2004 BMW 645CI COUPE warning

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Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:
1Front airbags for driver and front pas-
senger
2Coupe: head airbags
3Front side airbags
4Knee airbag for front passenger
5Knee airbag for driver
Protective effect
The front airbags help protect the driver
and front passenger by responding to fron-
tal impacts in which safety belts alone can-
not provide adequate restraint. When
needed, the head and side airbags help
provide protection in the event of a side
impact. The side airbags help restrain the
side of the occupant's upper torso, and the
head airbags help support the head while
also helping provide protection against any
objects penetrating into the passenger
compartment.
The airbags are deliberately not triggered
in every impact situation, e.g. less severe
accidents, certain rollover conditions, or
rear-end collisions.
For information on the correct sitting posi-
tion, refer to page 42.
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 hearing loss in
extremely sensitive individuals. This effect
is usually only temporary.Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags, cover
them or modify them in any other way.
Do not attempt to remove the airbag reten-
tion system from the vehicle. Never modify
or tamper with either the wiring or the indi-
vidual components in the airbag system.
This category includes the upholstery in the
center of the steering wheel, on the instru-
ment panel, the side trim panels on the
doors and on the Coupe the roof pillars
along with the sides of the headliner.
Do not attempt to remove or dismantle the
steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components
directly after the system has been trig-
gered, because there is a danger of burns.
If you note any indication of system mal-
function, if you desire to have an airbag
deactivated, or if the airbag retention sys-
tem is triggered in response to an accident,
you should always entrust all inspection,
repair and dismantling operations to your
BMW center. Unprofessional attempts to
service the system could lead to failure in
an emergency or undesired airbag activa-
tion, either of which could result in personal
injury.<
Airbag warning information is also provided
on the sun visors.

Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
82
Airbag system operational
The airbag warning lamp in the instrument
cluster indicates the operational readiness
of the entire airbag system and the safety
belt tensioners as of ignition key position 1.
The warning lamp goes out after a few sec-
onds.
Airbag system malfunction
Have the airbag system checked
immediately if a malfunction occurs,
as otherwise there is a danger of the sys-
tem not responding in the expected man-
ner to an impact occurring within its normal
response range.<
There is a malfunction in the airbag
system when:
>The warning lamp does not light up as
of ignition key position 1
>The warning lamp remains on continu-
ously
>The warning lamp lights up while the
vehicle is being driven.
Convertible:
Rollover protection system
The rollover protection system is automati-
cally activated in the event of an accident
or a critical driving situation, extreme incli-
nation on the longitudinal or transverse
axis, or loss of ground contact. The rollover
bars located behind the rear head
restraints move out within fractions of a
second.As a supplement to the rollover bar inte-
grated in the windshield frame, the rollover
protection system ensures that all vehicle
occupants have the necessary headroom.
Always keep the path of movement of
the rollover protection system clear.
In less severe accidents, you are protected
by the fastened safety belt and, depending
on the severity of the accident, the belt ten-
sioner and the multistage airbag restraint
system.<
Lowering
If the protection function was not required
after automatic activation, the rollover pro-
tection system can be lowered again.
No tools are necessary for this purpose.
1.Press the release backwards and hold
in that position
2.Press the rollover bar halfway down
from above
3.Let go of the release
4.Press the rollover bar down until it
snaps into place
5.Use the same procedure for the second
rollover bar.
Have the rollover protection system
checked after unexpected triggering.

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Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
Parking lamps
With the switch in this position, the
front, rear and side vehicle lighting
is switched on. You can use the
parking lamps for parking. For lighting on
one side for parking as an additional fea-
ture, refer to page 86.
Low beams
When you switch off the ignition
with the headlamps on, the head-
lamps go out, and only the parking
lamps remain on.
Pathway lighting
After parking the vehicle and switching off
the headlamps, operating the headlamp
flasher activates the low beams. You can
set the duration on the Control Display or
deactivate the function.
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 "Pathway lighting" and press the
controller5.Turn the controller to select the corre-
sponding duration
6.Press the controller to apply the setting.
Lights on warning
If you turn the ignition key to position 0, an
acoustic signal sounds when you open the
driver's door for a few seconds to remind
you that the lamps have not yet been
switched off. At the same time a message
appears on the Control Display.
Daytime driving lamps*
If you wish, you can leave the light switch in
the low-beam position.
Always observe all applicable laws govern-
ing the use of daytime driving lamps.
You can switch on the parking lamps when
needed using the standard procedure
described under Parking lamps.
Automatic headlamp control
When you set the switch to this
position, the system activates and
switches on and off the low beams
in response to changes in ambient light
conditions, for instance, in a tunnel, at
dawn and dusk, and in rain and snow.
The LED next to the symbol is illuminated
when the low beams are on.
The low beams remain on indepen-
dent of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps.
With the daytime driving lamps activated,
the low beams are always switched on in

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The stations of the last selection criterion
are displayed once again after a short time.
Depending on which key you have used to
open the vehicle, other stored stations are
displayed.
Changing a memory location
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Select "Presets" and press the control-
ler
2.Select the desired station
3.Press the controller.
Other menu items are displayed
4.Select "Store" and press the controller
5.Turn the controller until the desired
memory location is selected.
The number of the memory location
appears beside the name or frequency
of the station
6.Press the controller.
The station is stored.
RDS Radio Data System
RDS transmits additional information in the
FM frequency range. RDS stations have the
following properties:
>In the case of broadcasting networks
that transmit over a number of frequen-
cies, there is an automatic switch to the
frequency with the best reception qual-
ity
>If the reception conditions are good, the
station names are shown on the Control
Display. If the reception is weak or dis-
rupted, it can take some time before the
station names appear.
Weather Band*
Weather Radio is a service of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration –
NOAA – of the U.S. Department of Com-
merce. Weather messages are repeated
every four to six minutes and are routinely
revised every one to three hours, or more
frequently if needed. Most of the stations
operate 24 hours daily. During severe
weather, National Weather Service fore-
casters can interrupt the routine weather
broadcasts and substitute special warning
messages. If you have a question concern-
ing NOAA Weather Radio, please contact
your nearest National Weather Service
Office, or write to National Weather Service
– Attn: W/OM11 –, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, 1325 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD. 20910.
Selecting Weather Band
Control Center, for principle details, refer to
page 16:
1.Select "WB" and press the controller
2.Select the Weather Band station and
press the controller.
It can occur that the Weather Band station
is not available in some regions.
Satellite radio*
You can receive up to 100 different chan-
nels with high tone quality.
The channels are offered to you in pre-
defined combinations. To receive the chan-
nels of your choice, you must have this
combination enabled.

Mobility
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Warning lamp* lights up.
Fuel filler cap is not properly closed
or is missing. Check whether the
fuel filler cap is properly closed.
Fuel specifications
The engine uses lead-free gasoline only.
Required fuel
Premium Unleaded Gasoline,
Minimum Octane Rating: 91.
Minimum Octane Rating corresponds to
the Anti Knock Index AKI and is deter-
mined according to the so-called (R+M)/
2 method.
Do not use leaded gasoline, as other-
wise the lambda probe and catalytic
converter will be permanently damaged.<
Use high-quality brands
Field experience has indicated significant
differences in fuel quality: volatility, compo-
sition, additives, etc., among gasolines
offered for sale in the United States and
Canada. Fuels containing up to and includ-
ing 10 % ethanol or other oxygenates with
up to 2.8 % oxygen by weight, that is,
15 % MTBE or 3 % methanol plus an equiv-
alent amount of co-solvent, will not void
the applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
The use of poor-quality fuels may
result in drivability, starting and stall-
ing problems, especially under certain
environmental conditions such as high
ambient temperature and high altitude.
Should you encounter drivability problems
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 also result in unscheduled main-
tenance.<

Under the hood
172
Topping up engine oil
Wait until the level has dropped to just on
the lower dipstick mark before adding oil.
In this area a message also appears on the
Control Display.
Store oil, grease etc., well out of the
reach of children; always observe all
warning labels on the containers.<
Specified engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has
critical significance for the operation and
service life of an engine. BMW continu-
ously approves specific oils after confirm-
ing their suitability for use in its vehicles
with extensive testing.
Use only approved BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil.
If you are unable to obtain BMW High Per-
formance Synthetic Oil, you can add small
amounts of another synthetic oil between
oil changes. Use only oils with the API SH
specification or higher.
Ask your BMW center for details con-
cerning the specific BMW High Per-
formance Synthetic Oil or synthetic oils
which have been approved.<
You can also call BMW of North America
at 1-800-831-1117 or visit this website:
www.bmwusa.com to obtain this informa-
tion.
BMW engines are designed to oper-
ate without additives, and their use
could even lead to damage in some
cases.<
Viscosity ratings
Viscosity is the oil flow rating as defined in
SAE classes.
The selection of the correct SAE class
depends on the climatic conditions in the
area where you typically drive your BMW.
Approved oils are in SAE classes
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These oils may be used for driving in all
ambient temperatures.
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling sys-
tem when the engine is hot. Escaping
coolant can cause burns.<
Coolant consists of water and the addition
of antifreeze and anticorrosion agent. Not
all commercially available additives are
suitable for your BMW. Ask your BMW cen-
ter for suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, as other-
wise engine damage may result. The
additives present a health hazard; observe
the instructions on the containers.<
Always observe all applicable envi-
ronmental rules and regulations when
disposing of used coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.The engine must be at ambient temper-
ature
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank
counterclockwise to allow any accumu-
lated pressure to escape, then continue
turning to open

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3.The coolant level is correct when the
measuring range of the fill level indica-
tor is at the level of the upper edge of
the filler neck, also refer to the drawing
next to the filler neck
4.If the coolant is low, slowly add coolant
up to the specified level – do not overfill
5.Turn the cap until you hear a click
6.Have the reason for the coolant loss
eliminated as soon as possible.
Brake system
Malfunction
Brake fluid
The warning lamp lights up in red
in spite of the handbrake being
released; a message appears on
the Control Display.
Stop the vehicle immediately.
The brake fluid in the reservoir has fallen to
below the minimum level. At the same time,
a significantly longer brake pedal path is
noticeable. Have the system checked
immediately by a BMW center.
Warning lamp for Canadian models.
When you continue driving, an
increased brake pedal path can be
necessary, and significantly longer braking
distances might be required. Please adapt
your driving style accordingly.<
Brake pads
The warning lamp lights up in red
in spite of the handbrake being
released; a message appears on
the Control Display. The brake pads have
reached their minimum pad thickness.
Have the brake pads replaced as soon as
possible.
Warning lamp for Canadian models.For your own safety: use only brake
pads that BMW has approved for your
particular vehicle model. As BMW cannot
assess the suitability of other brake pads
for use on your vehicle, BMW is unable to
assume continued responsibility for the
vehicle's operating safety if non-approved
pads are installed.<

Rules and regulations
176
Rules and regulations
California laws
Proposition 65 Warning
California laws require us to issue the fol-
lowing warning:
Engine exhaust and a wide variety of
automobile components and parts,
including components found in the interior
furnishings in a vehicle, contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, certain flu-
ids contained in vehicles and certain prod-
ucts of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California
to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related acces-
sories contain lead and lead compounds.
Wash your hands after handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that
have caused cancer in laboratory animals.
Always protect your skin by washing thor-
oughly with soap and water.<
Event Data Recorders
Your vehicle may be equipped with one or
more sensing and diagnostic modules or a
recording device capable of recording or
transmitting certain vehicle data or infor-
mation. In addition, if you have a Subscrip-
tion Service Agreement for the BMW Assist
system, certain vehicle information may be
transmitted or recorded in order to provide
such services.
OBD connector
The Onboard Diagnostic OBD interface
socket is located on the left of the driver's
side under the instrument panel and under
a cover.
The cover has the letters OBD on it.
The purpose of the OBD system is to
ensure proper operation of the emission
control system for the vehicle's lifetime.
The system monitors emission-related
components and systems for deterioration
and malfunction.
An illuminated indicator lamp
informs you of the need for service,
not of the need to stop the vehicle.
However, the systems should be checked
by your BMW center at the earliest possible
opportunity.
Display of the previously described
malfunction on Canadian models.
Under certain conditions, the indicator
lamp will blink or flash. This indicates a
rather severe level of engine misfire. When
this occurs, you should reduce speed and
consult the nearest BMW center as soon as
possible. Severe engine misfire over only a
short period of time can seriously damage
emissions control components, especially
the catalytic converter.