
Contents
Contents
Notes
6Using this Owner's Manual
6Symbols used
7The individual vehicle
7Editorial notice
8For your own safety
9Service and warranty
9Reporting safety defects
Cockpit
12Driver's side Ð controls and displays
16Comfort and convenience Ð controls
and displays
18Buttons in steering wheel
Control Center
19The concept
19Controller
19Control Display
20Symbols and lists
22Menus in Control Display
23Assistance window
*
24Top and bottom status lines
24Control Center in rear
*
Voice command
26Voice command system
26Voice commands
28Notices
28The notebook
29Short commands
Opening and closing
34Key/remote control
35Central locking system
35Opening and closing Ð from outside 37Opening and closing Ð from inside
38Doors
38Luggage compartment lid
40Luggage compartment
41Alarm system
42Electric power windows
43Sliding/tilt sunroof
*
Adjustments
45Sit safely
45Seats
47Head restraints
50Safety belts
51Heated seats
*
51Active seat ventilation
*
52Active seat
*
52Mirrors
53Steering wheel adjustment
54Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory
55Airbags
57Transporting children safely
59LATCH
*
child-restraint system
59Child-safety locks
60Vehicle Memory, Key Memory
Driving
61Ignition lock
62Starting the engine
62Switching off the engine
62Parking brake
67Automatic transmission with L mode
69Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
*
© 2002 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with
the written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 157 197
US English XII/2002, 6 096
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper
Ð bleached without chlorine, suitable for
recycling.

Adjustments
50
To set the side extensions
You can fold the side extensions on the
head restraint forward to increase lateral
support.
Safety belts
Despite the presence of airbags, you
should always remember to fasten
your safety belt before starting off; airbags
are intended to enhance the protection
provided by the safety belts, and not to
replace them.<
Fastening
Make sure you hear the latch plate engage
in the belt buckle. Warning lamp Please fasten safety
belts
Accompanied by a signal or a mes-
sage in the Check Control display.
Remains on until the safety belts are fas-
tened.
Releasing
Press the red button in the buckle. Hold the
belt and guide it back into its reel.
The shoulder strap's anchorage point will
be in the correct position for seat occu-
pants of every build if the seat is correctly
adjusted, refer to page 45.
The two rear safety belt buckles integrated
in the rear seat are for passengers sitting
on the left and right. The belt buckle
embossed with the word CENTER is
intended exclusively for use by passengers
riding in the center position.
Also observe the instructions on adjusting
the seats on page 45.
If the safety belts are damaged or
stretched in an accident: have the
entire belt system, including the tensioning
mechanisms, replaced at your BMW
center. Have the belt anchorage points
inspected for damage at the same time.
Failure to observe this precaution may pre-
vent the safety belts from effectively pro-
viding optimal protection when needed. If a
child-restraint system was in the vehicle
during an accident, consult the manufac-
turer's instructions regarding replace-
ment.<
Rear seats
When the rear center position is not
occupied, the latch on the safety belt
can be inserted in the slot between the
seat's upholstery and the backrest.<

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Reference
55
Safety feature
1.Driver's door closed and ignition
switched either on or off
2.Press memory button 1 or 2 and main-
tain pressure until the adjustment pro-
cess has been completed.
If you press the
MEMORY button acciden-
tally:
Press the button again; 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.<
You can have your vehicle pro-
grammed to automatically dial in your
own individual adjustment settings for the
seat, mirrors and steering wheel whenever
you use your personal remote control unit
to unlock the vehicle.<
When using the Key Memory feature
always make sure that the footwell
behind the driver's seat is empty and unob-
structed. If you fail to do so, any persons or
objects behind the seat could be injured or
damaged by a rearward movement of the
seat.<
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt
function
Automatic curb monitor
1.Select the driver's door mirror with the
switch
2.When you select the transmission posi-
tion R, the door mirror on the front pas-
senger side tilts downward slightly. This
allows the driver to see the area imme-
diately adjacent to the vehicle Ð such as
a curb Ð when parking, etc.
You can deactivate this automatic feature:
Slide the mirror selection switch to the pas-
senger's side position.
Airbags
1Front airbags for driver and front pas-
senger
2Head airbags in front and rear
3Side airbags in front and rear
*
4Knee airbags for driver and front pas-
senger Airbags are located under the upholstery
covers on the steering wheel, in the instru-
ment panel, in the door trim panels in front
and rear*, on the roof pillars and the sides
of the headliner.

Adjustments
56
Protective effect
The front airbags help protect the front
passengers by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot
provide adequate restraint. When needed,
the head and side airbags help provide
protection in the event of side impact. The
side airbags help restrain the side of the
occupant's upper torso, and the head air-
bags help support the head while also
helping provide protection against any
objects penetrating into the passenger
compartment. The knee airbags help pro-
tect the legs against impact against the
cockpit.
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 information.<
For information on the correct sitting posi-
tion, refer to page 45.
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor accidents or rear
collisions, nor do they respond to certain
kinds of vehicle rollover.<
Even when all safety guidelines are
observed, there is a small residual risk that
passengers will sustain facial, hand or arm
injuries in isolated instances. The ignition
and inflation noise may provoke a mild Ð
usually temporary Ð hearing loss in
extremely sensitive individuals.
Important safety notes
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags, cover
them or modify them in any other way.
Do not attempt to remove the airbag
restraint system from the vehicle. If you
note any indication of system malfunction,
if you desire to have an airbag deactivated,
or if the airbags are triggered in response
to an accident, you should always entrust
all inspection, repair and dismantling oper-
ations to your BMW center.
Never modify or tamper with either the wiring or the individual components in the
airbag system. This category includes the
upholstery in the center of the steering
wheel, on the instrument panel, the side
trim panels on the front or rear doors, and
the roof pillars along with the sides of the
headliner. Do not attempt to remove or dis-
mantle the steering wheel.
To ensure compliance with official safety
regulations, entrust disposal of airbag gen-
erators only to a BMW center.
Unprofessional attempts to service the
system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either
of which could result in personal injury.
Do not touch the individual components
directly after the system has been trig-
gered, because there is a danger of
burns.<
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained Ð
infants and small children in appropriate
child-restraint systems; larger children 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 indicates the airbag's location.
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat. If you do so, the child could be
severely injured when the airbag is trig-
gered.
Children under 13 years of age and chil-
dren less than 5 ft (150 cm) tall should
always ride in the rear and the restraint sys-
tems should be secured with the vehicle's
safety belts.
Accident research shows that the safest
place for children in an automobile is in the
rear seat. However, a child sitting in the
rear seat and not properly restrained may
place his or her head on or near the airbag,
if so equipped.
For example, a child Ñ even though belted
Ñ 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 do not place their heads on or

Everything from A to Z
212
A
"ABC..." for
navigation 132, 133
ABS Antilock Braking
System 96
ACC, refer to Active cruise
control 75
"ACCEPT" for
navigation 136, 142
Accessories 8
Accessory position 61
Activated-charcoal
filter 111
Activation
Ð portable phone 174
Activation time 113
Active cruise control 75
Ð malfunctions 81
Active head restraints,
front 48
Active seat 52
Active seat ventilation 51
Adapter for spare key 34
Adaptive brake lamp 101
Adding washer fluid 73
"Address book" 140
Adjusting
Ð head restraints 47
Ð lumbar support 46
Ð seats 46
Ð shoulder support 46
Ð thigh support 46
Airbags 55
Air distribution 107, 109
Air outlet vents 105
Air pressure, refer to Tire
inflation pressure 184
Air supply 107
Ð rear air conditioner 111
AKI, refer to Fuel
specifications 183Alarm system 41
Ð avoiding unintentional
alarms 41
All-season tires 188
"AM..." 146, 149, 151
AM waveband 149
Anchorages 126
"ANGLE" in DVD mode 167
Antifreeze 191
Ð washer fluid 73
Antilock Braking System
ABS 96
Anti-theft system 35, 41
Approved gross vehicle
weight 210
Aquaplaning, refer to
Hydroplaning 124
Armrest, refer to Center
armrest 120
Arrival time 88
"Arrow display" for
navigation 138
"AS ADDRESS"
Ð current location 142
Ð destination
input 132, 134, 135
Ð destination list 136
Ð directory creation 140
Ð home address 141
Ð in address directory 141
Ð most recent
destinations 136
"AS DEST."
Ð destination
input 132, 134, 135
Ð directory creation 140
Ð home address 141
Ð most recent
destinations 136
Ð with address
directory 140Ashtray
Ð front 118
Ð rear 119
Assistance window
Ð Control Center 23
Ð help texts 23
Ð status lines 24
AUC Automatic
recirculated-air
control 107
"Audio" 146, 149
Audio 146
Ð adjusting the tone 147
Ð controls 146
Ð switching on/off 147
Ð volume 147
"AUDIO" in DVD mode 167
"AUTO", refer to Automatic
climate control 109
"AUTO" for audio
operation 151
Automatic
Ð air distribution 107
Ð cruise control 73
Ð headlamp control 102
Ð luggage compartment lid
control 36, 40
Ð steering wheel
adjustment 53
Automatic car wash, refer
to Care manual
Automatic climate
control 105
Ð rear air conditioner 111
Ð rear cooler 116
Ð settings 107
Ð settings in Control
Display 109
Automatic curb monitor 55
Automatic Hold
Ð parking 64
Ð parking brake 63
Everything from A to Z
Contents