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Contents
 
© 2001 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the 
written consent of BMW AG, Munich. 
Order No. 01 41 0 156 156
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
Tailgate33
Rear window34
Cargo area35
Alarm system35
Electric power windows37
Sliding/tilt sunroof38
 
Adjustments:
 
Correct sitting posture40
Seats40
Manual seat adjustment41
Power seat adjustment42
Lumbar support42
Head restraints43
Safety belts44
Seat and mirror memory45
Seat heating46
Steering wheel46
Mirrors47
 
Passenger safety systems:
 
Airbags48
Transporting children safely51Vehicle Memory, Key 
Memory54
 
Driving:
 
Ignition lock55
Starting the engine55
Switching off the engine56
Parking brake57
Manual transmission57
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic58
Indicator/Headlamp flasher60
Washer/Wiper system/Rain 
sensor61
Cruise control63
 
Everything under control:
 
Odometer65
Tachometer65
Energy control65
Fuel gauge66
Coolant temperature gauge66
Service Interval Display66
Check Control67
Clock67
Computer68
 
Technology for safety and 
driving convenience:
 
Park Distance Control (PDC)70
Automatic Stability Control plus 
Traction (ASC+T)71
Dynamic Stability Control 
(DSC)73
 
Contents 
     
        
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15n
 
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
 
1 Fuel gauge66
2 Indicator lamps for turn signals203 Speedometer
4 Indicator and warning 
lamps 17 to 205 Tachometer and Energy control65
6 Engine coolant temperature 
gauge66
 
Instrument cluster  
     
        
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16n
 
Instrument cluster
 
7 Indicator and warning 
lamps17 to 20
8 Reset trip odometer to zero65
9 Indicator for Check Control6710 Display for
 
>
 
Trip odometer/Odometer65
 
>
 
Clock67
 
>
 
Service Interval66
 
>
 
Computer6811 Selector lever and program display 
for automatic transmission18, 60
12 Clock reset button67
13 Indicator and warning 
lamps17 to 20 
     
        
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OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Parking brake  Manual transmission The parking brake is primarily designed 
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while 
parked. It operates on the rear wheels.To engageThe detent engages automatically, the 
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster 
comes on when the ignition key is in 
position 2, refer to page 18.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the 
button (arrow) and lower the lever.
If exceptional circumstances 
make it 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 the lever up to apply 
moderate 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 engaged.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake when 
parking on hills and slopes, as first 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.
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is 
stationary. Press the shift lever to the 
left to overcome the slight 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 leads to severe and 
premature clutch wear.< 
     
        
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Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
N  NeutralSelect only when stopping for an 
extended period.D  Drive (automatic shift program)This position is designed for driving 
under all normal operating conditions. 
All forward gears are available.KickdownIn the kickdown mode, you achieve 
maximum acceleration and in 
position D top speed.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the 
increased resistance point at the full-
throttle position.
M/S Manual mode and
Sport ProgramMove the selector lever from D to M/S 
to activate the Sport Program; SD 
appears in the display panel. The M/S 
mode is recommended for perfor-
mance-oriented driving.
Once in the M/S mode you can tap the 
selector lever to switch the automatic 
transmission from the Sport Program to 
its manual selection mode.
This mode allows you to execute 
upshifts manually by tapping the lever 
toward "+", while downshifts are 
selected by tapping in the "Ð" direction. 
The displays M1 through M5 appear in 
the display panel to indicate your 
current gear selection.
The Adaptive Transmission Control 
(ATC) executes upshifts and downshifts 
only when the new gear will provide a 
suitable combination of engine and 
road speed, for example ATC will not 
execute downshifts if the engine speed 
is too high.  The desired, then the actual 
gear, briefly appear in the instrument 
cluster.
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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Cruise control
*
You can store and automatically main-
tain any desired vehicle speed above 
approx. 20 mph (30 km/h).
The cruise control is available whenever 
the engine is running and the system 
has been activated.
To activate the systemFrom ignition key position 2:
Press the button and the indicator lamp 
in the instrument cluster will come on, 
refer to page 20. You can now use the 
cruise control.
Do not use cruise control on 
twisting roads, when high traffic 
density prevents driving at a constant 
speed, or when the road surface is slick 
(snow, rain, ice) or loose (rocks or 
gravel, sand).
until the indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Cruise control is also deactivated when 
the ignition key is in position 0.
The speed stored in memory is deleted.
To maintain and store speed 
or to acceleratePress button (+) briefly:
The system maintains and stores the 
current vehicle speed. Every time you 
tap the button, the speed increases by 
approx. 0.6 mph (1 km/h).
Press and hold button (+):
The vehicle accelerates without pres-
sure on the accelerator pedal. When 
you release the button, the system 
maintains and stores the current speed.
If, on a downhill gradient, the 
engine braking effect is not suffi-
cient, the preset speed can be 
exceeded. Speed can drop on uphill 
grades if the engine output is insuffi-
cient.< 
     
        
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Odometer Tachometer Energy control 1 Odometer
2 Trip odometerOdometer You can activate the displays shown in 
the illustration with the ignition key in 
position 0 by pressing the button in the 
instrument cluster.Trip odometerTo reset the trip odometer to zero, 
press the button with the ignition key in 
position 1 or higher.
Never allow the engine to operate with 
the needle in the red overspeed zone of 
the gauge.
To protect the engine, the fuel supply is 
interrupted when you approach this 
sector.
Indicates the current fuel consumption 
in mpg (in liters/100 km on Canadian 
models). You can check your current 
driving style to see whether it is condu-
cive to economy and minimum exhaust 
emissions.
When the vehicle is stationary, the 
display goes to "Maximum" (zero on 
Canadian models). 
     
        
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Check Control ClockThe following information and/or condi-
tions are indicated using symbols, 
starting with the ignition key in 
position 2, until the condition has been 
corrected.
1 Check the low beams and high 
beams, as well as the parking lamps
2 Door open
3 Tailgate open
4 Check brake and tail lamps
When you open the driver's door after 
parking, a signal sounds to remind you 
if the headlamps have not been 
switched off.
If you wish to have a permanent time 
display, you can make this setting in the 
radio display (refer to the Radio 
Owner's Manual).
You can set the clock and the time 
display in the car radio as follows.
SettingWith ignition key position 1 or 2 and 
time displayed in the instrument cluster.
To set ahead: turn the button to the 
right.
To set back: turn the button to the left.
The adjustment speed will increase the 
longer you continue to hold the button.
To change the display mode: press the 
button briefly.
Every time you press the button, the 
clock display alternates between the 
12-hour or 24-hour mode.
In ignition key position 0: the time is 
displayed for a few seconds after you 
press the left button, refer to 
Odometer on page 65.