2003 BMW 325Ci CONVERTIBLE belt

Contents

Notes

About this Owner's Manual4
Symbols used4
Your individual vehicle4
Status at time of printing5
For your own safety5
Symbol on vehicle parts6
Service and warranty6
Reporting safety defects6

Overview

Cockpit14
Instrument cluster16
Indicator and warning lamps18
Steering wheel with multifunction
buttons*22
Hazard warning triangle*23
First-aid kit*23
Refueling24
Fuel specifications25
Tire inflation pressure25

Controls and features

Opening and closing:

Keys30
Central locking system30
Opening and closing – via the
remote control31
Opening and closing – via the
door lock33
Opening and closing – from the
inside34
Luggage compartment lid35
Luggage compartment37
Alarm system*38
Electric power windows40
Manual convertible top41
Fully-automatic convertible
top*46
Wind deflector*50

To adjust:

Safe seating position52
Seats52
Adjusting electric power
seats53
Lumbar support*53
Head restraints54
Entering the rear55
Safety belts56
Seat and mirror memory*57
Seat heating*58
Steering wheel59
Mirrors59

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18

Indicator and warning lamps

Technology that monitors itself

Indicator and warning lamps that are
identified by

●

are tested for proper
functioning whenever the ignition key is
turned. They each light up once for dif-
ferent periods of time.
If a fault should occur in one of these
systems, the corresponding lamp does
not go out after the engine is started, or
it lights up while the vehicle is moving.
You will see how to react in the follow-
ing section.

Red: stop immediately

Battery charge current

●

The battery is no longer being
charged. Indicates a defective
alternator drive belt or a problem with
the alternator's charge circuit. Please
contact the nearest BMW center.
If the drive belt is defective, stop
and switch off the engine immedi-
ately to prevent overheating and seri-
ous engine damage. If the drive belt is
defective, increased steering effort is
also required.

<

Engine oil pressure

●

Stop the vehicle immediately
and switch off the engine.
Check the engine oil level; top off as
required. If the oil level is correct:
please contact the nearest BMW cen-
ter.
Do not continue driving, as the
engine could sustain serious dam-
age from inadequate lubrication.

<

Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)/Flat
Tire Monitor

●

In addition, an acoustic signal is
sounded: a tire failure has occurred.
Reduce vehicle speed immediately and
stop the vehicle. Avoid hard brake
applications. As you steer the vehicle,
use caution to avoid overcorrecting.
For additional information: refer to
pages 92, 93
Brake warning lamp

●

If the lamp comes on when the
parking brake is not engaged:
check the brake fluid level. Before driv-
ing further, be sure to comply with the
instructions on pages 124 and 139.
Parking brake warning lamp for
Canadian models.

Red: an important reminder

Brake warning lamp
Comes on when the parking
brake is engaged – an additional
acoustic signal sounds when you start
off.
For additional information: refer to
page 72
Parking brake warning lamp for
Canadian models.
Lock backrest/Fasten safety
belts

●

Comes on together with an
acoustic signal until the safety belts are
fastened. Flashes if the backrest is not
locked.
For additional information on safety
belts: refer to page 56
Airbags

●

Please have the system
inspected at your BMW center.
For additional information: refer to
page 61

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52To adjust
Safe seating positionFor relaxed and fatigue-free driving you
should select a sitting position that
reflects your personal requirements. In
combination with the safety belts and
airbags, the correct seating position
plays an important role in enhancing
occupant safety in the event of an acci-
dent. To ensure that the vehicle's safety
systems provide you with optimal pro-
tection, we request that you direct your
careful attention to the following sec-
tion.
For supplementary information on
transporting children, refer to page 63.Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by the rim to keep any chance of injury
to hands or arms to an absolute mini-
mum should the airbag be deployed.
Never allow any objects, individuals or
animals to obstruct the areas between
passengers and airbags. Never use the
front airbag's cover as a storage tray or
support for objects of any kind. Never
allow front passengers to rest their feet
or legs on the airbag cover.<
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags, refer to
page 61.Sitting safely with 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 bulky clothing and pull on the
lap belt periodically to retension it over
your shoulders. 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 it 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 pres-
sure against the abdominal area.<
For information on using the safety
belts, refer to page 56.
SeatsWhen adjusting your seat, always
observe the following precautions
Never try 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
ride with the backrest reclined to an
extreme angle. This is especially impor-
tant for the front passenger to remem-
ber. If you do so, there is a risk that you
will slide under the safety belt in an
accident, thus reducing the protection
provided by the safety belt.
With the wind deflector in place:
To avoid damaging the wind deflector
never push the front seats all the way
back.<
Seat adjustment>Power seat adjustment, refer to
page 53
>Head restraint, refer to page 54
>Entering the rear, refer to page 55.
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55
Do not remove the rear head
restraints, as this would damage
them.<
For further information, please consult
your BMW center.
Do not use the rear head
restraints as storage shelves.
Always keep the travel path for the roll-
over protection system free and clear.
Never place protective covers or similar
items on the head restraints. See also
the labels on the head restraints.<
Entering the rearThe seat-integrated safety belt system
SGS allows for easy access to the rear.
1. Lift lever 1 up and tilt the backrest
forward
2. Press and hold button 2 in driving
direction until the seat moves to the
desired position
3. After entering the rear, fold back and
lock the backrest
4. Press button 2 opposite the direction
of travel and hold. The seat moves
back into its previous position. If the
button 2 is released beforehand, the
seat stops in the respective position.
You can lock a backrest that has
been tilted forward. This makes
sense when, for instance, someone is
climbing into the rear on an incline. To
do this, press against the backrest until
you hear it click into place. To move it
back into place, you do not need to first
unlock it by moving the lever 1.<
Lock both backrests while driving,
otherwise there is a danger of an
unexpected movement causing an
accident.<
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster will flash to alert you that the
backrest is not locked in place, refer to
page 18.
Head restraints
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56
Safety beltsAlways wear your safety beltAlways fasten your safety belt before
starting off. As supplemental restraint
devices, the airbags are designed to
enhance the effectiveness of the safety
belts, and not to replace them.
Always detach the rear safety
belts from their retainers before
wearing.<
To avoid undesired movement at
high speeds, always store the rear
safety belts in their retainers when they
are not in use. the belt buckle.
To release1. Press the red button in the belt
buckle
2. Hold the belt
3. Guide the belt back into its reel.Adjusting the safety belt height The front belt system automatically
adjusts to your body size when the
height of the head restraint is adjusted.
Refer to page 54.
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, includ-
ing the safety belt tensioner. In addi-
tion, 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.<
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61 Passenger safety systems
Airbags1Front airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides
2Side airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides front and rear*Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the safety
belts by providing additional protection
in the event of a severe frontal collision
in which the protection afforded by the
belts alone may no longer be sufficient.
The side airbags help provide protec-
tion 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.
For information on the correct sitting
posture, refer to page 52.
The side airbags in the rear pas-
senger area* of your vehicle may
already have been deactivated either at
the time of manufacture or by a BMW
center. You may have them activated if
you desire to do so. Please contact
your BMW center for additional infor-
mation.<
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor collisions, rear
impacts and certain kinds of vehicle
rollover.<
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags,
cover them or modify them in any other
way. Do not remove the airbag restraint
system. In the event of a malfunction,
deactivation or triggered activation – as
a response to an accident – of the air-
bag restraint system, consult your BMW
center for inspection, repair or disas-
sembly. Do not modify or tamper with
either the wiring or the individual com-
ponents in the airbag system. These
include the upholstered covers on the
steering wheel, instrument panel, side
trim panels of the doors and front roof
pillars and on the sides of the headliner.
Also, do not attempt to remove the
steering wheel. Unprofessional
attempts to service the system could
lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury. Do
not touch the individual components
immediately after the system has been
activated, as this could result in per-
sonal injury.<
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained
– infants and small children in appropri-
ate child-restraint systems; larger chil-
dren 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 indi-
cates the airbag's location.
Accident research shows that the saf-
est place for children in an automobile
is in the rear seat. However, a child sit-
ting in the rear seat and not properly
restrained could place his or her head
on or near the airbag, if so equipped.
For example, a child — even though
belted in — 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 not
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62
place their heads on or near the side
airbag. Therefore, we recommend that
the rear-seat side airbags, if installed in
the vehicle, be deactivated if children
will travel in the rear seat.
The rear-seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW cen-
ter. Labels in the 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 con-
tact your BMW center.<
Even when all these guidelines are fol-
lowed, 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 inflation noise may
induce a mild temporary hearing loss in
sensitive individuals.
Corresponding airbag warning labels
are located on both sun visors.This is the right way a child should sit in
a child-restraint when rear side airbags,
see arrow, are provided.
This is the right way a larger child
should sit wearing the seat belt when
rear side airbags, see arrow, are pro-
vided.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates the
operational status of the airbag
system when the ignition key is
in position 1 or higher.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
>Indicator lamp does not come on or
>indicator lamp lights up continuously.
Airbags
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63
If there is a system malfunction, there is
a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered within their normal response
range, even if the level of impact would
normally have triggered them.
Have your BMW center inspect the sys-
tem immediately.
Transporting children safely
To avoid undesired movement at
high speeds, always store the rear
safety belts in their retainers when they
are not in use.<
Commercially available child-restraint
systems are designed to be secured
with a lap belt or with the lap belt por-
tion of a combination lap/shoulder belt.
Improperly or inadequately installed
restraint systems can increase the risk
of injury to children. Always read and
follow the instructions that come with
the system.
Child-restraint system with
tether strapIf you use a child-restraint system with
a tether strap, two additional tether
anchorage points have been provided –
refer to the arrows in the illustration.
Airbags
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