Contents
© 2001 BMW M GmbH
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW M GmbH, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 156 237
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
Steering wheel with multifunction
buttons21
Warning triangle22
First-aid kit22
Refueling22
Fuel specifications24
Tire inflation pressures24
Opening and closing:
Keys28
Central locking system28
Opening and closing Ð via the
door lock29
Opening and closing Ð via the
remote control30
Opening and closing Ð from the
inside33
Luggage compartment lid34
Luggage compartment36
Alarm system37
Electric power windows39
Sliding/tilt sunroof40
Adjustments:
Correct sitting position42
Seats43
Head restraints44
Entering the rear45
Safety belts45
Seat and mirror memory46
Seat heating47
Steering wheel47
Mirrors48
Passenger safety systems:
Airbags49
Transporting children safely52
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory55
Driving:
Ignition lock56
Starting the engine56
Switching off the engine57
Parking brake58
Manual transmission58
Sequential M gearbox SMG II59
Indicator/Headlamp flasher65
Washer/Wiper system/Rain
sensor66
Cruise control68
Everything under control:
Odometer70
Tachometer70
Temperature gauge70
Fuel gauge71
Temperature gauge71
Service Interval Display71
Check Control72
Computer72
Technology for driving comfort
and safety:
Park Distance Control (PDC)75
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)76
Flat Tire Monitor77
M Engine dynamics control79
Contents
37n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Alarm system
*
The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the
luggage compartment lid are opened
>To movement inside the vehicle (inte-
rior motion sensor)
>To variations in the vehicle tilt, as
would occur while attempting to steal
the wheels or tow the vehicle (tilt
alarm sensor)
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized
vehicle entry and attempted theft by
simultaneously activating the following:
>Sounding an acoustic alarm for
30 seconds
>Activating the hazard warning
flashers for approx. five minutes
>Flashing the high beams on and off in
rhythm with the hazard warning
flashers.
To arm and disarm the alarm
systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked
by using a key or the remote control,
the alarm system is also simultaneously
armed or disarmed.
You can have a signal set as
acknowledgment for both arming
and disarming the alarm.<
You can also open the luggage
compartment lid when the system is
armed by pressing the button of the
remote control, refer to page 31. When
it is closed, the lid is once again
secured.
Indicator lamp displaysThe indicator lamp is located under the
interior rearview mirror.
>When the indicator lamp flashes
continuously: the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes when it is
armed: the door(s), the hood or
luggage compartment lid are not
completely closed. Even if you do not
close the alerted area, the remaining
areas are secured, and the indicator
lamp flashes continuously after
10 seconds. However, the interior
motion sensor is not activated
>If the indicator lamp goes out when
the system is disarmed: no manipula-
tion or attempted intrusions have
been detected in the period since the
system was armed
46n
Safety belts Seat and mirror memory
If the safety belt system has been
subjected to the stresses involved
in an accident or otherwise damaged:
Have the entire safety belt mechanism
replaced by your BMW center,
including the safety belt tensioner. In
addition, have your BMW center
inspect the safety belt anchors. If a
child-restraint system was in the
vehicle during an accident, consult the
manufacturer's instructions regarding
replacement.<
You can store and call up three different
driver's seat and exterior mirror posi-
tions.
Memory will not retain the adjust-
ments made to the lumbar
supports or the width of the back-
rests.
to the desired position
3. Press the
MEMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up
4. Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as
desired. The indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored settingDriver's door open after unlocking or
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
MEMORY button
accidentally: press the button
again; the indicator lamp goes out.<
Do not select a memory position
while the vehicle is moving. If you
do so, there is a risk of accident from
unexpected seat movement.<
47n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Seat and mirror memory Seat heating
*
Steering wheel
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.<
The seat cushion and backrest can be
heated when the ignition key is in posi-
tion 2.
You can call up different heating levels
by repeatedly pressing the button.
You can also switch the higher heating
modes off directly:
Press the button and hold it slightly
longer.
Adjustments1. Push the locking lever downward
2. Adjust the steering wheel (forward/
back and up/down) to suit your
sitting position
3. Pull the lever back in to clamp the
steering wheel in the new position.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving, other-
wise there is a risk of an accident from
unexpected movement.<
48n
Mirrors Adjusting outside mirrors1 Switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Select or switch for changing
between mirrorsAdjusting manuallyThe mirrors can also be adjusted manu-
ally: press the edges of the lens.
To store the mirror settings, refer to
"Seat and mirror memory" on page 46.
Convex mirror
The passenger-side mirror
features a convex lens. When esti-
mating 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.<
Self-defrosting mirrorsBoth mirrors are heated automatically in
ignition key position 2.
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt
function(automatic curb monitor)
>Move the mirror selector switch 1 to
the "driver's mirror" position
>When the selector lever is placed in
"Reverse," the passenger-side mirror
tilts downward This brings e. g. the
lower area adjacent to the vehicle
(curbs, etc.) into the driver's field of
vision while parking.
You can deactivate this automatic
feature by setting the mirror selector
switch to the "passenger-side" posi-
tion.
49n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Mirrors Airbags Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming featureThis mirror automatically dims through
an infinitely variable range and switches
automatically to its clear, undimmed
mode whenever you engage reverse
gear.
There are two photocells for automatic
dimming. One photocell (arrow) is posi-
tioned in the mirror's frame, while the
other is slightly offset on the opposite
side of the mirror.
For the mirror to function perfectly,
keep the photocells clean and the area
between the inside rearview mirror and
the windshield free of any obstruction,
like stickers, etc.
1 Front airbags on the driver and
passenger sides
2 Side Impact Head Protection System
on the driver and passenger sides
(front)
3 Side airbags on the driver and
passenger sides (front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags protect the driver and
passenger in the event of a frontal
impact where the protection provided
by the safety belt alone would not be
adequate. The Side impact Head
Protection System and the side airbags
help provide protection in the event of a
collision from the side. Each of the side
airbags is designed to help support the
seat occupant's upper body.
55n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Vehicle Memory, Key Memory How the system functionsNo doubt you have reflected at one
time or another on how great it would
be if you could permanently configure
your vehicle's various features and
adjustments to mirror your own indi-
vidual preferences. In engineering your
vehicle, BMW has incorporated a
number of options for personal adjust-
ment that can be programmed into your
vehicle 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 adjustment data for as many as
four different individuals into the
system.
The system then relies on a bilateral
data exchange to identify the individual
user and dial in the selected settings
whenever the remote control unit is
used to disengage the door locks.
Color-coded decals have been
provided to help you distinguish indi-
vidual keys with different settings.What the system can doYour BMW center can provide you with
details on the possibilities that the
Vehicle and Key Memory systems offer.
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Various signals as acknowledgment
when locking or unlocking your
vehicle, refer to pages 29, 30
>Activate/deactivate the "Follow me
home" lamps function, refer to
page 80.Examples for Key Memory:
>Locks the vehicle after driving off,
refer to page 33
>Automatically adjusts the seat and
exterior mirrors to your personal
programmed settings, refer to
page 46
>Calls up customized settings for the
automatic climate control when
unlocking using the remote control,
refer to page 87
>After the engine is started, calling up
of the last selected driving program
for each shifting mode, refer to
page 63.
You will see this symbol through-
out the Owner's Manual. It is to
remind you at appropriate places of the
settings that are available to you.<
66n
Washer/Wiper system/Rain sensor
*
0 Wipers retracted
1 Intermittent operation or rain sensor
2 Normal wipe speed
3 Fast wipe speed
4 Brief wipe
5 Rotary dial for control of the wipe
interval or the sensitivity of the rain
sensorIntermittent operation(not on vehicles with rain sensor)
You can set the wipe interval at four
stages with rotary dial 5. In addition, the
wipe interval is varied automatically
depending on road speed.
Rain sensor
The rain sensor is located on the wind-
shield directly behind the rearview
mirror.
To activate the rain sensor:
>With the ignition key in position 1
or higher, move the lever to
position 1. The wipers will make at
least one sweep across the wind-
shield
>You can leave the lever in position 1
at all times. With the ignition key in
position 1 or higher, all you then need
to do to activate the rain sensor is
briefly turn the rotary dial 5.
To adjust the sensitivity of the rain
sensor: turn rotary dial 5.
To deactivate the rain sensor: return
lever to position 0.
Deactivate the rain sensor in auto-
matic car washes. Failure to do so
could result in damage caused by
undesired wiper activation.<
Normal wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the
wipers switch automatically to intermit-
tent wipe (not on vehicles with rain
sensor).Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the
wipers operate at normal speed (not on
vehicles with rain sensor).