ECU BMW 325CI 2006 User Guide

61
Switching off the engine
You should never remove the igni-
tion key when the vehicle is in
motion, as the steering lock could
engage.
When you leave the vehicle, always
remove the ignition key and engage the
steering lock.
Always engage the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces. Engaging a gear may not provide
adequate resistance to rolling.<
Vehicles with manual
transmissionTurn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.Automatic transmissionMove the selector lever into position P,
and turn the ignition key to position 1 or
0.SMG gearboxIf you turn the ignition key to position 1
or 0 with the selector lever in position
R, or in sequential mode, a gear auto-
matically remains engaged.
If you turn the ignition key to position 1
or 0 with the selector lever in neutral
position N, a warning tone and the
flashing gear indicator in the display
remind you that no gear is engaged to
secure the vehicle against rolling.
The warning stops after approx.
9 seconds.
Parking brakeThe parking brake is designed primarily
to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
it is parked. It operates on the rear
wheels.To engageThe detent engages automatically, and
the indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on when the ignition key
is in position 2, refer to page 18.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button and lower the lever.
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65
instance, downshifts that would
result in excessive engine speed can-
not be executed
>When you brake the car to a stop, the
transmission automatically shifts
down to first gear
>As speed diminishes, the transmis-
sion will shift down automatically,
without any action on your part, just
before the vehicle slows to below
each gear's minimum speed.
Available displaysR N 1 2 3 4 5 6
D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6
The currently engaged gear, the
selected mode, and any malfunctions
are displayed in the instrument cluster.Indicator lamp
If the indicator lamp comes on,
there is a malfunction in the
transmission system.
All selector lever positions can still be
engaged, but in the forward driving
positions only certain gears are actually
available when the vehicle is driven.
Avoid extreme loads and proceed to
the nearest BMW center.
For information on jump-starting and
towing the vehicle, refer to page 147.Warning toneAn acoustic signal sounds if the SMG
gearbox overheats; if possible you
should either stop or increase your pull-
away speed so that the system can
cool down.
Sequential manual gearbox SMG*
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67
Automatic transmission with Steptronic*In addition to the fully automatic opera-
tion, you can also shift gears manually
with Steptronic, refer to page 68.
When you move the selector lever from
the D position to the left into the M/S
range, the performance-oriented shift
programs of the automatic transmission
are engaged. Steptronic enters the
manual selection mode and executes
the desired shift whenever you tap the
selector lever in the direction indicated
by + or –. Whenever you want to use
the automatic mode again, just shift the
selector lever toward the right to posi-
tion D.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in
position D.Selector lever positionsP R N D M/S + –Starting the engineThe engine can only be started in selec-
tor lever positions P – for Park – or N –
for Neutral.
Range selectionA catch prevents inadvertent movement
of the selector lever to positions R and
P. To deactivate the catch, press the
button on the front of the selector lever
knob, see arrow.
While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of Park or Neu-
tral, depress the footbrake in order to
disengage the selector lever's lock
mechanism – Shiftlock.<
Hold the footbrake down until
starting off. Otherwise the vehicle
will 'creep' when a drive position is
engaged. To prevent the vehicle from
starting off on its own, always move the
selector lever to position P and engage
the parking brake before leaving your
vehicle with the engine running.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine repre-
sents a safety hazard.<
PParkSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary. Transmission locks to prevent rear
wheels from turning.RReverseSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary.NNeutralEngage this, for example, when you are
driving through a car wash. The vehicle
can roll.DDrive, automatic shift programThis position is designed for driving
under all normal operating conditions.
All forward gears are available.
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68
KickdownYou can achieve maximum road perfor-
mance using kickdown.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-
throttle position.
M/S manual operation and Sport
programWhen you move the selector lever from
the D position to the left into the M/S
range, the sport program is activated,
indicated by the letters SD in the instru-
ment cluster. The M/S mode is recom-
mended for performance-oriented driv-
ing. Steptronic enters the manual
selection mode and executes the
desired shift whenever you tap the
selector lever in the direction indicated
by + or –.
This mode allows you to execute
upshifts manually by tapping the lever
toward +, while downshifts are selected
by tapping in the – direction. The dis-
plays M1 through M5 appear in the
instrument cluster.
The transmission will only execute
upshifts and downshifts that will result
in an appropriate combination of vehi-
cle speed and engine rpm. For
instance, downshifts that would result
in excessive engine speed are not exe-
cuted. The desired, then the actual
gear, briefly appear in the instrument
cluster.
Whenever you want to use the auto-
matic mode again, just shift the selector
lever toward the right to position D.
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
positions P, R and N is possible only by
going through D.
To accelerate quickly in the man-
ual mode for maneuvers such as
passing another vehicle, shift down
manually or employ the kickdown
mode.<
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
positions P, R and N is possible only by
going through D.
Automatic transmission with Steptronic*

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.<
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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
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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.
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123 In the engine compartment
HoodTo releasePull the lever located under the left-
hand side of the instrument panel.
Do not attempt to service your
vehicle if you do not have the
required technical background. If you
are not familiar with the regulations to
be observed, have your vehicle ser-
viced only by a BMW center or a shop
that works according to BMW require-
ments with the appropriately trained
personnel. Work that is improperly car-
ried out could result in consequential
damage and pose safety hazards.<
To openPull the release handle and open the
hood.
To closeAllow the hood to fall from a height of
about 1 ft/30 cm so that it audibly
engages.
To avoid injuries, be sure that the
travel path of the hood is clear
when it is closed, following the same
safety precautions used in all closing
procedures.
If you notice while driving that the hood
is not completely closed, stop immedi-
ately and close it securely.<
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