Contents
Operation, maintenance
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures124
General driving notes125
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)127
Hardtop*127
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure130
Tire code133
Tire condition134
Run Flat tires*135
New wheels and tires136
Snow chains*137
In the engine compartment:
Hood138
Engine compartment
essentials140
Washer fluid142
Engine oil142
Coolant144
Brake fluid145
Maintenance:
BMW Maintenance System146
Laws and regulations:
California laws148
OBD interface socket148
Owner service procedures
Replacement procedures:
Onboard tool kit152
Windshield wiper blades152
Lamps and bulbs153
Changing a wheel157
Battery161
Fuses161
Giving and receiving
assistance:
Receiving assistance162
Jump-starting163
Towing and tow-starting the
vehicle165
Technical data
Engine data170
Dimensions171
Weights172
Capacities173
24
Closing the gas capPlace the cap in position and turn it
until a clearly audible click is heard.
Close the gas cap carefully after
refueling until a click is heard.
While closing, be sure not to squeeze
the strap which is fastened to the cap.
A loose or missing cap will activate the
CHECK GAS CAP* lamp.<
Warning lamp* lights up. The
gas cap is not properly closed
or is missing. Check if the gas
cap is properly closed.Fuel tank capacity>Approx. 16.6 gal./63 liters, of which
>approx. 2.1 gal./8 liters are reserve
capacity.
Do not drive to the last drop of
fuel. This can prevent the engine
from operating properly and result in
damage.<
Fuel specificationsThe engine uses lead-free gasoline
only.Required fuelPremium Unleaded Gasoline,
Minimum Octane Rating: AKI 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
otherwise the lambda probe and
catalytic converter will be permanently
damaged.
cant differences in fuel quality: volatility,
composition, additives, etc., among
gasolines offered for sale in the United
States and Canada. Fuels containing up
to and including 10 % ethanol or other
oxygenates with up to 2.8 % oxygen by
weight, that is, 15 % MTBE or 3 % meth-
anol plus an equivalent 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
stalling problems especially under cer-
tain environmental conditions such as
high ambient temperature and high alti-
tude.
Should you encounter drivability prob-
lems 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 recom-
mendations may also result in unsched-
uled maintenance.<
Refueling
63
It is recommended to cover the child-
restraint attaching clip with a soft mate-
rial to prevent damage to the stored
soft top.
Should a hard top be installed, the
fitting of child harness tether
strap/s – if child seat is required – is
necessary before installation of the
hard top.<
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat of this vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the
front passenger. Because the backrest
on any rearward-facing child-restraint
system – of the kind designed for
infants under 1 year and 20 lbs/9 kg –
would be within the airbag's deploy-
ment range, you should never mount
such a device in the front passenger
seat, since the impact of the airbag
against the child restraint's backrest
could lead to serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child – not an
infant – to ride in the front seat, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the dashboard as possible. This
important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the air-
bag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with the
safety belt after they have outgrown a
booster seat that is appropriate for their
age, height, and weight. Younger chil-
dren should be secured in an appropri-
ate forward-facing child-restraint sys-
tem that has first been properly
installed with a safety belt.
Never install a rearward-facing child-
restraint system in the front passenger
seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
child restraint's manufacturer when-
ever you use such a device.
Do not attempt to modify child-restraint
systems. If you do this, the protection
provided by these systems could be
impaired.
Be sure that all occupants – of all ages –
remain properly and securely restrained
at all times.<
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of
SAE J1819, an industry-recommended
practice for securing child-restraint sys-
tems in motor vehicles.
Transporting children safely
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
117
Cargo loading
Avoid overloading the vehicle so
that the permitted load on the tires
is not exceeded. Overloading can lead
to overheating and internal tire damage.
The ultimate result can assume the
form of a sudden air loss.<
Determining the maximum load1. Locate the following statement on
your vehicle‘s placard*:
The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or YYY lbs., as this
could otherwise result in damage to the
vehicle or unstable driving conditions.<
2. Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle
3. Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from
XXX kilograms or YYY pounds
4. The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity.
For example, if the XXX amount
equals 1,400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lbs. passengers in your vehi-
cle, the amount of available cargo
and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs.:
1,400 lbs. minus 750 lbs. = 650 lbs.
5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
fered to your vehicle. Consult the
manual for transporting a trailer to
determine how this may reduce the
available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
118
LoadThe permissible load is the sum of the
occupants' weights and the weight of
the cargo. The greater the weight of the
occupants, the less cargo can be trans-
ported.
Stowing cargo>Load heavy cargo as far forward as
possible – directly behind the lug-
gage compartment partition – and as
low as possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
With the convertible top closed,
you can increase the space in the
luggage compartment – refer to
page 35 – by folding back the convert-
ible top compartment panel.
We recommend that you always fold
the convertible top compartment panel
down as soon as you have removed
your cargo from the luggage compart-
ment. This way, you can be sure that
you can always operate your convert-
ible top at any time.
At the same time, when the top is
raised you should fold the convertible
top compartment panel back up before
stowing large objects in the luggage
compartment; this precaution will help
reduce the likelihood of damage to
either the convertible top compartment
or your luggage.<
Cargo loading
119
Securing cargo>For small, light items, use the rubber-
lined, non-skid side of the floor mat
or secure using the luggage compart-
ment net* or elastic straps
>For large, heavy pieces, see your
BMW center for load-securing
devices*. Four anchorages located in
the luggage compartment can be
used for fastening these load-secur-
ing devices.
Read and comply with the information
enclosed with the load-securing
devices.
Always position and secure loads
correctly. If you do not, the load
can endanger the passengers during
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Do not exceed the approved gross
vehicle weight or the approved axle
loads, refer to page 172, otherwise the
vehicle's operating safety is no longer
assured and the vehicle will not be in
compliance with the certification regu-
lations.
Do not stow heavy or hard objects in
the passenger compartment without
securing them. Otherwise they could be
thrown around during braking and eva-
sive maneuvers and could endanger the
passengers.<
Cargo loading
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
120
Roof-mounted luggage rack for the hardtop*A special roof-rack system is available
as an optional extra for your BMW.
Please observe the precautions
included with the installation instruc-
tions.AnchoragesAccess to the anchorages:
To fold up the covers, please use the
tool provided with the roof-rack system.Loading and driving notesRoof-mounted luggage racks raise the
center of gravity of the vehicle when
they are loaded. For this reason, they
exercise a major effect on the vehicle's
handling and steering response.
You should therefore always remember
not to exceed the approved roof load
capacity, the approved gross vehicle
weight or the maximum axle loads
when loading the rack. These weights
are listed under Technical data on
page 172.
Make sure that the load is not too bulky,
and attempt to distribute it evenly.
Always load the heaviest pieces first so
that they are at the bottom. Make sure
that no objects will be in the way when
the luggage compartment lid is opening
or closing.
Secure the roof-mounted luggage cor-
rectly and securely to prevent it from
shifting or being lost during driving.
Drive smoothly and avoid sudden
acceleration or braking. Do not corner
at high speeds.
The roof-mounted luggage rack and the
roof load increase the aerodynamic
resistance: increased fuel consumption
and additional stress on the vehicle's
body are the result.
172
Weights
325Ci 330Ci
Curb weight
with manual transmission/SMG
with automatic transmissionlbs/kg
lbs/kg3,560/1,615
3,627/1,6453,616/1,640
3,704/1,675
Approved gross vehicle weight
with manual transmission/SMG
with automatic transmissionlbs/kg
lbs/kg4,442/2,015
4,509/2,0454,497/2,040
4,575/2,075
Approved front axle load lbs/kg 2,083/945 2,094/950
Approved rear axle load lbs/kg 2,546/1,155 2,579/1,170
Approved maximum roof load for the hardtop lbs/kg 165/75 165/75
Luggage compartment capacity
with the convertible top compartment raisedcu ft/l
cu ft/l9.2/260
10.6/3009.2/260
10.6/300
Approved axle loads and approved gross vehicle weight must never be exceeded.