2004 BMW 330CI COUPE brake

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Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)The conceptDSC supports vehicle stability, even in
critical driving situations.
The DSC is operational every time you
start the engine.
DSC incorporates the Dynamic Traction
Control (DTC) and Cornering Brake
Control (CBC) functions.Indicator lamps
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly
after you switch on the ignition,
refer to page 19.
>The indicator lamp flashes: DSC is
actively controlling drive torque and
braking intervention
>The indicator lamp stays lit: DSC has
been switched off with the button;
DTC and DBC are operational. DTC
control intervention is not indicated.
The indicator lamp and the
brake warning lamp continu-
ously light up in yellow:
The DSC, DTC and DBC have
been switched off manually or
there is a system malfunction.
The vehicle will remain completely
operational, however, without DSC. In
the event of a fault, please consult your
BMW center.
Indicator and warning lamps for
Canadian models.
Deactivating the DSC/activating
the DTCTap the DSC button; the indicator lamp
comes on and stays on.
DSC is deactivated; DTC is operational.
In the following rare situations, it may
prove useful to activate the DTC for a
brief period:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
>When driving on snow-covered
grades, in deep snow, or on a snow-
covered surface that has been
packed down from being driven on
>When driving with snow chains.
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Under these special circumstances
traction is increased by deactivating the
control systems that enhance traction
under normal conditions.Deactivating the DSC and the
DTCPress the DSC button as long as you
need to until the indicator lamp and the
yellow brake warning lamp light up, but
no more than 10 seconds.
The systems for enhancing stability and
traction are deactivated, and there is no
active braking intervention or torque
control.
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the DSC acti-
vated whenever possible. or the indicator lamps will go out. DTC
is deactivated.
The laws of physics cannot be
repealed even with DSC. It will
always be the driver's responsibility to
drive in a manner that matches road
conditions. This is why you should not
use the additional safety margin the
system provides as an excuse to take
risks.
Whenever the DTC is activated, the
DSC is switched off and DTC performs
minor stabilizing intervention.
Do not make any modifications to the
DSC system. Allow only authorized
technicians to perform service proce-
dures on the DSC.<
Flat Tire Monitor*The conceptAs you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor
keeps track of pressure levels in all four
tires. The system alerts you whenever
the inflation pressure of a tire falls sig-
nificantly below the pressure of another
tire.
The system actually detects pressure
loss by monitoring differences in the
relative speeds of the four wheels. It
interprets variations outside specified
limits as severe pressure loss, and then
responds by generating a warning.Functional requirementsIn order for the Flat Tire Monitor to learn
the correct tire inflation pressure,
please do the following:
1. Check the tire inflation pressures in
all tires
2. Compare them with the tire inflation
pressure table, refer to page 116,
and correct them, if necessary
3. Initialize the system.
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)

84
Because the sides of Run Flat
tires are reinforced, a drop in infla-
tion pressure usually cannot be
detected from the outside, refer to Run
Flat tires, page 120.<
2. To continue driving, follow the
instructions under Driving with a
damaged tire on page 120.
System malfunction
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up yellow.
The Flat Tire Monitor is malfunc-
tioning or out of order. Please refer the
problem to your BMW center.
Brake force displayBrake force display indicates to the
road users behind you how hard you
are braking.
>Normal braking: the brake lamps
among the rear lamps and the center
brake lamp light up
>Hard braking or braking with ABS: in
addition, the illuminated rear lamp
surface is extended, refer to the pic-
ture.
Flat Tire Monitor*

112Special operating instructions
Break-in proceduresTo ensure that your vehicle provides
maximum economy throughout a long
service life, we request that you comply
with the following information.Engine and differentialThe first 1,250 miles/2,000 km:
Drive at varying engine and road
speeds, but do not exceed an engine
speed of 4,500 rpm or a road speed of
100 mph / 160 km/h.
Always obey all official speed limits.
Do not use full throttle, and avoid
pressing the accelerator beyond the
kickdown point during these initial
miles.
You can then proceed to increase
engine or vehicle speeds once the ini-
tial 1,250 miles/2,000 km have elapsed.TiresDue to technical factors associated
with their manufacture, tires do not
achieve their full traction potential until
after an initial break-in period. We thus
ask you to drive with extra care during
the first 200 miles/300 km.
Always obey all official speed limits.When the vehicle is operated on
wet or slushy roads, a wedge of
water may form between the tire and
the road surface. This phenomenon is
referred to as hydroplaning and can
lead to partial or complete loss of trac-
tion, vehicle control and braking effec-
tiveness. Reduce your speed on wet
roads.<
Brake systemApprox. 300 miles/500 km must elapse
before the brake pads and rotors
achieve the optimal pad-surface and
wear patterns required for trouble-free
operation and an extended service life
later on.
To break in the separate parking brake
drums, apply the parking brake lightly
when coasting to a standstill – at a traf-
fic signal, for instance – provided that
traffic conditions allow you to do so.
To avoid corrosion, repeat this proce-
dure from time to time.ClutchApprox. 300 miles/500 km must elapse
before the clutch starts to operate at
optimum efficiency. Remember to
engage the clutch carefully during this
initial period.
After replacing partsFollow the same break-in procedures if
any of the components mentioned
above have to be replaced in the future.

113
General driving notesHot exhaust system
High temperatures occur with
every vehicle equipped with a cat-
alytic converter. Heat shields are
installed adjacent to some sections of
the exhaust system. Never remove
these shields; do not apply undercoat-
ing to their surfaces. When driving,
standing at idle and parking the vehicle,
take care to avoid contact between the
hot exhaust system and flammable
materials, e.g. hay, leaves, grass, etc.
Such contact could lead to a fire,
resulting in serious personal injury and
property damage.<
Parking the vehicleCondensation forms in the air condi-
tioner system during operation, which
then exits under the vehicle. Traces of
condensed water on the ground under-
neath the vehicle are thus normal.Before driving through a car washFold in the exterior mirrors manually
because they could otherwise be dam-
aged due to the width of the vehicle.
Hydroplaning
When driving on wet or slushy
roads, reduce your speed. If you
do not, a wedge of water may form
between tire and road surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as hydro-
planing, and can lead to partial or com-
plete loss of traction, vehicle control
and braking effectiveness.<
The risk of hydroplaning increases as
the tread depth of the tires decreases,
refer also to Tire tread on page 120.
Driving through water
Do not drive through water on the
road if it is deeper than 1 ft/30 cm,
and then only at walking speed. Other-
wise, the vehicle's engine, the electrical
systems and the transmission may be
damaged.<
Braking safelyYour BMW is equipped with ABS as a
standard feature. If you are in a situa-
tion which requires full braking, it is
best to brake using maximum brake
pressure: panic stop. Since the vehicle
maintains steering responsiveness, you
can avoid possible obstacles with a
minimum of steering effort, despite the
full brake application.
Pulsation at the brake pedal, combined
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits,
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its
active mode.
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Otherwise,
even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.<
Wet roads:
if the roads are wet or if there is heavy
rain, it is advisable to gently press the
brakes for a brief moment every few
miles/kilometers. Monitor traffic condi-
tions to ensure that this maneuver does
not endanger other road users. The
heat generated in this process helps
dry the pads and rotors. Immediate
braking force is then available if neces-
sary.
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114
Inclines:
To prevent overheating and, as a
result, diminished braking effec-
tiveness, drive down long or steep
downhill grades in a gear which
requires the least braking. Otherwise,
even light but consistent pedal pres-
sure can lead to high temperatures,
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.<
The braking power of the engine can be
further enhanced by downshifting the
automatic transmission in manual
mode, if necessary, into first gear. This
helps avoid placing excessive loads on
the brake system.
Do not coast with the clutch
depressed or with the transmis-
sion or selector lever in Neutral. Do not
coast with the engine switched off. Oth-
erwise, the engine provides no braking
effect while the transmission is in idling
position, and there is no power-assist
for braking or steering when the engine
is off.
Floor mats, floor carpets or other
objects must not be in the area near the
brake or accelerator pedal, as this
could impair the movement of the ped-
als.<
Corrosion on the brake rotorsLimited vehicle use, extended periods
with the vehicle parked or in storage,
and operating conditions in which brak-
ing is restricted to gentle, low-pressure
applications will all increase the ten-
dency for corrosion to form on the
rotors and contamination to accumulate
on the brake pads. This occurs because
the minimal pressure which must be
exerted by the pads to clean the rotors
by brake applications is not reached.
If the brake rotors are corroded, they
will tend to respond to braking with a
pulsating effect that even extended
brake applications will fail to cure.
Brake pads
For your own safety: use only
brake pads that BMW has
released for your particular vehicle
model. BMW cannot evaluate non-
approved brake pads to determine if
they are suitable for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of
the vehicle if they are installed.<
Portable phone in the vehicle
BMW advises against using
mobile equipment, e.g. cellular
phones, inside the vehicle without con-
necting them directly to an outside
antenna. Otherwise, it cannot be ruled
out that vehicle electronics and the
mobile equipment interfere with one
another. In addition, it is not ensured
that the radio waves emitted during
transmission are directed outside of the
vehicle interior.<
General driving notes

115
Antilock Brake System (ABS)The conceptABS keeps the wheels from locking
during braking, thereby enhancing
active driving safety.Braking with ABSIf you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply maxi-
mum pedal pressure: panic stop. Since
the vehicle maintains steering respon-
siveness, you can avoid possible obsta-
cles with a minimum of steering effort,
despite the full brake application.
Pulsation at the brake pedal combined
with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
indicates to the driver that ABS is in its
active mode.Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)DBC is included in the DSC, refer to
page 81.
The system responds to sudden, high-
intensity applications of force to the
brake pedal by automatically braking
the vehicle with maximum boost to
achieve the shortest-possible braking
distances during 'panic stops'. This
system exploits all the benefits of ABS.Do not reduce the pressure exerted
against the brake pedal until the brak-
ing maneuver has been completed.
DBC is deactivated when you release
the brake pedal.
Cornering Brake Control (CBC)CBC is an advanced engineering devel-
opment of ABS. When braking during
cornering with high lateral accelera-
tion, or when braking during a lane
change, vehicle stability is improved
and the steering response is enhanced.
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125
1Brake fluid reservoir128
2Engine oil dipstick126
3Coolant expansion tank128
4Reservoir for the headlamp and
windshield washer system126
5Engine oil filler neck127
6Auxiliary terminal for jump-
starting147Engine compartment essentials
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