manual transmission BMW 325xi SEDAN 2003 E46 Owner's Manual

Contents

9

Driving:

Ignition lock60
Starting the engine60
Switching off the engine62
Parking brake62
Manual transmission63
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic*64
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
flasher67
Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor*68
Cruise control*69

Everything under control:

Odometer71
Tachometer71
Energy control71
Fuel gauge72
Engine coolant temperature
gauge72
Service interval display73
Check Control73
Clock74
Computer*75

Technology for safety and
driving convenience:

Park Distance Control (PDC)*77
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)*78
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)*80
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) –
BMW 325xi, 330xi82
Hill Descent Control (HDC)*84
Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM)*85
Flat Tire Monitor*86

Lamps:

Parking lamps/Low beams89
Instrument lighting90
High beams/Standing lamps90
Fog lamps*91
Interior lamps91

Controlling the climate for
pleasant driving:

Air conditioning92
Automatic climate control*96
Roller sun blind*100

Interior conveniences:

Premium sound system*101
Glove compartment101
Storage compartments102
Cellular phone*104
Ashtray, front*104
Ashtray, rear*105

Loading and transporting:

Through-loading system*106
Ski bag*107
Cargo loading108
Roof-mounted luggage
rack*110

Controls and features

62
Switching off the engineTurn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
You should never remove the igni-
tion key when the vehicle is in
motion, as the steering lock could
engage.
When you leave the vehicle, always
remove the ignition key and engage the
steering lock.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces. Placing the lever in gear may not
provide adequate resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in Park.<
Parking brakeThe parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates on the rear wheels.To engageThe detent engages automatically, and
the indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on when the ignition key
is in position 2, refer to page 18.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button – see arrow – and lower the
lever.

63
If exceptional circumstances
make it necessary to engage the
parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull it with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed
against the release button while care-
fully pulling the lever up.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction – fishtailing
– at the rear axle. The brake lamps do
not come on when the parking brake is
engaged.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake when
parking on slopes and inclined sur-
faces. Placing the lever in gear may not
provide adequate resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in Park.<
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
braking, apply the parking brake
lightly from time to time when coasting
to a standstill – at a traffic signal, for
example – provided that it is safe to do
so.<
Manual transmission
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
Riding the clutch leads to severe and
premature clutch wear.<
ReverseSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary. Press the shift lever to the left to
overcome the slight resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
light up automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.
Parking brake
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64
Automatic transmission with Steptronic*You can drive as with a normal auto-
matic transmission. In addition, you can
also shift manually.
When you move the selector lever from
the D position to the left into the M/S
range, the performance-oriented shift
programs of the automatic transmission
are engaged. Steptronic enters the
manual selection mode and executes
the desired shift whenever you tap the
selector lever in the direction indicated
by + or –. Whenever you want to use
the automatic transmission mode again,
move the selector lever to the right into
the D position.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel
consumption is lowest when driving in
position D.Selector lever positions P R N D M/S + –Starting the engineThe engine can only be started in selec-
tor lever positions P – for Park – or N –
for Neutral.
Range selectionA detent prevents inadvertent shifts to
the Reverse or Park selector lever posi-
tions. To disengage the detent, press
the button on the front side of
the selector lever button – see arrow.
While the vehicle is stationary and
before shifting out of Park or Neu-
tral, depress the footbrake in order to
disengage the selector lever's lock
mechanism – Shiftlock.
Hold the footbrake down until starting
off. The vehicle will otherwise "creep"
when a drive position is engaged.<
To prevent the vehicle from start-
ing off on its own, always move
the selector lever to position P and
engage the parking brake before leav-
ing your vehicle with the engine run-
ning.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unattended
vehicle with a running engine repre-
sents a safety hazard.<
PParkSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary. Transmission locks to prevent rear
wheels from turning.RReverseSelect only when the vehicle is station-
ary.NNeutralSelect only when stopping for an
extended period.DDrive – automatic shift programThis position is designed for driving
under all normal operating conditions.
All forward gears are available.

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*
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84
Hill Descent Control (HDC)*The conceptBy reducing the vehicle's speed on
steep downhill stretches, HDC main-
tains predictable vehicle handling
response to provide you with control of
your BMW during extreme descents.
The vehicle slows to a pace just slightly
faster than walking speed.
HDC is available for activation at vehi-
cle speeds below approx. 22 mph /
35 km/h. When driving down steep
hills, the vehicle reduces speed auto-
matically down to about double walking
speed – approx. 7.5 mph / 12 km/h –
and then maintains this speed at a con-
stant.
You can use the accelerator or brakes
to vary this speed within a range from
approx. 3 mph / 5 km/h to approx.
15 mph / 25 km/h.
In conjunction with the steering wheel
with multifunction buttons you can use
the +/– button to set the cruise control
to a target speed in the range from
approx. 3 mph / 5 km/h to approx.
15 mph / 25 km/h.
HDC is automatically deactivated once
vehicle speed again exceeds approx.
37 mph / 60 km/h.
To activate the systemPress the HDC button; the green indi-
cator lamp integrated within the button
comes on.
The indicator lamp flashes whenever
the system is actively intervening to
control your speed with automatic
brake applications.To deactivate the systemPress the button again, the indicator
lamp goes out.
HDC is automatically deactivated once
the vehicle accelerates to more than
37 mph / 60 km/h, as well as whenever
you switch off the ignition.
To use HDCVehicles with manual transmission:
You should always ensure that either
reverse or first gear is engaged before
using HDC, as the engine's braking
effect is most pronounced in these
gears, and only reduced engine braking
is available in higher gears.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
HDC is available for use in all ranges.System malfunctionsAre signaled by the indicator lamp,
which responds to problems by going
out while HDC is in operation or by fail-
ing to come on when you activate the
system:
HDC has been temporarily deactivated
as a result of high brake temperatures.
If the DSC indicator lamp comes
on at the same time:
Malfunction in HDC and DSC
system. Refer the problem to your
BMW center.

127
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
at 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 lubricant
containers.<
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 operation
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.
Ask your BMW center for details
concerning the specific BMW
High Performance Synthetic Oil or syn-
thetic oils that have been approved.<
You can also call BMW of North Amer-
ica toll-free at 1-800-831-1117 or visit
this website: www.bmwusa.com to
obtain this information.
Viscosity ratingsViscosity is the oilflow rating as estab-
lished in SAE classes.
The selection of the correct SAE class
depends on the climatic conditions in
the area where you drive your BMW.
Approved oils are in SAE classes
5W-40 and 5W-30.<
These kinds of oil may be used for driv-
ing in all ambient temperatures.
Engine oil
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154
Weights
BMW 320i BMW 325i BMW 325xi BMW 330i BMW 330xi
Curb weight
with manual transmission
with automatic transmissionlbs/kg
lbs/kg3,142/1,425
3,219/1,4603,219/1,460
3,307/1,5003,461/1,570
3,527/1,6003,285/1,490
3,362/1,5253,483/1,580
3,538/1,605
Approved gross vehicle weight
with manual transmission
with automatic transmissionlbs/kg
lbs/kg4,200/1,905
4,277/1,9404,277/1,940
4,365/1,9804,520/2,050
4,586/2,0804,343/1,970
4,420/2,0054,541/2,060
4,597/2,085
Approved front axle load lbs/kg 1,973/895 1,984/900 2,183/990 2,006/910 2,161/980
Approved rear axle load lbs/kg 2,359/1,070 2,425/1,100 2,469/1,120 2,469/1,120 2,491/1,130
Approved roof load capacity lbs/kg 165/75 165/75 165/75 165/75 165/75
Luggage compartment capacity cu ft/l 15.5/440 15.5/440 15.5/440 15.5/440 15.5/440
Never exceed either the approved axle loads or the approved gross vehicle weight.

155
Capacities
Notes
Fuel tank
Reserve gal./liters
gal./litersapprox. 16.6/63
approx. 2.1/8Fuel specification, refer to page 25
Windshield/
Headlamp washer reservoirquarts/liters approx. 5.6/5.3 Specifications, refer to page 126
Cooling system including heater circuit quarts/liters approx. 8.9/8.4 Specifications, refer to page 128
Engine oil and filter change quarts/liters 320i, 325i, 330i:
approx. 6.9/6.5
325xi, 330xi:
approx. 6.6/6.2BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oil
Specifications, refer to page 126
Manual and automatic transmission,
transfer box and differential–Lifetime lubricant, no oil change
required
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Everything from A to ZA
ABS Antilock Brake System
18, 115
Accessories 5
Activated-charcoal filter 100
ADB Automatic Differential
Braking 78
Adding brake fluid 129
Air conditioning 92, 98
Air distribution 94, 98
Air nozzles 92, 96
Air outlets 92, 96
Air pressure 117
check 25
Air supply 94, 98
Airbags 19, 53
Alarm system 38
Antifreeze 128
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
18, 115
Anti-theft system 38
Armrest 102
ASC+T Automatic Stability
Control plus Traction 18,
19, 78
Ashtray
front 104
rear 105
AUC Automatic recircu-
lated-air control 99Automatic car wash, refer to
the Caring for your vehicle
brochure
Automatic climate control 96
Automatic cruise control 69
Automatic Differential Brak-
ing (ADB) 78
Automatic dimming, interior
rearview mirror 52
Automatic headlamp
control 89
Automatic recirculated-air
control (AUC) 99
Automatic Stability Control
plus Traction (ASC+T) 18,
19, 78
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic 19, 64
Average fuel
consumption 76
Average speed 76
Avoiding unintentional
alarms 39
Axle loads 154
B
Backrest, adjusting 45
Backup lamps 63
replacing bulb 139
Battery
charge 146
discharged 146Battery charge current 18
Belts 47
Beverage holder 102, 103
Blower 94, 98
BMW High Performance
Synthetic Oils 127
BMW sports seat 45
Bore 152
Bottle holder, see Beverage
holder 102
Brake hydraulic system 18
Brake lamps
replacing bulb 139
Brake pads 19
Brake, parking 62
Brakes
malfunctions 116
Break-in procedures 114
Bulb, replacing 137
C
California Proposition 65
warning 131
Can holder, see Beverage
holder 102
Capacities 155
Car care, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Car radio
refer to the Owner's Man-
ual for RadioCar telephone
refer to the separate
Owner's Manual
Car vacuum cleaner, con-
necting 104
Car wash, refer to the Caring
for your vehicle brochure
Cargo loading 108
Cassette player operation,
refer to the Owner's Man-
ual for Radio
Cassette player operation,
see Owner's Manual for
Radio
CBC Cornering Brake
Control 18, 115
CD player operation, refer to
the Owner's Manual for
Radio
Cellular phone 104
Center armrest 102
Center high-mount brake
lamp 140
Central locking system 30
button 34
Changing a wheel 141
Charge indicator lamp 18
Check Control 73
Child-restraint mounting
system (LATCH) 57
Cigarette lighter 104
Cleaning windshield 69