2004 BMW Z4 2.5I automatic transmission

Cockpit

12

Instrument cluster

1

Speedometer

2

Indicator and warning lamps12

3

Tachometer48
with indicator and warning lamps12

4

Engine coolant temperature gauge48

5

Fuel gauge48

6

Button for

>

Time49
>Service interval display49
7Display field for selector lever and pro-
gram indicator
>Automatic transmission 39
>Sequential manual gearbox
SMG42
8Button for
>Trip odometer, reset to zero48
>Setting time49
9Display for
>Trip odometer/Odometer48
>Clock49
>Service interval49
>Computer49
Indicator and warning
lamps
Technology that monitors itself
Indicator and warning lamps that are iden-
tified by
+ are tested for proper functioning
whenever the ignition key is turned. They
each light up once for different periods of
time.
If a fault should occur in one of these sys-
tems, the corresponding lamp does not go
out after the engine is started or it lights up
again while the vehicle is moving. The indi-
cated pages provide information on what
measures to take.

At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
13
Colors
The indicator and warning lamps can light
up in various colors and combinations.
The following section explains the signifi-
cance of the individual colors as well as
how you should respond.
>Red:
Stop the vehicle immediately
or
an important reminder
>Red and yellow:
Continue driving cautiously
>Yellow:
Have the system checked soon
or
for your information
>Green:
For your information
>Blue:
For your information. Please fasten safety belts
+30
Airbags
+56
Battery charge current
+91
Engine oil pressure/Engine oil
level/Engine oil sensor
+83
Parking brake/Chassis control sys-
tems/Dynamic Brake Control/
Brake fluid
+38/ 52/ 53/ 85
Parking brake/Chassis control sys-
tems/Dynamic Brake Control/
Brake fluid for Canadian models
+38/ 52/ 53/ 85
Antilock Brake System ABS/Chas-
sis control systems
+54/ 52
Antilock Brake System ABS/Chas-
sis control systems for Canadian
models
+54/ 52
Dynamic Stability Control
DSC
+52
Dynamic Traction Control
DTC
+52
Flat Tire Monitor
+54
Automatic transmission/
Sequential manual gearbox
SMG
+40/ 42
Brake pads
+70
Add coolant84
CHECK GAS CAP
+74
Service Engine Soon +87
Service Engine Soon warning lamp
for Canadian models
+87
Defective bulbs46
Turn signal indicators43
Fog lamps47
Headlamp flasher/
High beams43/ 47
Electric Power Steering EPS
+43
Engine electronics
+
Engine electronics malfunction.
You can continue to drive with
reduced engine output or engine
speed. Please have the system
inspected by your BMW center.

Driving
36
Driving
Ignition lock
0 Steering locked
This is the only position in which the igni-
tion key can be inserted or removed.
After removing the key, turn the steering
wheel slightly to the left or right until the
lock engages.
If the key is not removed, an acoustic signal
sounds when the driver's door is opened.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
do not move the selector lever from
position P until the engine is running.<
Interlock
In order to turn the key back to position 0 or
to remove it, move the selector level into
position P first.
1 Steering unlocked
You will find that it is often easier to turn the
ignition key from position 0 to 1 if you move
the steering wheel slightly to help disen-
gage the detent.
Individual electrical equipment and acces-
sories are available for use.
2 Ignition switched on
All systems are operational.
3 Engine started
Engine
Do not allow the engine to warm up while
the vehicle is stationary. Instead, begin
driving immediately at a moderate engine
speed.
Engine idle speed is controlled by the
engine computer system. Increased
speeds at start-up are normal and should
decrease as the engine warms up. If engine
speed does not decrease, service is
required.
To prevent the battery from discharging,
always deactivate electrical devices that
are not in use. Switch the ignition off when
the vehicle is not being driven.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. The exhaust gases
contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and
colorless, but highly toxic gas. Breathing
the exhaust gases poses an extreme health
risk, and can lead to unconsciousness and
death.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. An unattended vehicle
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.
When driving, standing at idle and parking
the vehicle, take care to avoid contact
between the hot exhaust system and flam-
mable materials, e.g. hay, leaves, grass,
etc. Such contact could lead to a fire,
resulting in serious personal injury and
property damage.<
Starting the engine
Do not press the accelerator pedal while
starting the engine.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Step on the clutch when starting the
vehicle. A lockout prevents the engine from
starting if the clutch is not depressed.<
Do not actuate the starter for too
short a time, but do not actuate it for
more than approx. 20 seconds. Release

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
37
the ignition key immediately when the
engine starts.<
Extended starting attempts, charac-
terized by excessively frequent or
long periods with the starter engaged, can
damage the catalytic converter.<
If the engine fails to start on the first
attempt, for instance if it is very hot or cold:
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down.
Cold starts at very low temperatures, start-
ing at approx. 57/–156:
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down.
>On the first start attempt, engage the
starter for a longer period, approx.
10 seconds.
Manual transmission
1.Engage the parking brake
2.Gearshift lever in idling position
3.Depress clutch pedal
4.Start the engine.
Automatic transmission
1.Depress footbrake
2.Place selector lever in position P or N
3.Start the engine.
Before leaving the vehicle with the
engine running, place the selector
lever in position P and pull the parking
brake.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. An unattended vehicle
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.<
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
1.Depress footbrake
2.Move selector lever to neutral
position N
3.Start the engine.
If the engine does not start, re-
engage the gear last selected, refer to
the display in the instrument cluster, and move the selector lever to neutral position
N again.<
Before leaving the vehicle with the
engine running, place the selector
lever in position N and pull the parking
brake.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running. An unattended vehicle
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.<
Switching off the engine
Do not remove the ignition key while
the vehicle is still moving. If you did
so, the steering lock would engage when
the steering wheel is turned.
When you leave the vehicle, always remove
the ignition key and engage the steering
lock.
Always engage the parking brake when
parking on downhill roads.<
You can have an acoustic signal set
as a reminder that the ignition key is
still in the ignition switch after the driver's
door has been opened.<
Manual transmission
Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Automatic transmission
Place the selector lever in position P and
turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Sequential manual gearbox SMG
If you turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0
with the selector lever in position R, or in
sequential mode, a gear automatically
remains engaged.
If you turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0
with the selector lever in neutral position N,
a warning tone and the flashing gear indi-
cator in the display remind you that the
vehicle is not secured against rolling.
The warning stops after approx. 9 seconds.
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on downhill roads.
Engaging a gear may not sufficiently secure
the vehicle against rolling.<

Driving
38
Parking brake
The parking brake is designed primarily to
prevent the vehicle from rolling when
parked. It operates against the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up when
the parking brake is engaged; if you
start driving, an acoustic signal is
heard as well.
The indicator lamp for Canadian
models lights up when the parking
brake is engaged; if you start driv-
ing, an acoustic signal is heard as well.
To engage
The detent engages automatically and the
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
comes on when the ignition key is in posi-
tion 2.
To release
Pull up slightly on the lever, press the but-
ton and lower the lever.
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage the
parking brake while the vehicle is in motion,
do not pull it with excessive pressure. Keep
the release button on the parking brake
lever pressed down while pulling up the
lever.
Excessive pressure can lead to overbraking
and loss of traction, fishtailing, at the rear
axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when the
parking brake is engaged.<
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake when parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces, since shifting into 1st gear or reverse
may not provide adequate resistance to
rolling. Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: place the selector lever in
position P.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake
lightly from time to time when coasting to a
standstill – at a traffic signal, for example –
provided that it is safe to do so.<
Manual transmission
6-gear transmission*
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, it is
important to press the gear shift lever to the
right to avoid accidentally engaging 3rd or
4th gear.
Reverse
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. Press the gearshift lever to the left
to overcome the resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will turn
on automatically when the ignition key is in
position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or riding the clutch.
Use the parking brake instead, otherwise,
the ensuing friction to the clutch plates will
cause a great deal of wear and tear on the
clutch.<

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
39
Automatic transmission
with Steptronic*
You can drive as with a normal automatic
transmission. In addition, you can also shift
manually.
When you move the selector lever from the
D position to the left into the M/S range, the
performance-oriented shift programs of the
automatic transmission are engaged. As
soon as you briefly tap the selector lever in
the + or — direction, Steptronic changes the
gear. The manual mode is engaged. When
you wish to use the automatic transmission
mode again, move the selector lever to the
right to position D.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + —
Range selection
A detent prevents inadvertent shifting into
selector lever positions R and P. To disen-
gage the detent, press the button on the
front of the selector lever knob, see arrow.
Shiftlock
While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of P or N, depress
the footbrake in order to disengage the
selector lever's lock mechanism.<
Hold the footbrake down until starting
off. The vehicle will otherwise start to
move when a drive position is engaged.
If you leave the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, move the selector lever to the P posi-
tion and apply the parking brake. If you fail
to do this, the vehicle could move.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with the engine running. An unattended vehicle
with a running engine poses a safety haz-
ard.<
PPark
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. The transmission locks to prevent
the rear wheels from turning.
RReverse
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
NNeutral
Select only when stopping for an extended
period.
DDrive: automatic shift program
This position is designed for driving under
all normal operating conditions. All forward
gears are available.
Kickdown
In the kickdown mode, you achieve maxi-
mum acceleration in position D.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-throt-
tle position.
M/S Manual mode and
Sport program
When you change from D to M/S, the Sport
program is activated. This is indicated in
the gear indicator by SD. The M/S mode is
recommended for performance-oriented
driving.
With the first brief touch, the automatic
transmission shifts from the Sport program
to the manual mode.
When you tap the selector lever in the +

Driving
40 direction, the transmission shifts up. When
the lever is tapped in the – direction, the
transmission shifts down. M1 to M 5 appear
in the gear indicator.
The Adaptive Transmission Control ATC
executes upshifts or downshifts only when
the new gear will provide a suitable combi-
nation of engine and road speed, e.g. ATC
will not execute downshifts if the engine
speed is too high. The desired gear will
appear briefly in the instrument cluster, fol-
lowed by the actual gear.
If you are driving in the manual mode
and wish to accelerate rapidly, e.g. to
pass another vehicle, shift down manually
or with the kickdown function.<
Shifting from M/S to selector lever posi-
tions P, R and N is possible only by going
through position D.
Available indicators
P R N D SD M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
Malfunction
If the indicator lamp comes on,
there is a malfunction in the trans-
mission system.
All of the selector lever positions can con-
tinue to be engaged; in the forward drive
positions, however, the vehicle will be
operating in the fourth gear only.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine loads
and consult the nearest BMW center.
Never work in the engine compart-
ment when a drive gear – forward or
reverse – is engaged. If you do so, the vehi-
cle could move. information beginning on page 94.
Sequential manual gearbox
SMG*
The concept
The sequential manual gearbox SMG is an
automated manual gearbox with which
clutching and shifting is assumed by an
electro-hydraulic system.
The SMG is operated via two shift paddles
on the steering wheel and the selector lever
in the center console.
It offers the following functions:
>Sequential mode: manual mode
>Drive mode: automated mode
>Ability to choose between two different
driving programs: Standard, Sport,
refer to Dynamic Driving Control
>Operating safety through protection
against misshifting
>Automatic upshifts and downshifts in
the drive mode
>Automatic downshifts at minimum
engine rpm
>Kickdown function in the drive mode
>Acceleration assistant.
Selector lever positions
The current selector lever position is shown
by a light-emitting diode on the center con-
sole.
R: Reverse
N: Neutral

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
41
Forward position with one-touch functions:
Sequential mode
+:manual upshifting
—:manual downshifting
D: drive mode.
The SMG is ready for operation in ignition
key positions 2 and 3.
The gearbox is automatically taken
out of gear if the driver's door is
opened while the engine is running and the
driver does not actuate the pedals, the shift
paddles or the selector lever.
This is accompanied by an acoustic signal
and the flashing gear indicator.
The gear indicator in the instrument cluster
displays N.
A driving position can only be engaged
when the driver's door is closed.
When the vehicle is unlocked, a buzzing
sound in the area of the transmission indi-
cates that the system is ready to operate.<
Shiftlock
For your safety, it is only possible to
engage a driving position from selector
lever position N when the footbrake is
depressed.
Please keep in mind while driving
When driving off on inclines, drive
smoothly without pausing. Do not
keep the vehicle in place by depressing the
accelerator pedal; instead, apply the park-
ing brake. Otherwise, the SMG gearbox
could overheat.<
RReverse
Select reverse only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
NNeutral
Always engage before starting the engine,
refer to Starting the engine.
Sequential mode
Each time the engine is started, the
sequential mode is activated as soon as you move the selector lever into the for-
ward driving position.
The gears are shifted via the shift paddles
or the selector lever.
It is also possible to drive off in second
gear, e.g. on snow-covered roads.
D Drive mode
In the drive mode all forward gears are
shifted automatically.
To switch from sequential to drive mode:
tap the selector lever to the right toward D.
For rapid acceleration, e.g. during passing,
depress the accelerator pedal completely:
kickdown.
Kickdown:
In the kickdown mode, you achieve maxi-
mum acceleration.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-throt-
tle position.
To switch back to sequential mode: tap the
selector lever again to the right toward D,
or change the current gear via the shift
paddles or the selector lever.
Shifting gears
With selector lever
>To upshift, tap the selector lever
toward +
>To downshift, tap the lever toward —.
With shift paddles on steering wheel
>To upshift, pull one of the shift paddles
>To downshift, push the paddle.