instrument panel BMW 325xi SEDAN 2003 E46 Owner's Manual

53 Passenger safety systems
Airbags1Front driver and passenger-side air-
bags
2Head airbags for driver and front pas-
senger
3Side airbags on the driver and pas-
senger sides – front and rear*Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional protection in the event of a
severe frontal collision in which the pro-
tection afforded by the belts alone may
no longer be sufficient. The Head Pro-
tection System and side airbags help
provide protection in the event of a col-
lision from the side. Each of the side
airbags is designed to help support the
seat occupant's upper body.
For information on the correct sitting
posture, refer to page 44.
The side airbags in the rear pas-
senger area* of your vehicle may
already have been deactivated either at
the time of manufacture or by a BMW
center. You may have them activated if
you desire to do so. Please contact
your BMW center for additional infor-
mation.<
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor collisions, rear
impacts and certain kinds of vehicle
rollover.<
Do not apply adhesive materials to
the cover panels of the airbags,
cover them or modify them in any other
way. Do not remove the airbag restraint
system. In the event of a malfunction,
deactivation or triggered activation – as
a response to an accident – of the air-
bag restraint system, consult your BMW
center for inspection, repairs or disas-
sembly. Do not modify or tamper with
either the wiring or the individual com-
ponents in the airbag system. These
include the upholstered covers on the
steering wheel, the instrument panel,
side panels on doors and the roof struts
as well as down the sides of the roof
liners. Also, do not attempt to remove
the steering wheel. Unprofessional
attempts to service the system could
lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired airbag activation, either of
which could result in personal injury. Do
not touch the individual components
immediately after the system has been
activated, as this could result in per-
sonal injury.<
All vehicle occupants should
always sit upright and be properly
restrained – infants and small children
in appropriate child-restraint systems;
larger children and adults using the
safety belts. Never let an occupant's
head rest near or on a side airbag
because the inflating airbag could
cause a serious or fatal injury. Please
note that the word Airbag imprinted on
the door trim panel indicates the air-
bag's location.
Accident research shows that the saf-
est place for children in an automobile
is in the rear seat. However, a child sit-
ting in the rear seat and not properly
restrained could place his or her head
on or near the airbag, if so equipped.
For example, a child — even though
belted in — may fall asleep with his or
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

59
Vehicle Memory, Key MemoryHow the system functionsNo doubt you have reflected at one
time or another on how great it would
be if you could permanently configure
your vehicle's various features and
adjustments to mirror your own individ-
ual preferences. In engineering your
vehicle, BMW has provided for a num-
ber of options for personal adjustment
that can be programmed into your vehi-
cle at your BMW center.
The available configuration data fall into
two categories, according to whether
their primary orientation is the vehicle –
Vehicle Memory – or the individual –
Key Memory. Provided that each per-
son has a separate remote-control key,
you can have your BMW center enter
basic adjustment data for up to four
individuals in the system.
The system then relies on a bilateral
data exchange to identify the individual
user and executes the selected settings
whenever the remote control unit is
used to disengage the door locks.
Color-coded decals have been pro-
vided to help you distinguish individual
keys with different settings.What the system can doYou can learn about the entire array of
features this system offers at your BMW
center.
Examples for Vehicle Memory:
>Various signals as acknowledgment
when locking or unlocking your vehi-
cle, refer to pages 31, 33
>Activating/deactivating the "Follow
me home" function, refer to page 89
>Activating/deactivating daytime driv-
ing lamps, refer to page 89
>Selecting units of measure for dis-
playing time, outside temperature,
distance traveled and fuel consump-
tion in the instrument panel>Indicating via an acoustic tone that
PDC has been activated, refer to
page 77
>Switching on the rear window
defroster automatically, refer to
pages 94, 99
>Having the display – after giving an
ice warning – return to its previous
setting, refer to page 75.
Examples for Key Memory:
>Unlocking the driver's door first, then
the vehicle's remaining locks, refer to
page 31
>Locking the vehicle after pulling
away, refer to page 34
>Automatically repositioning of the
driver's seat for the corresponding
driver when the vehicle is unlocked,
refer to page 49
>Automatic tilting of the passenger-
side mirror, refer to page 50.
You will see this symbol through-
out the Owner's Manual. It is to
remind you at appropriate places of the
settings that are available to you.<
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

65
KickdownIn the kickdown mode, you achieve
maximum acceleration and top speed
in position D.
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
increased resistance point at the full-
throttle position.
M/S manual operation and Sport
ProgramMove the selector lever from D to M/S
to activate the Sport Program; SD
appears in the display panel. The M/S
mode is recommended for
performance-oriented driving.
Once in the M/S mode you can tap the
selector lever to switch the automatic
transmission from the Sport Program to
its manual selection mode.
This mode allows you to execute
upshifts manually by tapping the lever
toward +, while downshifts are selected
by tapping in the – direction. The dis-
plays M1 through M5 appear in the dis-
play panel to indicate your current gear
selection.
The Adaptive Transmission Control
(ATC) executes upshifts and downshifts
only when the new gear will provide a
suitable combination of engine and
road speed, i.e., ATC will not execute
downshifts if the engine speed is too
high. The desired, then the actual gear,
briefly appear in the instrument cluster.
To accelerate quickly in the man-
ual mode for maneuvers such as
passing another vehicle, shift down
manually or employ the kickdown
mode.<
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
positions P, R and N is possible only by
going through D.
Automatic transmission with Steptronic*
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

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 notice while driving that the hood
is not completely closed, stop immedi-
ately and close it securely.<

131 Laws 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, behind a specially
marked cover located beneath the
instrument panel. The cover has the let-
ters 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. However, the systems should be
checked by your BMW center at the
earliest possible 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
OverviewControlsMaintenanceRepairsDataIndex

Everything from A to ZFuel consumption 76
display 72
Fuel economy, refer to
Energy control 71
Fuel filler door 24
release following an elec-
trical malfunction 24
Fuel gauge 72
Fuel specifications 25
Fuel tank capacity 155
Fuel tank display 72
Fuel tank gauge 72
Fuel-injection system 152
Fuses, replacing 146
G
Gasoline 25
Gasoline gauge 72
Glove compartment 101
Grills 92, 96
Gross vehicle weight 154
H
Hands-free system 104
Harman Kardon premium
sound system 101
Hazard warning flashers 14
Hazard warning triangle 23
HDC Hill Descent Control 84
Head airbags 53
Head restraints 47
Headlamp flasher 90Headlamp washer system
126, 155
Headlamps 89
automatic control 89
Heated seats 50
Heating and ventilation 96
Heavy loads 108
High beams 21, 67, 90
replacing bulb 137
Hill Descent Control
(HDC) 84
Holder for
beverages 102
litter bag 103
Hood release 122
Horn 14
Hydraulic brake assistant,
see DBC
Hydroplaning 115, 117
I
Ice warning 75
Icy roads 75
Ignition key 30
Ignition lock 60
Imprint 4
Indicator lamps 18
Inflation pressure 25, 117
monitoring 85
INSPECTION 73
Instrument cluster 16
Instrument lighting 90Instrument panel 14, 16
Interface socket for onboard
diagnostics 131
Interior lamps 32, 91
remote control 32
Interior motion sensor 38
switching off 39
Interior rearview mirror 52
automatic dimming
feature 52
Interlock 60
Intermittent mode 68
J
Jack 141
Jump-starting 147
K
Key Memory 59
Keys 30
with remote control 30
L
Lamp, replacing 137
Lashing fittings 109
LATCH child-restraint
mounting system 57
Length 153
License plate lamp
replacing bulb 141
Light switch 89
Lighter 104LIGHTS ON warning 89
Litter bag holder 103
Load-securing devices 109
Lock, steering wheel 60
Low beams 89
automatic 89
replacing bulb 137
Lug wrench 141
Luggage compartment 35
capacity 154
floor mat 38
floor panel 37
lighting 35
Luggage compartment lid 35
emergency operation 35
emergency release 37
remote control 32
securing separately 35
Luggage rack 110
Lumbar support 46
M
M+S tires 120
Maintenance 73, 130
Malfunction displays 73
Manual transmission 63
MC operation, refer to the
Owner's Manual for Radio
MD operation, refer to the
Owner's Manual for Radio
Memory 49
Memory settings 59