BMW 330CI COUPE 2004 E46 Owner's Manual

101
Rear center armrest*The rear center armrest includes a bev-
erage holder and a litter bag holder.
>Beverage holder: press.
Storage package*For your convenience, there are:
>Two flip-out sockets on the rear cen-
ter console
>An eyeglasses storage compart-
ment*, not shown, in the center con-
sole.
Microphone*Hands-free systemOn vehicles that are wired for a tele-
phone* or equipped with a Voice Input
System*, the cover for the hands-free
microphone is located in the headliner
near the interior lamp.
For further information on using your
cellular phone or the Voice Input Sys-
tem, refer to the separate Owner's
Manual.
Storage compartments
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

102
Ashtray, front*To emptyPress on the edge of the open cover.
the ashtray comes upward and can be
removed.Cigarette lighter
Hold or touch the hot cigarette
lighter by the knob only. Holding
or touching it in other areas could result
in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains opera-
tional when the ignition key has been
removed. For this reason, children
should never be left in the vehicle unat-
tended.<
Press lighter 1 in. As soon as the lighter
springs back out, it can be removed.
Power socketThe cigarette lighter socket can be
used as a power socket for a flashlight,
car vacuum cleaner, etc., up to a rating
of approx. 200 watts at 12 volts. Do not
damage the socket by inserting plugs of
the wrong shape or size. In vehicles
with a non-smoker's equipment pack-
age, the socket is covered by a remov-
able cap.
Ashtray, rear*To emptyPress on the edge of the open cover in
the opening direction: the ashtray
comes upward and can be removed.

103
Clothes hooksTo open, press on the upper edge. For
additional information: refer to
page 113.
When hanging clothing on the
hooks, be sure that it will not
obstruct the driver's vision. Do not hang
heavy objects on the hooks. If you do,
they could injure occupants, for exam-
ple during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

104Loading and transporting
Through-loading system1. Pull the corresponding lever to
release
2. The backrest moves forward slightly
when released. Reach into the gap
and fold it down.
When folding the backrest back
into its original position always
ensure that the detent engages
securely. A loose backrest might fail to
prevent cargo from entering the pas-
senger compartment during sudden
braking or evasive maneuvers, posing a
potential hazard to occupants.<
The fittings at the corners of the lug-
gage compartment provide you with a
convenient means of attaching luggage
nets* and flexible straps for securing
luggage.
Refer also to Cargo loading on
page 106.
Rear center 3-point safety belt*You can roll up the rear 3-point belt
before folding back the through-loading
system:
>Release the belt and insert its latch in
the recess provided for this purpose
in the rear tray.

105
Ski bag*The ski bag allows the safe and clean
transport of up to 4 pairs of standard
skis or up to two snowboards.
The length of the ski bag and the addi-
tional space provided in the luggage
compartment make it possible to carry
skis up to 6 ft 10 in / 2.10 m long.
Because of the tapered shape of the
bag, only two pairs of skis longer than
6 ft 10 in / 2.10 m can be carried.
Loading1. Fold the center armrest outward.
Loosen the trim from the upper
Velcro® fastener and place it on the
armrest
2. Press the button downward – see
arrow 1 – and swing the cover for-
ward
3. Extend the ski bag between the front
seats. The zipper provides conve-
nient access to stored items. It may
be opened to allow the ski bag to dry
4. Press the button – see arrow 2: the
cover in the luggage compartment is
unlocked.
To store the ski bag, perform the above
steps in reverse sequence.
Securing cargoAfter loading, secure the ski bag and its
contents. To do so, tighten the retaining
strap at the tensioning buckle.
Be sure to secure the ski bag in
this way, as it could otherwise
injure occupants, for example during
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Be sure that the skis are clean before
loading them into the bag. Be careful to
avoid damage from sharp edges.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

106
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.

107
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 back-
rests – and as low as possible
>Cover sharp edges and corners
>Do not pile objects higher than the
top edge of the backrest
>For transporting very heavy loads
when the rear seat is not occupied,
secure the outer safety belts in the
opposite buckles, refer to the illustra-
tion.
Cargo loading
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

108
Securing cargo>For small, light items, use the rubber-
lined, non-skid side of the floor mat
or secure using a luggage compart-
ment net* or elastic straps, refer to
page 35
>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.
Comply with the information enclosed
with the load-securing devices.
Always position and secure the
load correctly. If you do not, it can
endanger the passengers during brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.
Do not exceed the approved gross
vehicle weight or the approved axle
loads, refer to page 156, 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 would
be thrown around during braking and
evasive maneuvers and endanger the
passengers.<
Cargo loading

109
Roof-mounted luggage rack*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
have 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 axle loads when loading
the rack. These weights are listed under
Technical data on page 156.
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. Be sure that
adequate clearance is maintained for
raising the glass sunroof, and that
objects do not project into the opening
path of the luggage compartment lid.
Secure the roof-mounted luggage cor-
rectly and safely to prevent it from shift-
ing or being lost during driving.
Drive smoothly and avoid sudden
acceleration and braking. Do not corner
at high speeds.
The luggage rack and the roof load
increase aerodynamic resistance:
increased fuel consumption and addi-
tional stress on the vehicle's body are
the result.
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

110