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
58n
Parking brake Manual transmission The parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates against the rear
wheels. To engageThe lever engages automatically, the
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
comes on when the ignition key is in
position 2, refer to page 18.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button (arrow) and lower the lever.
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 the lever up to apply
moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is engaged.
Set the parking brake when parking on
steep hills, because under certain
conditions, putting the vehicle into first
or reverse gear may not be enough to
prevent it from rolling away.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake lightly
from time to time when coasting to a
standstill (at a traffic signal, for
instance), provided that it is safe to do
so.
Press the clutch pedal all the way down
each time you shift, pressing the
manual gearshift lever into its proper
end position.
When shifting gears in the
5th/6th-gear plane, be sure to
press the gearshift lever to the right in
order to prevent inadvertent selection
of a gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.<
59n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Manual transmission Sequential M gearbox
* SMG II
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. Press the gearshift
lever to the left to overcome the slight
resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
come on automatically when the igni-
tion 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 the clutch
assembly to wear out sooner.<
The conceptThe sequential M gearbox SMG II is an
automated manual gearbox with which
clutching and shifting is assumed by an
electro-hydraulic system.
The SMG II is operated via two shift
paddles on the steering wheel and the
selector lever in the center console.
It offers the following functions:
>Sequential and automated shifting
mode
>Ability to choose between different
driving programs (Drivelogic)
>Gradient assistance
>Upshift display (shift lights)
>Throttle blip
>Driving dependent functions:
The respective driving situation (e.g.
cornering, mountain driving, braking)
is detected by sensors and taken into
account accordingly for shifting, e.g.
to achieve optimum gear selection
during deceleration and subsequent
acceleration>Slip recognition at the rear axle for
increasing driving stability, e.g.
during downshifting on slippery road
surfaces
>Operating safety through protection
against misshifting.
64n
Sequential M gearbox* SMG II
The vehicle may roll slightly before
it is held by the gradient assis-
tance after releasing the footbrake.
Two seconds after the footbrake is
released, the vehicle begins to roll, as it
is no longer held with the gradient
assistance.<
The gradient assistance must be reacti-
vated before each use.
Indicator lamp
The transmission indicator lamp
in the instrument cluster goes
out after the engine is started.
>If it does not go out, or if it lights up
during driving, a fault has occurred.
The available functions may be
limited under certain circumstances.
Drive carefully and with the Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC) activated.
Have the system checked by the
nearest BMW center
>If the indicator lamp flashes while
driving, the system is overloaded.
Avoid high loads until the indicator
lamp goes out again permanently.
Shift lightsTo achieve the best possible vehicle
acceleration with a sporty driving style
in the sequential mode, shift lights in
the instrument cluster indicate the
optimum shifting point shortly before
the maximum engine speed is reached.
1 When the maximum engine speed is
approached, yellow indicator fields
(shift lights) in the tachometer light up
consecutively to indicate the
approaching upshift time
2 Shift at the latest when the last indi-
cator field lights up red.Tire replacement, snow chainsFollowing a tire or wheel change and
after mounting or removing snow
chains, the slip recognition of the
101n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Brakes:
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light but
consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear and
possibly even brake failure.
Aquaplaning:
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water may form between the
tires and the road surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as aqua-
planing, or hydroplaning, and can lead
to partial or complete loss of traction,
vehicle control and braking effective-
ness.
Driving through water:
Do not drive through water on the road
if it is deeper than 1 foot (30 cm), and
then only at walking speed. Otherwise,
the vehicle's engine, the electrical
systems and the transmission may be
damaged.
Rear parcel tray:
Never use it to store heavy or hard
objects, otherwise, occupants could be
injured if the vehicle is braked hard.
Clothes hooks:
When suspending clothing from the
hooks, be sure that they will not
obstruct the driver's vision. Do not hang
heavy objects on the hooks. If you do
so, they could cause personal injury
during braking or evasive maneuvers.<
The conceptThe Antilock Brake System (ABS) keeps
the wheels from locking while braking,
thereby enhancing active driving safety.Braking with ABSIf you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply
maximum brake pressure ("panic
stop"). Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can
nevertheless avoid possible obstacles
with a minimum of steering effort.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combines
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
to indicate to the driver that ABS is in
its active mode.Cornering Brake Control (CBC)CBC is an advanced engineering
design of the ABS. When braking while
cornering at high speed or braking
during high lateral acceleration, or
when braking during a lane change,
vehicle stability is improved and
steering response is enhanced.
Driving notes Antilock Brake System
111n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Engine oil
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 differential,
and the power steering system.<
Recommendation: have the oil changed
by your BMW center only.
Continuous exposure to used oil
has caused cancer in laboratory
testing. For this reason, thoroughly
wash any areas of skin that come into
contact with oil using soap and water.
Always store oils, grease and similar
materials so that they are inaccessible
to children. Comply with warning labels
and information on containers.<
Comply with the applicable envi-
ronmental laws regulating the
disposal of used oil.<
Prescribed engine oilThe quality of the engine oil is
extremely important for the function
and life of an engine. Based on exten-
sive testing, BMW has approved only
certain types of engine oils.
Use only oils approved for your vehicle
model.
Ask your BMW center for details
concerning oils that have been
approved. You can also call BMW of
North America at 1-800-831-1117 or
visit this website: www.bmwusa.com
to obtain this information.< Alternative oil typesShould it not be possible to purchase
an oil approved by BMW, you can also
use other oils for adding smaller quanti-
ties between oil changes as an excep-
tion. The following information must be
specified on the package:
1. Viscosity
preferred: SAE 10W-60
or as an alternative: SAE 5W-40 or
SAE 10W-40
2. Specification
preferred: API SJ/CF
or as an alternative: API SJ
(also SK, SL, S etc.).
Low ambient temperaturesThe oils used by BMW at the factory for
your vehicle model can be used at virtu-
ally any ambient temperature.
However, if the vehicle is exposed to
temperatures below Ð4 7 (Ð20 6) for
extended periods, please have your
BMW center recommend a suitable oil.
139n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank
Reserve gal. (liters)
gal. (liters)approx. 16.6 (approx. 63)
approx. 2.1 (approx. 8)Fuel specification: page 24
Windshield and headlamp washer
reservoir quarts (liters) approx. 5.6 (approx. 5.3)Specifications: page 109
Cooling system including heater
circuitquarts (liters) approx. 9.9 (approx. 9.3) Specifications: page 112
Engine oil and filter change quarts (liters) approx. 5.3 (approx. 5.0) Specifications: page 111
Manual transmission quarts (liters) approx. 1.9 (approx. 1.8) Oil change during break-in inspec-
tion and during each inspection II
Differential quarts (liters) approx. 1.2 (approx. 1.1) Oil change during break-in inspec-
tion and during each inspection II
Everything from A to Z
145n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
INSPECTION71
Instrument cluster15
Instrument lighting81
Instrument panel15
Interface socket
for Onboard
Diagnostics116
Interior lamps31, 82
remote control31
Interior motion
sensor37, 38
avoiding unintentional
alarms38
deactivate31
operating via remote
control31
Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming
feature49 J
Jump-starting131 K
Key28
with remote control28
Key Memory55
L
Lamps80, 120
LAMPS ON warning80
Lashing eyes97
LATCH child-restraint
system installation53
Leather care, refer to the
"Caring for your vehicle"
manual
Length137
License plate lamp
bulb replacement125t
Lighting, refer to lamps
Load-securing devices97
Locking luggage
compartment lid
separately34
Louvers83, 86
Low ambient
temperatures111
Low beams80
bulb replacement121t
Luggage compartment
capacity138
floor mat36
floor panel36
lighting34
operating via remote
control31 Luggage compartment
lid34
electrical malfunction34
emergency release from
luggage compartment's
interior36
locking it separately34
manual operation34t
Luggage rack97
Lumbar support,
adjusting43
M
M Engine dynamics
control79
M+S-tires106
Maintenance71, 114
Malfunction displays72
Manual operation
doors29t
fuel filler door22t
luggage compartment
lid34t
sliding/tilt sunroof41t
Manual transmission58
Master key28 MFL (Multifunction steering
wheel)21
Microfilter85, 89
Mirror memory46
Mirrors48
automatic curb
monitor48
Modifications,
technical10, 115
Multifunction steering wheel
(MFL)21
N
Navigation system, refer to
the "Onboard Computer
Owner's Manual"
Neckrest44 O
OBD interface socket116
Obstruction protection39
Odometer70
Oil
additives111
capacity139
quality111
specifications111
viscosity111