phone BMW 740I 1998 Owners Manual
Page 5 of 211
© 1998 BMW AG
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW AG, Munich.
Order no. 01 41 9 791 187
US English VIII/98
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper
(bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling).
4n
Notes on the Owner's Manual
We have made every effort to ensure
that you are able to find what you need
in this Owner's Manual as quickly as
possible. The fastest way to find certain
topics is by using the detailed index at
the end. If you desire an initial overview
of your vehicle, this can be found in the
first chapter. The detailed list of con-
tents that directly follows the summary
of contents is intended to stimulate
your curiosity regarding your BMW and
to encourage you to read the manual.
Should you wish to sell your BMW at
some time in the future, please remem-
ber to hand over the Owner's Manual to
the new owner; it is part of the vehicle.
If you have any additional questions, an
authorized BMW center will be glad to
advise you.
Symbols used
These sections contain vital infor-
mation – please read the accom-
panying text passages carefully, both
for your own safety and to prevent dam-
age to your BMW.
<
These passages contain informa-
tion on special and unique fea-
tures of your vehicle.
<
Indicates special information on
recycling.
<
<
Indicates the end of a note.
*
Indicates special equipment, country-
specific equipment and optional extras.
Indicates that you should consult
the relevant section of this Owner's
Manual for information on a particular
part or assembly.
Alerts you to functions which can
be adjusted for individual drivers
by your authorized BMW center ("Car
Memory" or "Key Memory"). Refer to
page 53.
<
The individual vehicle
On buying your BMW, you have de-
cided in favor of a model with individu-
alized equipment and features. This
Owner's Manual describes all models
and equipment that BMW offers within
the same group.
We hope you will understand that
equipment and features are included
which you might not have chosen for
your vehicle. Any differences can easily
be identified, since all optional acces-
sories and special equipment are
marked with an asterisk
*
.
If your BMW features equipment which
is not described in this Owner's Manual
(car radio or telephone, for instance),
Supplementary Owner's Manuals are
enclosed. We ask you to read these
manuals as well.
Page 7 of 211
6n
For your own safety
Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels
containing up to 10% ethanol or
other oxygenates with up to 2.8% oxy-
gen 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., vol-
atility, 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.
<
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 (C.B., walkie-talkie,
ham radio, for instance) may cause ex-
tensive damage to the vehicle, compro-
mise its safety, interfere with the vehi-
cle's electrical system, or affect the
validity of the BMW Limited Warranty.
See your authorized BMW center for
additional information.
<
Maintenance, replacement, or re-
pair of the emission control de-
vices and systems may be performed
by any automotive repair establishment
or individual using any certified automo-
tive part.
<
Page 8 of 211
7n
The following only applies to vehicles owned and operated in the US.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying BMW of
North America, Inc., P.O. Box 1227, Westwood, New Jersey 07675-1227, Telephone (201) 307-4000.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in
a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your dealer, or BMW of North America, Inc.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in
Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C. 20590. You
can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.
Page 12 of 211
11n
Controls and features
Operation, care and maintenance
Lamps:
Parking lamps/Low beams96
Instrument panel lighting96
High beams/Parking lamps97
Fog lamps97
Interior lamps97
Reading lamps98
Controlling the climate
for pleasant driving:
Automatic climate control100
Rear passenger-area air
conditioning105
Seat heating106
Steering wheel heating106
Roller sun blind107
Independent ventilation
system107
Cabin convenience:
Integrated Universal
Remote Control108
Glove compartment110
Center armrests111
Additional storage areas113
Cup holder113
Cellular phone113
Ashtray114
Cigarette lighter115
Rear footrests115
Loading and transporting cargo:
Ski bag116
Cargo loading118
Roof-mounted luggage rack118
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedure122
Driving notes123
Catalytic converter124
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)125
Disc brakes126
Brake system128
Winter operation128
Power steering130
Level control system130
Cellular phone131
Radio reception131
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure132
Tire condition132
Tire replacement133
Tire rotation133
Wheel and tire
combinations134
Winter tires135
Snow chains135
Approved wheel and tire
specifications136
Under the hood:
Hood137
Engine compartment138
Washer fluids142
Washer nozzles142
Engine oil143
Coolant146
Brake fluid147
Oil for power steering/
Level control system148
Vehicle Identification
Number148
Care and maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System149
Caring for your car150
Airbags156
Vehicle storage156
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications to the
vehicle157
OBD connector158
Page 24 of 211
23n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Multifunction 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:
>
Some of the functions of the radio,
the CD and cassette modes
>
The recirculated-air mode of the air
conditioner or
>The steering wheel heating
>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 ac-
cessory manuals for more detailed de-
scriptions.
1 Cellular phone: Receive an incoming
call, initiate dialing and end a call.
Pressing and holding the key for a
longer period activates or deactivates
the voice input
*
2 Radio/Telephone: Selection
3 Radio/Telephone: Search backward
or station keys or scroll in the phone
book.
Fast forward and reverse for CD and
cassette modes
4 Radio/Telephone: Volume
5 Radio/Telephone: Search forward or
station keys or scroll in the phone
book.
Fast forward and reverse for CD and
cassette modes390de110
6 Horn: The entire surface
7 Cruise control: Activate stored
setting (resume)
8 Cruise control: Store and acceler-
ate (+); decelerate and store (–)
9 Cruise control: Activate/Interrupt/
Deactivate
10 Recirculated-air mode and AUC or
steering wheel heating: Switch on
and off
Page 30 of 211
Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
29n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Parking brake61
Automatic transmission62
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic65
Indicator/Headlamp flasher68
Washer/Wiper system/Rain
sensor68
Rear window defroster70
Cruise control70
Everything under control:
Odometer, outside temperature
display72
Tachometer72
Energy control73
Fuel gauge73
Temperature gauge74
Service Interval Display74
Check Control75
Multi-Information Display
(MID)78
Digital clock79
Onboard computer84
Technology for safety and
convenience:
Park Distance Control (PDC)90
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)/Dynamic Sta-
bility Control (DSC)92
Electronic Damper Control
(EDC)93
Tire Pressure Control (RDC)94Lamps:
Parking lamps/Low beams96
Instrument panel rheostat96
High beams/Parking lamps97
Fog lamps97
Interior lamps97
Reading lamps98
Controlling the climate
for pleasant driving:
Automatic climate control100
Rear passenger-area air
conditioning105
Seat heating106
Steering wheel heating106
Rear window blind107
Independent ventilation
system107
Cabin convenience:
Integrated Universal
Remote control108
Glove compartment110
Center armrests111
Additional storage areas113
Cup holder113
Cellular phone113
Ashtray114
Cigarette lighter115
Rear footrests115
Loading and transporting cargo:
Ski bag116
Cargo loading118
Roof-mounted luggage rack118
Page 79 of 211
78n
Multi-Information Display (MID)The MID serves as a central control and
display unit for the following vehicle
systems:
>Digital clock (time, date, independent
ventilation system)
>Sound system (radio, cassette, CD
player
*)
>Onboard computer (such as fuel con-
sumption, cruising range)
>Cellular phone
* (dialing, for instance)
Sound system, digital clock,
onboard computer and
cellular phoneOn the following pages you will find ex-
planations and information on how to
use the digital clock and the onboard
computer. Information on using the
sound system and the telephone are
contained in the Supplementary
Owner's Manual.380us171
Implausible numbers will not be
accepted.
Any interruption in current supply will
result in the loss of all stored data. After
the current supply is restored, you will
need to reset the time as well as any
additional program data for the inde-
pendent ventilation system, distance or
speed warning threshold.<
Page 113 of 211
112n
Center armrestsMulti-function armrest, rear
*
In order to operate certain functions
from the rear seat, corresponding con-
trols are integrated into the center arm-
rest.
Fold out the armrest and open the
cover. Refer to "Rear armrest."
The illustration shows the maximum
possible number of controls, corre-
sponding to a full range of optional
equipment. Refer to the descriptions of
the individual accessories for addi-
tional details on the equipment options.
1 Multi-Information Display for operat-
ing the radio and onboard computer
(with limited function range)380de201
2 Actuation of the power rear window
blind
3 Front passenger side shoulder
support
4 Tandem telephone
5 Power adjustment, front passenger's
seat
6 Seat memory for the front passenger
Front armrestPress the button at the front for front/
rear adjustment (arrow 1).
Press the side-mounted buttons for
access to the storage compartments
(arrows 2).380de223
Page 114 of 211
113n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Additional storage areas Cup holder Cellular phones
*
Front storage compartment on slanted
surface of center console:
To open, press the recess at the top,
press to close.
This storage area can be ordered with
an optional CD or cassette holder.
Storage compartment on center con-
sole between the front seats:
To open, reach into the recess at the
front and pull upward.
When a cellular phone is installed, a
small storage compartment is provided
on each side of the phone. Press side
button to open.
A rotating coin holder
is located on the
right under the radio cover.
You will find additional storage com-
partments in all of the doors as well as
on the backrests of the front seats.There are holders for two beverage
containers in a tray in the center con-
sole as well as in the face of the rear
seat bench near the center seat posi-
tion.
To open, press against the upper re-
cess, apply pressure and slide back to
close.
380de623
Handsfree systemOn vehicles with a telephone hookup
*,
the handsfree speaker is positioned in
the headliner.
For further information on the cellular
phone, refer to the separate Owner's
Manual.
380de669
Page 122 of 211
Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
121n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedure122
Driving notes123
Catalytic converter124
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)125
Disc brakes126
Brake system128
Winter operation128
Power steering130
Level control system130
Cellular phone131
Radio reception131
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure132
Tire condition132
Tire replacement133
Tire rotation133
Wheel and tire
combinations134
Winter tires135
Snow chains135
Approved wheel and tire
specifications136Under the hood:
Hood137
Engine compartment138
Washer fluids142
Washer nozzles142
Engine oil143
Coolant146
Brake fluid147
Oil for power steering/
Level control system148
Vehicle Identification
Number148
Care and maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System149
Caring for your car150
Airbags156
Vehicle storage156
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications to the
vehicle157
OBD connector158