service BMW 325XI 2003 Owner's Manual

122In the engine compartment
HoodTo releasePull the lever located under the left-
hand side of the instrument panel.
Do not attempt to service your
vehicle if you do not have the
required technical background. Failure
to work in an informed, professional
manner when servicing components
and materials constitutes a safety haz-
ard for vehicle occupants and other
road users. If you are not familiar with
the guidelines, please have the opera-
tions performed by your BMW center.<
To openPull the release handle and open the
hood.
To closeAllow the hood to fall from a height of
about 1 ft/30 cm so that it audibly
engages.
To avoid injuries, be sure that the
travel path of the hood is clear
when it is closed, following the same
safety precautions used in all closing
procedures.
If you determine while driving that the
hood is not completely closed, stop
immediately and close it securely.<
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127
The oil volume between the two marks
on the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.1 US quarts/1 liter. Do not fill beyond
the upper mark on the dipstick. Excess
oil will damage the engine.
Adding engine oilWait until the level has dropped to just
above the lower mark before adding oil.
However, you should never let the oil
drop below the lower mark.
BMW engines are designed to
operate without oil additives; the
use of additives could lead to damage
in some cases. This also applies to the
manual transmission, the automatic
transmission, the differential, and the
power steering system.<
Recommendation: have the oil changed
by your BMW center.
Continuous exposure to used oil
has caused cancer in laboratory
testing. For this reason, any skin areas
that come into contact with oil should
be thoroughly washed with soap and
water.
Always store oil, grease, etc., out of
reach of children. Comply with all warn-
ing labels and information on contain-
ers.<
Comply with the applicable envi-
ronmental laws regulating the dis-
posal of used oil.<
Specified engine oilsThe quality of the engine oil is
extremely important for the function
and service life of an engine. Based on
extensive testing, BMW has approved
only certain grades of engine oil.
Use only approved BMW High Perfor-
mance Synthetic Oil.
If an approved BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil should be unavailable, you
may use small volumes of other syn-
thetic oils for topping up between oil
changes. Use only oils with the specifi-
cation API SH or higher.
Engine oil
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129
Comply with the applicable envi-
ronmental laws regulating the dis-
posal of antifreeze agents with corro-
sion inhibitor.<
Brake fluidIndicator lamp
The brake warning lamp comes
on when the parking brake is
not engaged: the brake fluid
level is too low, refer to page 18.
Parking brake warning lamp for
Canadian models.
Adding brake fluidFor adding brake fluid or for determin-
ing and correcting the cause of brake
fluid loss, consult your BMW center.
Your BMW center is familiar with the
specifications for factory-approved
brake fluids – DOT 4.
Brake fluid loss results in extended
brake pedal travel. Refer to the informa-
tion on page 116.
Brake fluid is hygroscopic, that is,
it absorbs moisture from the air
over time.
In order to ensure the brake system's
safety and reliability, have the brake
fluid changed every two years by a
BMW center. Refer to the Service and
Warranty Information Booklet for US
models or the Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Brake fluid is toxic and damages the
vehicle's paint. You should always store
them in their original containers and in a
location which is out of reach of chil-
dren.
Do not spill the brake fluid and do not
fill the brake fluid reservoir beyond the
MAX mark. The brake fluid could ignite
upon contact with hot engine parts and
cause serious burns.<
Comply with the applicable envi-
ronmental laws regulating
the disposal of brake fluid.<
Coolant
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130Maintenance
The BMW Maintenance SystemThe BMW Maintenance System has
been designed as a reliable means of
providing maximum driving and operat-
ing safety – and as cost-effectively as
possible for you.
Please keep in mind that regular main-
tenance is not only necessary for the
safety of your vehicle, but also plays a
significant role in maintaining the resale
value of the vehicle.Service interval displayWhile conventional systems rely on dis-
tance traveled alone to determine when
service is due, the BMW Maintenance
System has for years taken the actual
conditions under which the vehicle
operates into consideration, because
miles can be traveled in many different
ways:
From a maintenance point of view,
62,000 miles/100,000 km of short-dis-
tance urban driving cannot be com-
pared with 62,000 miles/100,000 km of
long-distance highway travel.
The BMW Maintenance System
includes the Engine Oil Service and
Inspections I and II.
Determining the maintenance intervals
according to the actual use of the vehi-
cle covers every kind of operating situa-
tion. Minimal use drivers – significantly
fewer than 6,200 miles/10,000 km
annually – should have the engine oil
changed at least every 2 years since oil
deteriorates over time, regardless of
use.
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet for US models/
Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian modelsFor additional information on required
maintenance intervals and procedures,
please refer to the Service and War-
ranty Information Booklet for US mod-
els, or the Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models.
As a precaution against corrosion, it is
advisable to have the body checked for
damage from rocks or gravel at the
same time, depending upon operating
conditions.
Have your BMW center perform
maintenance and repair.
Be sure that all maintenance work is
recorded in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet for US models, or
in the Warranty and Service Guide
Booklet for Canadian models. These
entries confirm that your vehicle has
benefitted from regular maintenance,
and are also required for warranty
claims.<
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132Laws and regulations
California Proposition 65 warningCalifornia laws require us to state the
following warning:
Engine exhaust, some of its con-
stituents, and certain vehicle com-
ponents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, certain
fluids contained in vehicles and certain
products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm.
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead com-
pounds. Wash your hands after hand-
ling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that
have caused cancer in laboratory ani-
mals. Always protect your skin by
washing thoroughly with soap and
water.<
OBD interface socketThe interface socket for onboard diag-
nostics is located on the left-hand side
of the driver's side, below the instru-
ment panel and under a cover panel.
The cover has the letters OBD on it.
This interface makes it possible to
access data on emissions-related com-
ponents using special equipment.
An illuminated indicator informs
you of the need for service, not
that you need to stop the vehi-
cle. Your system should be checked,
however, at the earliest opportunity.
If the indicator blinks or flashes, this
indicates a high level of engine misfire.
Reduce speed and contact the nearest
BMW center immediately. Severe
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133
engine misfiring for even a short period
of time can seriously damage emission
control system components, especially
the catalytic converter.
SERVICE ENGINE SOON warn-
ing lamp for Canadian models.
If the fuel filler cap is not on tight
enough, the OBD system can
detect leaking vapor and the indicator
will light up. If the fuel filler cap is then
tightened, the indicator will usually go
out after a short period of time. OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
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135
Overview
Controls and features
Operation, maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index
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137
Lamps and bulbsThe lamps and bulbs make essential
contributions to the safety of your vehi-
cle. Therefore, comply fully with the fol-
lowing instructions during bulb replace-
ment. If you are not familiar with any of
the procedures, consult your BMW
center.
Do not touch the glass portion of
a new bulb with your bare hands
since even small amounts of impurities
burn in to the surface and reduce the
service life of the bulb. Use a clean
cloth, paper napkin, or a similar mate-
rial, or hold the bulb by its metallic
base.<
A replacement bulb set is available from
your BMW center.
Before working on the electrical
system, switch off the electrical
accessory you are working on or dis-
connect the cable from the negative
terminal of the battery. Failure to
observe this precaution could result in
short circuits.
To prevent injuries and damage, com-
ply with any instructions provided by
the bulb manufacturer.<
Low beams and high beamsEngine compartment, left side:
1Low beams
2High beams
H7 bulb, 55 watts
The H7 bulb is pressurized. There-
fore, wear safety glasses and pro-
tective gloves. Failure to comply with
this precaution could lead to injury if the
bulb is damaged.<
1. Turn the two release catches at the
front to the left – see arrow – to
remove the bulb holder
2. Remove and replace the bulb.
When cleaning the headlamps,
please follow the instructions in
the Caring for your vehicle brochure.<
Xenon lampsThe service life of these bulbs is very
long and the probability of a failure is
very low, provided that they are not
switched on and off an unusual number
of times. If one of these bulbs should
nevertheless fail, it is possible to con-
tinue driving with great caution using
the fog lamps, provided local traffic
laws do not prohibit this.
Because of the extremely high
voltages involved, any work on the
xenon lighting system, including bulb-
changing, should be carried out by
technically-qualified personnel only.
Otherwise, there is a risk of fatal
injury.<
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146
BatteryMaintenanceThe battery is absolutely maintenance-
free, that is, the original electrolyte will
normally last for the service life of the
battery under moderate climatic condi-
tions.
Please consult your BMW center
whenever you have any questions
concerning the battery. Since the bat-
tery is absolutely maintenance-free, the
following is for your information only.<
Never disconnect the battery
when the engine is running; the
ensuing voltage surge would seriously
damage the vehicle's onboard elec-
tronic systems. cle, leave the engine off at all times.
Connect the charge cables to the termi-
nals in the engine compartment. For
terminal locations, refer to Jump-start-
ing on page 147.
Return used batteries to a recy-
cling point or your BMW center.
Maintain the battery in an upright posi-
tion for transport and storage. Secure
the battery against tilting during trans-
port.<
FusesYou will find the fuses and information
on their respective allocation in the
glove compartment behind a panel with
two snap clips.
Do not attempt to repair a blown
fuse or replace it with a fuse
having a different color or amperage
rating. To do this could cause a fire in
the vehicle resulting from a circuit over-
load.<
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151
Overview
Controls and features
Operation, maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex
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