airbag BMW 325Ci COUPE 2003 E46 Owner's Manual

Contents

9

Passenger safety systems:

Airbags52
Transporting children safely54
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory58

Driving:

Ignition lock59
Starting the engine59
Switching off the engine61
Parking brake61
Manual transmission62
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*63
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher66
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*67
Cruise control*68

Everything under control:

Odometer70
Tachometer70
Energy control70
Fuel gauge71
Engine coolant temperature
gauge71
Service interval display72
Check Control72
Clock73
Computer74

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)*76
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)*77
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)*79
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)*81
Flat Tire Monitor*82

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams85
Instrument lighting86
High beams/Standing lamps86
Fog lamps*87
Interior lamps87

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Air conditioning88
Automatic climate control*92
Roller sun blind*96

Interior conveniences:

Premium sound system*97
Glove compartment97
Storage compartments98
Cellular phone*99
Ashtray, front*100
Ashtray, rear*100
Clothes hooks101

Loading and transporting:

Through-loading system102
Ski bag*103
Cargo loading104
Roof-mounted luggage
rack*105

Controls and features

handbook.book Page 9 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

19
Parking brake warning lamp for
Canadian models.
Please fasten safety belts

●

Comes on together with an
acoustic signal until the safety
belts are fastened.
For additional information on safety
belts: refer to page 47
Airbags

●

Please have the system
inspected at your BMW center.
For additional information: refer to
page 52

Orange: consult the nearest BMW
center

Automatic transmission
The transmission has
responded to a malfunction by
reverting to operation in its emergency
default program. Please consult the
nearest BMW center.
For additional information: refer to
page 63

Yellow: check as soon as possible

Engine oil level
If the lamp comes on during
normal vehicle operation: the
engine oil level has fallen to the abso-
lute minimum; refill as soon as possible.
Do not drive more than approx.
30 miles/50 km before refilling.
For additional information: refer to
page 120
Engine oil level
Comes on after the engine has
been shut off: add more engine
oil at the earliest opportunity, such as
when you next stop to refuel.
For additional information: refer to
page 120
Brake pads

●

Have the brake pads checked.
For additional information: refer
to page 110
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)/Flat
Tire Monitor

●

Check tire inflation pressures.
Refer to pages 24, 81, 84

Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)/Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC)
●
Indicator lamp flashes:
The system is actively regulating drive
torque and braking force.
The indicator lamp stays lit:
The ASC+T has been switched off via
the button, ADB is operational; or DSC
has been switched off using the button,
DTC is operational.
Please consult the nearest BMW center
in case of a malfunction.
Additional information beginning on
page 77
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)/Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC) and
brake warning lamp
The indicator lamps remain on:
The ASC+T/ADB or DSC/DTC
have been switched off manually or
there is a system malfunction.
Please consult the nearest BMW cen-
ter.
Additional information beginning on
page 77

Indicator and warning lamps

OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

handbook.book Page 19 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

43 Adjustments
Safe seating positionFor relaxed and fatigue-free driving you
should select a sitting position that
reflects your personal requirements. In
combination with the safety belts and
airbags, the correct seating position
plays an important role in enhancing
occupant safety in the event of an acci-
dent. To ensure that the vehicle's safety
systems provide you with optimal pro-
tection, we request that you direct your
careful attention to the following sec-
tion.
For supplementary information on
transporting children, refer to page 54.Sitting safely with airbags
Always maintain an adequate dis-
tance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by the rim to keep any chance of injury
to hands or arms to an absolute mini-
mum should the airbag be deployed.
Never allow any objects, individuals or
animals to obstruct the areas between
passengers and airbags. Never use the
front airbag's cover as a storage tray or
support for objects of any kind. Never
allow front passengers to rest their feet
or legs on the airbag cover.<
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags, refer to
page 52.Sitting safely with safety belts
Never allow more than one person
to wear a single safety belt. Never
allow infants or small children to ride in
a passenger's lap. Avoid twisting the
belt while routing it firmly across the
pelvis and shoulder, wear it as snugly
against your body as possible. Do not
allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects. Do not route the belt
across your neck, or run it across sharp
edges. Be sure that the belt does not
become caught or jammed. Avoid
wearing bulky clothing and pull on the
lap belt periodically to retension it over
your shoulders. In the event of a frontal
impact, a loose lap belt could slide over
the hips, leading to abdominal injury. In
addition, the safety belt's restraint
effectiveness is reduced if it is worn
loosely. Expectant mothers should
always wear their safety belts, taking
care to position the lap belt against the
lower hips, where it will not exert pres-
sure against the abdominal area.<
For information on using the safety
belts, refer to page 47.
SeatsWhen adjusting your seat, always
observe the following precautions
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with an unexpected
movement, and the ensuing loss of
vehicle control could lead to an acci-
dent. Never ride with the backrest
reclined to an extreme angle. This is
especially important for the front pas-
senger to remember. If you do so, there
is a risk that you will slide under the
safety belt in an accident, thus reducing
the protection provided by the safety
belt.<
Seat adjustment>Manual seat adjustment, refer to
page 44
>Power seat adjustment, refer to
page 45
>Head restraint, refer to page 46
>Entering the rear, refer to page 46.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book Page 43 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

47
Safety beltsAlways wear your safety beltAlways fasten your safety belt before
starting off. As supplemental restraint
devices, the airbags are designed to
enhance the effectiveness of the safety
belts, and not to replace them.To closeMake sure you hear the catch engage in
the belt buckle.To release1. Press red button in the belt buckle
2. Hold the end of the belt
3. Guide belt back into the inertia reel.
The rear belt buckle with the word
CENTER is intended exclusively
for the passenger sitting in the mid-
dle.<
Adjusting safety belt heightUse the height adjustment mechanism
to adapt the shoulder strap to the ideal
level for your own body:
>Slide button up or down.
Please refer to the seat adjustment
instructions on page 43.
If the safety belt system has been
subjected to the stresses involved
in an accident or otherwise damaged:
have the entire safety belt mechanism
replaced by your BMW center, includ-
ing the safety belt tensioner. In addi-
tion, have your BMW center inspect the
safety belt anchors. If a child-restraint
system was in the vehicle during an
accident, consult the manufacturer's
instructions regarding replacement.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book Page 47 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

52Passenger safety systems
Airbags1Front airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides
2Head airbags for driver and front pas-
senger
3Side airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides – front and rear*Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional protection in the event of a
severe frontal collision in which the pro-
tection afforded by the belts alone may
no longer be sufficient. The Head Pro-
tection System and side airbags help
provide protection in the event of a col-
lision from the side. Each of the side
airbags is designed to help support the
upper body.
For information on the correct sitting
posture, refer to page 43.
The side airbags in the rear pas-
senger area* of your vehicle may
already have been deactivated either at
the time of manufacture or by a BMW
center. You may have them activated if
you desire to do so. Please contact
your BMW center for additional infor-
mation.<
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor collisions, rear
impacts and certain kinds of vehicle
rollover.<
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags,
cover them or modify them in any other
way. Do not remove the airbag restraint
system. In the event of a malfunction,
deactivation or triggered activation – as
a response to an accident – of the air-
bag restraint system, solely consult
your BMW center for inspection, repair
or disassembly. Do not modify or
tamper with either the wiring or the indi-
vidual components in the airbag sys-
tem. These include the upholstered
covers on the steering wheel, the
instrument panel, side panels on doors
and in the rear and the roof struts as
well as down the sides of the roof lin-
ers. Also, do not attempt to remove the
steering wheel. Unprofessional
attempts to service the system could
lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury. Do
not touch the individual components
immediately after the system has been
activated, as this could result in per-
sonal injury.<
All vehicle occupants should
always sit upright and be properly
restrained – infants and small children
in appropriate child-restraint systems;
larger children and adults using the
safety belts. Never let an occupant's
head rest near or on a side airbag
because the inflating airbag could
cause a serious or fatal injury. Please
note that the word Airbag imprinted on
the door trim panel indicates the air-
bag's location.
Accident research shows that the saf-
est place for children in an automobile
is in the rear seat. However, a child sit-
ting in the rear seat and not properly
restrained may place his or her head on
or near the airbag, if so equipped. For
example, a child — even though belted
handbook.book Page 52 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

53
in — may fall asleep with his or her head
against the side airbag. It may be diffi-
cult for a driver to ensure that children
in the rear seat will remain properly
positioned at all times and do not place
their heads on or near the side airbag.
Therefore, we recommend that the
rear-seat side airbags, if installed in the
vehicle, be deactivated if children will
be riding in the rear seat.
The rear-seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW cen-
ter. Labels in the 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 con-
tact your BMW center.<
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual
risk of injuries to the face, hands and
arms occurring from airbag deployment
in isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise may
induce a mild temporary hearing loss in
sensitive individuals.
Corresponding airbag warning labels
are found on both sun visors.This is the right way a child should sit in
a child restraint when rear side airbags,
see arrow, are provided.
This is the right way a larger child
should sit wearing the seat belt when
rear side airbags, see arrow, are pro-
vided.Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates the
operational status of the airbag
system when the ignition key is
in position 1 or higher.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
>Indicator lamp does not come on or
>indicator lamp lights up continuously.
Airbags
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
handbook.book Page 53 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

54
If there is a system malfunction, there is
a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered within their normal response
range, even if the level of impact would
normally have triggered them.
Have your BMW center inspect the sys-
tem immediately.
Transporting children safelyCommercially available child-restraint
systems are designed to be secured
with a lap belt or with the lap belt por-
tion of a combination lap/shoulder belt.
Improperly or inadequately installed
restraint systems can increase the risk
of injury to children. Always read and
follow the instructions that come with
the system.
Child-restraint system with
tether strapIf you use a child-restraint system with
a tether strap, three additional tether
anchorage points have been provided –
refer to the arrows in the illustration.
Airbags
handbook.book Page 54 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

55
Depending on the location selected for
seating in the rear passenger area,
attach the tether strap to the corre-
sponding anchorage point to secure the
child-restraint system, as shown in the
illustration.
If the respective seating position is fit-
ted with a head restraint, lift the head
restraint, and pass the tether strap
between the head restraint and the seat
back.
It is recommended to readjust the head
restraint in the lowest possible position.
Adjust the tether strap according to the
child-restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.
Before installing any child-
restraint device or child seat,
please read the following:
Never install a rear-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 rear-facing child-restraint sys-
tem – of the kind designed for infants
under 1 year and 20 lbs/9 kg – would
be within the airbag's deployment
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 a safety
belt after they have outgrown a booster
seat that is appropriate for their age,
height, and weight. Younger children
should be secured in an appropriate
forward-facing child-restraint system
that has first been properly installed
with a safety belt.
Never install a rear-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.
Always ensure 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
handbook.book Page 55 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

Everything from A to ZA
ABS Antilock Brake System
18, 109
Accessories 5
Activated-charcoal filter 96
ADB Automatic Differential
Brake 77
Adding brake fluid 123
Air conditioning 88, 94
Air distribution 90, 94
Air nozzles 88, 92
Air outlets 88, 92
Air pressure 111
check 24
Air supply 90, 94
Airbags 18, 52
Alarm system 38
Anchorages 105
Antifreeze 122
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
18, 109
Anti-theft system 38
Armrest 98
ASC+T Automatic Stability
Control plus Traction 18,
19, 77
Ashtray
front 100
rear 100
AUC Automatic recircu-
lated-air control 95Automatic car wash, refer to
the Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Automatic climate control 92
Automatic cruise control 68
Automatic Differential Brake
(ADB) 77
Automatic dimming, interior
rearview mirror 51
Automatic headlamp
control 85
Automatic recirculated-air
control (AUC) 95
Automatic Stability Control
plus Traction (ASC+T) 18,
19, 77
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic 19, 63
Average fuel
consumption 75
Average speed 75
Avoiding unintentional
alarms 39
Axle loads 148
B
Backrest, adjusting 44
Backup lamps 62
replacing bulb 133Battery
charge 140
charge current 18
discharged 140
Belts 47
Beverage holder 98, 99
Blind, sun protection 96
Blower 90, 94
BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oils 121
BMW sports seat 44
Bore 146
Bottle holder, see Beverage
holder 98
Brake hydraulic system 18
Brake lamps
replacing bulb 133
Brake pads 19
Brake, parking 61
Brakes, malfunctions 110
Break-in procedures 108
Bulb, replacing 131
C
California Proposition 65
warning 126
Can holder, see Beverage
holder 98
Capacities 149
Car care, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochureCar telephone
refer to the separate
Owner's Manual
Car vacuum cleaner, con-
necting 100
Car wash, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Cargo loading 104
Cassette player operation,
refer to the Owner's Man-
ual for Radio
CBC Cornering Brake
Control 18, 109
CD player operation, refer to
the Owner's Manual for
Radio
Cellular phone 99
Center armrest 98
Center high-mount brake
lamp 134
Central locking system 30
button 34
Charge indicator lamp 18
Check Control 72
Child-restraint mounting
system (LATCH) 56
Cigarette lighter 100
Cleaning windshield 68
Clock 73
setting, refer also to the
radio or onboard com-
puter Owner's Manual
handbook.book Page 152 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM

Everything from A to ZFuel tank
capacity 149
display 71
gauge 71
Fuel-injection system 146
Fuses, replacing 140
G
Gasoline 24
Gasoline gauge 71
Glove compartment 97
Grills 88, 92
Gross vehicle weight 148
H
Hands-free system 99
Harman Kardon premium
sound system 97
Hazard warning flashers 14
Hazard warning triangle 22
Head airbags 52
Head restraints 46
Headlamp flasher 86
Headlamp washer system
120, 149
Headlamps 85
automatic control 85
Heated seats 49
Heating and ventilation 92
Heavy loads 104
High beams 20, 66, 86
replacing bulb 131Holder for
beverages 98
litter bag 99
Hood release 116
Horn 14
Hydraulic brake assistant,
see DBC
Hydroplaning 109, 111
I
Ice warning 74
Icy roads 74
Ignition key 30
Ignition lock 59
Imprint 4
Indicator lamps 18
Inflation pressure 24, 111
monitoring 81
INSPECTION 72
Instrument cluster 16
Instrument lighting 86
Instrument panel 14, 16
Interface socket for onboard
diagnostics 126
Interior lamps 32, 87
remote control 32
Interior motion sensor 38
switching off 39
Interior rearview mirror 51
automatic dimming
feature 51
Interlock 59Intermittent mode 67
J
Jack 135
Jump-starting 141
K
Key Memory 58
Keys 30
with remote control 30
L
Lamps, replacing 131
LATCH child-restraint
mounting system 56
Length 147
License plate lamp
replacing bulb 135
Light switch 85
Lighter 100
LIGHTS ON warning 85
Litter bag holder 99
Load-securing devices 105
Lock, steering wheel 59
Low beams 85
automatic 85
replacing bulb 131
Lug wrench 135
Luggage compartment 35
capacity 148
floor mat 38
floor panel 37Luggage compartment lid 35
emergency operation 35
emergency release 37
remote control 32
securing separately 35
Luggage compartment light-
ing 35
Luggage rack 105
Lumbar support 45
M
M+S tires 114
Maintenance 72, 124
Malfunction displays 72
Manual transmission 62
MC operation, refer to the
Owner's Manual for Radio
MD operation, refer to the
Owner's Manual for Radio
Memory 48
Memory settings 58
Microfilter 91, 96
Microphone 99
Mirror
automatic curb monitor 49
Mirror defrosting 50
Mirror memory 48
Mirrors 50
Modifications, technical 5
Multifunction switch 66
handbook.book Page 154 Tuesday, July 30, 2002 12:16 PM