 
to unexpected movement.< 

48n
Mirrors To adjust exterior mirrors1 Mirror switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Selection switch for changing 
between mirrors
To adjust manuallyThe mirrors can also be adjusted manu-
ally: 
Press the edge of the lens.
Storing mirror settings, refer to Seat 
and mirror memory on page 46.
The mirror on the passenger's side 
features a lens with a more convex 
surface than the mirror installed on the 
driver's side. When estimating the 
distance between yourself and other 
traffic, bear in mind that the objects 
reflected in the mirror are closer than 
they appear. This means that estimates 
of the distance to following traffic 
should not be regarded as precise. This 
precaution also applies to the non-
spherical outer section of the lens.
Both mirrors are automatically heated 
when you turn the ignition key to posi-
tion 2.
Interior rearview mirror To reduce glare from vehicles behind 
you when you are driving at night, tilt 
the lens by turning the button.
Vehicles without alarm system: 
Tilt the small lever forward. 

49n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Mirrors AirbagsInterior rearview mirror with 
automatic dimming feature
*
This 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 Impact Head Protection System 
on the driver and passenger sides 
(front)
3 Side airbags on the driver and 
passenger sides (front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional 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 41.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates 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 2.
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. 

55n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Vehicle Memory, Key Memory How the system functionsNo doubt you have reflected at one 
time or another on how great it would 
be if you could permanently configure 
your vehicle's various features and 
adjustments to mirror your own indi-
vidual preferences. In engineering your 
vehicle, BMW has incorporated a 
number of options for personal adjust-
ment that can be programmed into your 
vehicle at your BMW center.
The available configuration data fall into 
two categories, according to whether 
their primary orientation is the vehicle 
(Vehicle Memory) or the individual (Key 
Memory). Provided that each person 
has a separate remote-control key, you 
can have your BMW center enter 
adjustment data for as many as four 
different individuals into the system.
The system then relies on a bilateral 
data exchange to identify the individual 
user and dial in the selected settings 
whenever the remote control unit is 
used to disengage the door locks.
Color-coded decals have been 
provided to help you distinguish indi-
vidual keys with different settings.What the system can doYour BMW center can provide you with 
details on the capabilities of the Vehicle 
Memory and Key Memory systems. A 
few examples follow below:
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Various signals as acknowledgment 
when locking or unlocking your 
vehicle, refer to pages 29, 31
>Activates/deactivates the "Follow me 
home" function, refer to page 82
>Activates/deactivates daytime driving 
lamps, refer to page 82.Examples for Key Memory:
>Locks the vehicle when you start off, 
refer to page 32
>Automatically adjusts the power seat 
to your personal programmed 
settings when you unlock the vehicle, 
refer to page 46
>Unlocks driver's door first, then 
proceeds to disengage the vehicle's 
remaining locks, refer to page 29.
You will see this symbol through-
out the Owner's Manual. It is to 
remind you at appropriate places of the 
settings that are available to you.< 

62n
Washer/Wiper system 0 Wipers retracted
1 Intermittent mode or rain sensor
2 Normal wipe
3 Fast wipe
4 Brief wipe
5 Rotary dial for control of the wipe 
interval or the sensitivity of the rain 
sensorIntermittent mode(not on vehicles with rain sensor)
You can select any of four sweep inter-
vals with rotary dial 5.
In addition, the wipe interval varies 
automatically depending on road 
speed.
Rain sensor
* 
The rain sensor is positioned on the 
windshield, directly ahead of the inte-
rior rearview mirror.
To activate the rain sensor:
>With the ignition key in position 1 
or 2, move the lever to position 1. 
The wipers will make at least one 
sweep across the windshield.
You can leave the lever in position 1 at 
all times. With the ignition key in posi-
tion 1 or 2, all you then need to do to 
activate the rain sensor is
>briefly turn the rotary dial 5, or
>clean the windshield 1, refer to 
page 63.To adjust the sensitivity of the rain 
sensor: 
Turn rotary dial 5.
To switch off the rain sensor:
Return lever to position 0.
Turn the rain sensor off in auto-
matic car washes. Failure to do so 
could result in damage caused by 
undesired wiper activation.<
Normal wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the 
wipers switch automatically to intermit-
tent wipe (not on vehicles with rain 
sensor).Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the 
wipers revert to operate at normal 
speed (not on vehicles with rain 
sensor).