2004 BMW 645CI COUPE&CONVERTIBLE run flat

Adjustments
42
Adjustments
Sitting safely
The ideal sitting position can make a vital
contribution to relaxed, fatigue-free driving.
The sitting position also plays an important
role together with the safety belts and air-
bags in providing occupants with maximum
levels of passive safety in an accident. To
ensure that the safety systems operate with
optimal efficiency, we strongly urge you to
observe the instructions contained in the
following section.
For additional information on transporting
children safely, refer to page 51.
Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the air-
bags. Always hold the steering wheel by
its rim with hands at the 9 o'clock and
3 o'clock positions, to minimize the risk of
injuries to your hands and arms in the event
of airbag deployment.
No one and nothing is to come between the
airbags and the seat occupant.
Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.
Make sure that the front passenger is sit-
ting correctly and does not rest feet or legs
on the instrument panel, otherwise leg inju-
ries can occur if the knee and front airbags
are triggered.
Never let an occupant's head rest near or
on a side airbag because the inflating air-
bag could cause a serious or fatal injury.<
Even if you adhere to all the instructions
injuries resulting from contact with airbags
cannot be fully excluded, depending on the
circumstances. The ignition and inflation
noise may provoke a mild – usually tempo-
rary – hearing loss in extremely sensitive
individuals.
For airbag locations and additional infor-
mation on airbags, refer to page 81.
Sitting safely with safety belts
Fasten your safety belt before starting any
trip. Airbags complement the safety belt as
an additional safety device, but they do not
represent a substitute.
Your vehicle has four seats that are all
equipped with a safety belt.
At all times, occupants should sit
upright and be properly restrained:
infants and small children in appropriate
child-restraint systems; larger children and
adults using the safety belts.
Never allow more than one person to wear
a single safety belt. Never allow infants or
small children to ride in a passenger's lap.
Expectant mothers should always wear
their safety belts, taking care to position
the lap belt against the lower hips, where it
will not exert pressure against the abdomi-
nal area.
Do not route the belt across your neck, or
run it across sharp edges. Be sure that the
belt does not become caught or jammed.
Avoid twisting the belt while routing it firmly
across the hips and shoulder. Do not allow
the belt to rest against hard or fragile
objects. Otherwise, in the event of a frontal
impact, a loose lap belt could slide over
your hips, leading to abdominal injury.
Avoid wearing clothing that prevents the
belt from fitting properly and pull the lap
belt periodically to readjust the tension
across your shoulder in order to avoid a
reduction in the retention effect of the
safety belt.<
For instructions on operating safety belts,
refer to page 47.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
80
Report of a flat tire
The warning lamp lights up in red
and a message appears on the
Control Display. In addition, an
acoustic signal sounds. There is a flat tire
or extensive inflation pressure loss.
1.Cautiously reduce the vehicle speed to
below 50 mph/80 km/h. Avoid sudden
braking and steering maneuvers. Do
not exceed a vehicle speed of 50 mph/
80 km/h
Due to the reinforcement on the
side walls of the run-flat tires,
inflation pressure loss can not usually
be recognized from the outside, refer to
Run-flat tires on page 168.<
2.To continue driving, comply with the
instructions for driving with damaged
tires on page 168.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up yellow
and a message appears on the
Control Display. The Flat Tire Moni-
tor has a malfunction or has failed. Have
the system checked as soon as possible.
Active steering*
The concept
The active steering is a system that actively
varies the steering angle of the front wheels
in relation to the steering wheel move-
ments.
When you are driving in the low road speed
range, e.g. in a town or when parking, the
steering angle of the wheels is reinforced,
i.e. the steering becomes very direct.
In the higher speed range, on the other
hand, the steering angle of the wheels is
reduced more and more. This improves the
handling capability of your BMW over the
entire speed range.
In critical situations, the system can make
targeted changes to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the
vehicle before the driver intervenes.
Malfunction
The fixed warning lamp lights up.
The active steering is no longer
operational. In the low speed range,
greater steering wheel movement is neces-
sary. Have the system checked.
If the warning lamp lights up during the first
engine starting following a power supply
interruption, the system must be activated
with initialization.
Initializing system
1.Start the engine
2.With the vehicle stationary, turn the
steering wheel from the straight-ahead
position to the left as far as it will go and
then back to the straight-ahead position
3.Switch off the engine.
When you start the engine again, all the
functions of the active steering are avail-
able once again.
Brake Force Display
The two-stage brake lamps light up in two
stages depending on how strongly you
brake.
>Normal braking:
The brake lamps and the third brake
lamp go on
>Heavy braking and braking with ABS:
In addition, the light area of the rear
brake lamps is enlarged, refer to illus-
tration.

Mobility
167Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Temperature
The temperature grades are A, the highest,
B, and C, representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under con-
trolled conditions on a specified indoor lab-
oratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A repre-
sent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive load-
ing, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire
failure.<
RSC – run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the
side of the tire, refer to page 168.
M+S
Winter and all-season tires.
These have better winter properties than
summer tires.
Tire condition
Before driving off, inspect your tires for
tread wear, signs of damage and foreign
objects lodged in the tread, and check the
tread depth.
Minimum tread depth
The tread depth should not drop below
0.12 in/3 mm, although, for example, Euro-
pean legislation only specifies a minimum
tread depth of 0.063 in/1.6 mm. At tread
depths below 0.12 in/3 mm there is an increased risk of high-speed hydroplaning,
even when only small amounts of water are
present on the road surface.
As winter tires display a noticeable loss in
their ability to cope with cold-weather driv-
ing conditions once the tread wears to
below 0.157 in/4 mm, to ensure continued
safety you should always have such tires
replaced.
Wear indicators at the tread-groove base,
refer to arrow, are distributed over the tire's
circumference and are marked on the side
of the tire with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator.
These indicators signal at a tread depth of
0.063 in/1.6 mm that the legal wear limit
has been reached. The tread is then no
longer visible at these points.
Tire damage
Due to low-profile tires, please note
that wheels, tires and suspension
parts are more susceptible to road hazard
and consequential damages.
Unusual vibrations encountered during
normal vehicle operation can indicate tire
failure or some other vehicle defect. This
can, for example, be caused by driving over
curbs. These kinds of problems may also
be signaled by other changes in vehicle
response, such as a strong tendency to pull
to the left or right.
In these cases, immediately reduce speed.
Drive cautiously to the nearest BMW center
or tire dealer or, if necessary, have the
vehicle towed there.
Tire damage, extending to sudden and
complete loss of pressure in extreme
cases, can pose a potentially lethal safety
hazard for the vehicle's occupants and
other road users alike.<

Wheels and tires
168
Run-flat tires
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the
side of the tire.
Run-flat tires consist of self-contained tires
and special rims. The tire reinforcement
ensures that the tire retains some residual
safety in the event of pressure drop and
driving remains possible to a restricted
degree.
Continuing driving with a damaged
tire
Driving on run-flat tires with tire damage
can continue, depending on the vehicle
load and the severity of the tire damage, at
a maximum speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
You can estimate the possible mileage for
continued driving on the basis of the fol-
lowing general indications:
>With low load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
Approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or
4 persons without luggage:
Approx. 94 miles/150 km
>With full load:
4 persons, luggage compartment full:
Approx. 30 miles/50 km.
Drive reservedly and do not exceed
a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h. In the
event of pressure loss, vehicle handling
changes. This includes reduced track sta-
bility in braking, extended braking distance
and altered natural steering characteristics.
If unusual vibrations occur while the vehicle
is being driven, this can indicate final failure of the damaged tire. Reduce speed and
stop as soon as possible. Do not continue
driving. Contact your BMW center.<
New wheels and tires
You can find out the right wheel-tire combi-
nation from your BMW center. It is another
vital factor in ensuring reliable operation of
various vehicle systems such as ABS and
DSC. Have the wheel and tire assemblies
balanced every time either a wheel or a tire
is replaced.
Only have new wheels and tires
mounted by a specialist. If this work is
performed inexpertly, there is a danger of
damage and associated safety risks.<
Retreaded tires
BMW does not recommend the use of
retread tires, as otherwise driving
safety may be reduced. Possible variations
in the design and the age – which could be
substantial – of the carcasses can lead to
unusually rapid wear.<
The right wheels and tires
BMW recommends that you use only
wheel and tire combinations that
BMW has tested and approved for your
particular vehicle. Variations in factors such
as manufacturing tolerances mean that
even wheels and tires with identical official
size ratings could actually have different
dimensions than the approved units – these
differences could lead to body contact, and
with it the risk of severe accidents. If non-
approved wheels and tires are used, BMW
cannot evaluate their suitability, and there-
fore cannot be held liable for driving
safety.<
To maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single tread
configuration from a single manufacturer.
After a flat tire, always remember to have
the specified wheel and tire combination
remounted on the vehicle as soon as pos-
sible.

Mobility
169Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Recommended tire sizes and makes
BMW tests certain tire brands for each tire
size, classifies them as road-safe and
approves them. You can find out about
these at specialized dealers or at your
BMW center. Observe any country-specific
regulations, e.g. on making a correspond-
ing entry in the vehicle documents.
The factory-mounted tires have been spe-
cially selected to provide optimized perfor-
mance when installed on your vehicle; if
properly cared for, they will provide a com-
bination of safety and excellent ride com-
fort.
Run-flat tires
In the event of replacement, use run-flat
tires, refer to page 168, as there is no spare
wheel available for flats.
For safety reasons, BMW recom-
mends that you do not have damaged
run-flat tires repaired; they should be
replaced.<
Special characteristics of winter
tires
BMW recommends winter tires for use in
cold winter driving conditions. Although all-
season M+S tires provide better winter
traction than summer tires, they generally
fail to provide the same levels of cold-
weather performance as winter tires.
Run-flat tires
If you switch from summer to winter tires,
or vice versa, use run-flat tires, refer to
page 168, as in the event of a flat tire there
is no spare tire available. Your BMW center
will be glad to advise you.
Observing speed ratings
Never exceed the maximum speed for
which the winter tires are rated.
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to ser-
vice tires can lead to damage and acci-
dents. Have this work performed by skilled
professionals only. The technicians at your
BMW center will be glad to assist you with the required professional knowledge and
specialized equipment.<
Storage
Always store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as pos-
sible. Always protect tires against all con-
tact with oil, grease and fuels. Do not
exceed the maximum tire inflation pressure
indicated on the side wall of the tire.
Snow chains*
BMW only tests certain snow chains, clas-
sifies them as road-safe and approves
them. Consult your BMW center for more
information. BMW recommends using
these approved, narrow-link snow chains.
These snow chains are approved exclu-
sively for use in pairs on the rear wheels
with the tire size 245/45 R 18.
Observe the manufacturer's instructions
when mounting snow chains.
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of 30 mph/
50 km/h with the chains mounted.
Do not initialize the Runflat Indicator
after mounting snow chains.
When you are driving with snow chains, it
can be beneficial to switch off DSC briefly,
refer to page 77.<

Mobility
181Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
1.Push a screwdriver from the left under
the lamp and lever up the lamp to the
right
2.Turn the bulb holder 905 to the left and
remove
3.Remove and replace the bulb.
Light-emitting diodes LEDs
Light-emitting diodes installed behind
translucent lenses serve as the light source
for many of the controls and displays in
your vehicle. These light-emitting diodes,
which operate using a concept similar to
that applied in conventional lasers, are offi-
cially designated as Class 1 light-emitting
diodes.
Do not remove the covers, and never
stare into the unfiltered light several
hours, as irritation of the retina could
result.<
Changing a wheel
Your BMW is equipped with run-flat tires as
standard. An immediate wheel change in
the event of a flat tire is therefore no longer
required.
You will recognize run-flat tires by a circular
symbol containing the letters RSC on the
side of the tire, refer to Run-flat tires on
page 167.
If you switch from summer to winter tires,
or vice versa, use only run-flat tires, as in
the event of a flat there is no spare tire
available. Your BMW center will be glad to
advise you.
Also refer to New wheels and tires,
page 168.
Car jacking points
The jacking points for the car jack are
located in the positions shown.
You can obtain a suitable car jack as
an accessory at your BMW center.<
Battery
Battery care
The battery is 100 % maintenance-free, i.e.,
the electrolyte will last for the life of the bat-
tery when the vehicle is operated in a tem-
perate climate.
Your BMW center will be glad to advise in
all matters concerning the battery.
Charging battery
Only charge the battery in the vehicle via
the terminals in the engine compartment
with the engine switched off. For the con-
nections, refer to Jump-starting on
page 184.
Disposal
Have old batteries disposed of by
your BMW center or hand them in to a
recycling center. Maintain the battery in an
upright position for transport and storage.
Always restrain the battery to prevent it
from tipping over during transport.<
Power cut
After a temporary power cut, e.g. with a
discharged battery, the features of some
equipment are limited and it has to be rein-
itialized. Individual settings are also lost
and have to be updated:

Everything from A to Z
202 Emergency services, refer
to Roadside
Assistance 184
"Emission inspect." 66
"Enable services" 156
"End call" 148
Engine
– break-in procedure 102
– data 190
– speed 190
– starting 54
– starting difficulties 54
– switching off 55
Engine compartment 171
Engine coolant 172
Engine hood 170
Engine oil
– checking the oil level 171
– specified engine oils 172
– temperature 65
– temperature gauge 65
– topping up 172
Engine output, refer to
Engine data 190
Engine speed, refer to
Engine specifications 190
Engine starting, refer to
Starting engine 54
"Enter address" for
navigation 110
Entering activation times of
independent ventilation/
heating 93
Entering destination 111
Entering the address 110
Entering the
intersection 111
Entering the town/city for
navigation 111
Entering zip code for
navigation 111
"Entertainment" 127
"Entertainment
settings" 127
Entry map for
destination 112
Entry to the rear 46
"Equalizer", refer to
Adjusting the tone 129
"ESN" 134ESP Electronic Stability
Program, refer to DSC
Dynamic Stability
Control 77
Exhaust system 102
Exterior mirrors 48
– automatic dimming
feature 48
– automatic heating 48
Eye for towing, refer to
Tow fitting 186
F
Fader, refer to
Adjusting the tone 128
Failure messages, refer to
Check Control 66
False alarms, refer to
Avoiding unintentional
alarms 33
False alarms with Flat Tire
Monitor 79
Fastening safety belts, refer
to Safety belts 47
Fastest route for
navigation 116
"Fast route" for
navigation 116
First aid, refer to
First-aid kit 184
First-aid kit 184
First-aid pouch, refer to
First-aid kit 184
Flashing on locking/
unlocking 28
Flashlight, refer to
Rechargeable
flashlight 95
Flat tire
– Flat Tire Monitor 79
– run-flat tires 80, 168
Flat Tire Monitor 79
– false alarms 79
– initializing the system 79
– limits of system 79
– malfunction 80
– warning lamp 80
Flooding, refer to
Water on roads 103"FM", reception
range 127, 130
FM, waveband 130
Fog lamps 86
– indicator lamp 86
Folding up the convertible
top compartment floor,
convertible 32
Footwell lamps 87
Forward, fast
– CD changer 140
– CD player 140
For your own safety 6
Front airbags 81
Front head restraints 45
Front seat adjustment 43
"FTM" 79
Fuel
– average consumption 69
– display 65
– fuel specifications 163
– high-quality brands 163
– quality 163
– tank capacity 162
Fuel display, refer to
Fuel gauge 65
Fuel filler door 162
– releasing in the event of
an electrical
malfunction 162
Fuel gauge 65
Fuel specifications 163
Fuses 182
G
Garage-door opener, refer
to Integrated universal
remote control 94
Gasoline
– refer to Fuel
specifications 163
– refer to Required fuel 163
Gasoline display, refer to
Fuel gauge 65
Gear changes
– automatic transmission
with Steptronic 58
– SMG Sequential manual
transmission 57

Reference 207
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Random play
– CD changer 140
– CD player 140
Reading lamps 87
Rear lamps, refer to
Tail lamps 180
Rearview mirror 48
Rear window defroster 89
"Received calls" 149
Receiving level of portable
phone, refer to Status
information 19
Reception
– quality 133
– radio stations 133
– regional station 132
Rechargeable flashlight 95
Recirculated-air mode,
refer to AUC Automatic
recirculated-air
control 89
Recirculation of air, refer to
AUC Automatic recircu-
lated-air control 89
Reclining seat, refer to
Backrest 43
Recording times, refer to
Stopwatch 72
"Redial" for portable
phone 149
Redialing with portable
phone 149
Refueling 162
Releasing, engine
hood 170
"Relock door if not
opened" 29
Remaining distance
– refer to Computer 70
– refer to Cruising range 69
Remote control 26
– garage-door opener 94
– luggage compartment
lid 28
– malfunctions 28
"Repeat" in audio
mode 139
"repeat track" in audio
mode 139
Replacement fuses 182Replacement of tires,
changing a wheel 181
Replacing bulbs, refer to
Lamps and bulbs 178
Replacing wheels/tires 168
Reporting an accident,
refer to Initiating an
emergency call 183
Reporting safety defects 7
Reserve warning, refer to
Fuel gauge 65
"Reset"
– for stopwatch 72
– in audio mode 129
Residual heat mode 90
Restraint systems
– for children 51
– refer to Safety belts 47
Retreaded tires 168
Reverse, fast
– CD changer 140
– CD player 140
Reverse gear
– automatic transmission
with Steptronic 59
– manual transmission 56
– SMG Sequential manual
transmission 57
Road map 120
"Roadside Assistance" 157
Roadside Assistance 184
Roadside parking lamps 86
"Roaming" 158
Rollover protection system
on Convertible 82
– lowering 82
Rope, refer to Towing and
tow-starting 185
Rotary pushbutton, refer to
Control Center 16
Route
– bypassing sections 120
– changing 116, 120
– display 120
– displaying map 120
– displaying the arrow
view 119
– list 120
– selecting 116
– selecting criteria 116"Route list" for
navigation 120
Route map 119
"Route preference" 116
Route selection 116
Run-flat tires 168
– continuing driving with a
damaged tire 168
– flat tire 80
– tire inflation
pressure 164, 168
– tire replacement 168, 169
– winter tires 169
S
Safety belts 47
– damage 47
– sitting safely 42
– warning lamp 47
Safety belt tensioners, refer
to Safety belts 47
Safety systems
– ABS Antilock Brake
System 76
– airbags 81
– DSC Dynamic Stability
Control 77
– rollover protection
system, convertible 82
– safety belts 47
Satellite radio 133
– activating 134
– selecting channel 134
– storing channel 134
"SAT" on the radio 134
"Scan"
– playing stations 131
– playing tracks 139
Scan
– CD changer 139
– CD player 139
– radio 131
"scan directory" in audio
mode 139
Screen, refer to
Control Center 16
"Screen on / off" 49
Screw-on valve caps 181