traction control BMW 330CI CONVERTIBLE 2004 E46 Owner's Manual

93
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)The conceptDSC maintains vehicle stability, even in
critical driving situations.
DSC is operational every time you start
the engine.
DSC contains the Dynamic Traction
Control (DTC) and Cornering Brake
Control (CBC) functions.Indicator lamps
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly
after you switch on the ignition,
refer to page 19.
>The indicator lamp flashes: DSC is
actively controlling drive torque and
braking intervention
>The indicator lamp stays lit: DSC has
been switched off with the button;
DTC and DBC are operational. DTC
control intervention is not indicated.
The indicator lamp and the
brake warning lamp continu-
ously light up in yellow:
The DSC, DTC and DBC have
been switched off manually or
there is a system malfunction.
The vehicle will remain completely
operational, however, without DSC. In
the event of a fault, please consult your
BMW center.
Indicator and warning lamps for
Canadian models.
Deactivating the DSC/activating
the DTCPress the DSC button briefly; the indi-
cator lamp comes on and stays on.
DSC is deactivated; DTC is operational.
In the following rare situations, it may
prove useful to activate the DTC for a
brief period:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
>When driving with snow chains
>When driving on snow-covered
grades, in deep snow, or on a snow-
covered surface that has been
packed down from being driven on.
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94
Under these special circumstances
traction is increased by deactivating the
control systems that enhance traction
under normal conditions.Deactivating the DSC and the
DTCHold the DSC button down for at least
3 seconds. The indicator lamp and the
yellow brake warning lamp light up and
remain on continuously.
The systems for enhancing stability and
traction are deactivated, and there is no
active braking intervention or torque
control.
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the DSC acti-
vated whenever possible.<Reactivating the DSCPress the button again; the indicator
lamp or the indicator lamps will go out.
DTC is deactivated.
The laws of physics cannot be
repealed even with DSC. An
appropriate driving style always
remains the responsibility of the driver.
We therefore urge you to avoid using
the additional safety margin of the sys-
tem as an excuse for taking risks.
Whenever the DTC is activated, the
DSC is switched off and performs minor
stabilizing intervention.
Do not make any modifications to the
DSC system. Allow only authorized
technicians to perform service proce-
dures on the DSC.<
Flat Tire Monitor*The conceptAs you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor
keeps track of pressure levels in all four
tires. The system alerts you whenever
the inflation pressure of a tire falls sig-
nificantly below the pressure of another
tire.
The system actually detects pressure
loss by monitoring differences in the
relative speeds of the four wheels. It
interprets variations outside specified
limits as severe pressure loss, and then
responds by generating a warning.Functional requirementsIn order for the Flat Tire Monitor to learn
the correct tire inflation pressure,
please do the following:
1. Check the tire inflation pressures in
all tires
2. Compare them with the tire inflation
pressure table on page 25 and cor-
rect them, if necessary
3. Initialize the system.
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)

124Special operating instructions
Break-in proceduresTo ensure that your vehicle continues to
provide maximum economy throughout
an extended service life, we request
that you devote careful attention to the
following instructions.Engine and differentialThe first 1,250 miles/2,000 km:
Constantly vary both vehicle and engine
speeds, remembering not to exceed
4,500 rpm or vehicle speeds of over
100 mph / 160 km/h:
Always obey all official speed limits.
Do not use full throttle, and avoid
pressing the accelerator beyond the
kickdown point during these initial
miles.
You can then proceed to increase
engine or vehicle speeds once the ini-
tial 1,250 miles/2,000 km have elapsed.
Please remember to observe the same
break-in procedures if either the engine
or the differential should have to be
replaced later in the course of the vehi-
cle's service life.
TiresOwing to technical factors associated
with their manufacture, tires do not
achieve their full traction potential until
an initial break-in period has elapsed.
We thus ask you to drive with extra care
during the first 200 miles/300 km.
Always obey all official speed limits.
When the vehicle is operated on
wet or slushy roads, a wedge of
water may form between the tire and
the road surface. This phenomenon is
referred to as hydroplaning, and can
lead to partial or complete loss of trac-
tion, vehicle control and braking effec-
tiveness. Reduce your speed on wet
roads.<Brake systemApprox. 300 miles/500 km must elapse
before the brake pads and rotors
achieve the optimal pad-surface and
wear patterns required for trouble-free
operation and an extended service life
later on.
To break in the separate parking brake
drums, apply the parking brake lightly
when coasting to a standstill – at a traf-
fic signal, for instance; use caution to
avoid posing a danger to other road
users.
You can prevent corrosion in the drums
by periodically repeating this proce-
dure.
The brake lamps do not come on
when the parking brake is set.
Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
on your BMW is available only when the
engine is running. When you move the
vehicle with the engine off – when tow-
ing, for example – substantially higher
levels of pedal force will be required to
brake the vehicle.<ClutchApprox. 300 miles/500 km must elapse
before the clutch starts to operate at
optimum efficiency. Remember to
engage the clutch carefully during this
initial period.

130
Do not drive on a deflated – flat –
tire unless your vehicle is
equipped with Run Flat tires. A flat tire
greatly impairs steering and braking
response, and can lead to complete
loss of control over the vehicle. Avoid
overloading the vehicle so that the per-
mitted 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.
Unusual vibrations encountered during
normal vehicle operation can indicate a
flat tire or some other vehicle malfunc-
tion. This type of problem can be
caused by contact with curbs, etc. This
is also true for irregularities in the vehi-
cle's handling characteristics, such as a
pronounced tendency to pull to the left
or right. Should this occur, respond by
immediately reducing your speed. Pro-
ceed carefully to the nearest BMW cen-
ter or professional tire center, or have
the vehicle towed in to have it, its
wheels or its tires inspected.
Tire damage up to and including sud-
den and complete air loss can endan-
ger the lives of both the vehicle occu-
pants and other road users.<
Tire replacementTo maintain good handling and vehicle
response, use only tires of a single
tread configuration from a single manu-
facturer.
Comply with the specified tire inflation
pressures — and be sure to have the
wheel and tire assembly balanced
every time you change a tire or wheel.DOT quality gradesTread wear
Traction AA A B C
Temperature A B C
All passenger car tires must con-
form to Federal Safety Require-
ments in addition to these grades.<Tread wearThe tread wear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test
course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear one and one-half – 1
1/2 – times as
well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual condi-
tions of their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate.TractionThe traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C.
Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on speci-
fied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does
not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
teristics.<TemperatureThe temperature grades are A – the
highest – B and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Tire condition

131
Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tem-
perature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire
is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.<Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Tread wear 200
Traction AA
Temperature A
BMW advises against using
retreaded tires, since driving
safety may be impaired. This is due to
the possible variations in casing struc-
tures and, in some cases, to their
extreme age, which can lead to a
decrease in their durability.<
Tire ageThe date on which the tire was manu-
factured is indicated by the code on the
sidewall:
DOT... 3603 indicates that the tire was
manufactured in week 36 of the year
2003.
BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires – including the spare tire* –
when the tires are no more than 6 years
old, even if a tire life of 10 years is pos-
sible.Run Flat tires*Before purchasing tires, check if your
BMW is equipped with Run Flat tires.
These are indicated by a circular sym-
bol containing the letters RSC on the
tire sidewall, refer to Changing a wheel.
In this case, use only Run Flat tires,
since no spare wheel is available in the
event of a flat.
For more information on Run Flat tires,
refer to page 156.
Tire replacement
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

Everything from A to Z
175
Disposal
oil 139
vehicle battery 157
Distance warning, refer to
Park Distance Control
(PDC) 92
Door key 30
Door lock 33
Doors
emergency operation 33
Draft-free ventilation
105, 109
Driving light, refer to Parking
lamps/Low beams 97
Driving notes 125
Dry air, refer to Air condi-
tioning mode 104, 108
DSC Dynamic Stability Con-
trol 93
indicator lamp 19, 93
DTC Dynamic Traction Con-
trol 93
indicator lamp 19, 93
Dynamic Brake Control
(DBC) 19, 125
indicator lamp 19
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC) 19, 93
Dynamic Traction Control
(DTC) 93
indicator lamp 19, 93E
Easy entry, refer to Entering
the rear 55
Electric power windows 40
Electrical accessories, fail-
ure 157
Electrical malfunction
automatic transmission
with Steptronic 81
door lock 33
driver's door 33
fuel filler door 24
luggage compartment
lid 35
Electronic Stability Program
(ESP), refer to Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC) 93
Emergency call 158
Emergency operation
closing the convertible
top 48
doors 33
driver's door 33
fuel filler door 24
Emergency release
luggage compartment lid
35, 36
Emissions, minimum, refer
to Energy control 86
Energy control 86Engine
breaking in 124
data 166
electronics 19
indicator lamp 19
speed 86, 166
starting 71
switching off 73
Engine compartment 136
Engine coolant 140
adding 140
Engine oil
adding 139
additives, refer to Adding
engine oil 139
capacity 169
consumption 138
indicator/warning lamp 19
quality 139
specified oils 139
viscosity 139
Engine oil level 19
check 138
indicator/warning lamp 18
Engine oil pressure
indicator/warning lamp 18
Engine oil types 139
Engine output, refer to
Engine data 166
Engine speed 86, 166
Entering the rear 55Environmentally-friendly
driving, refer to Energy
control 86
Equipment range, refer to
the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US
models / Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet for
Canadian models
ESP Electronic Stability Pro-
gram, refer to Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC) 93
Exterior mirrors 59
Eyelets, towing 161
F
False alarm, refer to
Avoiding unintentional
alarms 39
Fasten safety belts
warning lamp 18, 56
Fault displays 88
Filling the windshield washer
reservoir 169
First aid, refer to First-aid
kit 23
First-aid kit 23
Flashlight 111
Flashlight, refer to
Rechargeable
flashlight 111
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex