
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Contents
Notes
6Using this Owner's Manual
6Symbols used
7The individual vehicle
7Editorial notice
8For you own safety
9REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
Cockpit
12Driver's side Ð Controls and displays
16Comfort and convenience Ð Controls
and displays
18Buttons in steering wheel
Control Center
19The concept
19Controller
19Control Display
20Symbols and lists
22Menus in Control Display
23Assistance window*
Voice command
25Voice command system*
25Voice commands
27Notices
27The notebook
29Brief commands
Opening and closing
34Keys
35Central locking system
35Opening and closing Ð from outside
37Opening and closing Ð from inside
38Doors
38Luggage compartment lid 40Luggage compartment
40Alarm system
42Electric power windows
43Sliding/tilt sunroof*
Adjustments
45Correct sitting position
45Seats
48Head restraints
50Safety belts
50Heated seats*
51Active seat ventilation*
52Active seat*
52Mirror
53Steering wheel adjustment
54Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory
55Airbags
57Transporting children safely
58LATCH child-restraint system
59Child-safety locks
59Car Memory, Key Memory
Driving
61Ignition lock
62Starting the engine
62Switching off engine
62Parking brake
66Automatic transmission with L mode
69Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
71Turn signal indicators/headlamp
flasher
71Wiper system
73Washer fluid
© 2001 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprints, in whole or part, approved
exclusively with written permission of
BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 40 0 156 097
US X/2001
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper
(bleached without chlorine, suitable for
recycling).

At a glanceControlsDriving tipsCommunicationsNavigationEntertainmentMobilityReference
13
1
Rear window sun blind109
2
Rear window safety switch42
3
Electric power windows42
4
Exterior mirrors52
5
Parking brake62
6
Parking lamps and low beams96
7
Instrument lighting97
8
Turn signal indicators71
High beams, headlamp flasher97
Computer81,
Check Control80
Computer81
Standing lamps97
9
Steering wheel18
10
Info Display14
11
Automatic transmission lever66
12
Ignition lock61
13
Switching ignition on and off,
starting the engine62
14
Windshield wipers71
Rain sensor71
15
Park Distance Control (PDC)88
16
Horn: the entire surface
17
Steering wheel heating53
Steering wheel adjustment53
18
Unlocking the luggage
compartment39
19
Programmable cruise control73
20
Front fog lamps97
Front fog lamps
21
Opening the hood175

At a glanceControlsDriving tipsCommunicationsNavigationEntertainmentMobilityReference
17
1Glasses compartment111
2Storage compartment112
3Radio on/off switch and volume
adjustment140, 141
4Key Pad160
5Automatic air distribution and air supply Ð
left side of interior100
6Outside air/AUC Automatic recirculated-
air control/Recirculated air101
7To defrost windshield and windows101
8Control Display19
9Temperature on left-hand side of
passenger compartment Ð turn and
maximum cooling Ð press101, 101
10Sliding/tilt sunroof43
11Air supply on left-hand side of
passenger compartment Ð turn and switch
off automatic climate control Ð
press101, 103
12Reading lamps98
13Hazard warning flashers
14Interior lamps97
15Air supply on right-hand side of
passenger compartment10016Temperature on right-hand side of
passenger compartment Ð turn and residual
heat mode Ð press101, 101
17Rear window defroster
18Air conditioning101
19Trigger emergency SOS call161
20Open the glove compartment
21Automatic air distribution and air
supply, right-hand side of passenger
compartment103
22Station/title search and CD, MD140
23Central locking system37
24Controller19
25Seat adjustment45
Seat heaters50
Active seat ventilation51
BMW active seat52
Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory54

At a glanceControlsDriving tipsCommunicationsNavigationEntertainmentMobilityReference
45
Adjustments Correct sitting position
The ideal sitting position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The correct sitting position also works
together with the safety belts and airbags
to provide occupants with maximum levels
of passive safety in an accident. To ensure
that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to
observe the instructions contained in the
following section.
For additional information on transporting
children safely, refer to page 57. Correct sitting position with airbags
Always maintain an adequate
distance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel by
its rim with hands at the 9 o'clock and
3 o'clock positions, to minimize the risk of
injuries to your hands and arms in the event
of airbag deployment. No one and nothing
is to come between the airbags and the
seat occupant.
To prevent possible leg injuries should the
knee airbag deploy in an accident, ensure
that the front passenger assumes a correct
sitting position. Do not use the cover of the
front airbag on the front passenger side as
a storage area for objects, or as a rest for
feet or legs.<
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page 55.
Correct sitting position with safety
belts For the safety of all vehicle occupants,
please comply with the following instruc-
tions for wearing safety belts.
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children 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 that
would prevent the belt from resting
securely against your body; pull on the
shoulder strap periodically to keep it
tensioned. 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 abdom-
inal area.<
For putting on safety belts, refer to
page 50.
Seats For your personal safety when adjusting
the seat position, please follow the instruc-
tions below carefully.
Never attempt 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 recline the backrest to an extremely
horizontal position while the vehicle is
underway Ð this precaution is especially
important for front passengers and the
occupants of electric power rear seats to
remember. Failure to observe these
precautions can prevent the belts from
providing effective protection against
injury, as passengers could slide under the
belts in an accident.<
Please observe the information on using
safety belts provided on page 50 and the

Adjustments
52
Active seat* "Active" adjustment of the seat cushion's
contours reduces muscular tension and
fatigue to help prevent lower back pain.
To activate: press the button, the indicator
lamp comes on. MirrorAdjusting exterior mirrors 14-way adjustment
2To select mirror for adjustment
To prevent the exterior mirrors on this
vehicle from being damaged, always
fold them in by hand before entering an
automatic car wash.<
You can also adjust the mirrors manually by
pressing against the outer edges of their
lenses.
Storing the mirror positions, refer to seat,
mirror and steering wheel memory on
page 54.
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 estimations of the distance to following
traffic should not be regarded as precise.<
Self-defrosting mirrors The mirrors are automatically heated
whenever the ignition is switched on. Interior and exterior mirrors,
automatic dimming feature*
These mirrors automatically respond to
ambient light and headlamp glare from
following vehicles by automatically
dimming through an infinitely-variable
range. There are two photocells located in
the interior rearview mirror for this purpose.
One is integrated within the mirror's lens
(arrow), while the other is located at an
offset position on the rear of the mirror
housing.
The mirrors automatically revert to their
clear, undimmed mode whenever you
place the selector lever into reverse.
For trouble-free operation, keep the
photocells clean and do not cover the
area between the interior rearview mirror
and the windshield. Do not attach any kind
of stickers on the windshield in front of the
mirror, either.<

At a glanceControlsDriving tipsCommunicationsNavigationEntertainmentMobilityReference
53
Lighted vanity mirror
In rear 1.Press button 1. The vanity mirror folds
down
2.Pull the mirror down slightly before
proceeding to turn it or tilt it into the
desired position
3.Press the vanity mirror back up before
folding it back in.
The mirror is illuminated from the radio
mode on. Steering wheel adjustment The steering wheel can be adjusted in any
of four directions by pressing the appro-
priate end of the button.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
the vehicle is moving. There is a risk
of accident from unexpected movement.<
Storing steering wheel positions, refer to
Seat, mirror and steering wheel memory on
page 54.
Automatic steering wheel
adjustment The steering wheel automatically moves as
high up and far forward as possible to ease
driver entry and exit before then returning
to the standard position or stored memory
setting.
This automatic feature is governed by the
door and the ignition switch. Heated steering wheel*
The steering wheel's heater operates when
the ignition is on.
Press the button to activate or deactivate
this system.
The indicator lamp within the button lights
up when the steering wheel heater is in
operation.Programming button function
You can assign specific individual
functions to the programmable
button. This feature then provides
you with quick access to this function,
allowing you to control it without undue
distraction from road and traffic conditions.
1.Select "Settings" menu
2.Confirm your selection

Adjustments
54 3.Select "MFL." Continue to press the
controller until the desired function
appears:
>"Recirc. air"
In this mode the supply of outside air
remains blocked, refer to AUC Automatic
recirculated-air control on page 101
>"Navi info"
To repeat the most recent message from
the navigation system, refer to page 133
>"AUTO P"
To activate/deactivate Automatic Hold
refer to Automatic Hold on page 63.
You can select the displayed function using
button 1 in the steering wheel.
If you have activated the Automatic
hold feature, refer to page 63, you
can use button 1 to deactivate the system
for parking maneuvers, etc.<
Seat, mirror and steering
wheel memory You can store two and select two different
adjustment settings for the driver's seat,
exterior mirrors and steering wheel.
The adjustment of the lumbar support is not
stored in the memory. To store 1.Radio mode, or switch on ignition
2.Settings for the preferred seat, exterior
mirror and steering wheel positions
3.Press
M
EMORY button:
The indicator lamp within the button comes
on 4.Press the desired memory button, 1
or 2:
The indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored setting
Convenience mode1.Driver's door opened after unlocking, or
power supply in position 1
2.Briefly press the desired memory
button, 1 or 2.
The system immediately cancels the
adjustment procedure when you press one
of the seat adjustment buttons or use one
of the memory buttons. Safety feature1.Driver's door closed and power supply
either in position 0 or 2
2.Press memory button 1 or 2 and main-
tain pressure until the adjustment process
has been completed.
If you press the
M
EMORY button acciden-
tally:
Press the button again; the indicator lamp
goes out.
Do not call up a position from the
memory while the vehicle is moving.
There is a risk of accident from unexpected
movement of the seat or steering wheel.<
You can have your vehicle
programmed to automatically dial in
your own individual adjustment settings for
the seat, mirrors and steering wheel when-
ever you use your personal remote control
unit to unlock the vehicle.<
When using the Key Memory feature
always make sure that the footwell
behind the driver's seat is empty and unob-
structed. 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.<
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt
function Automatic curb monitor

Adjustments
56
Important safety notes
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags, cover
them or modify them in any other way.
Do not attempt to remove the airbag
restraint system from the vehicle. If you
note any indication of system malfunction,
if you desire to have an airbag deactivated,
or if the airbags are triggered in response
to an accident, you should always entrust
all inspection, repair and dismantling oper-
ations to your BMW center.
Never modify or tamper with either the
wiring or the individual components in the
airbag system. This category includes the
upholstery in the center of the steering
wheel, on the instrument panel, the side
trim panels on the front and rear doors, and
the roof pillars along with the sides of the
headliner. Do not attempt to remove or
dismantle the steering wheel.
To ensure compliance with official safety
regulations, entrust disposal of airbag
generators to a BMW center.
Unprofessional attempts to service the
system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either
of which could result in personal injury. Do
not touch the individual components
directly after the system has been trig-
gered, because there is a danger of
burns.<
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained Ð
infants and small children in appropriate
child-restraint systems; larger children and
adults using the safety belts. Never let an
occupant's head rest near or on a side
airbag because the inflating airbag could
cause a serious or fatal injury. Please note
that the word "Airbag" imprinted on the
door trim panel indicates the airbag's loca-
tion.
Never install a rear-facing child-restraint
device on the front passenger seat. If you
do so, the child could be injured when the
airbag is triggered.
Children should always ride in the rear and
the restraint systems should be secured
with the vehicle's belts.Accident research shows that the safest
place for children in an automobile is in the
rear seat. However, a child sitting in the
rear seat and not properly restrained may
place his or her head on or near the airbag,
if so equipped.
For example, a child Ñ even though belted
Ñ may fall asleep with his or her head
against the side airbag. It may be difficult
for a driver to ensure that children in the
rear seat will remain properly positioned at
all times and do not place their heads on or
near the side airbag. Therefore, we recom-
mend that the rear side airbags, if provided,
be deactivated if you plan to transport chil-
dren in the rear seat.
The rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the time of
manufacture or by a BMW center. Labels in
the rear door opening should indicate the
status of your rear-seat side airbags. If you
are uncertain of their status, or wish to have
the airbags activated or deactivated,
please contact your BMW center.<
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual risk
of injuries to the face, hands and arms
occurring from airbag deployment in
isolated instances. The ignition and infla-
tion noise may provoke a mild temporary
hearing loss in extremely sensitive individ-
uals.
Airbag warning information is also provided
on the sun blinds.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp shows the
airbag and belt-tensioner system's
operational status as soon as you
insert the remote control unit in the ignition
(radio mode).
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp fails to come on or
>it remains on continuously.