seats BMW 323i 2000 Owners Manual

Contents

Overview
Controls and features
Cockpit16
Instrument cluster18
Indicator and warning lamps20
Multifunction steering wheel
(MFL)24
Hazard warning flashers25
Warning triangle25
First-aid kit25
Refueling26
Fuel specifications26
Tire inflation pressure27

Locks and security systems:

Keys32
Electronic vehicle
immobilizer33
Central locking system34
Opening and closing Ð from
outside34
Opening and closing Ð from
inside38
Luggage compartment lid39
Luggage compartment41
Alarm system42
Electric power windows44
Sliding/Tilt sunroof45

Adjustments:

Seats47
Seat and mirror memory50
Steering wheel51
Mirrors52
Car Memory, Key Memory53

Passenger safety systems:

Safety belts54
Child restraint systems55
Child-safety locks56
Airbags56
Child restraints59
Installing a child restraint
system60

Driving:

Steering/Ignition lock61
Starting the engine61
Switching off the engine62
Parking brake63
Manual transmission64
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic65
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher68
Wiper/Washer system/Rain
sensor68
Rear window defroster70
Cruise control71

Everything under control:

Odometer73
Tachometer73
Energy Control73
Fuel gauge74
Temperature gauge74
Service Interval Display74
Check Control75
Clock75
Onboard computer76

Technology for safety and
convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)78
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)79
Tire Pressure Control (RDC)80

Contents

30n
Controls Locks and security systems:
Keys32
Electronic vehicle
immobilizer33
Central locking system34
Opening and closing Ð from
outside34
Opening and closing Ð from
inside38
Luggage compartment lid39
Luggage compartment41
Alarm system42
Electric power windows44
Sliding/Tilt sunroof45
Adjustments:
Seats47
Seat and mirror memory50
Steering wheel51
Mirrors52
Car Memory, Key Memory53
Passenger safety systems:
Safety belts54
Child restraint systems55
Child-safety locks56
Airbags56
Child restraints59
Installing a child restraint
system60

45n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Electric power windows Sliding/Tilt sunroof
*
Safety switch You can use the safety switch to deacti-
vate the rear power window switches
(when children are in the rear seats, for
instance).
Press the safety switch whenever
children are riding in the rear of
the vehicle. Careless use of the power
windows can lead to injury.<460de014
Exercise care when closing the
sliding/tilt sunroof and keep it in
your field of vision until it is completely
closed. Failure to do so can result in
injuries.
Remove the key from the ignition and
close the doors when you leave the ve-
hicle so that children cannot operate
the sunroof and possibly injure them-
selves.<
To avoid pressure or drafts in the pas-
senger compartment when the sunroof
is open or raised, keep the air vents in
the dashboard open and increase the air
supply if necessary. Refer to page 89.
If the sunroof is completely open, air
disturbances may be caused in the
vehicle when you are driving at higher
speeds. Close the roof as far as is nec-
essary until this natural phenomenon
ceases.
For the convenience operating mode
with the door lock or the remote con-
trol, refer to page 34 or 35.
Lifting Ð Opening Ð ClosingIn ignition key position 1 or 2, press the
switch or slide it to the desired direction
until you feel resistance.
When lifting, the headliner retracts
several inches.
After the ignition has been switched off,
you can still operate the sunroof for up
to 15 minutes, as long as neither of the
front doors has been opened.Automatic opening and closing>Press the switch past the resistance
point briefly: The sunroof travels to
either the fully-closed or fully-open
position.460de015

57n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
AirbagsIndicator lamp
The indicator lamp displays the
operational status of the airbag
system when the ignition key is
in position 1 and higher.
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 lights up
again.
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 and
repair the system immediately.
The airbag indicator lamp also
comes on if the safety belt ten-
sioners have been triggered.<
For your own safety, please com-
ply with the following precautions
concerning airbags. If you do not, their
protective function may be impaired
and your personal safety endangered.
The following information pertains to all
occupants:
The airbags are supplemental restraint
devices designed to provide extra pro-
tection; they are not a substitute for
safety belts. Wear your safety belt at all
times. The airbags will not be triggered
in the event of a minor accident, a vehi-
cle roll-over, or collisions from the rear.
In these instances, the safety belt offers
the best protection.
Airbags are located under the cover
panels in the steering wheel, in the in-
strument panel, in the side trim panels
in the front and rear
*, in the roof panels,
and in the sides of the inside roof lining.
Select a seat position that is comfort-
able and allows the greatest possible
distance from each of the applicable air-
bags. Hold the steering wheel at the rim
(hands at the "9 o'clock and 3 o'clock"
positions) in order to avoid injuries to
your hands or arms if the airbag is trig-
gered.
Never allow any objects to obstruct the
area between the airbag and an occu-
pant.
Do not use the cover panel above the
front passenger airbag as a storage
area.
Never tape the airbag cover panels,
cover them over or alter them in any
other way.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint
device on the front passenger seat. Chil-
dren under 13 years of age and children
who are smaller than 5 feet (150 cm),
should only travel in the rear seat.
If your vehicle is equipped with side air-
bags in the rear, be sure that child seats
are installed correctly and with the
greatest possible distance from the side
trim panels. Do not allow children to
lean out of the child's seat in the direc-
tion of the side trim panels. Otherwise,
serious injuries could occur if the airbag
is triggered.
At all times, occupants should sit up-
right 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" im-
printed on the door trim panel indicates
the airbag's location.

59n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Airbags Child restraints
*
This is the right way for a larger child to
sit wearing the safety belt when rear
side airbags (arrow) are provided.462us013
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. Improperly or
inadequately installed restraint sys-
tems can increase the risk of injury to
children. Always read and follow the in-
structions that come with the system.380us123
If you use a child restraint system with a
tether strap, three additional tether an-
chorage points (refer to the arrows in
the illustration) have been provided.
Depending on the location selected for
seating in the rear passenger area, at-
tach the tether strap to the correspond-
ing anchorage point to secure the child
restraint system. Remove the cover first
on the middle location.
If the respective seating position is fit-
ted with a headrest lift the headrest and
pass the tether strap between the
headrest and the seat back.
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 rearward-facing child re-
straint 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 system
(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, since the impact of the

93n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Storage compartments Open the storage compartment in the
front center armrest
*: Press the button
(arrow) and lift upward.
You will find additional storage areas in
the front doors and in the center con-
sole above the ashtray*. Storage nets
*
are located on the back of the front
seats.
460de043
Coin holder, cup holderA coin holder and two cup holders are
provided in the center console.460us251
Rear center armrest
*
Without through-loading system:
You will find a storage compartment
and a beverage holder (for two drink
containers) in the rear center armrest.
1 Storage compartment: Pull upward.
2 Beverage holder: Press to open.460de297

98n
Ski bag
*
The ski bag allows the safe and clean
transport of four pairs of skis or two
snowboards.
The length of the ski bag and the addi-
tional space provided in the luggage
compartment make it possible to carry
skis with a length of up to 6.8 feet
(2.1 meters). The ski bag can only
accommodate two pairs of skis with a
length of 6.8 feet (2.1 meters) because
of the tapered shape of the bag.
Loading1 Pull the center armrest down. Loosen
the trim from the upper Velcro¨ fas-
tener and place it on the armrest.
2 Press button 1 downward and swing
the cover forward.
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 knob 2: The cover in the lug-
gage compartment is unlocked.
To store the ski bag, perform the above
steps in reverse sequence.394de119
Securing the load
Secure the skis or other objects in
the bag by tightening the strap
with the buckle.<
Please be sure that your skis are clean
before loading them into the bag. Avoid
damage from sharp edges during load-
ing.
380de070

135n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Caring for your carPlastic components, vinyl upholstery,
headliners, lamp lenses, the clear cover
of the instrument panel and compo-
nents with a sprayed dull black surface
can be cleaned with water (add plastic
shampoo as required). Do not allow
moisture to soak through the seats or
headliner. Never use solvents such as
lacquer thinner, heavy-duty grease re-
mover, fuels, or similar substances.
Rubber components should be cleaned
with water only; a rubber treatment or
silicone spray may also be applied.
Clean the wiper blades with soapy
water. The wiper blades should be re-
placed twice a year Ð before and after
the cold season. This is especially im-
portant for vehicles with a rain sensor
*.
Use only wiper blades approved
by BMW.<
Do not remove safety belts to clean
them. Clean them with mild soapy
water only. Do not use chemicals or dry
cleaners to clean safety belts, since this
could damage the belt fabric.
After cleaning, never allow the inertia
reel to retract the belts until they are
completely dry. Dirty safety belts pre-
vent the inertia reel mechanism from
retracting the strap properly, and thus
constitute a safety hazard.
Heavily soiled floor carpets and mats
*
can be cleaned with an interior cleaner.
The floor mats can be removed from
the vehicle for cleaning.
Use only a damp cloth to clean trim
panels made of real wood
* and other
parts constructed of real wood
*. Follow
up by drying with a soft cloth.
Use cleaning and car-care
products that you can obtain at
your BMW center.<
Care of upholstery materials Depressions in the upholstery that re-
sult from everyday use can be brushed
smooth by brushing against the nap
with a lightly dampened brush.
The tendency of the pile to lie in a par-
ticular direction on velour upholstery is
not a quality defect. Just as with home
textiles or clothing, this cannot be
avoided.
Lint on upholstery materials, rubbed-in
fabric or suede residues can be re-
moved with a lint brush or Velcro¨
brush. A cleaning glove is available for
especially "stubborn" lint. Stains and
fairly large areas of dirt should be
cleaned off without delay, using luke-
warm water and an interior cleaner,
stain remover or appropriate cleaning
fluid. Brush the fabric afterwards to re-
store its appearance.
If the vehicle will be stored for an ex-
tended period or if it is exposed to in-
tense sunlight, cover all the seats or the
windows to prevent fading.
Use cleaning and car-care
products that you can obtain at
your BMW center.<

164n
Radio reception Safety belt tensionerAM radio provides reception across a
considerable distance because the
broadcast signals not only travel along
the ground as surface waves, but they
are also reflected from the ionosphere
as atmospheric waves.
Frequency-modulation (FM) provides
substantially better sound quality than
AM. However, because FM transmis-
sions rely on line-of-sight broadcast
waves, their effective reception range is
limited. 360de084
The limitations inherent to radio recep-
tion in a moving vehicle have been min-
imized by a number of innovative sys-
tem designs:
The "Radio Data System" (RDS) makes
sure that, for broadcast stations send-
ing on several frequencies, the radio
automatically tunes to the frequency
with the best reception quality.
The Diversity Antenna system employs
several FM antennas integrated within
the rear window to provide three sepa-
rate sources for receiving broadcast
waves. An integral processor automati-
cally selects the antenna with the best
FM reception quality at any given time.
The selection of the antenna takes
place within milliseconds, and is there-
fore not noticed by the radio listener.The safety belt tensioner responds to
severe collisions by tightening the belts
to ensure that occupants remain firmly
positioned in their seats. A gas-pressure
system retracts the buckle assembly
to tension the shoulder and lap belts
within fractions of a second. This re-
duces the tendency to slide under the
lap belt.
390de330

168n
Self-diagnostics All of the important electrical and elec-
tronic systems in the vehicle are tested
regularly and automatically Ð the driver
does not have to perform any extra
operations or adjustments.
The indicator lamps also come on
briefly after the ignition has been turned
on.
While you are driving, the functional
status of the actuator motors (for the
windshield wipers, power windows,
seats, sunroof, etc.) is constantly ana-
lyzed by current measurements in their
relays.460de177
In the same manner, the electrical re-
sistance of the airbag ignition genera-
tors and all of the remaining airbag
components is measured at all times.
Any fault in this system would be de-
tected immediately by a current fluctua-
tion that would necessarily accompany
it. The fault would be indicated immedi-
ately by the airbag warning lamp.
Even after you shut off the engine, the
overall functional status of your vehicle
is monitored. For example, all of the
flaps of the heating and ventilation sys-
tem travel to the nearest limit position.
This action ensures that the system will
be able to provide defrosting, regard-
less of other circumstances (if a mal-
function in the heating or ventilation
system should occur during the night
while the vehicle is parked, for in-
stance).
A calibration cycle runs every tenth time
the engine is shut off. During this cycle,
the actuator motors of all the heating
and ventilation flaps travel to their limit
stops in both directions. The limit posi-
tions and the return travel paths are
checked in this manner in order to en-
sure that appropriate adjustments for
the operating elements can be made at
any time.You will hear the sounds of the air flaps
as the heater/ventilation system carries
out its self-diagnostic functions after the
ignition is shut off. All of the other self-
diagnostics functions operate silently in
the background.
Any faults detected during these self-
diagnostics can be read out by your
BMW center during the next regularly-
scheduled maintenance and corrected
with a minimum of time.