Page 4 of 190

4
Notes
© 2004 Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 158 118
US English II/04
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper,
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling.
About this Owner's Manual
We have made every effort to ensure
that you are able to find what you need
in this Owner's Manual as quickly as
possible. The fastest way to find spe-
cific topics is by using the detailed
index at the end. If you wish to gain an
initial overview of your vehicle, you will
find this in the first chapter.
Should you wish to sell your BMW at
some time in the future, please remem-
ber to hand over this Owner's Manual
to the new owner; it is an important part
of the vehicle.
Additional sources of information
If you have any additional questions,
your BMW center will be glad to advise
you.
You can find more information about
BMW, for example on its technology,
on the Internet at www.bmw.com.
Symbols used
Indicates precautions that must
be followed precisely in order to
avoid the possibility of personal injury
and serious damage to the vehicle.
Indicates information that will
assist you in gaining the optimum
benefit from your vehicle and enable
you to care more effectively for your
vehicle.
Refers to measures that can be
taken to help protect the environ-
ment.
Marks the end of a specific item of
information.
Indicates special equipment, coun-
try-specific equipment and optional
extras when available.
Vehicle Memory, Key Memory,
refer to page 68. Identifies func-
tions that can be specifically adapted
for a particular key or vehicle. These
adjustments can be performed by your
BMW center.
Indicates that you should consult
the relevant section of this
Owner's Manual for information on a
particular part or assembly.
Page 8 of 190
Contents
Notes
About this Owner's Manual4
Additional sources of
information4
Symbols used4
Your individual vehicle5
Status at time of printing5
For your own safety5
Service and warranty6
Reporting safety defects7
Overview
Cockpit14
Instrument cluster16
Indicator and warning lamps18
Buttons in steering wheel*21
Hazard warning triangle*22
First-aid kit*22
Refueling23
Fuel specifications24
Controls and features
Opening and closing:
Keys28
Central locking system28
Opening and closing – via the
remote control29
Opening and closing – via the
door lock31
Opening and closing – from the
inside32
Luggage compartment lid33
Luggage compartment35
Alarm system*36
Electric power windows38
Manual convertible top39
Fully-automatic convertible
top*44
Wind deflector*48
To adjust:
Safe seating position50
Seats51
Adjusting electric power
seats51
Lumbar support*52
Head restraints52
Entering the rear53
Safety belts54
Seat and mirror memory*55
Seat heating*57
Mirrors57
Steering wheel58
Page 64 of 190

64
Securing child-restraint system
All of the rear belt retractors and the
front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing child-
restraint systems.
A label with the appropriate instructions
is located in the immediate vicinity of
the buckle of each safety belt.
To lock the safety belt
Extract the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
reel to retract the belt somewhat and
engage the buckle, then tighten the belt
against the child-restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.
The belt cannot be extracted further.
Always observe the installation instruc-
tions provided by the manufacturer of
the child-restraint system.
To unlock the safety belt
Release the safety belt, remove the
child seat and retract the safety belt to
its end position on the belt retractor.
LATCH child-restraint mounting
system
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren
The left and right rear seats are both
equipped with a LATCH child-restraint
mounting system.
The LATCH anchorage points may be
identified by flags on the outer points or
by symbols or buttons directly above all
points.
Transporting children safely
Page 86 of 190

86
Service interval displayRemaining distance to next
serviceThe displays shown in the illustration
appear for a few seconds when the
ignition key is in position 1 or higher or
after the engine is started.
The next service due appears with the
message OIL SERVICE or
INSPECTION, together with the dis-
tance remaining in miles – in kilometers
in Canada – before the next scheduled
service.
The computer bases its calculations of
the remaining distance on the preced-
ing driving style.
A flashing message and a "–" in front of
the number mean that the service inter-
val has already been exceeded by the
distance shown on the display. Please
contact your BMW center for an
appointment.
Check ControlDisplayWhen the ignition key is in position 2,
the following information and/or condi-
tions are indicated using symbols until
the conditions have been corrected.
1Check the low and high beams as
well as the parking lamps
2Door open
3Luggage compartment lid open
4Check tail or brake lamps
When you open the driver's door after
having turned the ignition key to posi-
tion 0, you will hear an acoustic signal
for a few seconds to remind you that
the lamps have not been switched off.
Page 184 of 190

Everything from A to ZSafety belt height adjust-
ment 54
Safety belts 54
seat-integrated safety belt
system 53
sitting safely 50
warning lamp 18
Safety systems, refer to
Antilock Brake
System 127
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 91
Screwdriver, refer to
Onboard tool kit 152
Seat adjustment 51
BMW sports seat 51
power 51
Seat belt tensioner, refer to
Safety belts 54
Seat heating 57
Seat memory, refer to Seat
and mirror memory 55
Seat positions, storing 55
Seats 51
Securing cargo 119
Securing child-restraint sys-
tem 64
Securing the vehicle
from inside 32
from outside 29, 31Selector lever
automatic transmission 77
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 73
Selector lever lock, refer to
Shiftlock 73, 77
Selector lever positions
automatic transmission 77
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 73
Sequential manual gearbox
SMG 73
indicator lamp 19
Service and Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet 146
Service Engine Soon
warning lamp 19
Service interval display
86, 146
Shift paddles 74
Shifting gears
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 77
sequential manual gear-
box SMG 74
Shiftlock 73
Shiftlock, refer to Range
selection 77
Side airbags 59
Side turn signal indicators
bulb replacement 155Sitting safely
with airbags 50
with safety belts 50
Size 171
Ski bag 115
Slipstream deflector, refer to
Wind deflector 48
SMG sequential manual
gearbox 73
indicator lamp 19
Smokers' package, refer to
Ashtray 113
SOS, refer to Emergency
call 162
Space-saver spare tire
changing a wheel 157
Spare key 28
Spare tire 157
Spare wheel 160
Special oils 143
Specified oils 143
Speed gauge, refer to
Speedometer 16
Speedometer 16
SPORT button 76
Sport program
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 78
Sports seat 51
Stability control, refer to
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 91Standing lamps 97
Starting difficulties
jump-starting 163
temperature 69
Starting help DSC 91
Starting the engine 69
Starting, refer to Starting the
engine 69
Status of the Owner's Man-
ual 5
Steering wheel lock 69
Steering wheel, adjusting 58
Steptronic, refer to Manual
operation 78
Storage compartments 112
Storage nets 112
Storing seat positions, refer
to Seat and mirror
memory 55
Storing tires 137
Surface ice, refer to Ice
warning 88
Switches, refer to
Cockpit 14
Switching off
engine 71
Symbols 4
Synthetic oils 143
T
Tachometer 84