ESP BMW 328Ci COUPE 2000 E46 Owner's Manual

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For your own safety

Use unleaded gasoline only.
Fuels containing up to 10% etha-
nol or other oxygenates with up to 2.8%
oxygen by weight (i.e. 15% MTBE or
3% methanol plus an equivalent
amount of co-solvent) will not void the
applicable warranties with respect to
defects in materials or workmanship.
Field experience has indicated signifi-
cant differences in fuel quality (i.e. vola-
tility, composition, additives, etc.)
among gasolines offered for sale in the
United States and Canada. The use of
poor-quality fuels may result in drive-
ability, starting and stalling problems
especially under certain environmental
conditions, such as high ambient tem-
perature and high altitude.
Should you encounter driveability prob-
lems that you suspect could be related
to the fuel you are using, we recom-
mend that you respond by switching to
a recognized high-quality brand.
Failure to comply with these recom-
mendations may result in unscheduled
maintenance.
Follow the relevant safety rules when
you are handling gasoline.

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Important safety information!
For your own safety, use genuine
parts and accessories approved by
BMW.
When you purchase accessories tested
and approved by BMW and Original
BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
the assurance that they have been thor-
oughly tested by BMW to ensure opti-
mum performance when installed on
your vehicle.
BMW warrants these parts to be free
from defects in material and workman-
ship.
BMW will not accept any liability for
damage resulting from installation of
parts and accessories not approved by
BMW.
BMW cannot test every product from
other manufacturers to verify if it can be
used on a BMW safely and without risk
to either the vehicle, its operation, or its
occupants.
Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
and other products approved by BMW,
together with professional advice on
using these items, are available from all
BMW centers.

Installation and operation of non-BMW
approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake
dust shields, telephones (including op-
eration of any portable cellular phone
from within the vehicle without using an
externally mounted antenna) or trans-
ceiver equipment (such as C.B., walkie-
talkie, ham radio or similar) may cause
extensive damage to the vehicle, com-
promise its safety, interfere with the
vehicle's electrical system or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty.
See your authorized BMW center for
additional information.
Do not use key or remote to lock doors
or luggage compartment lid with any-
one inside the car. See page 34 for
more details.
"Maintenance, replacement, or repair of
the emission control devices and sys-
tems may be performed by any automo-
tive repair establishment or individual
using any certified automotive part".

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20n

Indicator and warning lamps

Technology that monitors itself

Many of the systems of your BMW mon-
itor themselves automatically, both dur-
ing engine starts and while you are driv-
ing. Indicator and warning lamps that
are identified by "

l

" are tested for
proper functioning whenever the igni-
tion key is turned. They each light up
once for different periods of time.
If a fault should occur in one of these
systems, the corresponding lamp does
not go out after the engine is started or
it lights up while the vehicle is moving.
You will see how to react to this below.

Red: Stop immediately

Battery charge current



l


The battery is no longer being
charged. There is a malfunction
of the alternator ribbed V-belt or in the
charging circuit of the alternator. Please
contact the nearest BMW center.
If the ribbed V-belt is defective, do
not continue driving. The engine
could be damaged due to overheating.
If the ribbed V-belt is defective, in-
creased steering effort is also re-
quired.

<

Engine oil pressure


l


Stop vehicle and switch off en-
gine immediately. Check level of
oil in engine, top up as required. If oil
level is correct: Please contact the
nearest BMW center.
Do not continue driving. The en-
gine could be damaged because
of inadequate lubrication.

<
Tire Pressure Control (RDC)
* l
In addition, there is an acousti-
cal warning signal: A tire failure
has occurred. Reduce vehicle speed
immediately and stop the vehicle. Avoid
hard brake applications. Do not over-
steer.
For additional information: Refer to
page 82.
Brake hydraulic system l
If the lamp comes on when the
parking brake is not engaged:
Check the brake fluid level. Before driv-
ing further, be sure to read the notes on
pages 109 and 127.
Brake-warning lamp for Cana-
dian models.

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Multi-function steering wheel (MFL)

The controls integrated in the multi-
function steering wheel are provided so
that you can operate a number of ac-
cessories quickly and without being
distracted from traffic conditions. You
may operate:
>selected radio functions
>the cruise control and
>selected cellular phone functions.
In order to operate a system via
the MFL, the corresponding sys-
tem controls must be switched on.<
The illustration shows the maximum
possible number of controls, corre-
sponding to a full range of optional
equipment. Refer to the individual
accessory manuals for more detailed
descriptions.
1 Switch between the radio and the
cellular phone
2 Cellular phone: Receive a call, start
dialing, terminate a call
3 Radio/Cellular phone volume
4 Radio/Cellular phone: Search in re-
verse or station keys (or browse in list
of names)
5 Radio/Cellular phone: Search for-
wards or station keys (or browse in
list of names)463de057
6 Horn: The entire surface
7 Cruise control: Resume stored
setting
8 Cruise control: Store and accelerate
(+); decelerate and store (–)
9 Cruise control: Activate/Interrupt/
Cancel.

42n
Alarm system
*
The conceptThe vehicle's alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the lug-
gage compartment lid is opened
>To motion within the passenger com-
partment (interior motion sensor)
>To a change in the inclination of the
vehicle, e. g. during an attempted
wheel theft of unauthorized towing
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The alarm system signals unauthorized
access to the vehicle or an attempted
theft in different ways:
>Sounding an acoustical alarm for
30 seconds
>Activating the hazard warning flash-
ers for approx. five minutes
*.
To activate and deactivate the
alarm systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked
by using a key or with the remote con-
trol, the alarm system is also simulta-
neously armed or disarmed.
The interior motion sensor is activated
approx. 30 seconds after you have fin-
ished locking the car.
If the alarm system has been armed
correctly, the hazard warning flashers
cycle once. An acoustic warning signal
sounds at the same time.
You can have various confirmation
messages set to inform you that
the alarm system has been armed or
disarmed.<
You can also open the luggage com-
partment lid when the system is armed
by pressing button 3 of the remote con-
trol (refer to page 37). When it is closed,
the lid is once again secured.
Indicator lamp displaysThe indicator lamp is located under the
inside rearview mirror.
>When the indicator lamp flashes
continuously: The system is armed
>The indicator lamp flashes when it is
armed: The door(s), the hood or lug-
gage compartment lid are not com-
pletely closed. Even if you do not
close the alerted area, the system be-
gins to monitor the remaining areas,
and the indicator lamp flashes contin-
uously after 10 seconds. However,
the interior motion sensor is not
activated
>If the indicator lamp goes out when
the system is disarmed: No manipula-
tion or attempted intrusions have
been detected in the period since the
system was armed460de105

44n
Electric power windowsOpen and close windowsIn ignition key position 1 or 2:
>Press the switch up to but not past
the pressure point:
The window moves downward or the
rear vent window moves outward as
long as the switch is pressed.
>Press the switch briefly past the
pressure point:
The window moves automatically.
Pressing the switch again briefly
stops the opening cycle.
You can close windows in the same
manner by pulling the switch. The rear
vent window does not close automati-
cally.463de200
After the ignition has been switched off:
You can still operate the electric win-
dows for up to 15 minutes, provided
that no door has been opened and then
closed.
Remove the key from the ignition
key and close the doors when you
leave the vehicle, so that children can-
not operate the power windows and
possibly injure themselves.<
For the convenience operating mode
with the door lock or the remote con-
trol, refer to page 34 or 35.
Safety feature A contact strip is located on the inside
upper frame of each of the windows. If
pressure is exerted against this contact
strip while a window is being raised, the
system will respond by stopping the
window and then retracting it a small
distance.
In spite of this safety feature,
always make sure that the win-
dow's path is clear. Otherwise in some
cases (e. g. with thin objects) proper
contact with the contact strip is not en-
sured.
You can disable this safety feature by
pressing the switch beyond the resis-
tance point and holding it.<

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
For maximum safety when adjusting the
seat position, please observe the fol-
lowing:
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with an unexpected
movement, and the ensuing loss of ve-
hicle control could lead to an accident.
Be sure that the safety belt remains
firmly against your body at all times. 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 the belt is worn loosely.
Never ride with the backrest reclined to
an extreme horizontal angle (especially
important for front passengers to re-
member). Keep the backrest relatively
upright to minimize the risk of "sliding
under" the safety belt and sustaining in-
jury in a crash.<
1 Longitudinal adjustment
Pull the lever and slide the seat to the
desired position.
After releasing the lever, apply pres-
sure to the cushion to ensure that the
latch engages securely.
2 Cushion height
Pull the lever and apply weight to or
remove weight from the seat to reach
the desired position.460de109
3 Backrest angle
Pull the lever and apply weight to or
remove weight from the backrest to
reach the desired position.460de068
Seat adjustment Mechanical seat

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Airbags 1 Front airbag for driver and passenger
2 Side impact Head Protection System
(front)
3 Side airbags (front and rear side
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional protection for the front-seat oc-
cupants, in the event of a severe frontal
collision in which the protection af-
forded by the belts alone may no longer
be sufficient. The head and side airbags
help provide protection in the event of a
side impact. Each of the side airbags is
designed to help support the upper
body.462de207
The illustration schematically depicts
the primary directions of vehicle impact
that initiate airbag deployment.462de208
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp shows that
the airbag system is operational
in ignition key positions 1 and 2.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
then goes out.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp fails to come on
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
before going out and then lighting up
again.
If there is a system malfunction, there
is a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered in their normal response range in
the event of an accident, even though
the impact is severe.
Please have your authorized BMW cen-
ter inspect and repair the system as
soon as possible.
The airbag indicator lamp also
comes on if the safety belt ten-
sioners have been triggered.<

60n
Child restraints
*
All occupants and especially children
should be restrained whenever riding
in a motor vehicle.
Infants or small children should never
be held on the lap of a passenger.
Children should always sit in the rear
and, depending on age, use either a
child restraint system or the existing
safety belts. Accident statistics have
shown that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear seats
than in the front seating positions.
Infants or toddlers should be secured
with a child restraint system appropri-
ate for their size.
Commercially available child seats
complying with the legal standard are
designed to be secured with a lap belt
or with the lap belt portion of a combi-
nation lap/shoulder belt. 380us123
Improperly or inadequately installed re-
straint systems can increase the risk of
injury to children. Always read and fol-
low the instructions that come with the
system.
If the child restraint of your choice re-
quires the use of a tether strap, three
fastening points (see arrows) have been
provided on the rear shelf for attach-
ment. Ask your BMW center to perform
the necessary work.
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 car.
Your car 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.) would be
within the airbag's deployment range,
you should never mount such a device
in the front passenger seat, as the im-
pact of the airbag against the child re-
straint'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.
Younger children should be secured in
an appropriate forward-facing child re-
straint system that has first been prop-
erly secured 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 in-
stallation and use provided by the child
restraint's manufacturer whenever you
use such a device.
Be sure that all occupants (of all ages)
remain properly and securely restrained
at all times.c
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of SAE
J1819, an industry recommended prac-
tice for securing child restraint systems
in motor vehicles.

70n
Wiper/washer system1 Intermittent wipe or rain
sensor
*
Intermittent wipe:
You can use rotary dial 6 to select from
four wipe intervals. In addition, the wipe
interval automatically adapts to varia-
tions in road speed.
Rain sensor:
When the rain sensor is activated, the
windshield wiper is controlled automati-
cally, depending on the degree of wet-
ness of the windshield (in both snow
and rain). You do not have to be con-
cerned with switching the windshield
wiper on or off or adjusting the wipe
interval between intermittent and full
wipe. Instead, you can concentrate fully
on the traffic conditions. This is espe-
cially important under adverse weather
conditions.462de213
To activate the rain sensor:
In ignition key positions 1 or 2, move
the lever to position 1. The wipers travel
once across the windshield under all
circumstances.
You can leave the lever permanently in
position 1, and then activate the rain
sensor in ignition key positions 1 or 2.
To do this,
>turn rotary dial 6 briefly or
>use the automatic windshield
washer 5.
To modify the sensitivity of the rain
sensor:
Turn rotary dial 6.
Switch the rain sensor off when
the vehicle passes through the car
wash. Failure to do so could result in
damage caused by undesired wiper
activation.<
2 Normal wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the wip-
ers switch automatically to intermittent
wipe (not on vehicles with rain sensor).3 Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the wip-
ers operate at normal speed (not on
vehicles with rain sensor).5 Automatic windshield washer The system sprays washer fluid against
the windshield and activates the wipers
for a brief period.
If you only pull the lever briefly, the sys-
tem sprays washer fluid onto the wind-
shield without activating the wipers.

75n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Fuel gauge Temperature gauge When you switch on the ignition, the
indicator lamp comes on briefly to con-
firm that the system is operational.
Once the indicator lamp begins to light
up continuously, there are still approx.
2.1 gallons (8 liters) of fuel in the fuel
tank.
Tank capacity: page 173.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies, e.g.,
when you are driving in mountainous
areas, this may cause the needle to
fluctuate slightly.
Please refuel early, as driving to
the last drop of fuel can result in
damage to the engine and/or catalytic
converter.<462us020
BlueThe engine is still cold. Drive at moder-
ate engine and vehicle speeds.RedWhen you switch on the ignition, the
indicator lamp comes on briefly to con-
firm that the system is operational.
If the lamp comes on while operating
the vehicle, the engine is overheated.
Switch the engine off immediately and
allow it to cool down.460de082
Between the blue and red zonesNormal operating range. It is not un-
usual for the needle to rise as far as the
edge of the red zone in response to high
outside temperatures or severe operat-
ing conditions.
Checking coolant level: page 126.