2002 BMW 540I SEDAN manual transmission

Contents

© 2001 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 156 213
US English VIII/2001
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper
(bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling).
Overview
Controls and features

Cockpit14
Instrument cluster15
Indicator and warning lamps19
Steering wheel with multifunction
buttons22
Warning triangle23
First-aid kit23
Refueling24
Fuel specifications25
Tire inflation pressure26

Locks and security systems:

Keys32
Central locking system32
Opening and closing Ð via the
door lock33
Opening and closing Ð via the
remote control34
Opening and closing Ð from the
inside37
Luggage compartment lid/
Tailgate38
Rear window40
Luggage compartment42
Alarm system42
Electric power windows44
Sliding/tilt sunroof46

Adjustments:

Correct sitting posture48
Seats48
Manually-adjusted seat49
Electric power seats50
Head restraints52
BMW actice seat52
Safety belts53
Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory54
Seat heating55
Adjusting steering wheel56
Heated steering wheel56
Mirrors57

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags58
Transporting children safely61
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory64

Driving:

Steering/Ignition lock66
Starting the engine66
Switching off the engine68
Parking brake68
Manual transmission69
Automatic transmission70
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic73
Indicator/Headlamp flasher76
Washer/Wiper system/Rain
sensor76
Cruise control78

Everything under control:

Odometer, outside temperature
display80
Tachometer81
Energy control81
Fuel gauge81
Coolant temperature gauge82
Service Interval Display82
Check Control83
Computer86
Multi-Information Display
(MID)87
Digital clock in the MID89
Computer in the MID91

Contents

66n
0 Steering locked
1 Steering unlocked
2 Ignition switched on
3 Starting engine
Steering locked The key can be inserted or removed in
this position only.
After removing the key, turn the
steering wheel slightly to the left or right
until the lock engages.
An acoustic warning is sounded when
you fail to remove the ignition key after
opening the driver's door. 390de010
Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion:
Do not move the selector lever from the
"Park" position until the engine is
running (ignition key in position 2).
To turn the key back to position 0 (for
instance, prior to removal), start by
moving the selector lever to position P
(Interlock).<
Steering unlocked You will find that it is often easier to turn
the ignition key from position 0 to posi-
tion 1 when you move the steering
wheel slightly to help disengage the
lock.
Individual electrical accessories are
ready for operation.Starting engine
Vehicles with manual transmis-
sion: depress the clutch when
starting the engine. A lockout prevents
the engine from starting with the clutch
engaged.<
Before starting>Engage the parking brake
>Be sure that the transmission is in
"Neutral" (or "Park" if the vehicle is
equipped with an automatic trans-
mission)
>Step on the clutch pedal.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. The exhaust
gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless, but highly toxic
gas. Breathing the exhaust gases poses
an extreme health risk, and can lead to
unconsciousness and death.
Never leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.<
Steering/Ignition lock Starting the engine

68n
Switching off the engine Parking brakeTurn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Do not remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is rolling. The
steering locks, making it impossible to
steer the vehicle.
Always remove the ignition key and
engage the steering lock before leaving
the vehicle.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on hills and inclined
surfaces, as first gear or reverse may
not provide adequate resistance to
rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
The vehicle must be stationary and the
selector lever in "Park" before you can
remove the ignition key.
The parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates on the rear wheels.To engageThe lever engages automatically and
the "PARK BRAKE" or "BRAKE" (in
Canada "P") indicator lamp comes on in
the instrument cluster in ignition key
position 2. Refer to pages 19 and 20.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button and lower the lever.390de714
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be 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 up the lever 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 applied.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on hills and inclined
surfaces, as first gear or reverse may
not provide adequate resistance to
rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
You can help prevent corrosion and
avoid uneven braking response by
gently engaging the parking brake from
time to time when coasting to a stop at
traffic lights (ensure that you will not
pose a hazard to other road users).

69n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Manual transmissionBMW 525i, 530iEvery time you shift gears, always
depress the clutch pedal all the way,
pushing the manual gearshift
lever into the respective end position.
Depress the clutch when starting the
vehicle, as the lockout will prevent the
engine from starting if the clutch is not
depressed.360de044
BMW 540iWhen shifting gears, always depress
the clutch pedal all the way to the end
of its travel, then move the shift lever
until it engages securely in the desired
gear.
You will also need to depress the clutch
when starting the engine, as an auto-
matic lockout prevents the starter from
operating when the clutch is engaged.
When shifting gears in the
5th/6th-gear plane, be sure to
press the shift lever to the right in order
to prevent inadvertent selection of a
gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.< 380de044
ReverseSelect only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. Press the shift
lever to the left to overcome the resis-
tance.
When you engage reverse, the backup
lamps will come 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 causes increased
clutch wear.<

73n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
You can drive as with a normal auto-
matic transmission. In addition, you can
also shift manually.
When you move the selector lever from
the "D" position to the left into the M/S
range, the performance-oriented shift
programs of the automatic transmission
are engaged. Steptronic enters the
manual selection mode and executes
the desired shift whenever you tap the
selector lever in the direction indicated
by "+" or "Ð." When you wish to use the
automatic transmission mode again,
move the selector lever to the right into
the "D" position.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S
Starting the engineThe engine can only be started in
selector lever positions P ("Park") or N
("Neutral").390us607
Range selectionA detent prevents inadvertent shifts to
the "Reverse" or "Park" selector lever
positions. To disengage the detent,
press the button on the front side of
the shift knob (arrow).
While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of "Park" or
"Neutral," depress the footbrake in
order to disengage the selector lever's
lock mechanism (Shiftlock).
Hold the footbrake down until starting
off. The vehicle will otherwise "creep"
when a drive position is engaged.< 390de718

74n
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
To prevent the vehicle from
starting off on its own, always
move the selector lever to position P or
N and engage the parking brake before
leaving your car with the engine
running. Do not leave the vehicle unat-
tended with the engine running. An
unattended vehicle with a running
engine represents a potential safety
hazard.
P ParkSelect "Park" only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. The transmission
locks to prevent the rear wheels from
turning.R ReverseSelect "Reverse" only when the vehicle
is completely stopped.N NeutralSelect "Neutral" only if your journey is
interrupted for a longer period.
D Drive
(automatic shift program)This position is designed for driving
under all normal operating conditions.
All forward gears are available."Kickdown"In the "kickdown" mode, you achieve
maximum acceleration and top speed
in position D.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
detent at the full-throttle position.
M/S Manual mode and
Sport ProgramWhen you change from "D" to "M/S,"
the Sport Program is activated. This is
indicated by "D S" in the gear selection
display. The Sport Program is designed
for performance-oriented driving.
With the first brief touch, the automatic
transmission shifts from the Sport
Program to the manual mode. When-
ever you move the selector lever in the
"+" direction, the transmission upshifts,
and when you move it in the "Ð" direc-
tion, the transmission downshifts.
M1...M5 will be displayed in the gear
indicator.390de721

75n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
ATC executes upshifts and downshifts
only when the new gear will provide a
suitable combination of vehicle and
engine speed, i.e., ATC will not execute
downshifts that would cause the engine
to overrev. The gear selected will
appear briefly in the instrument cluster
followed by the current gear.
If you are driving in the manual
mode and wish to accelerate
rapidly from low road speeds (when
passing, for instance), you must shift
down manually or with the "kickdown"
function.<
You can only change from "S/M" to
selector lever positions "P," "R," and
"N" via the "D" position.
Electronic transmission control
module
If the indicator lamp comes on
or the message "TRANS. FAIL-
SAFE PROG" appears in the
Check Control
*, there is a fault in the
transmission system.
Bring the vehicle to a stop. Move the
transmission selector lever to "P."
Engage the parking brake and turn the
engine off (ignition key to position 0).
Wait a few seconds, then start the
engine.
If the indicator lamp goes out after a
few seconds, normal transmission
performance has been restored. You
may continue to drive as usual. If the
indicator lamp does not go out, you can
place the selector lever in all positions.
However, the vehicle will now only drive
forward with limited gear selection.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine
loads and refer the problem to the
nearest BMW center.
Never perform work in the engine
compartment without first
ensuring that the transmission is in
"Park" or "Neutral" as the vehicle could
otherwise start to move off on its own.<
For jump-starting, towing and tow-
starting, refer to pages 162 and 163.

140n
Engine oilChecking oil level1. Park the vehicle on a level surface
2. Shut the engine off after it has
reached normal operating tempera-
ture
3. After approx. 5 minutes, pull the
dipstick out and wipe it off with a
clean lint-free cloth, paper towel, or
similar material
4. Carefully push the dipstick all the
way into the guide tube and pull it
out again
5. The oil level should be in between
the two marks on the dipstick.
As with fuel economy, oil consumption
is directly influenced by your driving
style and vehicle operating conditions.390de647
The oil volume between the two marks
on the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts (1 liter). Do not fill beyond
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess
oil will damage the engine.460de189
Adding engine oilWhile you should wait until the level has
dropped to just above the lower gradu-
ation before adding oil, you should
never allow the oil level to fall below
this marking.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without oil additives; the
use of additives could lead to damage
in some cases. This is also true for the
manual transmission, the automatic
transmission, the differential, and the
power steering system.<
Recommendation: have the oil changed
by your BMW center only.390de626