warning light BMW 325i TOURING 2003 E46 Owner's Manual

18

Indicator and warning lamps

Technology that monitors itself

Indicator and warning lamps that are
identified by

●

are tested for proper
functioning whenever the ignition key is
turned. They each light up once for dif-
ferent periods of time.
If a fault should occur in one of these
systems, the corresponding lamp does
not go out after the engine is started, or
it lights up while the vehicle is moving.
You will see how to react to this in the
following section.

Red: stop immediately

Battery charge current

●

The battery is no longer being
charged. Indicates a defective
alternator drive belt or a problem with
the alternator's charge circuit. Please
contact the nearest BMW center.
If the drive belt is defective, stop
and switch off the engine immedi-
ately to prevent overheating and seri-
ous engine damage. If the drive belt is
defective, increased steering effort is
also required.

<

Engine oil pressure

●

Stop the vehicle immediately
and switch off the engine.
Check the engine oil level and top off as
required. If the oil level is correct,
please contact the nearest BMW cen-
ter.
Do not continue driving, as the
engine could sustain serious dam-
age from inadequate lubrication.

<

Brake warning lamp

●

If the lamp comes on when the
parking brake is not engaged:
check the brake fluid level. Before driv-
ing further, be sure to comply with the
instructions on pages 116 and 129.
Parking brake warning lamp for
Canadian models.
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)/Flat
Tire Monitor

●

In addition, an acoustic signal is
sounded: a tire failure has occurred.
Reduce vehicle speed immediately and
stop the vehicle. Avoid hard brake
applications. As you steer the vehicle,
use caution and avoid overcorrecting.
For additional information: refer to
pages 85, 86

Red and yellow: continue driving
cautiously

The brake warning lamp comes
on together with the yellow indi-
cator lamps for ABS

●
and
ASC+T/DSC:
The entire ABS, CBC,
ASC+T/DSC and
ADB/ADB-X/DBC control sys-
tem has failed. Continue driving
cautiously and defensively. Avoid full
brake applications. Please have the
system checked by your BMW center
as soon as possible.
Additional information beginning on
page 78
CBC, ABS and ASC+T/DSC and
ADB/ADB-X/DBC indicator and
warning lamps for Canadian
models.

Red: an important reminder

Brake warning lamp

●

Comes on when the parking
brake is engaged – an additional
acoustic signal sounds when starting
off. For additional information: refer to
page 61

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20
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)/Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC) and
brake warning lamp

●

The indicator lamps remain on:
The ASC+T/ADB or DSC/DTC
have been switched off manually or
there is a system malfunction.
Please consult the nearest BMW cen-
ter.
Additional information beginning on
page 80
BMW 325xi:
DSC and ADB-X system malfunction.
There is no provision for switching off
ADB-X.
Please consult the nearest BMW cen-
ter.
DSC and ADB indicator and
brake warning lamps for Cana-
dian models.
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)

●

Malfunction in DBC system.
Conventional braking efficiency
is available and unrestricted.
Have the system repaired at your BMW
center as soon as possible.
Additional information beginning on
page 115

Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
warning lamp for Canadian
models.
Add washer fluid
The washer fluid level is too low.
Top off the fluid at the earliest
opportunity.
For additional information: refer to
page 126
CHECK FILLER CAP

●

This indicator lamp comes on
when the fuel filler cap is loose
or missing.
Close the filler cap tightly: refer to
page 24
SERVICE ENGINE SOON

●

If the indicator lamp comes on
either continuously or intermit-
tently, this indicates a fault in the emis-
sions-related electronic systems.
Although the vehicle remains opera-
tional, you should have the systems
checked by your BMW center at the
earliest possible opportunity.
For additional information: refer to
page 132
SERVICE ENGINE SOON
warning lamp for Canadian
models.

Engine electronics

●

There is a fault in the electronic
engine-management system.
You can continue to drive with reduced
engine output or engine speed. Please
have the system inspected at your
BMW center.
Add coolant
The coolant level is too low. Add
coolant at the earliest opportu-
nity.
For additional information: refer to
page 128

Green: for your information

Turn signal indicator
Flashes when the turn signals
are on.
Rapid flashing indicates a system mal-
function.
For additional information: refer to
page 66
Cruise control
Lights up when the cruise con-
trol is activated: ready for oper-
ation via the steering wheel with multi-
function buttons.
For additional information: refer to
page 69

Indicator and warning lamps

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21
Front fog lamps
Lights up whenever you switch
on the fog lamps.
For additional information: refer to
page 91

Blue: for your information

High beams
Comes on when the high beams
are on or the headlamp flasher
is actuated.
For additional information: refer to
pages 66, 90

Indicator and warning lamps

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72
Fuel gaugeOnce the indicator lamp stays on con-
tinuously, there are still approx.
2 gallons/8 liters of fuel in the fuel tank.
Fuel tank capacity approx. 16.6
gallons/63 liters
Certain operating conditions, such as
those encountered in mountainous
areas, may cause the needle to fluctu-
ate slightly.
Fill the fuel tank before it is com-
pletely empty. Driving to the last
drop of fuel can prevent the engine
from operating properly and result in
damage.<
When you switch on the ignition, the
indicator lamp lights up briefly as an
operation check.
Engine coolant temperature gaugeBlueThe engine is still cold. Drive at moder-
ate engine and vehicle speeds.RedWhen you switch on the ignition, the
warning lamp comes on briefly to con-
firm that the system is operational.
If the lamp comes on during normal
vehicle operation: the engine has over-
heated. Switch off the engine immedi-
ately and allow it to cool down.
To check coolant level, refer to
page 128.
Between the blue and red zonesNormal operating temperature. The
needle may rise as far as the edge of
the red sector in normal operation.
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85
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)*The conceptTPM monitors the tire pressures at all
four tires while the vehicle is moving.
The system provides an alert whenever
the inflation pressure drops significantly
below the specified pressure in one or
more tires.
This indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster informs you when
the tire pressure deviates from
the target values.
Initializing the systemInitializing is necessary to familiarize the
system with the correct inflation pres-
sures.
Repeat this process after tire replace-
ment, tire rotation or any changes in tire
inflation pressure.
1. Check the tire inflation pressures in
all the tires, comparing them with the
inflation pressure chart on page 25
and adjusting their pressure if neces-
sary.
2. Turn ignition key to position 2 – do
not start the engine
3. Press the button long enough for the
yellow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster to light up for a few sec-
onds
4. After a few minutes' driving time, the
TPM adopts the current pressure lev-
els as the reference, and from that
point on, can detect and report a flat
tire.In the event of loss in inflation
pressureIf the inflation pressure has dropped
significantly over a long period of time,
which is normal for any tire, the yellow
indicator lamp will come on.
This alerts you to have the tires inflated
to the specified pressures as soon as
possible.
If you are prompted to check the
tire pressure shortly after a cor-
rection has been made, this indicates
that the corrected values were not
accurate. Please check the inflation
pressure again and make corrections
according to the inflation pressure
table. Then reinitialize the system. sure, the indicator lamp comes on with
a red lamp. This visual alert is accom-
panied by an acoustic warning signal.
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87
Initializing the systemInitializing is necessary to familiarize the
system with the correct inflation pres-
sure.
Repeat this process after any changes
in tire inflation pressure, tire rotation or
replacement. Do not carry out further
system initialization after adjusting the
inflation pressure and letting the system
"learn" the correct pressures.
1. Check the tire inflation pressures in
all the tires, comparing them with the
inflation pressure chart on page 25
and adjusting their pressure if neces-
sary
2. Turn the ignition key to position 2
3. Press button as long as you need to
until the indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up. After a little
while, the indicator lamp will go out
by itself
4. After a few minutes' driving time, the
Flat Tire Monitor adopts the current
pressure levels as the reference, and
from that point on, can detect and
report a flat tire.
To activate/deactivate the systemThe Flat Tire Monitor automatically
assumes operation whenever you turn
the ignition key to position 2.
To deactivate the system: press the
button. The yellow indicator lamp
comes on.
To activate the system: press the but-
ton again. The indicator lamp goes out.
You should deactivate the system
before driving with snow chains, as the
chains can generate spurious warnings
and/or prevent the system from detect-
ing actual pressure loss.
Flat Tire Monitor*
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88
Flat tire
The red warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up to
warn of pressure loss and tire
failure. This visual alert is accompanied
by an acoustic warning signal. Reduce
your speed immediately, and steer and
brake gently as you bring the vehicle to
a stop.
To reset the warning lamp: after replac-
ing the flat tire you will need to reset the
red warning lamp manually. Maintain
pressure on the Flat Tire Monitor button
until the warning lamp goes out. Then
reinitialize the system.
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot pro-
vide you with advance warning of
sudden and severe tire damage caused
by external factors.
The system also does not detect the
gradual and minor loss of pressure that
all tires display over extended periods
of time.<
Check tire inflation pressures on a
regular basis, correcting them as
necessary, refer to page 25.
The system may respond to operation
on slippery or snow-covered road sur-
faces with false warnings or delays in
detecting actual pressure loss.
Performance-oriented driving – slip at
the drive wheels, high rates of lateral
acceleration – can also increase the
time that the Flat Tire Monitor requires
to detect a flat tire.<
System malfunctionsThe yellow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up and remains on
until the problem is corrected.
Please refer the problem to your BMW
center.
Flat Tire Monitor*
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89 Lamps
Parking lamps/Low beamsParking lamps
The front, rear and side vehicle
lighting is switched on. You can
use the parking lamps to signal
the position of the vehicle when it is
parked. For lighting on one side for
parking as an additional feature, refer to
page 90.
Low beams
When the ignition is switched off
while the low beams are on, the
headlamps go out and only the
parking lamps remain on.
Follow me home lampsWhen you activate the headlamp
flasher after parking the vehicle with the
lamps turned off, the low-beam head-
lamps will come on for a short time.
You can also have this function
deactivated. having turned the ignition key to posi-
tion 0, you will hear an acoustic signal
for a few seconds to remind you that
the lamps have not been switched off.Daytime driving lamps*If you desire, the lamp switch can be
left in the second position: when the
ignition is switched off, the external
lighting is also switched off.
You can have the activation set-
tings for the daytime driving lamps
programmed on your vehicle.<
Automatic headlight control*
When the switch is set to this
position the system automati-
cally activates and cancels the
low beams in response to changes in
ambient light – in tunnels, at dusk, etc. –
and in the event of rain and snow.
The vehicle's external lights
remain on constantly when you
switch on the front fog lamps after the
headlights have come on automati-
cally.<
Automatic headlight control can-
not serve as a substitute for the
driver's judgement in determining when
the vehicle lights should be switched
on. For example, the sensors are not
able to detect fog. To avoid safety risks,
you should respond to these kinds of
low-visibility situations by switching the
headlights on manually.<
You can have the sensitivity of
your vehicle's automatic head-
light control adjusted.<
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107
Cargo areaFolding rear backrestReach into the recess and pull forward
– see arrow.
When you fold back the backrest,
be sure that the catch engages
securely. The red warning indicator dis-
appears in the recess when the retainer
is locked.<
Cargo area cover
Never use the cover to carry
heavy or hard objects, as such
objects could pose a hazard to the
vehicle's occupants during sudden
braking maneuvers.
Guide the cover back into place; do not
allow it to snap back, as it could sustain
damage.<
Pull out the cover and suspend it by
attaching it to the holders.
You can carry light objects such as arti-
cles of clothing on the cover.
Partition net*Use the loop to pull out the partition
net, then grasp both sides of the rod
and insert it into its holder. It is easiest
to do this from the back seat.
Do not allow the partition net to
snap back. Doing so could pose a
risk of injury and the partition net could
be damaged.<
If the backrests are folded forward, the
partition net's case can be stored on
the backrests; you can then extract the
partition net and hold it in place by
inserting the retainers into the front
holders, refer to next page.
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145
Run Flat tires*Run Flat tires are labeled on the side-
wall with a circular symbol containing
the letters RSC. Run Flat tires consist of
self-supporting tires and special rims.
The tire reinforcement ensures that the
tire retains some residual safety in the
event of pressure drop and driving
remains possible to a restricted degree.
The vehicle is equipped with a Tire
Pressure Monitor (TPM) or Flat Tire
Monitor, which indicate a flat tire.
Because the sides of Run Flat
tires are reinforced, a drop in infla-
tion pressure usually cannot be
detected from the outside.<
Flat tireIf there is a tire failure, the red warning
lamp symbol lights up. This visual alert
is accompanied by an acoustic warning
signal.
Additional information on the Tire Pres-
sure Monitor (TPM) or Flat Tire Monitor
is found beginning on page 85.
Reduce vehicle speed carefully to
under 50 mph / 80 km/h, avoiding hard
brake applications and steering maneu-
vers.
If the defective wheel is not immedi-
ately recognizable on the outside,
check the tire pressure at all four
wheels.
Have Run Flat tires replaced by
your BMW center. In the interest
of safety, Run Flat tires should not be
repaired. Your BMW center has the
information needed for working with
Run Flat tires and is equipped with the
necessary special tools.<
If appropriate, please consult your
BMW center to reequip your vehi-
cle from summer to winter tires – or vice
versa.<
Driving with a damaged tireRun Flat tires allow you to continue
driving to a restricted degree at a maxi-
mum speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h
depending on the cargo load and the
extent of tire damage. You can deter-
mine the distance you may continue
driving on the basis of the following val-
ues:
>Tire inflation pressure of
0 psi/0 kilopascal (kPa):
approx. 100 miles/150 km
>Tire inflation pressure of approx.
7-15 psi/50-100 kPa:
approx. 300 miles/500 km
>Tire inflation pressure greater than
15 psi/100 kPa:
approx. 600 miles/1,000 km.
Drive cautiously. Do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph / 80 km/h. Be
aware that vehicle handling will be
altered when there is a loss in inflation
pressure. Anticipate, e.g., reduced
tracking during braking, longer braking
distances and changed steering char-
acteristics.<
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