2005 BMW 330I SEDAN warning

Technology for driving comfort and safety
80 If the warning lamps for DSC come
on. DSC including DTC and DBC is
malfunctioning.
The stabilizing action and brake-
servo boost are no longer available. The vehicle
remains operational. Have the system checked
as soon as possible.
Drive-off assistant
The drive-off assistant enables you to drive off
smoothly on uphill gradients. It is not necessary
to use the handbrake for this.
1.Hold the car in place by pressing the brake
pedal.
2.Release the brake pedal and drive off with-
out delay.
The drive-off assistant holds the car in
place for approx. 2 seconds after the
brake pedal is released. Depending on vehicle
load, the car may roll backwards a little during
this time span. Drive off without delay after
releasing the brake pedal. Otherwise, the drive-
off assistant will no longer hold the car in place
after approx. 2 seconds and the car will start to
roll backwards.<
Malfunction
The warning lamps for the brake sys-
tem light up in yellow. The drive-off
assistant has failed. The car will not
be held in place after the brake pedal
is released. Have the system checked as soon
as possible.
Display of this malfunction on Cana-
dian models.
Flat Tire Monitor FTM
The concept
The Flat Tire Monitor monitors tire pressures
while the car is being driven. The system
reports any significant loss of pressure in one
tire in relation to another.If a tire loses pressure, its rolling radius
changes, and this in turn alters the speed of
rotation. This change is detected and is
reported as a flat tire.
Functional requirement
In order to assure the reliable reporting of a flat
tire, the system must be initialized for the cor-
rect tire inflation pressure.
The system must be reinitialized each
time a tire inflation pressure has been cor-
rected or a wheel or tire has been changed.<
System limitations
The Flat Tire Monitor is unable to warn
the driver of sudden, severe tire damage
caused by external factors, nor can it identify
the gradual loss of pressure that will inevitably
occur in all four tires over a lengthy period of
time.<
In the following situations, the system could be
delayed or malfunction:
>System has not been initialized
>Driving on snowy or slippery road surface
>Performance-oriented style of driving: slip
in the drive wheels, high lateral acceleration
>If snow chains are attached
Initializing the system
The initialization is completed during driv-
ing, which can be interrupted at any time.
When driving resumes, the initialization is con-
tinued automatically.
Do not initialize the system while snow chains
are attached.<
iDrive concept, refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the menu.
3.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the
controller.

Controls
81Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
4.Select "FTM" and press the controller.
5.Start the engine, but do not start driving.
6.Select "Set tire pressure" and press the
controller.
7.Select "Yes" and press the controller.
8.Start to drive.
"Status: Active" reappears in the Control
Display. Initialization is then completed
while the car is in motion.
Indication of a flat tire
The warning lamps come on in yellow
and red. A message appears on the
Control Display. In addition, an
acoustic signal sounds. There is a flat
tire or substantial loss of tire pressure.
1.Cautiously reduce speed to below 50 mph
or 80 km/h. Avoid sudden braking and
steering maneuvers. Do not exceed a speed
of 50 mph or 80 km/h.
If the car is not equipped with Run-
Flat Tires, refer to page178, the stan-
dard equipment by design, do not continue
driving. Any attempt to drive on after a
puncture can result in a severe accident.<
2.At the next opportunity, check the air pres-
sure in all four tires.If all four tires are inflated to the cor-
rect pressures, the Flat Tire Monitor
might not have been initialized. The system
must then be initialized.<
3.In the event of complete tire pressure loss,
0 psi/0 kPa, you can estimate the possible
distance for continued driving on the basis
of the following guidelines:
>With a light load:
1 to 2 persons without luggage:
approx. 155 miles/250 km
>With a medium load:
2 persons, luggage compartment full, or
4 persons without luggage:
approx. 90 miles/150 km
>With a full load:
4 or more persons, luggage compart-
ment full:
approx. 30 miles/50 km
Drive reservedly and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph or 80 km/h. In the event
of pressure loss, vehicle handling changes. This
includes reduced tracking stability in braking,
extended braking distance and altered natural
steering characteristics.
If unusual vibration or loud noises occur during
the journey, this may be an indication that the
damaged tire has finally failed. Reduce your
speed and pull over to the side of the road at the
earliest opportunity. Otherwise, parts of the tire
could come loose and cause an accident. Do
not continue driving. Contact your BMW cen-
ter.<
Malfunction
The warning lamps come on in yel-
low. A message appears on the Con-
trol Display. The Flat Tire Monitor has
a malfunction or has failed. Have the
system checked as soon as possible.
Active steering*
The concept
Active steering varies the turning angle of the
front wheels in relation to steering wheel move-

Technology for driving comfort and safety
82 ments. It also varies the steering force required
to turn the wheels depending on the speed at
which you are driving.
When you are driving in the low road-speed
range, e.g. in a town or when parking, the steer-
ing angle increases, i.e. the steering becomes
very direct, and less effort is required to turn the
wheels. In the higher speed range, on the other
hand, the steering angle 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 tar-
geted corrections to the steering angle pro-
vided by the driver and thus stabilize the vehicle
before the driver intervenes. This stabilizing
intervention is simultaneously deactivated
when DSC is switched off, refer to page79.
Malfunction
The warning lamps come on. Active
steering is no longer operational. At
low speeds, greater steering wheel
movements are required, whereas at
higher speeds the vehicle reacts more sensi-
tively to steering wheel movements. Drive cau-
tiously and think well ahead. Have the system
checked.
If the warning lamp lights up during the first
engine starting following a power supply inter-
ruption, the system must be activated by being
initialized.
Initializing the system
1.Start the engine.
2.With the vehicle stationary, turn the steer-
ing 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 func-
tions of Active steering are available once again.
Brake Force Display*
The brake lamps light up in two stages,
depending on how sharply you apply the
brakes.
>Normal braking:
The brake lamps and the center brake lamp
light up.
>Sharp braking:
A larger part of the brake lamps' illuminating
surface lights up.
Airbags
The following airbags are located under the
marked covers:1Front airbags for driver and front passenger
2Head airbags in front and rear

Controls
83Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
3Side airbags in the seat backrests
Protective action
Observe the adjustment instructions on
page38 to ensure the best possible per-
sonal protection.<
The front airbags help protect the driver and
front passenger by responding to frontal
impacts in which safety belts alone cannot pro-
vide adequate restraint. When needed, the
head and side airbags help provide protection in
the event of side impact. The relevant side air-
bag supports the side upper body area. The
head air bag supports the head.
The airbags will purposely not be activated by
every collision, e.g. not by more minor acci-
dents, certain roll-over situations and rear-end
collisions.
Labels in the rear door opening should
indicate the status of your rear seat side
airbags. If you are uncertain of their status, or
wish to have the airbags activated or deacti-
vated, please contact your BMW center.<
For information on the correct sitting position,
refer to page38.
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
cover panels of the airbags, cover them or
modify them in any other way. Do not attach
seat covers, cushions or other objects not spe-
cifically approved for seats with integral side air-
bags to the front seats. Do not hang items of
clothing such as coats or jackets over the back-
rests. Do not attempt to remove the airbag
retention system from the vehicle. Do not mod-
ify the individual components of the system or
its wiring in any way. This includes the uphol-
stered covers on the steering wheel, instrument
panel, seats and roof posts, as well as the sides
of the roof lining. Do not attempt to remove or
dismantle the steering wheel.
Do not touch the individual components imme-
diately after the system has been triggered,
because there is a danger of burns.
In the event of malfunctions, deactivation, or
triggering of the airbag restraint system, have
the testing, repair, removal, and disposal of air-
bag generators executed only by a BMW center or a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel and has the required explosives
licenses. Unprofessional attempts to service
the system could lead to failure in an emer-
gency or undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury.<
Airbag warning information is also provided on
the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of front
passenger airbags
Your BMW has a seat occupation detection
system. By evaluating the weight on the front
passenger seat, the system detects whether or
not the seat is occupied by a child in the child-
restraint system or an adult.
>When a child is seated in the child-restraint
system, or with an empty seat, the front and
side airbags are automatically deactivated
on the passenger side.
>When an adult is traveling in the front seat,
the front and side airbags remain active on
the passenger side.
Although not desired, it can occur in the
case of heavier children that the front
passenger airbags remain active, or in the case
of very light adults or young persons that the
front passenger airbags are deactivated. In
these cases, have the person ride in the rear
seat, refer to Passenger airbag status lamp
below. Do not load the passenger seat with any
items in addition to the person to be trans-
ported. Do not attach seat covers, seat cushion
padding, ball mats or other items to the front
passenger seat unless they are specifically rec-
ommended by BMW. Do not place any items
under the seat. Otherwise, the function of the
seat occupation detection could be impaired.<

Technology for driving comfort and safety
84
Operational readiness of airbag system
When the remote control is inserted into the
ignition lock or the car is radio-ready, refer to
page49, the warning lamp comes on briefly to
indicate that the entire airbag system and the
belt tensioners are operational.
Airbag system malfunction
>The warning lamp does not come on after
the remote control has been inserted into
the ignition switch
>Warning lamp remains permanently on
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
have it checked without delay, as other-
wise there is the risk that the system will not
function as intended even if a sufficiently severe
accident occurs.<
Passenger airbag status lamp
The indicator lamp located above the rearview
mirror indicates whether the front passenger
airbag system is active or not active/OFF.
The indicator lamp is used only for the
front passenger airbag system. The indi-
cator lamp illuminates to show that the front
passenger airbag system is OFF/not active.<>The lamp illuminates briefly during startup,
but then goes out if the seat is empty, or an
adult or child of sufficient size is detected.
>The lamp remains illuminated when a child
in a rear-facing child-restraint system is
detected and indicates that the passenger
airbag system is off.
If the lamp is illuminated when the seat is
occupied by a very light adult or teenager,
it is recommended that the person sit in the
rear.<
Find more information about the front passen-
ger airbag system and seat occupancy detec-
tion in the section Automatic deactivation of
front passenger airbags on page83.

Navigation
Entertainment
Driving tips
141Reference
At a glance
Controls
Communications
Mobility
4.Select "Store" and press the controller.
5.Turn the controller until the desired mem-
ory position is selected.
The number of the memory position
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 follow-
ing properties:
>In the case of broadcasting networks that
transmit over a number of frequencies,
there is an automatic switch to the fre-
quency with the best reception quality.
>If the reception conditions are good, the
station names are shown on the Control
Display. Where reception is poor or in the
event of interference, it may take some time
before the station names will appear in the
display.
Weather Band*
Weather Radio is a service of the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, of
the U.S. Department of Commerce. Weather
messages are repeated every four to six min-
utes 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 forecasters
can interrupt the routine weather broadcasts
and substitute special warning messages. If you
have a question concerning NOAA Weather Radio, please contact your nearest National
Weather Service Office, or write to National
Weather Service, Attn: W/OM11, National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, 1325
East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Selecting Weather Band
1.Select "WB" and press the controller.
2.Select Weather Band station.
The Weather Band station may be unavailable
in some regions.
Satellite radio*
You can receive over 100 different channels
with high sound quality.
The channels are offered to you in predefined
packages. To receive the channels of your
choice, you must have this package enabled.
You may experience signal drops and
muting events related to this new tech-
nology.<
Enabling or disabling channels
iDrive concept, refer to page16.
1.Press the button.
This opens the start menu.
2.Move the controller backwards to call up
"Entertainment".

Mobility
183Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
>"Please observe recalculated service inter-
val for engine oil"
Do not add engine oil. You can continue
your journey. Note the newly calculated dis-
tance remaining to the next oil service, refer
to page185. Have the system checked as
soon as possible.
Adding engine oil
Do not add the maximum amount of
1.1 US quarts/1 liter of engine oil until a corre-
sponding message is shown on the Control Dis-
play.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km,
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of
children and comply with the warnings on
the containers. Otherwise, health hazards may
result.<
Oil change
Have oil changed only at y our B MW c ente r o r a t
a workshop that works according to BMW
repair procedures with correspondingly trained
personnel.
Specified engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has critical
significance for the operation and service life of
an engine. BMW continuously approves spe-
cific oils after confirming their suitability for use
in its vehicles with extensive testing.
Use only approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil.
If you are unable to obtain BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil, you can add small amounts of another synthetic oil between oil
changes. Use only oils with the API SH specifi-
cation or higher.
Ask your BMW center for details concern-
ing the specific BMW High Performance
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 information.
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 system
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns.<
Coolant is a mixture of water and an additive.
Not all commercially available additives are suit-
able for your BMW. Ask your BMW center for
suitable additives.
Only use suitable additives, as otherwise
engine damage may result. The additives
are hazardous to your health.<
Comply with the appropriate environ-
mental protection regulations when dis-
posing of coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.The engine must be at ambient tempera-
ture.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank counter-
clockwise to allow any accumulated pres-
sure to escape, then continue turning to
open.

Under the hood
184 3.The coolant level is correct if it is between
the maximum and minimum marks in the
filler neck, refer also to the diagram 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 there is an audible click.
6.Have the reason for the coolant loss elimi-
nated as soon as possible.
Brake system
Malfunctions
Brake fluid
The warning lamps light up in red
even though the handbrake has been
released. A message appears on the
Control Display. Stop immediately.
The brake fluid in the reservoir has fallen to
below the minimum level. At the same time, a
considerably longer brake pedal travel may be
noticeable. Have the system checked without
delay.
Display of this malfunction on Cana-
dian models.
If you continue to drive the car, you may
have to apply more pressure to the brake
pedal and braking distances may be signifi-
cantly longer. Please adapt your driving style
accordingly.<
Brake pads
The warning lamps light up in red
even though the handbrake has been
released. A message appears on the
Control Display. The brake pads have
reached the safe limit for pad wear. Have brake
pads replaced immediately.
Display of this malfunction on Cana-
dian models.
For your own safety: use only brake pads
that BMW has approved for the corre-
sponding vehicle model. BMW is unable to
assess the suitability of brake pads it has not
approved and therefore cannot guarantee their
safety.<