
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 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
 19
Whenever you unlock or lock the vehicle, 
you simultaneously deactivate/activate 
the  anti-theft system, disarm/arm the alarm 
system and switch the interior lamps on/
off.
You can have a signal set to confirm 
that the vehicle's locks have engaged 
securely.<
Since persons or animals in the vehi-
cle could lock the doors from the 
inside, 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.
In the event of a system malfunction, 
please contact your BMW center. You can 
also obtain replacement keys there.<
1To unlock
2To lock and secure, activate interior 
lamps, disarm tilt alarm sensor and inte-
rior motion sensor
3To open the luggage compartment
To unlock
1.Press the button to unlock the driver's 
door and the fuel filler door
2.Press the button a second time to dis-
engage all vehicle locks.
To lock and secure
Press the button.
To switch on the interior lamps
With the vehicle locked:
Press the button.
To deactivate the tilt alarm* and 
interior motion sensors* 
Press the button a second time immedi-
ately after locking.
For additional information, refer to 
page 28.
To open the luggage compartment
Press the button.
The luggage compartment lid will open 
slightly, regardless of whether it was 
locked or unlocked.
Before and after a trip, be sure that 
the luggage compartment lid has not 
been opened unintentionally.<
Panic mode – triggering alarm
By pressing the button for 2 to 5 seconds, 
the alarm can be sounded in the event of 
danger. The alarm is turned off by pressing 
button 1 again – for unlocking.
External systems
External systems or devices may cause 
local interference in the functions of the 
remote control.
Should this occur, you can still open and 
close the vehicle using the master key in 
either the door or luggage compartment 
locks. 

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
Reference
 27
Installation
Insert the wind deflector in the guides pro-
vided on the rollover bars. 
The wind deflector panels inserted in the 
rollover bars cannot be removed.
Clothes hooks
Located on the wind deflector panel in the 
rollover bars.
Do not hang heavy objects on the 
hooks. If you do so, personal injury 
could result during braking or evasive 
maneuvers, for example.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the luggage 
compartment lid is opened
>When attempts are made to start the 
vehicle
>To movement inside the vehicle – inte-
rior motion sensor
>To alterations in the vehicle tilt, e.g. as 
would occur during attempts to steal 
the wheels or tow the vehicle
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The alarm produced by the system in the 
event of unauthorized vehicle entry and 
attempted theft depends on the country 
version:
>Sounding of an acoustical alarm for 
30 seconds
>Activation of the hazard warning flash-
ers for approx. five minutes.
Arming and disarming the alarm sys-
tem
When the vehicle is locked or unlocked 
either via the driver's door lock or with the 
remote control, the alarm system is simul-
taneously armed or disarmed.The hazard warning flashers blink once 
when the alarm system has been properly 
armed.
You can have different acknowledg-
ment signals set to confirm arming 
and disarming.<
You can open the luggage compartment lid 
when the system is armed by pressing the 
remote control button. Refer to page 19. 
When it is closed, the lid is once again 
secured.
Manual operation of the luggage 
compartment lid triggers the alarm. 
Refer to page 21.<
To cancel an alarm: 
Press the button on the remote control, 
refer to page 18, or turn the ignition key to 
position 1. Refer to page 38.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp beneath the interior 
mirror flashes continuously:
The system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes when it is 
being armed: 
A door, the hood or luggage compart-
ment lid is not completely closed. Even 
if you do not close the area causing the 
alert, the remaining areas are secured 
and the indicator lamp flashes continu-
ously after 10 seconds. 
However, the interior motion sensor is 
not activated 

Opening and closing
28 >If the indicator lamp goes out as soon 
as the system is disarmed: 
No manipulation or attempted intru-
sions have been detected in the period 
since the system was armed
>If the indicator lamp flashes for 
10 seconds when the system is being 
disarmed: 
An attempted entry has been detected 
in the period since the system was 
armed.
After an alarm has been triggered, the indi-
cator lamp will flash continuously.
Interior motion sensor*
The system monitors the footwells and the 
seating areas of the driver and passenger.
Deactivate the interior motion sensor 
– refer to Avoiding unintentional 
alarms – if children or animals are to remain 
in the vehicle.<
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion 
sensor can be deactivated at the same 
time. You can do this to prevent a false 
alarm from being triggered, for instance in 
garages with elevator ramps or when the 
vehicle is transported by train.
Lock the vehicle twice = arm the system:
Press the button on the remote control 
twice in succession,
or
lock the vehicle twice with the key. Refer to 
page 20.
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. 

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.<