2003 BMW M5 SEDAN transmission

5n

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

Controls and features

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags49
Transporting children safely51
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory55

Driving:

Steering/Ignition lock56
Starting the engine56
Switching off the engine57
Parking brake58
Manual transmission58
Turn signal/Headlamp flasher59
Washer/Wiper system/
Rain sensor60
Cruise control61

Everything under control:

Odometer, outside temperature
display63
Tachometer64
Engine oil temperature64
Fuel gauge64
Coolant temperature gauge65
Service Interval Display65
Check Control66
Multi-Information Display
(MID)69
Digital clock70
Computer73

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)78
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)80
M Dynamic Driving Control81
Flat Tire Monitor82

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams84
Instrument lighting85
High beams/Standing lamps85
Fog lamps85
Interior lamps86
Reading lamps86

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Automatic climate control87
Roller sun blind92
Parked-car ventilation92

Interior conveniences:

BMW Universal Transmitter93
Glove compartment96
Storage compartments96
Cellular phone97
Beverage holder97
Ashtray, front97
Cigarette lighter98
Ashtray, rear98

Loading and transporting
cargo:

Through-loading system99
Ski bag100
Cargo loading102
Roof-mounted luggage rack103

58n
Parking brake Manual transmission The parking brake is designed primarily
to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
it is parked. It operates on the rear
wheels.To engageThe lever engages automatically when
it is pulled up, and the "PARK BRAKE"
(in Canada "P") indicator lamp comes
on in the instrument cluster in ignition
key position 2. Refer to page 17. To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button and lower the lever.390de714
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull it with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed
against the release button while care-
fully pulling the lever up to apply mod-
erate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is applied. Always
engage the parking brake when parking
on hills and inclined surfaces, as even
first gear or reverse may not provide
adequate resistance to rolling.<
You can help prevent corrosion and
maintain balanced braking by periodi-
cally pulling up the parking brake lever
gently while coasting to a stop at a
traffic light. Always check traffic condi-
tions first to avoid posing a hazard to
yourself or other road users.
When shifting gears, always depress
the clutch pedal all the way down, then
move the gearshift lever until it engages
securely in the desired gear.
You will also need to depress the clutch
when starting the engine, as an auto-
matic lockout prevents the starter from
operating when the clutch is engaged.
When the vehicle lighting is switched
on, the shift pattern is illuminated on
the gearshift lever.
When shifting gears in the 5th/
6th-gear plane, be sure to press
the gearshift lever to the right in order
to prevent inadvertent selection of a
gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.<39mde017

59n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Manual transmission Turn signal/Headlamp flasherReverse Select only when the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped. Press the gearshift
lever to the left to overcome the resis-
tance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
turn on automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
Riding the clutch causes the clutch
assembly to wear out prematurely.<
1 High beam (blue indicator lamp)
2 Headlamp flasher (blue indicator
lamp)
3 Turn signal indicator (green indicator
lamp accompanied by periodic
clicking sound from the relay)To signal brieflyPress the lever up to but not beyond
the pressure point. It then returns to the
center position when released.
If the indicator lamp and the
clicking from the relay are both
faster than normal, one of the turn
signal indicators has failed.<39mde135

93n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
The conceptThe BMW Universal Transmitter
replaces up to 3 hand-held transmitters,
e.g. for garage-door openers, alarm
systems or a door-locking system. The
BMW Universal Transmitter recognizes
and "learns" the signal transmitted from
each of the original hand-held transmit-
ters.
The signal of an original hand-held
transmitter can be programmed to one
of the three channel keys. Following
that, each of the devices can be actu-
ated with the appropriately-pro-
grammed channel key. The indicator
lamp flashes to confirm transmission of
the signal.
Before you sell your vehicle, the pro-
gram data in the channel keys should
be deleted. Refer to page 95 for the
description of this process.
To prevent potential injuries or
damage: during the programming
operation and before every remote trig-
gering of a programmed device using
the BMW Universal Transmitter, be sure
that there are no persons, animals or
objects within the range of movement of
the respective device. Read and comply
with the safety instructions for the orig-
inal hand-held transmitter also.<
To Canadian residents
During programming, your hand-
held transmitter may automatically stop
transmitting after two seconds. This
may not be long enough to program the
BMW Universal Transmitter. If you are
programming from one of these hand-
held transmitters, the BMW Universal
Transmitter's light may begin to flash in
a series of double-blinks. If this occurs,
continue to hold the key on the BMW
Universal Transmitter while you reacti-
vate your hand-held transmitter. You
may have to repeat this function several
times while programming.<
Before programming, read the
"User's information" section on
page 95.< The original hand-held transmitter
If this symbol is depicted on
the packaging or in the user's
instructions for the original
hand-held transmitter, it may be
assumed that this original hand-held
transmitter is compatible with the BMW
Universal Transmitter.
Checking for the conversion codeIn order to determine whether the orig-
inal hand-held transmitter is equipped
with a conversion code system, you
may either refer to the instructions for
the original hand-held transmitter or
program a channel key as described in
the left-hand column on page 94 under
"Programming."
Following that, press and hold the pro-
grammed channel key on the BMW Uni-
versal Transmitter. If the indicator lamp
on the BMW Universal Transmitter
flashes rapidly for two seconds and
then stays on continuously, the original
hand-held transmitter is equipped with
a conversion code system. If the con-
version code system is available, pro-
gram the channel keys as described on
page 94 in the right-hand column under
"Programming a hand-held transmitter
with conversion code."
If you have additional questions,
please consult your BMW center
or call 1-800-355-3515.<
BMW Universal Transmitter
*

107n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Driving notes Antilock Brake System
Brakes:
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. Even light but con-
sistent pedal pressure can lead to high
temperatures, brake wear and possibly
even brake failure.
Hydroplaning:
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not,
a wedge of water may form between
the tires and the road surface. This phe-
nomenon is referred to as aquaplaning,
or hydroplaning, and can lead to partial
or complete loss of traction, vehicle
control and braking effectiveness.
Driving through water:
When there is water on the roads, do
not drive in it if it is deeper than 1 ft
(30 cm). If the water is at that depth,
drive only at walking speed, otherwise
the vehicle can sustain damage to the
engine, the electrical systems and the
transmission.
Rear parcel tray:
Do not place heavy or hard objects on
the rear parcel tray. If you do so, they
could pose a danger to vehicle occu-
pants during a braking or evasive
maneuver.
Clothes hooks:
When suspending clothing from the
hooks, ensure that they will not obstruct
the driver's vision. Do not hang any
heavy objects on the hooks, otherwise,
passengers could be injured e.g. during
any hard braking or evasive maneuvers,
or during an accident.<
The conceptThe Antilock Brake System (ABS) keeps
the wheels from locking during braking,
thereby enhancing active driving safety.
With ABS, the shortest possible braking
distances are achieved under most
conditions (on straight-aways and in
curves, on asphalt, ice, wet road sur-
faces, etc.).Braking with ABSIf you are in a situation that requires
full braking, you will exploit the full ben-
efits of the ABS system if you apply
maximum pedal pressure ("panic stop").
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its
active mode.

116n
Engine oilThe oil volume between the two marks
on the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts (1 liter). Do not fill beyond
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess
oil will damage the engine. 460de189
To add oil While you should wait until the level has
dropped to just above the lower marks
before adding oil, you should never
allow the oil level to fall below this
mark.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without oil additives; the
use of additives could lead to damage
in some cases. This is also true for the
manual transmission, the differential,
and the power steering system.<
Recommendation: have the oil changed
by your BMW center only.39mde110
Continuous exposure to used oil
has caused cancer in laboratory
testing.
For this reason, any skin areas that
come into contact with oil should be
thoroughly washed with soap and
water.
Store oil, grease, etc., out of reach of
children. Comply with warning labels
and information on containers.<
Comply with the applicable envi-
ronmental laws regulating the dis-
posal of used oil.<

143n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank
of which reserve gal. (liters)
gal. (liters)approx. 18.5 (approx. 70)
approx. 2.5 (approx. 10) Fuel specification: page 22
Windshield washer system
with headlamp washer system
Intensive cleaning systemquarts (liters)
quarts (liters)
quarts (liters)approx. 3.7 (approx. 3.5)
approx. 6.3 (approx. 6.0)
approx. 1.1 (approx. 1.0) For details: page 115
Cooling system including heater
circuitquarts (liters) 12.7 (12.0) For details: page 117
Engine oil filter change quarts (liters) 6.9 (6.5) "BMW High Performance Synthetic
Oil," for details: page 117
Manual transmission and differential Ð Oil change at the 1,200-mile-service,
then the oil never needs to be
changed again

Everything from A to Z
149n
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
Luggage compartment
lid32
emergency release from
luggage compartment's
interior34
opening from the
inside33
opening from the
outside33
remote control29
securing separately32
unlocking in case of
electrical
malfunction32t
Luggage net34
Luggage straps34
Lumbar support41 M
M Dynamic Driving
Control81
M Mobility system128
M+S tires112
Maintenance65, 119t
Malfunction displays66
Manual operation
doors27t
fuel filler door20t
luggage compartment
lid32t
sliding/tilt sunroof39t Manual transmission58
Maximum cooling90
Memory, adjustment of seat,
mirror, steering wheel45
Microfilter91
MID (Multi-Information
Display)69
Mirrors48
adjusting48
heating48
position adjustment
memory45
self-defrosting48
Modifications,
technical120
Multifunction buttons,
steering wheel19
Multifunction switch59
Multi-Information Display
(MID)69
O
OBD interface socket121
Odometer63
Oil
additives116
checking level115
consumption115
grades117 Oil change interval, refer to
the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet (US
models) or the Warranty
and Service Guide Booklet
(Canadian models)
Oil pressure, indicator
lamp16
Oil specification117
OILSERVICE65
Onboard tool kit124t
Opening and closing
from inside31
from outside27
with the key27
Outside temperature
display63
P
Park Distance Control
(PDC)78
Parked-car ventilation
system92
activating72
refer also to the "Owner's
Manual for Onboard
Computer"
Parking brake17, 58
Parking lamps14, 84 Passenger-side mirror tilt
function46
PDC Park Distance
Control78
Performance Recognition for
M Dynamic Driving
Control81
Pocket flashlight96
Pollen filter91
Power seat41
Power windows36
safety switch37
Pressure monitor, tires82
Pressure, tires22t, 109
Q
Quality grades, tires110 R
Rain sensor60
Reading lamps86
Rear backrest, folding99
Rear window defroster90
Rearseat backrest,
folding99
Rearview mirrors48
Recirculated-air mode90
Refueling20