airbag BMW 325I 2001 User Guide

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Transporting children safelyCommercially 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 systems can increase the risk
of injury to children. Always read and
follow the instructions that come with
the system.
If you use a child restraint system with a
tether strap, three additional tether
anchorage points (refer to the arrows in
the illustration) have been provided.
Depending on the location selected for
seating in the rear passenger area,
attach the tether strap to the corre-
sponding anchorage point to secure the
child restraint system. Remove the
cover first on the middle location.392au001
If the respective seating position is
fitted 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 rear-facing child restraint
system in the front passenger seat of
this vehicle.
Your vehicle 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./9 kg) 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 airbag against the child
restraint's backrest could lead to
serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child (not an
infant) to ride in the front seat, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the dashboard as possible. This
important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the
airbag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with the
safety belt. Younger children should be
secured in an appropriate forward-
facing child restraint system that has
first been properly secured with a safety
belt.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint
system in the front passenger seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
child restraint's manufacturer when-
ever you use such a device.
Be sure that all occupants (of all ages)
remain properly and securely restrained
at all times.c
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of SAE
J1819, an industry recommended prac-
tice for securing child restraint systems
in motor vehicles.

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
113n
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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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Airbags Vehicle storage1 Front airbags for driver and
passenger
2 Side Impact Head Protection
System for driver and passenger
(front)
3 Side airbags for driver and passenger
(front and rear
*)
Important safety notices
Do not remove the airbag restraint
system's gas generator. Have
testing and service procedures per-
formed by specially qualified techni-
cians only. In the event of a malfunc-
tion, deactivation or triggered actuation
(as a response to an accident) of the
airbag restraint system, consult your
BMW center for repairs or service
operations.
463de041
Modifications may not be made on
either the wiring or the individual
components in the airbag system.
These include the padded steering
wheel hub, the instrument panel, the
side trim panels of the front or rear
doors and the roof pillars or the sides
of the headliner. Do not apply adhesive
materials to these components, cover
or modify them in any way. Do not
attempt to remove or dismantle the
steering wheel.
To ensure compliance with official
safety regulations, entrust disposal of
airbag generators to a BMW center.
Unprofessional attempts to service
the system could lead to failure in an
emergency or undesired airbag activa-
tion, either of which could result in
personal injury. special procedures if you intend
to store the vehicle for more than
three months.

Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
171n
IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Advanced technology:
Airbags172
Adaptive Transmission Control
(ATC)173
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction ASC+T/Dynamic
Stability Control DSC173
Radio reception174
Four-wheel drive175
Safety belt tensioner175
Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimmer176
Rain sensor177
Tire Pressure Control (RDC)178
Self-diagnostics179
Xenon lamps180
Technol-

172n
Deceleration sensors continuously
monitor the acceleration forces acting
upon the vehicle. If, as the result of
a frontal collision, a deceleration is
reached at which the protection of
the safety belts alone is no longer
adequate, the gas generators of the
driver and passenger-front airbags are
ignited. However, the passenger-side
airbag is only triggered if an additional
sensor has recognized that the
passenger seat is occupied.
In the event of a side collision, the Head
Protection and side airbags in the front
or rear
* are triggered if necessary.
390de319
The airbags located under the marked
covers inflate and unfold in a matter of
a few milliseconds. In this process, they
tear through the designed separation
points of the upholstered covers or
press them out.
Because the inflation process must be
virtually instantaneous, it is necessarily
accompanied by a certain amount of
ignition and inflation noise. The gas
required to inflate the airbags is not
dangerous, and the smoke associated
with it dissipates.
The entire process is completed within
fractions of a second.
Airbags

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Self-diagnostics All of the important electrical and elec-
tronic systems in the vehicle are tested
regularly and automatically; 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, sliding/tilt sunroof, etc.) is
constantly analyzed by current
measurements in their relays.460de177
In the same manner, the electrical
resistance 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
detected immediately by a current fluc-
tuation that would necessarily accom-
pany it. The fault would be indicated
immediately 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
system travel to the nearest limit posi-
tion. This action ensures that the
system will be able to provide
defrosting, regardless of other circum-
stances, e. g. if a malfunction in the air
conditioner/climate control system
should occur during the night while the
vehicle is parked.
A calibration cycle runs every tenth time
the engine is shut off. During this cycle,
the actuator motors move all air condi-
tioner/automatic climate control flaps to
their limit stops in both directions. The
limit positions and the return travel
paths are checked in this manner in
order to ensure that appropriate adjust-
ments for the operating elements can
be made at any time.You will hear the sounds of the air flaps
as the air conditioning system/auto-
matic climate control carry out their
self-diagnostic functions after the igni-
tion has been turned off. All of the other
self-diagnostics functions operate
silently in the background.
Any possible defects detected during
these self-diagnostics can be read out
by your BMW center and quickly
corrected during the vehicle's next
regularly scheduled maintenance.

Everything from A to ZA
ABS (Antilock Brake
System)22,116
Accessories6
Activated-charcoal
filter100,165
Adaptive Transmission
Control (ATC)65,173
Adding engine oil135
Adding washer
fluid134,187
Adjust
backrest47
steering wheel50
temperature92
thigh support area48
Air conditioner90
Air distribution92,98
Air nozzles90
Air outlets96
ventilation90,96
Air pressure124
Air supply92,99
Airbags21,58,147,172
Alarm system41
Antenna123
Antenna Diversity174
Antifreeze137
radiator121
Antilock Brake System
(ABS)22,116
Anti-theft alarm system41
Aquaplaning115,124 Armrest102
ASC+T (Automatic Stability
Control plus
Traction)22,173
Ashtray104
ATC (Adaptive Transmission
Control)65,173
Attaching vacuum
cleaner104
AUC (Automatic climate
control)96
Automatic car washes141
Automatic climate
control96
remove condensation from
the windows98
Automatic cruise control71
Automatic dimming, interior
rearview mirror52
Automatic Stability Control
plus Traction
(ASC+T)22,173
Automatic transmission21
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic65
Automatic washer
rear window69
windshield69
Average consumption77
Average speed77
Axle loads186
B
Backrest, adjusting47
Backup lamps64
bulb replacement156
Battery162,188
capacity188
charging164
discharged167
removal and
installation163
Battery charge current20
Battery safety terminal163
Belts53
Beverage holder102
Blower92,99
BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oils136
BMW sports seat48
Bore184
Brake
fluid138
hydraulic system20
pads22
Brake lamps
bulb replacement156
Brake system118
faults120
Break-in procedure114
Bulb replacement153
Bulbs and lamps153
C
California Proposition
65 Warning148
Capacities187
Car Memory52
Car radio123
reception174
refer also to the separate
Owner's Manual
Car telephone103
Car vacuum cleaner,
connecting104
Car wash141
Care
upholstery145
vehicle exterior142
vehicle finish143
vehicle interior144
wool velour145
Cargo loading110
Catalytic converter115
CBC (Cornering Brake
Control)21,117
Cellular phone123
refer to the separate
Owner's Manual
Center armrest102
Center (high-mount) brake
lamp157
Central locking system34
button38
Changing a tire159

Everything from A to ZRemote control35
Removal from service of the
vehicle147
Removing condensation
from the windows94
Reporting safety defects7
Restraint system54
Retaining straps40
Reverse17,64
Roll-up cover107
Roof load capacity186
Roof luggage rack111
Rubber parts121 S
Safety belt height
adjustment53
Safety belt tensioners175
Safety belts53
height adjustment53
Safety defects, reporting7
Safety feature43
Safety lock buttons38
Seat
electric power48
mechanical46
Seat adjustment46
Seat heating100
Seat memory49
Securing cargo110
Securing loads110 Selector lever, automatic
transmission65
Self-defrosting mirrors51
Self-diagnostics179
Service and Warranty
Information Booklet
(US models)140
Service Interval Display74
Setting the temperature98
Shiftlock65
Side airbags58
Side impact Head Protection
System58
Side lamps87
bulb replacement154
Ski bag106
Skid control122
Sliding/tilt sunroof44
close in the event of an
electrical short166
convenience operation34
Slippery roads122
Snow chains121
Socket104
for electrical
appliances104
for flashlights104
for vacuum cleaner104
refer also to power
outlet105
Space-saver spare tire159 Spare key32,35
with radio remote
control32,35
Spare tire159
Spark plugs188
Speaker103
Speed control71
Speedometer18
Sports seat48
Sports steering wheel25
Starting assistance167
Starting
problems115,167
Starting the engine61
Steel wheels129
Steering123
Steering wheel lock61
Steering wheel,
adjusting50
Steptronic65
Stereo system Ð harman
kardon101
Stopping the vehicle62
Storage compartments102
Storing the vehicle147
Stroke184
Summer tires127
Sun visors51
Sunroof44
Switching off the engine62
Symbols4,163 Synthetic oils136
T
Tachometer73
Tail lamps156
bulb replacement156
Tailgate
emergency release166
Tailgate lamp, bulb
replacement157
Tank capacity187
Technical data184
Technical
modifications6,148
Telephone
refer to the separate
Owner's Manual
Telephone hookup103
Temperature adjustment98
Temperature display,
outside temperature76
Temperature gauge, engine
coolant74
Temperature
layering93,100
Thigh support area,
adjusting48
Third brake lamp157
Tilt alarm42
Tilt sensor alarm system36
remote control36
Tire changing159