
 
Congratulations, and thank you for choosing a BMW.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with enhanced control and 
security when you drive it. Therefore we have one request:
Please take the time to read this Owner's Manual and familiarize yourself with the 
information that we have compiled for you before starting off in your new BMW. The 
manual contains important data and instructions intended to assist you in obtaining 
maximum satisfaction from your BMW's unique array of advanced technical fea-
tures. It also contains information on vehicle maintenance designed to enhance 
operating safety while simultaneously helping you to maintain your BMW's value 
throughout an extended service life. For additional information refer to the supple-
mental manuals.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehicle. It 
should stay with the vehicle when sold to provide the next owner with important 
operating, safety and maintenance information.
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW AG
 
handbook.book  Page 3  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM 

31
Opening and closing – via the remote controlThe conceptThe remote control gives you an excep-
tionally convenient method for unlock-
ing and locking your vehicle. Further-
more, it provides two additional 
functions:
>To switch on interior lamps, refer to 
page 32.
With this function you can also 
search for the vehicle when parked in 
an underground garage, for instance
>To open the luggage compartment 
lid, refer to page 32.
The luggage compartment lid will 
open slightly, regardless of whether it 
was previously locked or unlocked.
Whenever you unlock or lock the vehi-
cle, you simultaneously deactivate/acti-
vate the anti-theft system, disarm/arm 
the alarm system and switch the interior 
lamps on/off.
You can have a signal set to con-
firm that the vehicle's locks have 
engaged securely.<
Master keys with remote control
Persons or animals inside the 
vehicle may be able to lock the 
doors from the inside. For this reason, 
you should always take the vehicle keys 
with you so that the vehicle can be 
opened again from the outside at any 
time.<
If it is no longer possible to lock 
the vehicle via the remote control, 
the battery is discharged. Use this key 
while driving for an extended period in 
order to recharge the battery.
To prevent unauthorized use of the 
remote control, surrender only the 
spare key or the door and ignition key 
when leaving the vehicle for valet park-
ing, for example.
In the event of a system malfunction, 
please contact your BMW center. You 
can also obtain replacement keys 
there.<
1Unlock, disarm alarm system
2Lock and secure, arm alarm system, 
activate interior lamps, disarm tilt 
alarm sensor and interior motion sen-
sor
3Open the luggage compartment lid, 
Panic mode – trigger alarmTo releasePress the button once to unlock the 
driver's door.
Press the button a second time to 
disengage all vehicle locks.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book  Page 31  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM 

32
To lock and securePress the button.To switch on the interior lampsWith the vehicle locked, press the but-
ton.To deactivate the tilt alarm* and 
interior motion sensors*Press the button a second time imme-
diately after locking.
For additional information, refer to 
page 39.To open the luggage 
compartmentPress the button.
The luggage compartment lid will open 
slightly, regardless of whether it was 
previously locked or unlocked.
Before and after a trip, be sure 
that the luggage compartment lid 
has not been opened unintentionally.<
Panic mode – trigger alarmProvided that the alarm system is 
armed, you can respond to imminent 
danger by holding down the button for 
more than seconds.
To switch off the alarm:
Press the button.External systemsThe remote control system's operation 
may be affected by other units or 
equipment operating in the immediate 
vicinity of your vehicle.
If this should occur, you can still open 
and close the vehicle using the master 
key in either the door or luggage com-
partment lid locks.
For US owners onlyThe transmitter and receiver units com-
ply with part 15 of the FCC Federal 
Communications Commission regula-
tions. Operation is governed by the fol-
lowing:
FCC ID:
>LX8EWS 
>LX8FZVS 
>LX8FZVE.
Compliance statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the 
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the 
following two conditions:
>This device may not cause harmful 
interference
>This device must accept any interfer-
ence received, including interference 
that may cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modifications to 
these devices could void the 
user's authority to operate the equip-
ment.<
Opening and closing – via the remote control
handbook.book  Page 32  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM 

33
Opening and closing – via the door lockOne turn of the key in the driver's door 
lock unlocks the driver's door, the fuel 
filler door and the glove compartment. 
Turning the key a second time unlocks 
the passenger-side door and the lug-
gage compartment lid.
You can have a signal set to con-
firm that the vehicle's locks have 
engaged securely.
ible top via the door lock.
>To open: with the door closed, hold 
the key in the Unlock position
>To close: with the door closed, hold 
the key in the Lock position.
Whenever closing the windows or 
sliding/tilt sunroof you should 
always monitor their path and progress 
to ensure that no one is injured. Releas-
ing the key stops the operation.<
Manual operationIn the event of electrical malfunction
Turn the key to the extreme left or right 
to unlock/lock the driver's door.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book  Page 33  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM 

35
Luggage compartment lidThe lockOnly the master keys fit in the lock for 
the luggage compartment lid, refer to 
page 30.To secure separatelyLock the glove compartment using the 
master key.
This locks the luggage compartment lid 
and disconnects it from the central 
locking system. This feature can be 
used to prevent unauthorized access to 
the luggage compartment when you 
surrender the door and ignition key 
only, refer to page 30. This can be 
advantageous for valet parking, for 
example.
To open from the outsidePress the button in the handle recess – 
see arrow: the luggage compartment lid 
opens slightly.
The luggage compartment is lit when 
the luggage compartment lid is opened.Manual operationIn the event of electrical malfunction
Turn the master key all the way to the 
left – the luggage compartment lid will 
open slightly.
The luggage compartment is locked 
again as soon as you close the lid.
To open from the inside*If the luggage compartment lid has not 
been locked separately, you can open it 
with this button in the footwell on the 
driver's side when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book  Page 35  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM 

37
Luggage compartmentTo fold up and secure the floor 
panel1. Pull up at the handle and fold the 
panel up
2. Press the button – see arrow – to 
release the hanger from the handle
3. Hook the handle into the rubber seal 
of the drip rail – see arrow.
Carefully replace the hanger in its 
holder when lowering the floor 
panel back down.<
The fittings at the corners of the lug-
gage compartment provide you with a 
convenient means of attaching luggage 
nets* and flexible straps for securing 
luggage.
Refer also to Cargo loading on 
page 116.
To enlarge the luggage 
compartmentWith the convertible top closed, you 
can enlarge the luggage compartment. 
To do this, flip the handle outward and 
press it down and toward the front of 
the vehicle – see arrow. The convertible 
top compartment panel is now raised 
and secured.To fold down the convertible top 
compartment panelThe convertible top compartment lid 
must be folded down to open the con-
vertible top. Swing out the handle and 
pull toward the back of the vehicle.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book  Page 37  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM 

38
Before lowering the convertible 
top, refer to page 41 or 46, always 
check to ensure that the luggage com-
partment panel has returned to its origi-
nal position. Attempts to lower the top 
with the panel folded up can lead to 
vehicle damage.<
Alarm system*The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the lug-
gage compartment lid is opened
>To movements inside the vehicle – 
interior motion sensor
>To variations in the vehicle's tilt angle 
such as those occurring during 
attempts 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:
>The acoustic alarm sounds for 
30 seconds
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes
>The high beams flash on and off in 
rhythm with the hazard warning flash-
ers.To arm and disarm the alarm 
systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked 
via the driver's door lock or with the 
remote control, the alarm system is also 
simultaneously armed or disarmed.You can have different acknowl-
edgment signals set to confirm 
arming and disarming.<
You can open the luggage compart-
ment lid when the system is armed by 
pressing the remote control button, 
refer to page 32. The lid is once again 
secured when it is closed.
Luggage compartment
handbook.book  Page 38  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM 

39
Indicator lamp displays>The indicator lamp below the interior 
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes during 
arming: the door(s), the hood or the 
luggage compartment lid are not 
completely closed. Even if you do not 
close the alerted area(s), the remain-
ing areas are secured, and the indi-
cator lamp will flash continuously 
after 10 seconds. However, the inte-
rior motion sensor is not activated
>The indicator lamp goes out when the 
system is disarmed: no manipulation 
or attempted intrusions have been 
detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed
>The indicator lamp flashes for 
10 seconds when the system is dis-
armed: an attempted entry has been 
detected in the period since the sys-
tem was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the 
indicator lamp will flash continuously.Avoiding unintentional alarmsThe tilt alarm sensor and interior motion 
sensor may be switched off at the same 
time. You can do this to prevent a false 
alarm from being triggered in garages 
with elevator ramps, for instance, or 
when the vehicle is transported by train:
Lock the vehicle twice to arm the sys-
tem. Press the button on the remote 
control twice in succession or lock the 
vehicle twice with the key.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and 
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm 
sensor and the interior motion sensor 
are deactivated as long as the system is 
armed.Interior motion sensor*Deactivate the interior motion sensor – 
refer to Avoiding unintentional alarms – 
if persons or animals are to remain in 
the vehicle.
The system deactivates the tilt-
alarm sensor and the interior 
motion sensor if the convenience clos-
ing of windows is interrupted in the first 
10 seconds and then restarted. The 
alarm must then be disarmed and reac-
tivated before it will resume opera-
tion.<
Alarm system*
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book  Page 39  Wednesday, July 31, 2002  9:29 AM