2004 BMW 645CI COUPE&CONVERTIBLE light

Driving
56 do not pull it too strongly. In doing so, con-
tinuously press the button of the handbrake
lever.
Strong application of the handbrake can
lead to overbraking of the rear axle and
associated 'fishtailing' of the vehicle rear
end.
The brake lamps do not light up when the
handbrake is engaged.
Vehicles with manual or SMG transmission:
When parking on inclines, engage the
handbrake, as even engaging the first or
reverse gear might not under certain cir-
cumstances secure the vehicle against
moving.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Engage selector-lever position P.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided
braking action, occasionally engage
the handbrake lightly when the vehicle is
slowly coming to a standstill if the traffic
conditions are suitable.<
Manual transmission
While shifting gear in the 5th/6th gear
level, press the gearshift lever to the
right, as otherwise engine damage could
occur from inadvertently engaging a gear in
the 3rd/4th gear level.
On inclines, do not hold the vehicle with the
clutch; use the handbrake. Otherwise there
is high clutch wear.<
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stationary. When pressing the gearshift
lever to the left, overcome some resis-
tance.The backup lamps automatically switch on
in ignition key position 2.
SMG Sequential manual
transmission*
The concept
The SMG Sequential manual transmission
is an automated manual transmission in
which an electro-hydraulic system handles
the clutching and gear changes.
You operate the SMG using the selector
lever in the center console and two shift
paddles on the steering wheel.
It offers the following functions:
>Choice of manual or automatic mode:
Sequential mode or Drive mode
>Options of two drive programs:
Normal or Sport, refer to page 59
>Protection against incorrect gearshifts
and automatic shift down at minimum
engine speed, also in the Sequential
mode
>Kickdown function in the Drive mode
>Acceleration assistant, refer to
page 60.
The SMG is operational in ignition key posi-
tion 2.
Selector-lever positions
The current selector-lever position is dis-
played on the center console.
>R: Reverse gear
>N: Neutral, idle

Driving
58 speed; thus, for example, a downshift
that would cause the engine to overrev
will not be executed by the system
>When the vehicle is stationary, the
transmission automatically downshifts
into first gear
>Shortly before dropping below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the trans-
mission downshifts automatically even
without your intervention.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up and a
message appears on the Control
Display. There is a malfunction in
the transmission system. Avoid high loads.
While it will remain still possible to move
the selector lever to any desired position,
the transmission will revert to operation in
its default mode with only a limited number
of forward gears.
Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible.
Information on jump-starting and towing
begins on page 185.
Overheating
The warning lamp lights up and a
message appears on the Control
Display. In addition, an acoustic
signal sounds. Overheating in the area of
the transmission. If possible, stop or drive
off quickly so that the system can cool
down.
Automatic transmission
with Steptronic*
In addition to the fully automatic mode, you
can also shift manually with Steptronic,
refer to page 59.
Selector-lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Possible displays
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is indicated, and
in the manual mode the gear currently
engaged.
Changing selector-lever positions
An interlock prevents inadvertent gear-
shifts into selector-lever positions R and P.
To cancel the interlock, press the button on
the front of the selector lever knob, refer to
arrow.
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out
of P or N; the shift command will not be
executed unless the brake is applied.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after
you select a driving position, maintain pres-
sure on the brake pedal until you are ready
to start.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling,
always select selector-lever posi-
tion P and engage the handbrake before
leaving the vehicle with the engine running.
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the
engine running, as such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.<

Controls
59Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
P Parking
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stationary. The rear wheels are blocked.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is completely
stationary.
N Neutral
E.g. engage in car washes. The vehicle can
roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation.
All forward gears are available.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in
position D.
Kickdown
The kickdown mode provides maximum
acceleration:
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the
full-throttle resistance point.
M/S manual operation and
Sport program
Move the selector lever from position D to
the left into gearshift gate M/S:
The sport program is activated and DS
appears in the instrument cluster.
This position is recommended for a perfor-
mance-oriented driving style. It is engaged
automatically when the Dynamic Driving
Control is activated, see below.
When the selector lever is moved slightly
towards + or –, the Steptronic shifts gear
and manual operation is activated. The
instrument cluster shows M1 through M6.Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combi-
nation of engine and vehicle speed; thus,
for example, a downshift that would cause
the engine to overrev will not be executed
by the system. The selected gear appears
briefly in the instrument cluster, followed by
the current gear.
To use the automatic function again, move
the selector lever to the right into posi-
tion D.
Malfunction
The warning lamp lights up and a
message appears on the Control
Display. There is a malfunction in
the transmission system. Avoid heavy
loads.
While it will remain still possible to move
the selector lever to any desired position,
the transmission will revert to operation in
its default mode with only a limited number
of forward gears.
Have the system checked as soon as pos-
sible.
Towing, refer to page, 185, jump-starting,
refer to page 185.
Dynamic Driving Control
The Dynamic Driving Control makes it pos-
sible for your BMW to react in an even more
sports-oriented manner at the push of a
button:
>The engine responds more spontane-
ously to accelerator pedal movements
>The steering conveys a feeling of even
better contact with the road surface
>Cruise control:
The stored speed you call up is reached
more quickly.
Additionally with SMG:
>Gearshifts are faster
>The engine speed range is used opti-
mally in the Drive mode.
With automatic transmission:
>The Sport program is activated.

Driving
60
Activating system
With ignition key in position 2
Press the SPORT button.
The LED in the button lights up and SPORT
is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Deactivating system
>Press the SPORT button again or
>engage reverse gear or
>switch off the engine.
The LED in the button and SPORT in the
instrument cluster go out.
Acceleration assistant with SMG
The acceleration assistant enables opti-
mized vehicle acceleration at racing car
level on road surfaces with good adhesion
when starting off.
Do not use the acceleration assistant
too often, as otherwise components
will wear prematurely.<
1.Activate the Dynamic Driving Control
2.Press the DSC button, refer to page 77,
for longer than three seconds
3.Press the accelerator pedal down fully:
kickdown. The ideal starting-off engine
speed is set.
To maintain driving stability, drive
with the DSC on whenever possible.<
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1High beams
2Headlamp flasher
3Turn signals
Using turn signals
Move the lever beyond the resistance
point. It then returns to the center position
when released. Press the lever as far as the
resistance point to switch off the turn sig-
nals.
If the indicator lamp flashes faster
than usual, a turn signal has failed.<
Signaling briefly
Press the lever as far as the resistance
point and hold there if necessary. It then
returns to the center position when
released.
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance
point; the turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this func-
tion.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open the menu
2.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller
3.Select "Lighting" and press the control-
ler
4.Select "Triple turn signal activation" and
press the controller.

Controls
61Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Triple turn signal activation is acti-
vated.
Wiper system
1Standard wiper speed: briefly press
once.
The system automatically reverts to
operation in the intermittent mode
whenever the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wipe: briefly press twice or press
beyond the resistance point.
The system automatically reverts to
operation in the standard wipe mode
whenever the vehicle is stationary
2Switching off wipers or for brief wipe
3Activating/deactivating rain sensor
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps
5Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
The lever automatically returns to its initial
position when released.
Cleaning windshield and headlamps
The system sprays washer fluid against the
windshield and activates the wipers for a
brief period.
When the vehicle lighting system is
switched on, the headlamps are also cleaned at regular and appropriate inter-
vals.
Do not use the washers if there is any
danger that the fluid will freeze on the
windshield. If you do so, your vision could
be obscured. To avoid freezing, use a
washer fluid antifreeze, refer to Washer
fluid.
Avoid activating the washer when the res-
ervoir is empty, as damage to the pump
could result.<
Windshield washer nozzles
The windshield washer nozzles are auto-
matically heated in ignition key position 2.
Rain sensor
The rain sensor controls windshield wipe
operation depending on the amount of rain.
The rain sensor is located on the wind-
shield, directly in front of the interior rear-
view mirror.
Activating rain sensor
As of ignition key position 1, briefly press
the button. The indicator lamp in the button
lights up. The wipers will always respond
by completing at least one sweep of the
windshield.
Adjusting rain sensor sensitivity level
Turn the serrated dial 5.
Deactivating rain sensor
Press the button again. The indicator lamp
goes out.
The rain sensor is automatically deacti-
vated when you switch off the ignition.

Controls
65Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Engine oil thermometer
The engine oil temperature is between
approx. 1607/706 and approx. 3407/
1706 during normal operation.
If the engine oil temperature is too high, a
message appears on the Control Display.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 18.5 US gal-
lons/70 liters, including the reserve capac-
ity of approx. 2.1 gallons/8 liters. You can
find information on refueling on page 162.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer
period, when you are driving in mountain-
ous areas, for example, the indicator may
fluctuate slightly.
After the reserve quantity has been
reached, a message appears for a short
time on the Control Display; the remaining
range is shown in the computer. Below a
range of approx. 30 miles/50 km, the mes-
sage remains on the Control Display.
Refuel as soon as possible once your
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, as otherwise engine functions are
not ensured and damage can occur.<
Service requirement display
In instrument cluster
The remaining distance to be driven, the
date for the next maintenance as well as
the date entered for the state emission or
vehicle inspection are displayed briefly as
of ignition key position 2, if the date is
imminent.
Your BMW Service Advisor will deter-
mine your vehicle's current service
requirements by reading out the data
stored in the vehicle key.<
On Control Display
You can view additional information on ser-
vice and maintenance procedures on the
Control Display.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open the menu
2.Select "Service" and press the control-
ler
3.Select "Service requirements" and
press the controller
4.Select "Status" and press the control-
ler.
The display shows a list of selected service
and maintenance procedures, as well as
legally mandated official inspections.

Everything under control
66
Symbols
The service deadline has already
passed.
The deadline for service or an official
inspection is approaching. Please fix
a service appointment.
No service is currently required.
You can request more detailed information
on every entry.
Select the entry and press the controller.
To exit the menu:
Select and press the controller.
Entering dates for state emission and
vehicle inspections
Make sure the date in the Control Center is
always set correctly, refer to page 73, as
otherwise the effectiveness of CBS Condi-
tion Based Service is not ensured.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open the menu
2.Select "Service" and press the control-
ler
3.Select "Service requirements" and
press the controller4.Select "Status" and press the controller
5.Select "Emission inspect." or "State
inspection" and press the controller
6.Select "Set service date" and press the
controller. The month is highlighted
7.Turn the controller to make the adjust-
ment
8.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The year is highlighted
9.Turn the controller to make the adjust-
ment
10.Press the controller to apply the setting.
The date entry is stored.
To exit the menu:
Select and press the controller.Check Control
The concept
The Check Control monitors functions in
the vehicle and issues a message if there is
a malfunction in the monitored systems.
Supplementary messages on the Control
Display are intended to assist you in
assessing the severity of malfunctions; they
provide you with the information you need
to decide on the best way to respond.

Everything under control
70 >Trip computer,
suitable e.g. for a vacation trip.
Computer
Select "Onboard info" and press the con-
troller.
>Estimated time of arrival at destination:
>Entering a distance manually in the
computer, see below
>Entering a destination in the naviga-
tion system, refer to page 110
>Cruising range
>Distance to destination:
>Entering a distance manually in the
computer, see below
>Entering a destination in the naviga-
tion system, refer to page 110
>Average speed
>Average fuel consumption.
Trip computer
Select "Trip computer" and press the con-
troller.
>Departure time
>Driving time
>Elapsed distance
>Average speed>Average fuel consumption.
To switch the trip computer on/off and
reset all the values:
1.Select "Set" and press the controller
2.Select the desired menu item
3.Press the controller.
Entering a distance manually
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Open "Navigation".
On vehicles without navigation system:
open "Car Data"
2.Select "Car Data" and press the con-
troller
3.Select "Onboard info" and press the
controller
4.Select "Dist. to destination" and press
the controller
5.Turn the controller to select the dis-
tance to your destination. When doing
so, maintain a slight resistance if neces-
sary if a greater difference is to be
entered
6.Press the controller to apply the setting.
With the destination guidance switched on,
the distance is given automatically.
Display options
You can display the computer or the trip
computer in the assistance window.
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Move the controller to the right to
change to the assistance window and
press the controller