
 
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 

40n
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 additional information on trans-
porting children refer to page 51. 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 48.
Safe with safety belts
Never allow more than one person 
to wear a single safety belt. Never 
allow an infant or small child 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 loose 
or bulky clothing. You should remember 
to retension the lap belt periodically by 
pulling the shoulder strap to take up 
any slack in the mechanism. 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 the belt 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 pressure against 
the abdominal area. <
For information on using safety belts, 
refer to page 44.
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>Manual seat adjustment, refer to 
page 41
>Power seat adjustment, refer to 
page 42
>Head restraint, refer to page 43 

52n
Transporting children safelyCommercially available child seats 
complying with the legal standards are 
designed to be secured with a safety 
belt or with the safety belt portion of a 
combination lap/shoulder belt. Improp-
erly or inadequately installed restraint 
systems can increase the risk of injury 
to children. Always read and follow the 
instructions that come with the system.
If you use a child-restraint system with 
a tether strap, three additional tether 
anchorage points (refer to the arrows in 
the illustration) have been provided. 
Depending on the location selected 
for seating in the rear passenger area, 
attach the tether strap to the 
corresponding anchorage point to 
secure the child-restraint system. 
Remove the cover first on the middle 
location.
If the respective seating position is 
fitted with a headrest lift the headrest 
and pass the tether strap between the 
headrest and the backrest.
Adjust the tether strap according to the 
child-restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.
Before installing any child-restraint 
device or child seat, please read 
the following: 
Never install a rear-facing child-restraint 
system in the front passenger seat of this 
vehicle. 
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag 
supplemental restraint system for the 
front passenger. Because the backrest 
on any rear-facing child-restraint system 
(of the kind designed for infants under 1 
year and 20  lbs/9  kg) would be within the 
airbag's deployment range, you should 
never mount such a device in the front 
passenger seat, as the impact of the 
airbag against the child restraint's back-
rest could lead to serious or fatal injuries. 
If it is necessary for a child (not an infant) 
to ride in the front seat, certain precau-
tions should be taken. First, move the 
passenger seat as far away from the 
instrument panel as possible. This 
important precaution is intended to 
maximize the distance between the 
airbag and the child. Older children 
should be tightly secured with the safety 
belt. Younger children should be 
secured in an appropriate forward-
facing child-restraint system that has 
first been properly secured with a safety 
belt. Never install a rear-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger 
seat. 
We strongly urge you to carefully read 
and observe the instructions for installa-
tion and use provided by the child 
restraint's manufacturer whenever you 
use such a device. 
Always ensure that all occupants (of all 
ages) remain properly and securely 
restrained at all times.<
All rear seating positions in your vehicle 
meet the recommendations of 
SAE J1819, an industry standard 
recommended practice for securing 
child-restraint systems in motor vehi-
cles. 

96n
Ski bag
* 
The ski bag allows the safe and clean 
transport of up to 4 pairs of standard 
skis or up to two snowboards.
The length of the ski bag and the addi-
tional space provided in the cargo area 
make it possible to carry skis up to 
6.8 ft (2.1  m) long. Because of the 
tapered shape of the bag, the ski bag 
can only accommodate two pairs of 
skis up to 6.8 ft (2.1  m) long.
Loading1. Fold the center armrest outward. 
Loosen the trim from the upper 
Velcro¨ fastener and place it on the 
armrest
2. Press the button (arrow 1, access 
from the passenger compartment): 
the cargo hatch drops onto the floor 
of the cargo area
3. Press down the detent lever (arrow 2) 
and fold the cover forward
4. Extend the ski bag between the front 
seats. The zipper provides conve-
nient access to the inside of the bag, 
and can also be left open to promote 
drying.
To store the ski bag, perform the above 
steps in reverse sequence.
Securing cargo
Secure skis and any other objects 
stored in the bag by tightening the 
retaining strap at the buckle.<
Make sure that your skis are clean 
before loading them into the bag. 
Avoid damage from sharp edges during 
loading.< 

Everything from A to ZDistance warning70 
Door keys28 
Doors 
electrical malfunction31 
locking and unlocking29 
manual operatiom31 
DOT Quality Grades, 
tires108 
Draft-free ventilation87, 90 
Drawbar weight142 
Drink holder, refer to 
beverage holder93 
Drive belts17 
Driving notes105 
DSC (Dynamic Stability 
Control)19, 73 
Dynamic Brake Control 
(DBC)74 
Dynamic Stability Control 
(DSC)19, 73 E 
Electric power windows37 
Electrical malfunction 
doors31 
fuel filler door22 
sliding/tilt sunroof39 
tailgate33 Electrical power socket95 
Elements of operation14 
Energy Control65 
Engine compartment 
essentials113 
Engine coolant143 
Engine data140 
Engine oil 
capacity143 
consumption115 
disposal116 
quality116 
specifications116 
viscosity116 
Engine oil level115 
checking115 
indicator lamp19 
Engine specifications140 
Engine speed140 
F 
Fault displays67 
Filling capacities143 
Fittings, tow starting and 
towing135 
Flashlight92 
Flat Tire 
Monitor80, 109, 132 Flat tires107, 129, 132 
Fog lamps83 
Follow me home lamps82 
Front fog lamps83 
Front seat adjustment40 
Fuel consumption69 
display66 
Fuel filler door22 
electrical malfunction22 
manual operation22 
Fuel gauge66 
Fuel injection system140 
Fuel reserve indicator 
lamp66 
Fuel tank capacity143 
Fuel tank gauge66 
Fuses133 
G 
Gasoline gauge66 
Glove compartment92 
Gross vehicle weight142 H 
Handbrake57 
Hands-free system94 
microphone94 Harman Kardon premium 
sound system91 
Hazard warning triangle22 
HDC (Hill Descent 
Control)77 
Head restraints43 
Headlamp cover, care125 
Headlamp flasher83 
Headlamp washer 
system114 
capacity143 
Headlight control82 
Heated seats46 
High beams20, 60, 83 
bulb replacement125 
High Performance Synthetic 
Oil116 
Hill Descent Control 
(HDC)77 
Holder for beverage 
cans93 
Hood release112 
Horn14