light BMW 325Ci COUPE 2001 E46 User Guide

43n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Alarm system
*
>If the indicator lamp flashes for
10 seconds when the system is
disarmed: an attempted entry has
been detected in the period since the
system was armed.
Following triggering of an alarm, the
indicator lamp will flash continuously.
Avoiding an unintentional alarm The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion
sensor may be switched off at the same
time. You can do this to prevent a false
alarm from being triggered (in garages
with elevator ramps, for instance), or
when the vehicle is transported by
trailer or train:
Locking the vehicle twice (= arming the
system). Press button 2 on the remote
control twice in succession or lock the
vehicle twice with the key. Refer to
page 34.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm
sensor and the interior motion sensor
are deactivated as long as the system is
armed.
Reset the alarm to reactivate the tilt
alarm sensor and the interior motion
sensor.
Interior motion sensorThe transmitter and receiver of the inte-
rior motion sensor are located in a trim
panel in the vehicle's roof.
For the interior motion sensor to func-
tion properly, the windows and sliding/
tilt sunroof must be closed.
However, you should switch off the
interior motion sensor (see previous
column) if you wish to leave the
windows or sliding/tilt sunroof open.460de159

44n
Electric power windowsOpen and close the windowsFrom ignition key position 1:
>Press the switch up to but not past
the pressure point:
The window will lower slightly or the
rear vent window will open slightly,
as long as you keep pressing the
switch.
>Press the switch briefly past the pres-
sure point:
The window will move automatically.
Pressing the switch again stops the
opening cycle.
You can close the windows in the same
manner by pulling the switch. The rear
vent window does not close automati-
cally.462us043
After the ignition has been switched off:
You can still operate the power
windows for up to 15 minutes, as long
as neither of the front doors has been
opened.
Remove the key from the ignition
lock and close the doors when
you leave the vehicle, so that children
cannot operate the power windows and
possibly injure themselves.<
To use the convenience mode via the
door lock or the remote control, refer to
page 34 or 36.
Safety feature A contact strip is located on the inside
upper frame of each of the windows. If
pressure is exerted against this contact
strip while a window is being raised, the
system will respond by stopping the
window and then retracting it a bit.
Despite this safety feature, be
extremely careful to ensure that
the closing path of the windows is not
obstructed. Otherwise, an object might
not touch the contact strip in some situ-
ations (very thin objects, for instance).
You can disable this safety feature by
pressing the switch beyond the resis-
tance point and holding it.<

46n
Sliding/tilt sunroof
*
Safety featureIf the sliding/tilt sunroof encounters
resistance at a point roughly past the
middle of its travel when it is closing,
the closing cycle is interrupted and the
sunroof will retract slightly.
At any rate, even with this safety
function, make sure that the
closing path is clear, otherwise, in
borderline cases (e. g. with thin
objects), the limit for triggering the
sunrooof's closing force cannot be
guaranteed. You can override this
safety feature by pressing the switch
beyond the pressure point and holding
it.<
Power loss or malfunctionIn the event of an electrical malfunction,
you can operate the sliding/tilt sunroof
manually, refer to page 167.

47n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
For your personal safety when adjusting
the seat position, please follow the
instructions below carefully:
Never try to adjust your seat while
driving the vehicle. The seat could
respond with an unexpected move-
ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle
control could lead to an accident.
Be sure that the safety belt remains
firmly against your body at all times. In
the event of a frontal impact, a loose lap
belt could slide over the hips, leading to
abdominal injury. In addition, the safety
belt's restraint effectiveness is reduced
if the belt is worn loosely.
Never ride with the backrest reclined to
an extreme angle (especially important
for the front passenger to remember),
otherwise, you run the risk that you will
slide under the safety belt during an
accident, thus negating the protection
the safety belt provides.<
Correct sitting postureTo reduce strain on the spinal column,
sit all the way back in the seat and rest
your back fully against the backrest.
The ideal sitting posture is achieved
with your head extending from your
spine in a straight line.
For long-distance driving, you may wish
to increase the backrest angle slightly
to reduce muscular tension. You should
be able to grasp the steering wheel at
its highest point with your arms slightly
bent.
After a seat adjustment, adjust the
height of the safety belt also. Refer to
page 55.1 Backward/Forward adjustment
Pull up on the lever and slide your
seat into the desired position.
After releasing the lever, gently move
the seat backward or forward to
ensure that it snaps securely into
place.
2 Cushion height
Pull the lever and apply weight to or
remove weight from the seat to reach
the desired position.
460de109
Seat adjustment Mechanical seat

51n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Seat and mirror memory*

You can store and recall three different
driver's seat and outside mirror posi-
tions.
The adjustment setting of the lumbar
support is not saved in the memory.To store1 Turn the key to ignition key position 1
or 2.
2 Adjust your seat and outside mirrors
to the desired position.
3 Press the
M
EMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up.
4 Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as
desired: indicator lamp goes out.
46cde014
To select a stored settingConvenience function:
1 Open the driver's door after
unlocking or turn the ignition key in
posi-tion 1.
2 Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3,
as desired.
The adjustment cycle is canceled
immediately if you press a seat
adjustment switch or one of the
memory buttons.
Security function:
1 With the driver's door closed and the
ignition key either removed or in posi-
tion 0 or 2
2 Maintain pressure on the desired
memory button (1, 2 or 3) until the
adjustment process is completed.
If you accidentally press the
M
EMORY
button: press the button again; the
indicator lamp goes out.
Do not select a memory position
while the vehicle is moving. If you
do so, there is a risk of accident from
unexpected seat movement.<
Your BMW center can adjust your
vehicle's systems in such a
manner that your personalized settings
are automatically set for the seat and
outside mirror positions when you
unlock the vehicle with your personal
remote control.<
If you make use of this method of
adjustment, be sure that the foot-
well behind the driver's seat is unob-
structed before unlocking the vehicle.
If you fail to do so, persons or objects
could be injured or damaged if the seat
should move backward.<

53n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
MirrorsYou can also adjust the mirrors manu-
ally by pressing against the outer edges
of their lenses.
The mirror on the passenger's
side features a lens with a more
convex surface than the mirror installed
on the driver's side. When estimating
the distance between yourself and
other traffic, bear in mind that the
objects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. Estimations of the
distance to following traffic should
therefore not be regarded as precise. defrosted with the ignition key in
position 2.
Interior rearview mirror To reduce glare from vehicles behind
you when you are driving at night, tilt
the mirror by turning the button.Lighted vanity mirror
*
Fold down the sun visor and slide the
cover panel to the side as required.
The mirror lamps operate from ignition
key position 1.Sun visorsThese can be folded down toward the
windshield or swiveled out against the
side window.463us011
Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming feature
*
By responding to the effects of ambient
light and the glare from following traffic,
this mirror automatically dims through
an infinitely-variable range.
The mirror switches to its clear,
undimmed mode whenever the trans-
mission is placed in reverse gear
(selector lever in "Reverse").
To ensure that the mirror continues to
operate properly, keep the two photo-
cells clean and unobstructed. One
photocell (arrow) is in the mirror glass,
while the other is offset somewhat on
the other side of the mirror.
For an explanation of the electro-
chromic technology used in this mirror,
refer to page 177.460de020

57n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Airbags 1 Front airbags for driver and
passenger
2 Side impact Head Protection System
(front)
3 Side airbags for driver and passenger
(front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags protect the front-seat
occupants in the event of a severe
frontal collision on which the protection
afforded by the belts alone may no
longer be sufficient. The side impact
Head Protection System and the side
airbags help provide protection in the
event of a collision from the side. Each
of the side airbags is designed to help
support the occupant's upper body.462us056
The side airbags in the rear
passenger area
* of your vehicle
may already have been deactivated
either at the time of manufacture or by a
BMW center. You may have them acti-
vated if you desire to do so. Please
contact your BMW center for additional
information.<
The illustration depicts schematically
the primary directions of vehicle impact
that initiate airbag deployment.
The airbags will not be triggered in
the event of a minor accident, a
vehicle roll-over, or collisions from the
rear.c
462de208
Operational status
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster displays the opera-
tional status of the airbag
system from ignition key 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
triggered within their normal response
range, even if the level of impact would
normally have triggered them.
Have your BMW center inspect the
system immediately.
The airbag indicator lamp also
comes on if the safety belt
tensioners have been triggered.<

63n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
0 Steering lock engaged The key can only be inserted or
removed in this position.
After removing the key, turn the
steering wheel slightly to the left or right
until the lock engages.
If the key is not removed, a signal will
sound after the driver's door has been
opened.
Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion:
Do not move the selector lever from the
"Park" position until the engine is
running (ignition key at position 2).
In order to turn the key back to posi-
tion 0 or to remove it, move the selector
lever into position "Park" first (Inter-
lock).<46cde093
1 Steering lock disengaged Turning the steering wheel slightly to
the right or left often makes it easier to
turn the key from 0 to 1.
Individual electrical devices are ready
for operation.2 Ignition onAll electrical devices and accessories
are available for use.3 Starting the engine
Vehicles with manual transmis-
sion:
Step on the clutch when starting the
vehicle. A lockout prevents the engine
from starting if the clutch is not
depressed.<
Before starting>Engage the parking brake.
>Put manual-shift gear lever in the
idling position or in P for automatic
transmissions.
>Step on the clutch pedal.
Do not run the engine in enclosed
areas. The exhaust gases contain
carbon monoxide, an odorless and
colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Breathing the exhaust gases poses an
extreme health risk, and can lead to
unconsciousness and death.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a potential safety hazard.<
Steering/Ignition lock Starting the engine

65n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Parking brake To engageThe parking brake is designed primarily
to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
it is parked. It operates against the rear
wheels.
The lock engages automatically when
you lift the lever, and the indicator lamp
in the instrument panel comes on when
the ignition key is in position 2. Refer to
page 21.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button (arrow) and lower the lever.460us024
If, in exceptional circumstances,
it should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is
in motion, do not pull the lever with
excessive pressure. Keep your thumb
pressed against the release button
while carefully pulling the lever up to
apply moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear axle. The brake lamps do not
come on when the parking brake is
applied.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always apply the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined
surfaces, since placing the shift lever in
1st gear or reverse may not provide
adequate resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake lightly
from time to time when coasting to a
standstill (at a traffic signal, for
instance), provided that it is safe to do
so.

66n
Manual transmission Press the clutch pedal all the way down
each time you shift, pressing the
manual-shift gear lever into its proper
end position.
Depress the clutch when starting the
vehicle, too, otherwise, lockout will
prevent the engine from starting if the
clutch is not depressed.
The shift lever's neutral plane (dot in the
illustration) is located between 3rd and
4th gears.
When shifting from each gear into
"Neutral," the shift lever returns auto-
matically to this neutral position
because of its spring loading.460us024
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is
stationary. Press the shift lever to the
left to overcome the slight resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
turn on automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
Otherwise, riding the clutch will cause
tremendous wear and tear to the
clutch.<