
 
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 

45n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Seat and mirror memory
* 
You can store as many as three 
different driver's seat and mirror adjust-
ment settings into the system for later 
selection.
The lumbar support adjustment is 
not stored in the memory.
the desired position
3. Press the
 M
EMORY button: indi-
cator lamp in the button comes on
4. Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as 
desired: indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored setting
You should never activate the 
memory feature while the vehicle 
is moving, as the seat could move in a 
way that you had not anticipated, 
posing an accident hazard.<
Ignition key in 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.<
Your BMW center can adjust your 
vehicle's systems in such a 
manner that your personalized settings 
are automatically set for the seat and 
exterior mirror positions when you 
unlock the vehicle with your personal 
remote control.<
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, any persons or objects behind 
the seat could be injured or damaged 
by a rearward movement of the seat.< 

46n
Seat and mirror memory
*
Seat heating
*
Steering wheel 
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt 
function(Automatic curb monitor
*)
1 Set the mirror selection switch 1 to 
the "driver's door 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 selection 
switch to the "passenger side" position.
The seat cushion and backrest can 
be heated with the ignition key in posi-
tion 2.
You can call up different heating modes 
by repeatedly pressing the button.
You can also switch the higher heating 
modes off directly:
Press the button and hold it slightly 
longer.
Adjustments1. Fold down the detent lever
2. Adjust the steering column to obtain 
the best reach and rake angles for 
the current seat position
3. Fold the detent lever back up to 
engage the lock.
Never attempt to adjust the 
steering wheel while driving the 
vehicle Ð it could respond with unex-
pected movement, posing a potential 
accident hazard.< 

47n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Mirrors To adjust exterior mirrors1 Switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Selection switch for changing 
between mirrors
To adjust manuallyYou can also adjust the mirrors manually:press against the edges of the lens.
Storing mirror positions, refer to Seat 
and mirror memory on page 45.
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 esti-
mations of the distance to following 
traffic should not be regarded as 
precise. This same precaution applies 
to the rectangular outside sections of 
both door mirrors.
Both mirrors are heated automatically 
when the ignition key is in position 2.
Interior rearview mirror To reduce glare from vehicles behind 
you when you are driving at night, tilt 
the mirror by turning the knob.
Vehicles not equipped with an alarm 
system: 
Fold the small lever forward. 

54n
Vehicle Memory, Key Memory How it worksNo doubt you have often reflected on 
how great it would be if you could 
permanently configure your vehicle's 
various features and adjustments to 
mirror your own personal preferences. 
In engineering your vehicle, BMW has 
included a number of options for 
storing personal adjustment data. 
These can be programmed 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 basic 
adjustment data for up to four individ-
uals in the system. 
The system relies on a bilateral data 
exchange to identify the individual user 
and dial in the selected settings when-
ever the remote control unit is used to 
disengage the locks.
Color-coded decals have been 
provided to help you distinguish the 
different keys with their individual 
settings.What the system can doYou can learn about the entire array of 
features this system offers at your BMW 
center. Here are just a few examples:
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Various confirmation signals when 
you lock or unlock the vehicle, refer 
to pages 29, 31
>Activation/deactivation of the "Follow 
me home" lamps, refer to page 82
>Activation/deactivation of the 
daytime driving lamps, refer to 
page 82.Examples for Key Memory:
>Engagement of the vehicle's door 
locks as soon as it starts to move, 
refer to page 32
>Automatic seat adjustment according 
to the individual's personal settings 
when the vehicle is unlocked, refer to 
page 45
>Option of unlocking the driver's door 
first, and then the rest of the vehicle, 
refer to page 32.
At various points in this Owner's 
Manual you will see this symbol 
indicating that the system or function 
described in the adjacent section can 
be adjusted to reflect your personal 
preferences.< 

Everything from A to Z
149n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
I 
Ice warning68 
Icy roads68 
Ignition keys28 
Ignition lock55 
Imprint4 
Indicator lamps17 
Inflation pressures24, 107 
INSPECTION66 
Instrument cluster15 
Instrument lighting83 
Instrument panel15 
Interface socket 
for onboard diagnostics 
(OBD)121 
Interior lamps30, 84 
remote control30 
Interior motion sensor35 
operation via remote 
control30 
switching off36 
Interior rearview mirror47 
automatic dimming 
feature48 
Interlock55 
J 
Jack129 
Jump-starting134 K 
Key Memory54 
Key set28 
Keys28 L 
Lamps and bulbs, 
replacement125 
Lashing eyes100 
License plate lamps, bulb 
replacement128, 129 
LIGHTS ON warning82 
Litter bag holder93 
Loading and driving 
notes100 
Load-securing devices100 
Lock buttons32 
Low beams82 
bulb replacement125 
Lug wrench129 
Luggage cover, refer to 
cargo area cover 
Luggage rack100 
M 
M+S tires111 
Maintenance66, 119 
Malfunction displays67 
Manual operation 
doors31 
fuel filler door22 
sliding/tilt sunroof39 
tailgate33 
Manual seat adjustment41 
Manual transmission57 
Manually controlled recircu-
lated-air90 
Master keys28 
Memory settings45 
MFL (Multifunction steering 
wheel)21 
Microfilter87, 91 
Mirror defrosting47 
Mirror memory45 
Mirrors47 
Mobile phone94 
Modifications, 
technical10, 120 
Motion sensor, refer to 
interior motion sensor35 
Multifunction steering wheel 
(MFL)21 
O 
OBD interface socket121 
Odometer65 
Oil 
additives115 
capacity143 
consumption115 
quality116 
specifications116 
viscosity116 
Oil change intervals, see the 
Service and Warranty 
Information Booklet 
Oil dipstick115 
Oil filter change143 
OILSERVICE66 
Onboard computer68 
refer also to the "Owner's 
Manual Onboard 
Computer" 
Onboard tool kit124 
Opening and closing 
from the inside32 
via the door lock31 
via the remote control29 
Outside temperature 
display68  

P 
Paintwork, refer to the 
"Caring for your vehicle" 
manual 
Park assistant70 
Park Distance Control 
(PDC)70 
Parking aid70 
Parking brake57 
Parking lamps82 
bulb replacement126 
Partition net97 
PDC (Park Distance 
Control)70 
Phone94 
Pocket light92 
Power seat adjustment42 
Power windows 
safety switch38 Q 
Quality Grades, tires108 
R 
Radiator143 
Rain sensor61 
RDC (Tire Pressure 
Monitor)78 
Rear backrests, folding97 
Rear fog lamps 
bulb replacement127 
Rear lamps127 
Rear reading lamps84 
Rear window34 
Rear window 
defroster86, 90 
Rearview mirror47 
Recirculated-air mode86 
Reclining seat40 
Refilling washer 
reservoir114 
Refueling22 
Remote control29 
Remove window 
condensation87, 89 
Replace rear window wiper 
blades124 Replace windshield wiper 
blades124 
Replacement keys28 
Reporting safety defects11 
Retractable luggage cover, 
refer to cargo area cover 
Reverse57 
Roof load capacity142 
Roof-mounted luggage 
rack100 
S 
Safe with safety belts40 
Safety belts40 
height adjustment44 
Safety defects, reporting11 
Safety tires109, 132 
Seat adjustment40 
Seat heating46 
Seat memory45 
Seat, manually-adjusted40 
Securing cargo100 
Selector lever, automatic 
transmission58 
Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet (US 
models)119 Service Interval 
Display66, 119 
Setting temperature86 
Shiftlock58 
Shoulder strap height 
adjustment44 
Side airbags48 
Side Impact Head Protection 
System48 
Sitting correctly with 
airbags40 
Ski bag96 
Sliding/tilt sunroof38 
electrical malfunction39 
manual operation39 
Socket for power 
appliances94 
Sound system91 
Spare key28 
Spare tire129 
Speedometer15 
Sports seat 
manual adjustment41 
power adjustment42 
Standing lamps83 
Starting problems56 
Starting the engine55 
Steering wheel46