
 
Contents
 
9
 
Passenger safety systems:
 
Airbags52
Transporting children safely54
Vehicle Memory, Key 
Memory58
 
Driving:
 
Ignition lock59
Starting the engine59
Switching off the engine61
Parking brake61
Manual transmission62
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic*63
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp 
flasher66
Washer/wiper system/Rain 
sensor*67
Cruise control*69
 
Everything under control:
 
Odometer71
Tachometer71
Energy control71
Fuel gauge72
Engine coolant temperature 
gauge72
Service interval display73
Check Control73
Clock74
Computer*75
 
Technology for safety and 
driving convenience:
 
Park Distance Control (PDC)*77
Automatic Stability Control plus 
Traction (ASC+T)*78
Dynamic Stability Control 
(DSC)*80
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) – 
BMW 325xi82
Hill Descent Control (HDC)*84
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)*85
Flat Tire Monitor*86
 
Lamps:
 
Parking lamps/Low beams89
Instrument lighting90
High beams/Standing lamps90
Fog lamps*91
Interior lamps91
 
Controlling the climate for 
pleasant driving:
 
Air conditioning92
Automatic climate control*96
 
Interior conveniences:
 
Premium sound system*101
Glove compartment101
Storage compartments102
Cellular phone*103
Ashtray, front*104
Ashtray, rear*104
Socket105
 
Loading and transporting:
 
Ski bag*106
Cargo area107
Cargo loading109
Roof-mounted luggage 
rack*111
 
Controls and features
 
handbook.book  Page 9  Saturday, July 27, 2002  1:36 PM 

 
15
1Parking lamps/Low beams89
2
 
>
 
Turn signal indicators66
 
>
 
Standing lamps90
 
>
 
High beams90
 
>
 
Headlamp flasher66
 
>
 
Computer75
3Washer/wiper system/Rain 
sensor67
4Hazard warning flashers
5Central locking system30
6Rear window defroster94, 99
7Horn: the entire surface
8Adjusting the steering wheel50
9Fog lamps91
 
Cockpit
 
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
 
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25
Close the fuel filler cap carefully 
after refueling until a click is 
heard. While closing, be sure not to 
squeeze the strap which is fastened to 
the cap. A loose or missing cap will 
activate the CHECK FILLER CAP 
lamp.<
Fuel tank capacity>Approx. 16.6 gal./63 liters, of which
>approx. 2.1 gal./8 liters are reserve 
capacity.
Do not drive to the last drop of 
fuel. This can prevent the engine 
from operating properly and result in 
damage.<
Fuel specificationsThe engine uses lead-free gasoline 
only.
Required fuel:
>Premium Unleaded Gasoline,
min. 91 AKI.
AKI = Anti Knock Index
Never use leaded fuel, as it would 
cause permanent and irreversible 
damage to the oxygen sensor and the 
catalytic converter.<
Tire inflation pressureThe specified inflation pressures are 
provided on a sticker attached to the 
B-pillar and are visible with the driver's 
door open.Checking tire pressuresAll pressures are specified in the stan-
dard units of pressure, psi and kilopas-
cal, and apply to cold tires – tires at 
ambient temperature – refer to tire 
pressure table at the end of this chap-
ter.
Vehicles with Tire Pressure Monitor 
(TPM)/Flat Tire Monitor:
After correcting the inflation pressures, 
reinitialize the system. Refer to 
pages 85, 86.
Refueling
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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
>Opening the rear window, refer to 
page 32.
The rear window will open slightly, 
regardless of whether it was previ-
ously 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, 
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 pre-
vent unauthorized use of the remote 
control, surrender only the door and 
ignition key or the spare key when leav-
ing the vehicle for valet parking, for 
example.
In the event of a system malfunction, 
please contact your BMW center. You 
can also obtain replacement keys 
there.<
1Unlock, convenience opening mode, 
and disarm alarm system
2Lock and secure, arm alarm system, 
activate interior lamps, disarm tilt 
alarm sensor, interior motion sensor 
and
deactivate Panic mode
3Open the rear window, 
Panic mode – trigger alarmTo releasePress the button once to unlock the 
driver's door.
Press the button a second time to 
unlock all vehicle locks.
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32
Convenience opening modePress and hold button: the power win-
dows and sliding/tilt sunroof are 
opened.To lock and securePress button.To switch on the interior lampsAfter locking the vehicle, press button 
again.To deactivate the tilt alarm* and 
interior motion sensors*Press button a second time immedi-
ately after locking.
For additional information, refer to 
page 38.
To open the rear windowPress button.
The rear window opens slightly. It can 
now be tilted up.
Before and after a trip, be sure 
that the rear window has not been 
opened unintentionally.<
If you prefer, the tailgate will open 
instead of the rear window.
triggered in the event of danger, if it is 
armed.
To switch of the alarm:
Press 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 the door lock.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, and
>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
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37
Alarm system*The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood, the tailgate 
or the rear window is opened
>To movement 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
>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
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes
>Flashing the high beams 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 also open the rear window 
when the system is armed by pressing 
the remote control button, refer to 
page 32. The window is once again 
secured when it is closed.
Indicator lamp displays>The indicator lamp below the interior 
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes while the 
system is armed: the door(s), the 
hood, the tailgate or rear window are 
not completely closed. Even if you do 
not close the alerted area(s), the 
remaining areas are secured, and the 
indicator 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-
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38
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 sensorIn order for the interior motion sensor to 
function properly, the windows and 
sliding/tilt sunroof must be completely 
closed.
Nevertheless, you should deactivate 
the interior motion sensor, see Avoiding 
unintentional alarms, if
>persons or animals are left in the 
vehicle
>the windows or the sliding/tilt sunroof 
are being left open.
The system deactivates the tilt-
alarm sensor and the interior 
motion sensor if the convenience clos-
ing of windows and the sliding/tilt sun-
roof is interrupted in the first 10 sec-
onds and then restarted. The alarm 
must then be disarmed and reactivated 
before it will resume operation.<
Alarm system*
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67
Washer/wiper system/Rain sensor*0Wipers retracted
1Intermittent mode or rain sensor
2Normal wiper speed
3Fast wiper speed
4Brief wipe
5Rotary dial for control of the wipe 
interval or the sensitivity of the rain 
sensorIntermittent modeNot 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 mir-
ror.
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 windshield.
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, or
>clean the windshield 1, refer to 
page 68.
To adjust the sensitivity of the rain sen-
sor: turn rotary dial 5.
To switch off the rain sensor: return 
lever to position 0.
Turn the rain sensor off in auto-
matic car washes. Failure to do so 
could result in damage caused by 
undesired wiper activation.
wipe – not on vehicles with rain sensor.
Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the wip-
ers revert to operation at normal speed 
– not on vehicles with rain sensor.
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