2005 BMW 330I SEDAN tow

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Reporting safety defects
For U.S. customers
The following applies only to vehicles owned
and operated in the US.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying BMW of North
America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New
Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone (800) 831-
1117.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of
North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or
366-0123 in Washington, D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation,
Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also obtain
other information about motor vehicle safety
from the Hotline.
For Canadian customers
Canadian customers who wish to report a
safety-related defect to Transport Canada,
Defect Investigations and Recalls, may tele-
phone the toll free hotline 1-800-333-0510, or
contact Transport Canada by mail at: Transport
Canada, ASFAD, Place de Ville Tower C, 330
Sparks Street, Ottawa ON K1A 0N5.

Opening and closing
34
Closing
The handle recesses on the interior trim of the
luggage compartment lid make it easier to pull
down.
Make sure that the closing path of the
luggage compartment lid is clear, as oth-
erwise injuries may result.<
Alarm system*
The concept
The vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the luggage com-
partment lid is opened
>To movements inside the vehicle: Interior
motion sensor, refer to the information fur-
ther below
>When the car's inclination changes, for
instance if an attempt is made to jack it up
and steal the wheels or to raise it prior to
towing away
>When there is an interruption in the power
supply from the battery.
The system responds to unauthorized vehicle
entry and attempted theft by simultaneously
activating:
>An acoustic alarm, which lasts for a period
of approx. 30 seconds
>The hazard warning flashers, which operate
for approx. 5 minutes
*
>The high beams, which flash on and off in
the same rhythm.
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
The system indicates that it has been correctly
armed by switching on the hazard warning
flashers for a single cycle and by emitting an
acoustic signal.
Even when the alarm system is armed, you can
open the luggage compartment lid by means of
the button on the remote control, refer to
page30. When you subsequently close the lug-
gage compartment lid it is again locked and
monitored.
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer
to page30, or
>insert the remote control all the way into the
ignition lock.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp under the inside rear-
view mirror flashes continuously: the sys-
tem is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes after locking:
doors, hood or luggage compartment lid are
not properly closed. Even if you do not close
the alerted area, the system begins to mon-
itor the remaining areas, and the indicator
lamp flashes continuously after approx. 10
seconds. However, the interior motion sen-
sor is not activated.
>The indicator lamp goes out after unlocking:
your vehicle has not been disturbed while
you were away.

Controls
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>If the indicator lamp flashes after unlocking
until the remote control is inserted in the
ignition, but for no longer than approx.
5 minutes: your vehicle has been disturbed
while you were away.
Tilt alarm sensor and interior motion
sensor
Tilt alarm sensor
The tilt of the vehicle is monitored. The alarm
system reacts, e.g. to attempts to steal a wheel
or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor
In order for the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and glass sunroof
must be completely closed.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor
may be switched off at the same time. This pre-
vents unintentional alarms, e.g. in the following
situations:
>In duplex garages
>When transporting on car-carrying trains
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and
interior motion sensor
Press the button on the remote control
twice in a row.
The indicator lamp comes on for approx. two
seconds, then begins to flash steadily. The tilt
alarm sensor and the interior motion sensor are
switched off until the next time the vehicle is
unlocked and subsequently locked again.
Windows
To prevent injuries, exercise care when
closing the windows and keep them in
your field of vision until they are shut.
When leaving the car, take the remote control
out of the ignition lock and close the doors, oth-erwise children could operate the power win-
dows and possibly injure themselves.<
Opening, closing
>Press the switch to the resistance point.
The window continues to open as long as
you keep the switch pressed.
>Briefly press the switch beyond the resis-
tance point.
The window opens automatically. Briefly
press the switch again to stop the opening
movement.
You can close the windows in the same manner
by pulling the switch.
There are separate switches in the rear seat
armrests.
After switching off the ignition
You can still operate the windows:
>In radio readiness, for approx. 15 minutes
>For about one minute when the remote
control is removed or the ignition and radio
readiness are switched off, as long as nei-
ther front door has been opened
For information on convenient operation via the
remote control or door lock, refer to page30
or31.
Take the remote control with you when
you leave the car, otherwise children
could operate the electric windows and possi-
bly injure themselves.<
Anti-trapping mechanism
If the closing force of an electric window
exceeds a specific value as it closes, the closing

Transporting children safely
46
Transporting children safely
The right place for children
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, as they could otherwise endan-
ger themselves and/or other persons by open-
ing the doors, for example.<
As a general rule, the front passenger's seat
and outer rear seats are suitable for installing
universal child-restraint systems for all age
groups, provided that they have been approved
for the age group in question.
Children always in the rear
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in a vehicle is in the rear seat.
Older children should be tightly secured with a
safety belt, after they have outgrown a booster
seat that is appropriate for their age, height and
weight.
If your BMW is equipped with rear side
airbags, do not allow children to lean
towards the door trim, as serious injuries could
occur if the side airbags are deployed and chil-
dren are too close to the airbags.<
Deactivating rear seat side airbags
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 deactivated, please contact
your BMW center.
Child-restraint system in the rear
Children under the age of 13 or smaller
than 5 ft/150 cm may only be transported
in suitable child-restraint systems on one of the
outer rear seats; otherwise, there is an
increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent.<
Younger children should be secured in an
appropriate child-restraint system that has
been first properly secured to the vehicle.All rear seating positions in your vehicle meet
the recommendations of SAE J1819, an indus-
try-recommended practice for securing child-
restraint systems in motor vehicles.
Exception for front passenger seat
Should it be necessary to use a child-
restraint system on the front passenger
seat, the front passenger airbags must be deac-
tivated. Otherwise, a child traveling on that seat
will be at considerable risk of injury if the airbags
are triggered off, even with a child-restraint sys-
tem. Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the front pas-
senger. Because the backrest on any rearward-
facing child-restraint system – of the kind
designed for infants under 1 year and 20 Ibs./
9 kg – would be within the airbag's deployment
range, you should never mount such a system
in the front passenger seat, since the impact of
the airbag against the child restraint's backrest
could lead to serious or fatal injuries.<
For more information on automatic deactivation
of the front passenger airbags refer to page83.
Seat height
Before installing a universal child-restraint sys-
tem, move the front passenger's seat up as far
as it will go to ensure that the safety belt will be
ideally positioned. Do not change the seat
height afterward.
Backrest width
The backrest width of the front passen-
ger's seat must be adjusted to its widest
setting.<
1.After unlocking the vehicle, sit down on the
front passenger seat and close the door.
2.Adjust the backrest width to its widest set-
ting, refer to page40.
3.Install the child seat.

Driving
52
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D DS M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed, or the
current gear in the manual mode.
Changing selector lever positions
>With the ignition switched on or the engine
running, the selector lever can be moved
out of position P: interlock.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the
brake pedal, otherwise the selector lever
will refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping
after you select a driving position,
maintain pressure on the brake pedal until
you are ready to start.<
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel
the lock, press the button on the front of the
selector lever knob, refer to arrow.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
rear wheels are locked.
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Neutral
You can select this in a car wash, for example.
The vehicle can roll.
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are selected automatically.
Kick-down
Kick-down enables you to achieve maximum
performance.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle resistance point.
Manual operation and Sport program
M/S
Move selector lever from position D toward the
left into the M/S shifting slot:
The sport program is activated and DS appears
in the instrument cluster. This position is rec-
ommended for a performance-oriented driving
style.
When you briefly press the selector lever in the
+ or – direction, the manual mode is activated
and Steptronic changes gear. The instrument
cluster shows M1 through M6.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
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
gear selected appears briefly in the instrument
cluster, followed by the gear actually in use.

Technology for driving comfort and safety
78 4.Select "PDC" and press the controller.
5.Select "PDC display on" and press the con-
troller.
6. The PDC screen is activated.
The display is shown on the Control Display as
soon as PDC is activated.
System limitations
Even with PDC, final responsibility for
estimating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstructions always remains
with the driver. Even when sensors are pro-
vided, there is a blind spot in which objects can
no longer be detected. The system is also sub-
ject to the physical limits that apply to all forms
of ultrasonic measurement, such as those
encountered with trailer towbars and couplings,
thin and wedge-shaped objects, etc. Low
objects already indicated, such as a curb, may
enter the sensors' dead areas before a continu-
ous audible signal is given. Higher, protruding
objects, such as ledges, may not be detectable.
Loud sound sources outside or inside the car
can drown out the PDC signal.<
Keep the sensors clean and free of ice or
snow in order to ensure that they will con-
tinue to operate effectively.
Do not spray the sensors for a long period of
time using high-pressure cleaners and maintain
a distance of at least 4 in/10 cm when spraying
the sensors.<
Driving stability control
systems
Your BMW has a number of systems that help
to maintain the vehicle's stability even in
adverse driving conditions.
ABS Antilock Brake System
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking. Safe steering response is maintained
even during full braking. Active safety is thus
increased.
The ABS is operational every time you start the
engine. Braking safely, refer to page107.
Electronic brake-force distribution
The system controls the brake pressure in the
rear wheels to ensure stable braking behavior.
DBC Dynamic Brake Control
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the maximum braking
force boost and thus helps to achieve the short-
est possible braking distance during full brak-
ing. This system exploits all of the benefits pro-
vided by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of the brake application. If the
brake pedal is released, DBC will be switched
off.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control
DSC prevents the driving wheels from losing
traction when you pull away from rest or accel-
erate. DSC also recognizes unstable driving
conditions, for example if the rear of the car is
about to swerve or if momentum is acting at an
angle past the front wheels. In these cases,
DSC helps the vehicle maintain a safe course
within physical limits by reducing engine output
and through braking actions at the individual
wheels.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed,
even with DSC. An appropriate driving
style always remains the responsibility of the
driver. Therefore, do not reduce the additional
safety margin again by taking risks.<

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
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Communications
Navigation
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Mobility
Controlling the climate for pleasant driving
1Airflow directed toward the windshield and
side windows
2Air to the upper body area
Draft-free ventilation92
3Air to the footwell
4Air distribution, manual
5Temperature adjustment, left-hand side of
passenger compartment
6Maximum cooling
7AUTO program
8Air flow rate, manual
9AUC Automatic recirculated-air control/
Recirculated-air mode10Temperature adjustment, right-hand side
of passenger compartment
11Residual heat
12Defrosting windows and removing conden-
sation
13Switching cooling function on/off manually
14Rear window defroster
15Air grill for interior temperature sensor –
please keep clear and unobstructed
The current setting for the air distribution is dis-
played on the Control Display, refer to page90.