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
5n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Controls and features
Operation, maintenance
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 77
Tire Pressure Monitor (RDC)78
Flat Tire Monitor80
Lamps:
Parking lamps/Low beams82
Instrument lighting83
High beams/Standing lamps83
Fog lamps83
Interior lamps84
Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:
Air conditioning85
Automatic climate control88
Interior conveniences:
Sound system91
Glove compartment92
Storage compartments92
Cellular phone94
Ashtray, front94
Ashtray, rear95
Electrical power socket95
Loading and transporting:
Ski bag96
Cargo area97
Cargo loading99
Roof-mounted luggage rack100
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedure104
Driving notes105
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)105
Brake system106
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure107
Tire condition107
Tire replacement108
Wheel and tire
combinations110
Winter tires111
In the engine compartment:
Hood112
Engine compartment
essentials113
Washer fluids114
Engine oil115
Coolant117
Brake fluid118
Maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System119
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications120
California Proposition
65 Warning120
OBD interface socket121
10n
For your own safety
Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including
10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight (i.e.
15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an
equivalent amount of co-solvent) will
not void the applicable warranties
respecting defects in materials or work-
manship. Field experience has indi-
cated significant differences in fuel
quality (volatility, composition, addi-
tives, for example) among gasolines
offered for sale in the United States and
Canada. The use of poor-quality fuels
may result in driveability, starting and
stalling problems especially under
certain environmental conditions, such
as high ambient temperature and high
altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be
related to the fuel you are using, we
recommend that you respond by
switching to a recognized high-quality
brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Obey all applicable safety rules when
you are handling gasoline.
<
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 made
by other manufacturers to ascertain
whether 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 (such as CB, walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar) may cause
extensive damage to the vehicle,
compromise its safety, interfere with
the vehicle's electrical system or affect
the validity of the BMW Limited
Warranty. Contact your BMW center for
additional information.
Do not use key or remote control to
lock doors or cargo area with anyone
inside the vehicle. Refer to pages 29
and 32 for more details.
<
Maintenance, replacement, or
repair of the emission control
devices and systems may be performed
by any automotive repair establishment
or individual using any certified auto-
motive part.
<
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.
14n
1 Parking lamps/Low beams82
2
>
Turn signal indicators60
>
Standing lamps83
>
High beams83
>
Headlamp flasher60
>
Computer683 Washer/Wiper system/Rain
sensor61
4 Hazard warning flashers
5 Central locking system286 Rear window defroster86, 90
7 Horn: the entire surface
8 Adjusting the steering wheel46
9 Fog lamps83
Cockpit
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
19n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Indicator and warning lamps
Yellow: check as soon as possible
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
l
ABS has been deactivated in
response to system malfunction.
Conventional braking performance
remains available with no loss of effi-
ciency. Please have the system
inspected by your BMW center.
For additional information refer to
page 105
ABS warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Engine oil level
Comes on while driving: the
engine oil level has fallen to the
absolute minimum; refill as soon as
possible. Do not drive more than
approx. 30 miles (50 km) until you do.
For additional information refer to
page 115
Engine oil level
Comes on after the engine has
been switched off: add engine
oil at the earliest opportunity (next time
you stop to refuel). For additional infor-
mation refer to page 115
Brake pads
l
Have the brake pads checked.
For additional information refer
to page 106
Tire Pressure Monitor (RDC)/Flat
Tire Monitor
l
Check tire inflation pressures,
refer to pages 24, 78, 80
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)/Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC)
l
Indicator lamp flashes:
The system is actively regulating drive
torque and braking force.
The indicator lamp stays lit:
ASC+T has been switched off with the
button or it is defective or, the DSC has
been switched off, ADB is operational.
Please contact the nearest BMW center
in case of a malfunction.
For additional details refer to informa-
tion beginning on page 71
BMW 325xi:
DSC has been switched off manually or
there is a system malfunction. ADB-X is
operational in its standby mode. If the
warning lamp fails to go out when you
press the DSC button again, this indi-
cates a system malfunction affecting
both DSC and ADB-X.
Please consult the nearest BMW
center.
For additional information refer to
page 75
Indicator lamp for Automatic
Stability Control plus Traction
(ASC+T)/Dynamic Stability
Control (DSC) and brake
warning lamp
l
The indicator lamps remain on:
The DSC
and ADB/DBC have been
switched off with the button or are
defective.
Please consult the nearest BMW
center. For additional information refer
to page 73
BMW 325xi:
DSC and ADB-X system malfunction.
There is no provision for switching off
ADB-X.
Please consult the nearest BMW
center. For additional information refer
to page 75
DSC and ADB indicator and
warning lamps for Canadian
models.
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
l
Malfunction in DBC system.
Conventional braking efficiency
is available and unrestricted.
Have the system repaired at your BMW
center as soon as possible. For addi-
tional information refer to page 74
28n
Keys Central locking systemThe key set1 Master keys with remote control unit,
determine the functions of the Key
Memory, refer to page 54.
You can mark individual keys for
subsequent identification by applying
the colored decals that you received
when accepting delivery of your
vehicle.
Each master key is equipped with
an extended-life battery. This
battery is recharged in the ignition lock
during normal operation.
For this reason, if you have master keys
that are not being used you should use
those keys approx. once a year while
driving for an extended period to
charge the battery, refer also to
page 29.<
2 Spare key for storage in a safe place,
such as in your wallet. This key is not
intended for constant use
3 Door and ignition key
The lock for the glove compartment
cannot be operated with this key Ð
this is useful for valet parking, for
instance.
The conceptThe central locking system is ready for
operation whenever the driver's door is
closed. The system engages and
releases the locks on the
>doors
>tailgate and rear window
>fuel filler door.
The central locking system can be
operated
>from outside via the remote control
as well as via the driver's door lock
>from inside by pressing a button.
Operating it from inside does not lock
the fuel filler door, refer to page 32.
When the system is operated from the
outside, the anti-theft system is acti-
vated simultaneously. Both the door
locks and release handles remain
locked. The alarm system is also armed
or disarmed.
If locked from the inside, the central
locking systems unlocks automatically
in the event of an accident, but only
doors which were not locked separately
with the door lock buttons, refer to
page 32. In addition, the hazard
warning flashers and interior lamps
come on.
29n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Opening and closing Ð via the remote controlThe conceptThe remote control gives you an excep-
tionally convenient method for
unlocking and locking your vehicle.
Furthermore, it provides two additional
functions which you can only execute
via the remote control:
>To switch on interior lamps, refer to
page 30.
With this function, you can also
search for the vehicle, when parked
in an underground garage, for
instance
>Opening the rear window, refer to
page 30.
The rear window will open slightly,
regardless of whether it was previ-
ously locked or unlocked.
Whenever you unlock (lock) the vehicle,
you simultaneously deactivate (activate)
the anti-theft system, disarm (arm) the
alarm system and switch the interior
lamps on (off).
You can have a signal set to
confirm that the vehicle's locks
have engaged securely.<
Since children might be able to
lock the doors from the inside,
always take the vehicle keys with you
so that the vehicle can be opened again
from the outside at any time.<
If it is no longer possible to lock
the vehicle via the remote control,
the battery is discharged. Use this key
while driving for an extended period in
order to recharge the battery.
To prevent unauthorized use of the
remote control, surrender only the door
and ignition key or the spare key when
leaving the vehicle for valet parking, for
example, refer to page 28.
In the event of a system malfunction,
please contact your BMW center. You
can also obtain replacement keys
there.<
1 Unlock and convenience opening
mode
2 Lock and secure, switch on interior
lamps, deactivate tilt alarm sensor
and interior motion sensor
3 Open rear windowTo unlockPress the button once to unlock the
driver's door.
Press the button a second time to
unlock all vehicle locks.