
Contents
Contents
Notes
6About this Owner's Manual
6Symbols used
6Symbol on vehicle parts
6Your individual vehicle
6Status at time of printing
7For your own safety
7Service and warranty
8Reporting safety defects
Overview
12Cockpit
13Instrument cluster
14Indicator and warning lamps
Opening and closing
18Keys
18Central locking system
18Remote control
20Door lock
20Interior
21Luggage compartment lid
22Luggage compartment 
22Electric power windows
23Manual convertible top
24Fully automatic convertible top*
26Wind deflector*
27Alarm system*
Adjustments
29Safe seating position
29Seats
30Seat memory*
 
31Seat heating*
31Safety belts
32Steering wheel 
32Mirrors 
33Airbags
34Transporting children safely
37Vehicle Memory, Key Memory 
Driving
38Ignition lock 
38Engine
39Parking brake 
40Manual transmission 
40Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic*
42Electric Power Steering EPS
42Drivelogic*
42Turn signal indicators/Headlamp 
flasher 
43Washer/wiper system and 
rain sensor* 
44Cruise control* 
Lamps
45Parking lamps/Low beams
46High beams/Standing lamps
46Instrument lighting
46Fog lamps
46Interior lamps
© 2002 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the 
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 156 897
US English VIII/02
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper –
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling. 

Overview
12
Overview
Cockpit
1Parking lamps/Low beams45
2>Turn signal indicators42
>Standing lamps46
>High beams46
>Headlamp flasher42
>Computer49
3Fog lamps464Horn
5Washer/wiper system/Rain sensor43
6Hazard warning flashers
7Central locking system20
8Engine compartment release77
9Luggage compartment lid release21 

Overview
14
Indicator and warning 
lamps
Technology that monitors itself 
Indicator and warning lamps that are iden-
tified by 
+ are tested for proper functioning 
whenever the ignition key is turned. They 
each light up once for different periods of 
time.
If a fault should occur in one of these sys-
tems, the corresponding lamp does not go 
out after the engine is started or it lights up 
again while the vehicle is moving. The indi-
cated pages provide information on what 
measures to take.
Please fasten safety belts 
+31
 Airbags 
+33
Battery charge current 
+87
Engine oil pressure/Engine oil level/
Engine oil sensor
 +79
Parking brake/Chassis control sys-
tem/Dynamic Brake Control/Brake 
fluid 
+39/ 51/ 52/ 81
Brake warning lamp for Canadian 
models
Antilock Brake System ABS/Chas-
sis control system 
+53/ 51
Antilock Brake System ABS/Chas-
sis control system for Canadian 
modelsDynamic Stability Control DSC
 +51
Dynamic Traction Control DTC 
+51
Flat Tire Monitor 
+53
Automatic transmission 
+41
Brake pads 
+66
Add coolant80
Check Gas Cap 
+
Service engine soon +83
Service engine soon 
+
warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Defective bulbs45
Turn signal indicators42
Fog lamps46
Headlamp flasher/
High beams42/ 46 

Driving
42 positions, however, the vehicle will be 
operating in the fourth gear only.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine loads 
and consult the nearest BMW center.
Never work in the engine compart-
ment when a drive gear – forward or 
reverse – is engaged. If you do so, the vehi-
cle could move.<
For towing, tow-starting and jump-starting: 
refer to the information beginning on 
page 89.
Electric Power Steering EPS
The concept
The electric power steering is a direct, 
sporting steering system that is speed-sen-
sitive. 
Power support is reduced with an increase 
in driving speed.
Indicator lamp
Electric Power Steering
The indicator lamp stays lit:
The system has malfunctioned or is 
faulty.
Please have the system inspected by the 
nearest BMW center. 
Steering remains operational.
Drivelogic*
The Drivelogic feature lets you select 
between the standard and sport program. 
The sport program is recommended for 
performance-oriented driving.
Activating Drivelogic
Press the SPORT button.
The LED in the key lights up.
The sport program of the automatic 
transmission is enabled by activating 
the Drivelogic system. Thus, the selector 
lever does not have to be shifted from D to 
M/S; refer also to page 41.
The electric power steering switches from 
standard mode to sport mode. Power sup-
port is reduced for a more sporting driving 
style.<
Turn signal indicators/
Headlamp flasher 
1High beams – blue indicator lamp
2Headlamp flasher – blue indicator lamp
3Turn signal indicator – green indicator 
lamps accompanied by a periodic click-
ing sound from the relay
To signal briefly
Press the lever up to but not beyond the 
detent. It then returns to the center position 
when released.
If the flashing indicator lamp and the 
clicking from the relay are both faster 
than normal, one of the turn signal indica-
tors has failed.< 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
 43
Washer/wiper system and 
rain sensor* 
0Wipers retracted
1Intermittent operation or rain sensor
2Normal wiper speed
3Fast wiper speed
4Brief wipe
5Rotary dial for control of the wipe inter-
val or the sensitivity of the rain sensor
Intermittent operation
Not on vehicles with rain sensor.
You can set the wipe interval over four 
stages with rotary dial 5.
In addition, the wipe interval is varied auto-
matically depending on road speed.
Rain sensor
The rain sensor is positioned on the wind-
shield, directly behind the interior rearview 
mirror. 
To activate the rain sensor:
>With the ignition key in position 1 or 
higher, move the lever to position 1. The 
wipers travel once across the wind-
shield, regardless of the weather.
You can leave the lever permanently in 
position 1. With the ignition key in 
position 1 or higher, it is then only neces-
sary to activate the rain sensor. To do this
>turn rotary dial 5 briefly.
To adjust the sensitivity of the rain sensor: 
turn rotary dial 5.
To deactivate the rain sensor:
return lever to position 0.Turn the rain sensor off in automatic 
car washes. Failure to do so could 
result in damage caused by undesired 
wiper activation.<
Normal wiper speed
When the vehicle is stationary, the wipers 
automatically switch to intermittent wipe – 
not on vehicles with rain sensor.
Fast wiper speed
When the vehicle is stationary, the wipers 
operate at normal speed – not on vehicles 
with rain sensor.
Cleaning windshield and 
headlamps
*
0Wipers retracted
1Cleaning windshield and headlamps
*
Do not use the washers if there is any 
danger that the fluid will freeze on the 
windshield, otherwise vision could be 
obscured. For this reason, use an anti-
freeze agent. Refer to page 79.
Do not use the washers when the reservoir 
is empty. Otherwise damage to the washer 
pump could result.<
Cleaning the windshield
The system sprays washer fluid against the 
windshield and activates the wipers for a 
brief period.
Cleaning the headlamps
When the vehicle's lighting system is 
switched on, the headlamps are cleaned at 
reasonable intervals. 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
 45
Lamps
Parking lamps/Low beams
Parking lamps
The front, rear and side vehicle 
lighting is switched on. You can use 
the parking lamps to signal the 
position of the vehicle when it is parked. 
For information on lighting on one side of 
the vehicle for parking, which is available 
as an additional feature, refer to page 46.
Low beams
When you switch off the ignition 
with the low beam headlamps on, 
only the parking lamps will remain 
on.
Follow me home lamps:
When you activate the headlamp flasher 
after parking the vehicle and switching off 
the lights, the low beams will come on for a 
brief period.
You can also have this function acti-
vated/deactivated if you wish.<
Defective bulbs
The defective bulb indicator lamp 
lights up:
At least one bulb of the vehicle's 
exterior lighting has failed.
For replacing bulbs: refer to page 84.
LIGHTS ON warning
Whenever you open the driver's door after 
having turned the ignition key to position 0, 
you will hear an acoustic signal for a few seconds to remind you that the lamps have 
not been switched off
.
Daytime driving lamps*
If you wish, the light switch can be left in 
the second position. When the ignition is 
switched off, the external lighting is also 
switched off.
You can have the activation settings 
for the daytime driving lamps pro-
grammed on your vehicle.<
Automatic headlamp control* 
When the switch is set to this posi-
tion, the system automatically 
switches the low beams on and off 
in response to changes in ambient light – in 
tunnels, at dusk, etc. – as well as to rain and 
snow.
 The vehicle's external lights remain 
on constantly when you switch on the 
front fog lamps after the headlights have 
come on automatically.< 
Automatic headlamp control cannot 
serve as a substitute for the driver's 
judgement in determining when the vehicle 
lights should be switched on. For example, 
the sensors are not able to detect fog. To 
avoid safety risks, you should respond to 
these kinds of low-visibility situations by 
switching the headlights on manually.< 
 You can have the sensitivity of your 
vehicle's automatic headlamp control 
adjusted.<  

Lamps
46
High beams/Standing 
lamps
1High beams – blue indicator lamp
2Headlamp flasher – blue indicator lamp
3Standing lamps
Left or right standing lamps*
As an additional feature, you can illuminate 
your vehicle on either side for parking:
With the ignition key in position 0, push the 
lever in the appropriate turn-signal direc-
tion. The lever engages in the turn signal 
position.
Instrument lighting
Turn the rotary dial to adjust the illumina-
tion intensity.
Fog lamps
Fog lamps*
A green indicator lamp comes on in 
the instrument cluster to indicate 
that the front fog lamps are on.
If the automatic headlamp control is 
on, the low beams will automatically 
come on whenever you activate the front 
fog lamps.< 
Interior lamps
The interior lamps operate automatically.
To switch the interior lamps on and 
off manually
Press button 1 briefly.
If you would like the interior lamps to 
remain off all the time, press and hold the 
button for approx. 3 seconds.
Press the button briefly to revert to normal 
operation.
Reading lamps*
Switch on and off with button 2 adjacent to 
each lamp. 

In the engine compartment
78
Engine compartment
1Reservoir for headlamp and windshield 
washer system79
2Engine oil filler neck80
3Auxiliary terminal for jump-starting894Reservoir for brake fluid81
5Chassis ground – negative terminal
6Engine oil dipstick79
7Coolant expansion tank80