inflation pressure BMW 325CI CONVERTIBLE 2004 E46 Owner's Manual

Contents

Notes

About this Owner's Manual4
Additional sources of
information4
Symbols used4
Your individual vehicle5
Status at time of printing5
For your own safety5
Symbol on vehicle parts6
Service and warranty7
Reporting safety defects7

Overview

Cockpit14
Instrument cluster16
Indicator and warning lamps18
Buttons in steering wheel*22
Hazard warning triangle*23
First-aid kit*23
Refueling24
Fuel specifications25
Tire inflation pressure25

Controls and features

Opening and closing:

Keys30
Central locking system30
Opening and closing – via the
remote control31
Opening and closing – via the
door lock33
Opening and closing – from the
inside34
Luggage compartment lid35
Luggage compartment37
Alarm system*38
Electric power windows40
Manual convertible top41
Fully-automatic convertible
top*46
Wind deflector*50

To adjust:

Safe seating position52
Seats53
Adjusting electric power
seats53
Lumbar support*54
Head restraints54
Entering the rear55
Safety belts56
Seat and mirror memory*57
Seat heating*58
Steering wheel59
Mirrors59

Contents

Operation, maintenance

Special operating instructions:

Break-in procedures124
General driving notes125
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)125
Brake system126
Hardtop*127

Wheels and tires:

Tire inflation pressure129
Tire condition129
Tire replacement130
Wheel and tire
combinations132
Winter tires132

In the engine compartment:

Hood134
Engine compartment
essentials136
Washer fluid138
Engine oil138
Coolant140
Brake fluid141

Maintenance:

The BMW Maintenance
System142

Laws and regulations:

California Proposition 65
warning143
OBD interface socket143
Owner service procedures
Replacement procedures:

Onboard tool kit148
Windshield wiper blades148
Lamps and bulbs149
Changing a wheel153
Run Flat tires*156
Battery157
Fuses157

Giving and receiving
assistance: Receiving assistance158
Jump-starting159
Towing the vehicle160
Technical data

Engine data166
Dimensions167
Weights168
Capacities169

25
Close the gas cap carefully after
refueling until a click is heard.
While closing, be sure not to squeeze
the strap which is fastened to the cap.
A loose or missing cap will activate the
CHECK GAS CAP* lamp.<
Fuel tank capacity>Approx. 16.6 gal./63 liters, of which
>approx. 2.1 gal./8 liters are reserve
capacity.
Do not drive to the last drop of
fuel. This can prevent the engine
from operating properly and result in
damage.<
Fuel specificationsThe engine uses lead-free gasoline
only.
Required fuel:
>Premium Unleaded Gasoline,
min. 91 AKI.
AKI = Anti Knock Index
Never use leaded fuel, as it would
cause permanent and irreversible
damage to the oxygen sensor and the
catalytic converter.<
Tire inflation pressureChecking tire pressuresTire pressures in psi/kilopascal are
shown on the driver's door post and are
visible when the door is open.
Only check the tire inflation pressures
of cold tires. This means after driving a
maximum of 1.25 miles/2 km or after
the vehicle has been parked for at least
2 hours. Warm tires have higher infla-
tion pressures.
In the following tire inflation pressure
table, all pressures are specified in the
standard units of pressure, psi and kilo-
pascal, and apply to cold tires, i.e. tires
at ambient temperature.
Refueling
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26
Vehicles with Flat Tire Monitor:
After correcting the inflation pressures,
reinitialize the system. Refer to
page 94.
Check the tire pressures on a reg-
ular basis – at least twice a month
– and before every extended journey. If
this is not done, incorrect tire pressures
can cause driving instability and tire
damage, ultimately resulting in acci-
dents.
Remember to check the inflation pres-
sure in the space-saver or standard
spare tire.
Inflate the spare tire to the highest infla-
tion pressure specified for your vehi-
cle. specificationsThe inflation pressures in the table
apply to BMW approved tire sizes and
tire manufacturers. Your BMW center
can provide you with more information
about these. Other pressures may be
required for tires made by other manu-
facturers.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires that
not only meet US standards, but also
European standards. We recommend
the exclusive use of BMW approved
tires.
Tire inflation pressure

27
BMW Tires
All pressure specifications in the table are indicated
in psi/kilopascal with cold tires –
cold = ambient temperature
325Ci 205/55 R 16 91 H M+S
205/55 R 16 91 H
225/50 R 16 92 W
225/45 R 17 91 W29/200 33/230 36/250 44/300
225/45 ZR 17
245/40 ZR 1729/200
––
33/23036/250
––
44/300
205/50 R 17 93 V M+S extra load
205/50 R 17 93 W extra load
205/55 R 16 91 Q M+S
225/50 R 16 92 Q M+S
205/50 R 17 93 Q M+S extra load
225/45 R 17 91 Q M+S32/220 36/250 39/270 46/320
330Ci 225/45 R 17 91 W 32/220 36/250 39/270 46/320
225/45 ZR 17
245/40 ZR 17
225/40 ZR 18
255/35 ZR 1832/220
–
32/220
––
36/250
–
36/25039/270
–
39/270
––
46/320
–
46/320
205/50 R 17 93 V M+S extra load
205/50 R 17 93 W extra load
205/50 R 17 93 Q M+S extra load
225/45 R 17 91 Q M+S32/220 36/250 39/270 46/320
All Space-saver spare tire 61/420Tire inflation pressure
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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. 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)

129 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressureInformation for your safetyThe factory-approved tires are matched
to your vehicle and have been selected
to provide optimum safety and driving
comfort when used properly.
It is not merely the tire's service life, but
also driving comfort and – above all else
– driving safety that depend on the con-
dition of the tires and the maintenance
of the specified tire inflation pressure.
Incorrect tire inflation pressure is
a frequent cause of tire damage.
Tire pressure also has a major effect on
your BMW's handling response. Be
sure to check the tire inflation pressure,
including the space-saver spare tire or
the spare tire, on a regular basis, at
least twice a month and before every
extended journey, refer to page 25. If
this is not done, incorrect tire pressures
can cause driving instability and tire
damage, ultimately resulting in acci-
dents.<
Tire conditionTire tread – tire damageInspect your tires frequently for tread
wear, signs of damage and for foreign
objects lodged in the tread. Check the
tread depth.
Tread depth should not be allowed to
go below 1/8 in / 3 mm, even though
the legally specified minimum tread
depth is 1/16 in / 1.6 mm.
Below 1/8 in / 3 mm tread depth, there
is a great risk of hydroplaning, even at
relatively moderate speeds and with
only small amounts of water on the
road. Tread wear indicators in the
tread-groove base – see arrow – are
distributed around the wheel circumfer-
ence and are labeled on the tire side-
wall with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. At
a tread depth of 1/16 in / 1.6 mm, the
indicators signal that the legally permis-
sible wear limit has been reached.
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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. 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. 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

133
the tire sidewall, refer to Changing a
wheel. In this case, use only Run Flat
winter tires, since no spare tire is pro-
vided in the event of a flat tire.Tire condition, tire pressureAt tread depths below approx. 3/16 in /
4 mm, winter tires display a perceptible
decrease in their ability to cope with
winter driving conditions, and should be
replaced in the interest of safety.
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.Snow chains*Only certain snow chains have been
tested by BMW and determined and
approved as roadworthy. Consult any
BMW center for details. BMW recom-
mends using only these approved fine-
link snow chains. Use them in pairs on
either summer or winter tires, but only
on both rear wheels.
Comply with all manufacturer's safety
precautions when mounting the chains.
Do not exceed a speed of 30 mph /
50 km/h when using snow chains.You cannot mount snow chains with the
following tires:
225/50 R 16
225/45 R 17
225/40 R 18
245/40 R 17
255/35 R 18
Do not initialize the Flat Tire Moni-
tor after mounting snow chains to
the tires.
When driving with snow chains, it may
be useful to turn off the DSC for a short
time, refer to page 94. OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

155
5. Position the jack at the jacking
point closest to the flat tire with the
jack base vertically below the jack-
ing point. The entire surface of the
head of the jack moves into the
square recess of the jacking point –
refer to the detail in the next illus-
tration – when the jack is cranked
6. Continue raising the vehicle up
until the wheel you are changing is
raised from the ground
7. Unscrew the lug bolts and remove
the wheel
8. Remove accumulations of mud and
dirt from the mounting surfaces of
the wheel and hub. Clean the lug
bolts
9. Position the new wheel or the
space-saver spare tire on the hub
and screw at least two lug bolts fin-
ger-tight into opposite bolt holes
10. Screw in the remaining lug bolts.
Screw in all the bolts in a diagonal
pattern
11. Lower the jack and remove it from
beneath the vehicle
12. Tighten the lug bolts securely in a
diagonal pattern
13. Wheels with full wheel covers*:
place the wheel cover with the
valve opening over the valve. Use
both hands to press the cover
securely onto the rim
14. Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure at the earliest opportunity.
Vehicles with Flat Tire Monitor:
After mounting the spare tire or
correcting the tire inflation pres-
sure, reinitialize the system, refer to
page 95.
Protect valve stems and valves from dirt
using screw-on valve stem caps. Dirty
valve stems frequently lead to slow
pressure loss.
Do not place the full wheel cover
on the space-saver spare tire,
since this could damage the cover.<
Changing a wheel
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex