BMW 325I 2001 Owners Manual

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Roof-mounted luggage rack
*
Mounting pointsAccess to the mounting points:
To fold up the cover (arrow), please use
the tool which is provided with the
luggage system.
A special luggage system is available
as an option for your BMW. Please
observe the precautions included with
the installation instructions.
Because roof racks raise the center of
gravity of the vehicle when loaded, they
exercise a major effect on its handling
and steering response.
You should therefore always remember
not to exceed the approved roof weight,
the approved gross vehicle weight or
the axle weights when loading the rack.
You will find the specifications under
"Technical Data" on page 186.463de045
Make sure that the load is not too heavy,
and attempt to distribute it evenly.
Always load the heaviest pieces first
(on the bottom). Be sure that adequate
clearance is maintained for raising the
sliding/tilt sunroof, and that objects do
not project into the opening path of the
tailgate.
Secure the roof luggage correctly and
tightly to prevent it from shifting or
being lost during driving (danger to
following traffic).
Drive smoothly and avoid sudden
acceleration or braking. Do not corner
at high speeds.
The roof load increases aerodynamic
resistance, resulting in increased fuel
consumption and additional stresses
on the vehicle's body.

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Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
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Index DataTechnologyRepairs Car care Controls Overview
Special operating instructions:
Break-in procedures114
Driving notes115
Catalytic converter115
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)116
Disc brakes118
Brake system120
Winter operation121
Power steering123
Cellular phone123
Radio reception123
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure124
Tire condition124
Tire replacement125
Tire rotation126
Wheel and tire
combinations127
Winter tires128
Snow chains128
Approved wheel and tire
specifications129Under the hood:
Hood130
Engine compartment132
Washer fluids134
Washer nozzles134
Engine oil135
Coolant137
Brake fluid138
Vehicle Identification
Number139
Care and maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System140
Caring for your vehicle141
Airbags147
Vehicle storage147
Laws and regulations:
Technical modifications148
California Proposition
65 Warning148
OBD interface socket149
Car care

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To ensure maximum economy and a
long service life, we request that you
observe the following suggestions.
Engine and differentialUp to 1,200 miles (2,000 km):
Drive at varying engine speeds and road
speeds, but do not exceed the following
engine or road speeds during this time:
4,500 rpm or 100 mph (160 km/h).
Obey your local and state maximum
speed limits.
Refrain from using full throttle and avoid
pressing the accelerator beyond the
"kickdown" point.
After you have driven 1,200 miles
(2,000 km), you can gradually increase
the engine and road speeds.
You should also comply with these
break-in procedures if the engine or
differential is replaced at a later point.
TiresDue to technical factors associated
with their manufacture, tires do not
achieve their full traction potential until
an initial break-in period has elapsed.
Thus drive with extra care during the
initial 200 miles (300 km).
Obey your local and state maximum
speed limits.
When the vehicle is operated on
wet or slushy roads, a wedge of
water may form between the tire and
the road surface. This phenomenon is
referred to as aquaplaning, or hydropla-
ning, and can lead to partial or
complete loss of traction, vehicle
control and braking effectiveness.
Reduce your speed on wet roads.<
Brake systemAfter approximately 300 miles (500 km),
the brake pads and discs achieve the
optimal pad surface and wear patterns
required for trouble-free operation and
long service life.
To break in the separate parking brake
drums, apply the parking brake lightly
when coasting to a standstill (at a traffic
signal, for instance), provided that
traffic conditions allow you to do so.
To avoid corrosion, repeat this proce-
dure from time to time.
The brake lamps do not come on
when the parking brake is applied.
Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
on your BMW is available only when the
engine is running. When you move the
vehicle with the engine off Ð when
towing, for example Ð substantially
higher levels of pedal force will be
required to brake the vehicle. optimally after about 300 miles
(500 km). Engage the gears carefully
during the break-in period.
Break-in procedures

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Brakes:
Do not drive with your foot resting
on the brake pedal. Even light but
consistent pedal pressure can lead to
high temperatures, brake wear, and
possibly to brake failure.
Aquaplaning:
When driving on wet or slushy roads,
reduce vehicle speed. If you do not, a
wedge of water may form between the
tires and the road surface. This
phenomenon is referred to as aqua-
planing or hydroplaning. It is character-
ized by a partial or complete loss of
contact between the tires and the road
surface. The ultimate results are loss of
steering and braking control.
Driving through water:
When there is water on the roads, do
not drive in it if it is deeper than 1 ft
(30 cm), and then only at walking speed
at the most, otherwise the vehicle can
sustain damage to the engine, the elec-
trical systems and the transmission.
Roll-up cover:
Never use the rear window shelf to
store heavy or bulky objects. If you do
so, such objects could injure vehicle
occupants during braking or evasive
maneuvers or in a crash.
Clothes hooks:
When suspending clothing from the
hooks, ensure that they will not obstruct
the driver's vision. Do not hang heavy
objects on the hooks. If you do, such
objects could pose the risk of personal
injury during braking or evasive maneu-
vers. exhaust emissions, and is designed for
use with unleaded fuel only.
Even minute quantities of lead would be
enough to permanently damage both
the catalytic converter and the system
oxygen sensor.
To ensure efficient, trouble-free engine
operation and to avoid potential
damage:
>Be sure to comply with the scheduled
maintenance requirements.
>Fill the fuel tank well before it is
empty.
>Tow-start only when the engine is
cold. If you attempt to tow-start with
a warm engine, unburned residual
fuel in the catalytic converter could
ignite and cause damage. It is better
to start the vehicle with an outside
starting aid.
>Avoid other situations in which the
fuel is not burned, or burns incom-
pletely, such as engaging the starter
frequently or for extended periods, or
repeated start attempts in which the
engine does not start (stopping and
restarting an engine which is running
properly does not present a problem).
Never allow the engine to run with
any of the spark plug cables
disconnected.
Driving notes Catalytic converter

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Catalytic converter Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Be sure to observe the instruc-
tions above to prevent unburned
fuel from reaching the catalytic
converter, otherwise, the catalytic
converter could overheat and be
damaged.
High temperatures occur in any vehicle
equipped with a catalytic converter.
Heat shields are installed adjacent to
some sections of the exhaust system.
Never remove these shields; do not
apply undercoating to their surfaces.
When driving, standing at idle, and
parking the vehicle, take care to avoid
contact between the exhaust system
and flammable materials (grass, hay,
leaves etc.). Such contact could lead to
a fire, resulting in personal injury and
property damage.<
The concept ABS enhances active driving safety by
helping to prevent the wheels from
locking under braking. The reason:
locked wheels are dangerous. When the
front wheels slide, the driver loses
steering control over the vehicle. Trac-
tion loss at the rear wheels can cause
the rear end to break into an uncon-
trolled skid.
The system can achieve the shortest
braking distances possible under most
conditions (on straight-aways and in
curves, on asphalt, ice, wet road
surfaces, etc.).
ABS is designed to meet two essential
requirements during every brake appli-
cation:
>To help provide vehicle stability.
>Assured ability to steer and
maneuver Ð on the various road
surfaces (asphalt, concrete, dirt,
wet conditions, snow, ice).
The system can achieve the shortest
braking distances possible under most
conditions (on straight-away and in
curves, on asphalt, ice, wet road
surfaces, etc.).
Braking with ABSThe system is operative once the
vehicle exceeds a speed of approx.
6 mph (10 km/h). It is deactivated once
again below approx. 4 mph (6 km/h).
This means that the wheels can lock in
the final phase of a panic stop Ð a factor
of no significance in actual use.
If you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply
maximum brake pressure ("panic
stop"). Since the vehicle maintains
steering responsiveness, you can
nevertheless avoid possible obstacles
with a minimum of steering effort.
The ABS closed-loop control circuit
cycles in fractions of a second. A pulsa-
tion at the brake pedal, together with
the sounds associated with the
hydraulic controls, tells you that the
brake system is within its maximum
limit range, and reminds you that you
should adapt road speed to the road
conditions.
On road surfaces that have a loose
surface layer on a firm base with good
traction (on gravel or snow, for
example), or when snow chains are
mounted, braking distances may be
longer than with locked wheels.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Antilock Brake System (ABS)Nevertheless, ABS possesses the
advantage of vehicle stability and
steering response.Information for your safetyNot even ABS can suspend the laws
of physics. The consequences of brake
applications with inadequate clea-
rances for safety between vehicles,
excessive speed or if aquaplaning
occurs are always the responsibility of
the driver. You should never allow the
added safety of ABS to lull you into a
false sense of security, or mislead you
into taking risks that could affect your
own safety and that of others.
Do not make any modifications to
the ABS system.
Service procedures on ABS are to be
performed by authorized technicians
only. Cornering Brake Control (CBC) CBC is an advanced engineering devel-
opment of ABS. When braking while
cornering at high speed or braking
during high lateral acceleration, or
when braking during a lane change,
vehicle stability is improved and
steering response is enhanced.
In the event of a malfunction
If the ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up,
refer to page 22. The brake
system then reverts to conventional
operation as on vehicles without ABS.
However, have the brake system
checked by your BMW center as soon
as possible. To prevent undetected
defects and cumulative faults from
adversely affecting the brake system,
refer any problems to your authorized
BMW center at the earliest opportunity.
ABS warning lamp for Canadian
model.
If the brake warning lamps light
up together with the indicator
lamps for ABS and ASC+T/DSC
Ð refer to page 19 Ð then the
entire regulating system, the
ABS, CBC and ASC+T/DSC
and
ADB/ ADB-X/DBC have failed.
Continue driving cautiously and
defensively. Avoid full brake applica-
tions. This could cause the vehicle to
lose stability and you might no longer
be able to control it.
Have the system checked by your BMW
center as soon as possible.
CBC, ABS und ASC+T/DSC
indicators and warning lamps
for Canadian models.

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Antilock Brake System (ABS) Disc brakesDynamic Brake Control (DBC)*DBC is included in the DSC, refer to
information beginning on page 81.
If you step on the brake rapidly, this
system automatically produces
maximum braking force boost and thus
helps to achieve the shortest possible
braking distance during "panic stops."
All of the benefits of the ABS system
are exploited under these circum-
stances.
Do not reduce the pressure on the
brake pedal for the duration of the
brake application. When the brake
pedal is released, the DBC is deacti-
vated.
In the event of a malfunction,
the yellow warning lamp comes
on. Normal braking efficiency
and the anti-lock braking system are
still fully available.
Have the system checked and repaired
at your BMW center as soon as
possible.
Refer to the "Information for your
safety" covering the ABS system.
This information also generally applies
for DBC.<
Disc brakes furnish optimum decelera-
tion and braking control and greater
fade resistance under heavy use.
When the vehicle is driven only occa-
sionally, during extended periods when
the vehicle is not used at all, and in
operating conditions where brake appli-
cations are less frequent, there is an
increased tendency for corrosion of the
discs and accumulation of contamina-
tion on the brake pads. This occurs
because the minimal pressure that must
be exerted by the pads to clean the
discs by brake applications is not
reached.
If the brake discs are corroded, they will
tend to respond to braking with a
pulsating effect that even extended
brake applications will fail to cure.
For your own safety: use only
brake pads which BMW has
approved for your specific vehicle
model. BMW cannot evaluate
non-approved brake pads to determine
if they are suited for use, and therefore
cannot ensure the operating safety of
the vehicle if they are installed.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Disc brakesDriving notesWhen driving in wet conditions and in
heavy rain, it is effective to apply light
pressure to the brakes every few miles
or kilometers. Watch traffic conditions
to ensure that this maneuver does not
endanger other drivers. The heat which
is generated by the brake applications
helps to dry the brake pads and discs.
Maximum braking force is obtained
while the wheels are not locked, but
rather when they are still barely turning
immediately prior to locking. ABS main-
tains this state automatically. If the ABS
fails, you should revert to the staggered
braking technique (refer to page 122).
Extended or steep mountain descents
should be driven in the gear in which
only minimal periodic brake application
is required. This avoids excessive strain
on the brakes and possible
impairment of the braking effect.
The braking effect of the engine can be
further increased by downshifting, into
first gear, if necessary. In the manual
mode of the automatic transmission,
you can also downshift into first gear.
Refer to page 66.If engine braking should prove to be
inadequate, you should still avoid
extended, continuous braking. Instead
of maintaining low to moderate pres-
sure over an extended period of time,
you should decelerate by applying
more substantial pressure to the brake
pedal (watch for following traffic),
releasing the pedal, and then repeating
the application (staggered braking). The
cooling phases between active braking
intervals prevent the brakes from over-
heating, thus ensuring that full braking
capacity remains available at all times.
Do not allow the vehicle to coast
when the clutch is depressed or
by shifting into neutral while moving. Do
not drive when the engine is switched
off. The engine provides no braking
control when the clutch is depressed or
the transmission is in "Neutral" and
there is no power-assist for the brakes
when the engine is shut off.
BMW 325xi: have brake inspections
performed at a BMW center only. If you
do not, parts of the four-wheel drive
system could be damaged.
Do not allow floor mats, carpets or any
other objects to protrude into the area
around the brake pedal, the clutch or
the accelerator which could obstruct
their freedom of movement.<

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Brake systemBrake fluid level
The warning lamp for the brake
comes on with the parking
brake released:
The brake fluid level is too low in the
reservoir (refer to page 138).
If the brake fluid level is too low and
brake pedal travel has become notice-
ably longer, there may be a defect in
one of the brake system's hydraulic
circuits.
Brake warning lamp for Cana-
dian models.
Proceed to the nearest BMW
center. Higher brake application
pressure may be necessary under these
conditions, and brake pedal travel may
be significantly longer. Please
remember to adapt your driving style
accordingly.<
Brake linings
The warning lamp for the brake
pads comes on:
The brake pads have reached
their minimum pad thickness. Proceed
to the nearest BMW center as soon as
possible to have the pads replaced.
For your own safety: use only
BMW approved brake pads for
your specific vehicle model. BMW
cannot evaluate non-approved brake
pads to determine if they are suited for
use, and therefore cannot ensure the
operating safety of the vehicle if they
are installed.<