
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. 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
 31
4.Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as 
desired. The indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored setting
Do not select a memory position while 
the vehicle is moving. If you do so, 
there is a risk of accident due to unex-
pected seat movement.<
Ignition key position 1:
>Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3, 
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when one 
of the seat adjustment or memory but-
tons is operated during the adjustment 
process.
With the driver's door closed and the igni-
tion key either removed or in position 0 
or 2:
>Press and hold the desired memory 
button – 1, 2 or 3 – until the adjustment 
process is completed.
If you press the 
MEMORY button 
accidentally: press the button again; 
the indicator lamp goes out.<
You can have your vehicle adjusted in 
such a way that your personal set-
tings are automatically set for the seat 
positions when you unlock the vehicle with 
your personal remote control.<
If you make use of this method of 
adjustment, be sure that the space 
behind the driver's seat is unobstructed 
before unlocking the vehicle. If you fail to 
do so, objects behind the seat could be 
damaged by a rearward movement of the 
seat.<
Seat heating*
The seat cushion and backrest can be 
heated with the ignition key in position 2.
You can call up different heating modes by 
repeatedly pressing the buttons.
The seat heating can also be switched off 
from the higher heating modes:
Press the button and hold it slightly longer.
Safety belts
Always fasten your safety belt before start-
ing off. As supplemental restraint devices, 
the airbags are designed to enhance the 
effectiveness of the safety belts, and not to 
replace them.
To close
Make sure you hear the lock engage in the 
belt buckle.
Please fasten safety belts warning 
lamp:
Lights up for several seconds.
An acoustic signal will sound at the same 
time. 

Controlling the climate for pleasant driving
56
Air distribution
You can direct airflow onto the 
windows  , toward the upper 
body   and into the footwell  . 
All intermediate settings are pos-
sible. 
Air supply/blower
You can set the blower to 8 differ-
ent levels. Both heating and ven-
tilation become more effective as 
the air supply rate is increased.
Temperature
In order to increase the tempera-
ture of the passenger compart-
ment, turn to the right – red zone.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the tem-
perature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the 
windshield may fog over briefly when the 
engine is started. 
Condensation forms during operation 
of the air conditioning system, which 
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water on the ground underneath 
the vehicle are thus normal.<
Outside-air/recirculated-air mode
If there are unpleasant odors in 
the outside air, you can tempo-
rarily block the supply of incom-
ing air. The system then recircu-
lates the air currently within the vehicle.
If the windows fog over in the recircu-
lated air mode, switch this mode off 
and increase the air supply as required.<
Rear window defroster
The indicator lamp lights up when 
the rear window defroster is 
active. The rear window defroster 
switches off automatically.
Ventilation
You can adjust the blower controls for the 
upper body area to obtain the optimum air-
flow rates and directions for your personal 
requirements:
1Rotary dials for opening and closing the 
vents at any setting desired
2Lever for adjusting airflow direction
Particle filter
The built-in particle filter removes dust and 
pollen from the incoming air and in the 
recirculated air mode. Your BMW center 
will replace this filter during the regularly 
scheduled maintenance. A substantial 
reduction in airflow indicates that the filter 
needs to be replaced earlier.
To defrost windows and remove 
condensation
1Turn the rotary control to 
2Turn the rotary blower control for the air 
supply completely to the right
3Turn the rotary temperature control 
completely to the right
4To defrost the rear window, switch on 
the rear window defroster 

Controlling the climate for pleasant driving
58
Tips for pleasant driving
Use the automatic system – switch on with 
AUTO button 6. Select the desired interior 
temperature.
Detailed setting options are described for 
you below.
Automatic air distribution and
supply
The AUTO program assumes the 
adjustment of the air distribution 
and air supply for you and in addi-
tion adapts the temperature to 
external influences – summer, winter – to 
meet preferences you can specify.
Individual air distribution
You can also direct air flow onto 
the windows  , toward the 
upper body   and into the foot-
well   as you require. The arrow 
lights up. The automatic air supply remains 
unchanged. All intermediate settings are 
possible. By pressing the AUTO button, 
you can reactivate the air distribution.
Temperature 
The interior temperature that 
appears on the display panel is a 
general figure intended for refer-
ence purposes. When you start 
the vehicle, the system ensures that the 
selected temperature is reached as quickly 
as possible. It then maintains this tempera-
ture, regardless of the season.
Air supply/blower
You can set the blower through 
an infinitely variable range of 
speeds. This shuts off the auto-
matic air supply. The arrow lights 
up. The automatic air distribution remains 
unchanged. You can reactivate the auto-
matic air supply by pressing the AUTO but-
ton.
When you turn the rotary control toward 
zero: the blower, heating and air condi-
tioner are switched off, and the air supply is stopped. You can reactivate the system by 
turning the control toward the right again.
To defrost windows and remove 
condensation 
This program quickly removes ice 
and condensation from the wind-
shield and the side windows.
Maximum cooling
This program gives you maximum 
cooling within a short period of 
time.
The temperature is set to the lowest possi-
ble value. The system switches into the 
recirculated air mode and air flows at max-
imum blower speed from the air outlets 
only. Therefore, the air outlets must always 
be open when you select this program.
Air conditioning
The air is cooled and dehumidi-
fied and – depending on the tem-
perature setting – rewarmed.
Depending on the weather, the 
windshield may fog over briefly when the 
engine is started.
The air conditioning system is automati-
cally switched on when you use the AUTO 
program.
Condensation forms during operation 
of the air conditioning system, which 
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of con-
densed water on the ground underneath 
the vehicle are thus normal.<
Outside air/Automatic recirculated 
air control AUC/recirculated air 
mode
You can respond to unpleasant 
external odors or pollutants by 
temporarily stopping the flow of 
outside air. The system then 
recirculates the air currently within the 
vehicle. 
By repeatedly pressing the button, you can 
select one of three different operating 
modes. 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
 73
Tire condition
Tire tread – Tire damage
Inspect your tires frequently for tread wear, 
signs of damage and for foreign objects 
lodged in the tread. Check the tread depth.
Tread depth should not be allowed to go 
below 
1/8 in / 3 mm, even though in 
Europe, for example, the legally specified 
minimum tread depth is only 
1/16 in / 
1.6 mm. 
Tread wear indicators in the tread-groove 
base – see arrow – are distributed around 
the wheel circumference and are labeled 
on the tire sidewall as TWI – Tread Wear 
Indicator. At a tread depth of 
1/16 in / 
1.6 mm, the indicators signal that the 
legally permissible wear limit has been 
reached. 
Avoid overloading the vehicle so that 
the permitted load on the tires is not 
exceeded. Overloading can cause over-
heating and damage inside the tires.
The ultimate result can assume the form of 
a sudden air loss.
Unusual vibrations encountered during 
normal vehicle operation can indicate tire 
failure or some other vehicle malfunction. 
This type of problem can be caused by 
contact with curbs, etc.  This is also true for 
irregularities in the vehicle's handling char-
acteristics, such as a pronounced ten-
dency to pull to the left or right. Should this 
occur, respond by immediately reducing 
your speed. Proceed carefully to the near-
est BMW center or professional tire center, 
or have the vehicle towed there to have it 
and its wheels or tires inspected.
Tire damage – up to and including sudden and complete air loss – can pose an 
extreme hazard for both vehicle occupants 
and other road users.<
Tire replacement
To maintain good handling and vehicle 
response, use tires of a single tread config-
uration from a single manufacturer. 
BMW advises against using retreaded 
tires as this could negatively affect 
driving safety. This is due to possible varia-
tions in casing structures and, in some 
cases, to their extreme age, factors which 
can lead to a decrease in their durability.<
Tire age
The date on which the tire was manufac-
tured is indicated by the code on the side-
wall:
DOT … 3602 indicates that the tire was 
manufactured in week 36 of the year 2002.
BMW recommends the replacement of all 
tires every 6  years at the latest, even if a tire 
usage of 10 years is possible.
Run Flat tires
When replacing tires, always use 
Run Flat tires since a spare wheel is 
not provided to replace a flat tire.
Run Flat tires are labeled on the sidewall 
with a circular symbol containing the letters 
RSC. Refer to page 75.<
DOT quality grades
Tread wear 
Traction AA A B C 
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must conform 
to Federal Safety Requirements in 
addition to these grades.< 
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when 
tested under controlled conditions on a 
specified government test course. 
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear  

Replacement procedures
88 Please consult your BMW center 
whenever you have any questions 
concerning the battery. Since the battery is 
absolutely maintenance-free, the following 
statements are for your information only.<
Do not disconnect the battery cables 
when the engine is running. Discon-
necting the battery cables when the engine 
is running will cause a voltage surge which 
will damage the vehicle's onboard elec-
tronics.<
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp for the battery 
charge current lights up:
The battery is no longer being 
charged. The alternator drive belt is defec-
tive or there is a malfunction in the charging 
circuit of the alternator. Please contact the 
nearest BMW center.
If the drive belt is defective, pull over 
and switch off the engine immediately 
to prevent overheating and serious engine 
damage. 
If the onboard supply voltage drops to a 
very low level, increased steering effort 
may also be necessary.<
Charging the battery
Charge the battery in the vehicle only when 
the engine is not running. Use the terminals 
provided in the engine compartment. For 
information on connections, refer to Jump-
Starting on page 89. 
Battery disposal
Return used batteries to a recycling 
point or to your BMW center. Maintain 
the battery in an upright position for trans-
port and storage. Secure the battery 
against tilting when transporting.<
Fuses
You will find the fuses and information on 
their respective allocation behind the glove 
compartment.
1.Press the lock on the left; see arrow 1
2.Press the lock on the right; see arrow 2
3.Swing the glove compartment down.
Spare fuses and plastic tweezers for grasp-
ing the fuses are found in the onboard tool 
kit; refer to page 84.
Do not attempt to repair a burned fuse 
or replace it with a fuse having a dif-
ferent color or amperage rating. To do this 
could cause a fire in the vehicle as a result 
of circuit overload.< 

Technical data
96
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank 
Reserve gal./liters
gal./litersapprox. 14.5/55
approx. 2.1/8Fuel specifications: 
page 70
Windshield washer reservoir
Headlamp washer reservoirquarts/liters
quarts/litersapprox. 3.2/3
approx. 5.3/5For details: page 79
For details: page 79
Cooling system including 
heating circuitquarts/liters 9.3/8.8 for manual 
transmission
9.5/9.0 for automatic 
transmissionFor details: page 80
Engine with oil filter renewal quarts/liters 6.9/6.5 For details: page 80
Manual transmission, 
automatic transmission and 
differential–Lifetime lubricant, no 
oil change required 

Everything from A - Z
100 Indicator lamps
– airbag 33
– alarm system 27
– brake fluid 81
– engine temperature 47
– flat tire 75
– Flat Tire Monitor 53
– reserve tank 47
Inflation pressure 71
– monitor 53
INSPECTION 48
Instrument cluster 13
Instrument lighting 46
Instrument panel 12
Interior
– central locking system 20
Interior lamps 19, 46
– remote control 19
Interior mirror
– automatic dimming 
feature 33
Interior motion sensor 19
– deactivating 28
Interior rearview mirror 32
Interlock 38
Intermittent operation, 
windshield wipers 43
J
Jack 87
– jacking points 87
Jets, refer to 
Ventilation 56, 59
Jump-starting 89
K
Key Memory 37
Keys 18
– spare 18
– with remote control 18
Knee airbags 33
L
Lamp
– passenger airbags 35
Lamp control 45
Lamp replacement 84Lamps
– backup lamp 86
– brake lamp 86
– bulb replacement 84
– center high-mount brake 
lamp 87
– daytime driving lamps 45
– defective bulbs 45
– fog lamps 46
– headlamp flasher 46
– headlamps 84
– high beams 46, 85
– indicator lamp, defective 
bulb 14
– instrument lighting 46
– interior lamps 46
– lamp replacement 84
– license plate lamps 87
– LIGHTS ON warning 45
– low beams 45, 85
– low beams, automatic 45
– parking lamps 45
– reading lamps 46
– rear lamp 86
– standing lamps 46
– turn signal indicators 86
– xenon lamps 85
LATCH child-restraint 
mounting system 36
Length 95
License plate lamps
– bulb replacement 87
Light switch 45
Lighter 61
LIGHTS ON warning 45
Loads, securing 66
Lock
– door 20
Locking 19
Longlife oils 80
Low beams 45
– automatic 45
– bulb replacement 85
– indicator lamp, defective 
bulb 14
Luggage 
compartment 22, 94
– capacity 94
– enlarging 22
– remote control 19Luggage compartment 
lid 21
– emergency release from 
luggage compartment's 
interior 22
– opening from the 
inside 21
– opening from the 
outside 21
– opening/closing 21
– remote control 19
M
M+S tires 76
Maintenance system 82
Malfunction
– door lock 20
– fuel filler door 70
– remote control 19
– storage compartment 60
Malfunction of electrical 
accessory 88
Manual convertible top 23
Manual operation
– door lock 20
– electrical convertible 
top 25
– fuel filler door 70
– storage compartment 60
Manual transmission 40
Master key 18
Maximum cooling 58
MC operation, refer to the 
Owner's Manual for Radio
MD operation, refer to the 
Owner's Manual for Radio
Mechanical convertible 
top 23
Mechanical seat 29
Memory
– seats 30
Memory, refer to Key Mem-
ory, Vehicle Memory 37
Microfilter 59
Microphone, cellular 
phone 61
Mirrors 32
– heating 32
Modifications, 
technical 7