
 
Contents
 
© 2001 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the 
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order no. 01 41 0 156 416
US English IX/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 lamps18 
Steering wheel with multifunction 
buttons22
Warning triangle23
First-aid kit23
Refueling24
Fuel specifications25
Tire inflation pressures26
 
Locks and security systems: 
 
Keys30
Central locking system30
Opening and closing 
Ð via the door lock31 
Opening and closing 
Ð via the remote control32
Opening and closing 
Ð from the inside35 
Liftgate36
Tailgate37
Alarm system39
Electric power windows40
Sliding/tilt sunroof with glass 
moonroof42
 
Adjustments: 
 
Correct sitting posture44
Seats44
Mechanical seat45
Power seat46
Head restraints47
Power rear-seat backrest 
adjustment48
Safety belt49
Seat, mirror and steering wheel 
memory50
Seat heating51
Adjusting steering wheel52
Steering wheel heating53
Mirrors53
 
Passenger safety systems: 
 
Airbags55
Transporting children safely58
Vehicle Memory, Key 
Memory61
 
Driving: 
 
Ignition lock62
Starting the engine62
Switching off the engine64
Parking brake64
Manual transmission65
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic66
Indicator/Headlamp flasher68
Washer/Wiper system/Rain 
sensor69
Cruise control71
 
Everything under control: 
 
Odometer, outside temperature 
display74
Tachometer75
Energy control75
Fuel gauge75
Coolant temperature gauge76
Service Interval Display76
Check Control77
Computer80
Multi-Information Display 
(MID)82
Digital clock in the MID83
Computer in the MID86
 
Inhalt 

 
21n
 
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
 
Indicator and warning lamps 
 
Green: for your information
 
Turn signal indicators 
Flashes when the turn signal 
indicators are operated. Rapid 
flashing indicates a system malfunction.
For additional information: refer to 
page 68.
Cruise control 
Comes on when the cruise 
control is activated: available for 
operation via the steering wheel with 
multifunction buttons. 
For additional information: refer to 
page 71.
Fog lamps
 
 
 
Lights up whenever you switch 
on the fog lamps. 
For additional information: refer to 
page 101. 
 
Blue: for your information
 
High beams
Lights up when the high beams 
are on or the headlamp flasher 
is actuated. 
For additional information: refer to 
pages 68 and 101.  

 
22n
 
Steering wheel with multifunction buttons
 
The buttons integrated in the steering 
wheel are provided so that you can 
operate a number of accessories 
quickly and without being distracted 
from traffic conditions. You may 
operate: 
 
>
 
Selected control functions for the 
radio along with CD and cassette 
player 
 
>
 
The recirculated-air mode of the air 
conditioner or the steering-wheel 
heating
 
* 
>The cruise control,
>Selected phone functions
* and
>The voice entry
* 
In order to operate a system, the 
corresponding system must be 
switched on.< 
Press briefly:
Accept incoming call, start dialing, 
terminate call.
Extended pressure:
Activate/deactivate voice entry.
Switch between phone and radio, 
cassette and CD.
Forward:
>Radio
Press briefly: scans for stations in FM 
band
Extended pressure: search function
>CD
Press briefly: jump to next track
Extended pressure: fast forward in 
track
>Cassette
Press briefly: stop track scan or fast 
forward
Extended pressure: fast forward
>Phone
Scan personal phone book.
Rewind: functions as for fast forward.
Volume
Cruise control: calling up.
Cruise control: store and accelerate (+); 
decelerate and store (Ð).
Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deac-
tivate.
Recirculated-air mode and automatic 
recirculated-air control (AUC) or heated 
steering wheel: switch on/off. 

30n
Keys Central locking system The key set1 The master keys with remote control 
determine the functions of the Key 
Memory, refer to page 61.
You can mark individual keys for 
subsequent identification by applying 
the colored decals that you received 
when accepting delivery of your 
vehicle. 
There is an extended-life battery 
in every master key which is 
charged automatically in the ignition 
lock as you drive.
For this reason, if you have a master 
key that is otherwise not used, use that 
key approx. once every year while 
driving for an extended period. This will 
charge the battery, refer also to 
page 32.< 463de023
2 Spare key for storage in a safe place, 
such as in your wallet. This key is not 
intended for continuous use 
3 Door and ignition key
The lock for the glove compartment 
cannot be operated with this key. 
This is recommended for valet 
parking, for instance. 
The concept The central locking system is ready for 
operation as soon as you close the front 
doors. The system engages and 
releases the locks on the 
>doors 
>liftgate/tailgate 
>fuel filler door. 
The central locking system can be 
operated 
>from outside via the driver's door lock 
as well as via the remote control
>from inside via the button for the 
central locking system. 
If the system is locked from inside, the 
fuel filler door remains unlocked, refer 
to page 35.
When the system is actuated from 
outside of the vehicle, the anti-theft 
system is actuated simultaneously. The 
alarm system is also armed or 
disarmed. 
In the event of an accident, the central 
locking system unlocks automatically 
(only those doors which were not 
locked separately with the safety lock 
buttons), refer to page 35. In addition, 
the hazard warning flashers and interior 
lamps come on.  

35n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Opening and closing Ð from the insideYou can operate the central locking 
system with this button when the 
driver's door is closed. The doors and 
liftgate are unlocked or locked only. 
However, the anti-theft system is not 
activated. Also, the fuel Þller door 
remains unlocked to allow refueling. 
If only the driver's door was 
unlocked from the outside and 
you press the button 
>all other doors, the tailgate/liftgate 
and the fuel filler door will be 
unlocked when the driver's door is 
opened
>the driver's door will be locked again 
when it is closed.< 530de220
To unlock and open the doors >Either unlock the doors together with 
the button for the central locking 
system and then pull the door handle 
above the armrest 
or 
>pull the release handle for each door 
twice: the first pull unlocks the door, 
and the second one opens it. 
To engage the locks >Use the central locking button to lock 
all of the doors simultaneously, 
or 
>press down the individual safety lock 
buttons. The fuel filler door remains 
unlocked. As an added design 
feature to prevent the driver from 
being inadvertently locked out of the 
vehicle, the driver's safety lock 
button will not engage as long as the 
door is open. 
When the vehicle is moving, do 
not lock the doors with the safety 
lock buttons. Doors locked in this 
manner would not unlock automatically 
in the event of an accident.
Since passengers or animals remaining 
in the vehicle might be able to lock the 
doors from the inside, take the vehicle's 
keys with you so that the vehicle can be 
opened again from the outside at any 
time.<  

50n
Seat, mirror and steering wheel memory
* 
You can store and call up three different 
seat, exterior mirror and steering wheel 
positions. The illustration shows the 
buttons on the seat for making these 
position adjustments. 
The adjustment of the lumbar support is 
not stored in the memory.530us032
To store 1. Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 2
2. Adjust the desired positions for the 
seat, exterior mirror and steering 
wheel
3. Press the 
MEMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button comes on
4. Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as 
desired: the indicator lamp goes out. 
To call up a stored settingConvenience function: 
1. Open the driver's door after 
unlocking the vehicle or place the 
ignition key in position 1
2. 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. 
Security function: 
1. With the driver's door closed and the 
ignition key either removed or in 
position 0 or 2
2. Maintain pressure on the desired 
memory button (1, 2 or 3) until the 
adjustment process is completed.
If you press the 
MEMORY button acci-
dentally: press the button a second 
time Ñ 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.<  

53n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Steering wheel heating
* 
Mirrors 
Steering wheel heating functions in 
ignition key position 2. 
Press the button to activate or deacti-
vate this system. 
The lamp within the button lights up 
when the steering wheel heating is in 
operation.
If you have a steering wheel with multi-
function buttons without steering wheel 
heating, the button for the recirculated-
air mode is in this location, refer to 
page 22.530de235
Exterior mirrors 1 Mirror switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Left/right selector switch 
Before going through a car wash, 
manually fold the exterior mirrors 
inward, otherwise they could be 
damaged, depending on the width of 
the car wash system.
Press on the outer edges of their 
lenses. 530us213
To store the mirror settings, refer to 
"Seat, mirror and steering wheel 
memory" on page 50. 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 defrosted automati-
cally when the ignition key is in 
position 2.  

82n
Multi-Information Display (MID)
 
Central displayThe MID serves as the central display 
and operation for the following onboard 
systems:
>Digital clock (e. g. time display, date)
>Audio systems (radio, cassette, CD)
>Computer
* ( e.g. fuel consumption, 
cruising range) 
>Cellular phone ( e.g. dialing).
You will find explanations and notes 
for operating the digital clock and the 
computer on the following pages. 
Please refer to the separate Owner's 
Manuals for operating the audio 
systems, the cellular phone and the 
onboard computer.
Any unrealistic numerical entries 
will not be accepted. 
All stored data will be lost if the power 
supply is interrupted. Time display, 
switch-on times for independent 
heating and ventilation, distance and 
cruise control speed limit may have to 
be reset once the power supply has 
been re-established.<
1 Function button for audio systems
2 Function button for the cellular 
phone
*
3 Indicator lamp for independent venti-
lation
*
>remains on if switch-on time is 
active
>flashes while operating
4 Function button for the digital clock 
and computer
*
5 Indicator display for the various 
onboard systems390us705
6 Display for the entry and query 
buttons. Depending on the operating 
mode, the functions and alternatives 
that can be selected at the buttons 
are displayed here
7 Entry and query buttons for operating 
the various onboard systems