2004 BMW 530I SEDAN Fail safe

Notes

6

For your own safety

Fuels

Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to and including
10% ethanol or other oxygenates with up
to 2.8% oxygen by weight Ð that is,
15% MTBE or 3% methanol plus an equiv-
alent amount of co-solvent Ð will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship. Field
experience has indicated significant differ-
ences in fuel quality Ð volatility, composi-
tion, additives, etc. Ð among gasolines
offered for sale in the United States and
Canada. The use of poor-quality fuels may
result in driveability, starting and stalling
problems, especially under certain environ-
mental conditions such as high ambient
temperature and high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems which you suspect could be related to
the fuel you are using, we recommend that
you respond by switching to a recognized
high-quality brand.
Failure to comply with these recommenda-
tions may result in unscheduled mainte-
nance.
Follow the relevant safety rules when you
are handling gasoline.

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Maintenance and repair

Advanced technology, e. g. the use of
modern materials and high-perform-
ance electronics, requires specially
adapted maintenance and repair methods.
Therefore, only have corresponding work
on your BMW carried out by a BMW center
or a workshop that works according to
BMW repair procedures with correspond-
ingly trained personnel. If work is carried
out improperly there is a danger of conse-
quential damage and the related safety
risks.

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Parts and accessories

For your own safety, use genuine
parts and accessories approved by
BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Genuine BMW
Parts, you simultaneously acquire the
assurance that they have been thoroughly
tested by BMW to ensure optimum perfor-
mance when installed on your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free from
defects in material and workmanship.
BMW will not accept any liability for dam-
age resulting from installation of parts and
accessories not approved by BMW.
BMW cannot test every product made by
other manufacturers to verify if it can be
used on a BMW safely and without risk to
either the vehicle, its operation, or its occu-
pants.
Genuine BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on using
these items, are available from all BMW
centers.
Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors, wheels,
suspension components, brake dust
shields, telephones Ð including operation of
any portable phone from within the vehicle
without using an externally mounted
antenna Ð or transceiver equipment, for
instance, CBs, walkie-talkie, ham radio or
similar accessories, may cause extensive
damage to the vehicle, compromise its
safety, interfere with the vehicle's electrical
system or affect the validity of the BMW
Limited Warranty. Consult your BMW cen-
ter for additional information.

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Maintenance, replacement, or repair
of the emission control devices and
systems may be performed by any automo-
tive repair establishment or individual using
any certified automotive part.

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Indicator and warning
lamps
Technology that monitors itself
The indicator and warning lamps identified
by the
+ symbol are subjected to an oper-
ation check each time you switch on the
ignition or start the engine. They each light
up once for different periods of time.
When a malfunction occurs in a monitored
system, the corresponding lamp will either
fail to go out when the engine is started, or
it will come on again during normal driving.
For information on how you should respond
when this happens, please refer to the
pages indicated.
Colors
The indicator and warning lamps can light
up in different colors and combinations.
The following section explains the signifi-
cance of the individual colors as well as
how you should respond when they
appear.
>Red:
Stop immediately
or
important reminder
>Red and yellow:
Continue driving moderately
>Yellow:
Have checked soon
or
for your information
>Green or blue:
For your information.
Indicator and warning lamps of the
Check Control
Other indicator and warning lamps appear
in display 6 of the instrument cluster as
necessary, accompanied by supplemen-
tary text on the Control Display, refer to
Check Control, page 68. Turn signal indicators 56
Active steering
+82
Handbrake/brake fluid, brake
hydraulics/DBC Dynamic Brake
Control
+50/ 180/ 79
Handbrake/brake fluid, brake
hydraulics/DBC Dynamic Brake
Control for Canadian models
Airbags
+83
Service Engine Soon
+183
If the indicator lamp comes on
either continuously or intermit-
tently, this indicates a fault in the
emissions-related electronic sys-
tems. Although the vehicle
remains operational, you should
have the systems checked by your
BMW center at the earliest possi-
ble opportunity.
Service Engine Soon indicator
lamp for Canadian models.
Front fog lamps 89
ABS Antilock Brake System
+77
DTC Dynamic Traction Control79
High beams/headlamp flasher 88
Please fasten safety belt
+40
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control
+78
Check Gas Cap168
lamp for US models

Opening and closing
34 To open, press the switch beyond the
resistance point.
When leaving the vehicle parked,
always remove the central key with
remote control from the ignition lock and
close the doors; this precaution prevents
children from operating the power win-
dows and injuring themselves etc.<
For information on using the convenience
operation mode at the door lock or with the
remote control, refer to page 28 or 29.
Safety feature
If the closing force rises beyond a pre-
defined threshold during closing, the sys-
tem will immediately stop moving the win-
dow prior to lowering it slightly.
Despite this safety feature you should
always inspect the window's travel
path prior to closing it, as the safety system
might fail to detect certain kinds of obstruc-
tions, such as very thin objects, and the
window would continue closing.
Pulling the switch beyond the resistance
point and holding it limits the response of
the safety feature.
Under these conditions the window will
respond to forces beyond a defined thresh-
old by only opening several inches/millime-
ters.
If you again pull the switch past the resis-
tance point and hold it in position within a
period of roughly 4 seconds, the safety fea-
ture is deactivated.<
Safety switch
With the safety switch, you can prevent the
rear windows from being opened or closed
via the switches in the rear passenger area, by children, for example. The indicator
lamp lights up when this safety feature is
activated.
Press the safety switch whenever
children are riding in the rear of the
vehicle. Careless use of the power win-
dows can lead to injury.<
You can deactivate the function again
as of ignition key position 1.<
Accessories in the window area
After installing any accessory Ð such as a
clamp-on antenna for a portable phone Ð
within the window's travel range, you will
need to have the system reinitialized for
use under the new conditions. Please con-
tact your BMW center for assistance.
Glass roof, electric*
To prevent injuries, exercise care
when closing the glass roof and keep
it in your field of vision until it is shut.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove
the remote control and close the doors to
prevent children from operating the glass
roof and injuring themselves, etc.<
Raising, opening, closing
As of ignition key position 1, press the
switch, or slide it in the desired direction up
to the resistance point.
After switching off the ignition
You can still operate the roof:
>In the radio position for a longer time
>For approx. 1 minute in position 0 or
with the ignition key removed.

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The headliner insert slides back somewhat
when you raise the glass roof. When the
glass roof is opened the headliner retracts
with it.
Do not use force to close the head-
liner insert with the glass roof in its
raised position, as damage to the mecha-
nism could result.<
For information on using the convenience
operation mode at the door lock or with the
remote control, refer to page 28 or 29.
Automatic* opening and closing
Briefly press the switch past the resistance
point and then release it.
In addition, the following movements are
also automatic:
>With the glass roof open, move the
switch towards 'Raise': the glass roof
moves to the end position of 'Raise'
>With the glass roof raised, move the
switch towards 'Open': the glass roof
moves to the end position of 'Open'.
Press the switch again in any direction to
stop the glass roof.
Safety feature
If the glass roof encounters resistance
when closing from roughly the center of the
roof opening or when closing from the
raised position, the closing action is inter-
rupted and the glass roof reopens a little.
Despite this safety feature, you
should always inspect the glass roof's
travel range prior to closing it, as the safety
feature might fail to detect certain kinds of
obstructions, such as very thin objects, and
the glass roof would continue closing.
Pressing the switch beyond the resistance
point and holding it limits the response of
the safety feature. The glass roof only
opens a short distance.
If you again press the switch past the resis-
tance point and hold it in position within a
period of roughly 2 seconds, the safety fea-
ture is deactivated.<
When you close the glass roof, it will
slow down as it approaches the end of its travel path; this is to allow the safety
feature to respond more precisely to any
obstructions encountered in this critical
area.<
Following interruptions in electrical
power supply
Following interruptions in electrical power
supply, for instance, when the battery is
disconnected, it is possible that the glass
roof will extend to its raised position, but
fail to respond to other commands. Should
this occur, please have the glass roof rein-
itialized at your BMW center.
Manual operation
In the event of an electrical malfunction,
you can operate the glass roof manually:
1.Fold the cover downwards
2.Insert the Allen wrench supplied with
the onboard tool kit, refer to page 184,
in the opening provided. Turn to slide
the glass roof in the desired direction.

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ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle con-
trol could lead to an accident.
On the front passenger side as well, do not
tilt the backrest too far toward the rear
while driving. Failure to observe this pre-
caution can prevent the belt from providing
effective protection against injury, as the
passenger could slide under the belt in an
accident.
Make sure that the footwell behind the
driver's and front passenger's seat is empty
and unobstructed. If you fail to do so, any
persons or objects behind the seat could
be injured or damaged by a rearward
movement of the seat.<
Please observe the information on damage
to safety belts provided on page 41 and the
information on the active head restraints on
page 40.
Seat adjustment
To ensure that the safety systems
continue to provide optimized protec-
tion, please observe the adjustment
instructions on page 36.<
1Forward/backward
2Height
3Angle
4Backrest
Comfort seat* adjustment
In addition to the electric power seat func-
tions, several other adjustment options are
available with the comfort seat:
1Backrest width
By adjusting the backrest width, you
can increase or reduce lateral support
2Shoulder support
You can use the adjustable upper back-
rest for supplementary support in the
shoulder region. This provides a
relaxed driving position and helps
relieve stress on the shoulder muscles
Make corrections in the forward/
backward adjustment of the seat
to ensure that the safety belt still fits
firmly against your body. If you do not
do this, the protection provided by the
safety belt may be reduced.<
3Thigh support
Adjust the thigh support until the ideal
support is provided for the thigh
4Lumbar support, see below
Sports seat* adjustment
In addition to the seat cushion, on the
sports seat you can adjust the thigh sup-
port 3, see above.
Easy entry/exit*
The backrest width automatically moves as
high up and far forward as possible to ease
driver entry and exit before then returning
to the standard or stored memory setting.
This automatic feature is governed by the
driver's door and the ignition lock.

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6.Select "After unlocking" or "After door
is opened" and press the controller.
displays the selected setting.
When using this Key Memory feature,
always make sure that the footwell
behind the driver's seat is empty and unob-
structed. If you fail to do so, any persons or
objects behind the seat could be injured or
damaged by a rearward movement of the
seat.<
Safety feature
1.Close the driver's door and turn the
ignition key to position 0 or 2
2.Press the desired memory button 1 or 2
and maintain pressure until the adjust-
ment process has been completed.
If the
MEMORY button is pressed acciden-
tally:
Press the button a second time, the indica-
tor lamp goes out.
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt
function*
Automatic curb monitor
1.Select the exterior mirror on the driver
side with the switch
2.When you engage reverse gear or
selector-lever position R, the exterior mirror on the front passenger side tilts
downward slightly. This allows the
driver to see the area immediately adja-
cent to the vehicle Ð such as a curb Ð
when parking, etc.
You can also deactivate this automatic
function: push the mirror selector switch to
the passenger's mirror position.
Head restraints
Head restraints reduce the risk of spi-
nal injury in the event of an accident.
Adjust the head restraints so that they are
centered roughly at the level of your ears.<
Front seats: adjusting the height
You can adjust the height of the head
restraints electrically.
Front seats: adjusting the angle
Swivel the head restraint.
With the comfort seat, you use the shoulder
support to set the distance to the back of
the head.

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The warning is also issued when the driver
or front passenger removes his or her
safety belt while driving.
The warning can also be issued when
objects are laid on the front passen-
ger seat.<
Releasing
1.Press the red button in the belt buckle
2.Hold the belt firmly
3.Guide the belt into its reel.
The upper shoulder strap's anchorage
point will be in the correct position for seat
occupants of every build if the seat is cor-
rectly adjusted, refer to page 36.
The two rear safety belt buckles integrated
in the rear seat are for passengers sitting
on the left and right. The belt buckle
embossed with the word CENTER is
intended exclusively for use by passengers
riding in the center position.
Damage to safety belts
If the safety belts are damaged or
stretched in an accident: have the
entire belt system, including the tensioning
mechanisms, replaced at your BMW cen-
ter. Have the belt anchorage points
inspected for damage at the same time.
Failure to observe this precaution may pre-
vent the safety belts from effectively pro-
viding optimal protection when needed.<
Heated seats*
Front
The system regulates the temperatures of
the seat cushion and backrest.
The temperature setting progresses one
step through its control sequence each
time you press the button.
To switch off:
Maintain pressure on the button for several
seconds.
Rear
The operating concept is the same as for
the front heated seats.
Temperature distribution at the front
It is possible to select a temperature-distri-
bution pattern, providing different levels of
heating for the seat cushion and the back-
rest according to your wishes.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open "Climate"
2.Select "Seat heater distribution" and
press the controller

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Driving
Ignition lock
0 Steering locked
The key can only be inserted or removed in
this position.
After removing the key, turn the steering
wheel slightly until it locks.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
only move the selector lever from
position P with the engine running. To turn
the key back to position 0 or to remove it,
first place the selector lever in position P:
Interlock.<
1 Steering unlocked
A slight steering wheel movement often
makes it easier to turn the key from 0 to 1.
Individual current consumers are ready for
operation.
2 Ignition switched on
All vehicle systems are ready for operation.
3 Start engine
Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in closed
rooms, as otherwise the inhaling of
toxic exhaust gases can cause uncon-
sciousness and death. The exhaust gases
contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and
colorless, but highly toxic gas. Never leave
an unattended vehicle with the engine run-ning, as such a vehicle represents a poten-
tial safety hazard.<
Do not allow the engine to warm up by
leaving it running while the vehicle remains
stationary. Instead, begin to drive immedi-
ately at a moderate engine speed.
When starting the engine, do not press the
accelerator pedal.
Your BMW is equipped with the con-
venience starting feature. Here, it is
sufficient to turn the ignition key only briefly
to position 3 'Start engine' and to let go of it
right away. The system responds by auto-
matically engaging the starter for a certain
period and allowing it to run until the engine
starts, after which it then disengages auto-
matically. The automatic starting mode will
not operate or will be canceled if the bat-
tery voltage is low. The engine can be
started by jump-starting, refer to
page 192.<
Press the accelerator pedal halfway down
when starting if
>the engine fails to start on the first
attempt, for instance, if it is very hot or
cold
>the engine is started at very low tem-
peratures, as of approx. +5 7/Ð156,
at high altitudes over approx. 3,300 ft/
1,000 m.
Avoid frequent starting in quick suc-
cession or repeated start attempts in
which the engine does not start. Otherwise,
the fuel is not burned or inadequately
burned and there is a danger of overheat-
ing and damaging the catalytic converter. 1.Apply the handbrake
2.Gearshift lever in idle position
3.Press the clutch pedal
4.Start the engine.
Before leaving the vehicle with the
engine running, place the gearshift