key BMW 325xi TOURING 2002 E46 Owner's Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: BMW, Model Year: 2002, Model line: 325xi TOURING, Model: BMW 325xi TOURING 2002 E46Pages: 155, PDF Size: 2.17 MB
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Starting the engine Switching off the engine 
Do not actuate the starter for too 
short a time, but do not actuate it 
for more than approx. 20 seconds. 
Release the ignition key immediately 
when the engine starts.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by 
leaving it running while the vehicle 
remains stationary. Instead, drive off 
immediately at a moderate engine 
speed.<
If the engine does not start on the first 
attempt (if it is very hot or cold, for 
instance): 
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway 
down while engaging the starter.
Cold starts at extremely cold tempera-
tures of approx. +5 7 (Ð15 6) or below 
and at high altitude over 3,300 ft 
(1,000 m):
>On the first start attempt, engage the 
starter for a longer period (approx. 
10 seconds)
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway 
down while engaging the starter.
The engine's idle speed is controlled by 
the engine-management system. A high 
idle after starting is normal and should 
decrease as the engine warms up. If the 
idle speed does not decrease, service 
is required.
To prevent the battery from discharging, 
always switch off electrical devices that 
are not in use. Switch the ignition off 
when the vehicle is not being driven.
Extended starting attempts, char-
acterized by excessively frequent 
or long periods with the starter 
engaged, can lead to damage to the 
catalytic converter.<
Turn 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 hills and slopes, as first gear 
or reverse may not provide adequate 
resistance to rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park".< 
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Parking brake  Manual transmission The parking brake is primarily designed 
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while 
parked. It operates on the rear wheels.To engageThe detent engages automatically, 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 (arrow) and lower the lever.
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 to apply 
moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing) 
at the rear.
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 hills and slopes, as first gear 
or reverse 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 
instance), provided that it is safe to do 
so.
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is 
stationary. Press the shift lever to the 
left to overcome the slight resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will 
turn on automatically when the ignition 
key is in position 2.
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.< 
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Automatic transmission with Steptronic
*
Indicator/Headlamp flasher 
Possible displays 
P R N D SD M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
Electronic transmission control 
module
If the indicator lamp comes on, 
there is a malfunction in the 
transmission system.
Bring the vehicle to a stop, select trans-
mission position "P", engage the 
parking brake  and switch the engine off 
(ignition key to position 0). 
Wait a few seconds, then start the 
engine.
If the indicator lamp goes out after a 
few seconds, normal transmission 
performance has been restored. Drive 
off normally.
If the indicator lamp does not go out, all 
selector lever positions can still be 
selected; however in the forward posi-
tions the vehicle has limited perfor-
mance as it drives only in 3
rd and 4
th 
gear.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine 
loads and consult the nearest BMW 
center.
Never work in the engine 
compartment when a drive gear 
(forward or reverse) is engaged. If you 
do this, the vehicle could move.<
For towing or jump-starting, refer to the 
information beginning on page 134.
1 High beams (blue indicator lamp)
2 Headlamp flasher (blue indicator 
lamp)
3 Turn signal indicator (green indicator 
lamps accompanied by a periodic 
clicking sound from the relay).To signal brieflyPress the lever up to but not beyond 
the detent. It then returns to the center 
position when released.
If the flashing of the turn signal 
indicators and the clicking from 
the relay are both faster than normal, 
one of the turn signal indicators has 
failed.< 
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Washer/Wiper system 0 Wipers retracted
1 Intermittent mode or rain sensor
2 Normal wiper speed
3 Fast wiper speed
4 Brief wipe
5 Rotary dial for control of the wipe 
interval or the sensitivity of the rain 
sensorIntermittent mode(not on vehicles with rain sensor)
You can set the wipe interval at four 
stages with rotary dial 5.
In addition, the wipe interval is varied 
automatically depending on road 
speed.
Rain sensor
*
The rain sensor is located on the wind-
shield directly behind the rearview 
mirror.
To activate the rain sensor:
>From ignition key position 1, move 
the lever to position 1. The wipers will 
make at least one sweep across the 
windshield.
You can leave the lever in position 1 at 
all times. From ignition key position 1, 
all you then need to do to activate the 
rain sensor is
>briefly turn the rotary dial 5, or
>clean the windshield 1, refer to 
page 62.To adjust the sensitivity of the rain 
sensor: turn rotary dial 5.
To deactivate the rain sensor: return 
lever to position 0.
Turn the rain sensor off in auto-
matic car washes. Failure to do so 
could result in damage caused by 
undesired wiper activation.<
Normal wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the 
wipers switch automatically to intermit-
tent wipe (not on vehicles with rain 
sensor).Fast wiper speedWhen the vehicle is stationary, the 
wipers revert to operation at normal 
speed (not on vehicles with rain 
sensor). 
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Washer/Wiper system0 Wipers retracted
1 Clean the windshield
2 Rear window wiper intermittent mode
3 Clean the rear windowClean the windshield
Do not use the washers if there is 
any danger that the fluid will 
freeze on the windshield, as your vision 
could be obscured. Always use a wind-
shield washer antifreeze, refer to 
page 114.
Do not use the washers when the reser-
voir is empty. This could cause damage 
to the washer pump.<
The system sprays washer fluid against 
the windshield and activates the wipers 
for a brief period.Rear window wiperRear window wiper in intermittent 
mode. When reverse gear is engaged, 
continuous operation is switched on 
automatically.
You can also program the interval:
>Briefly move the wiper lever from 
position 0 to position 2
>The period that elapses until the 
wipers again start to move (from 
position 0 to 2) is the programmed 
interval for intermittent operation 
(max. 30 seconds).Clean the rear windowThe system sprays washer fluid onto 
the rear window.
To change the wiper blades refer to 
page 124.
Cleaning headlamps
*
When the vehicle's lighting system is 
switched on, the headlamps will also be 
cleaned every fifth time the automatic 
windshield washer is activated.Windshield washer nozzlesThe windshield washer nozzles are 
heated automatically
* when the ignition 
key is in position 2. 
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Cruise control
*
You can store and automatically main-
tain any desired vehicle speed above 
approx. 20 mph (30 km/h).
The cruise control is available whenever 
the engine is running and the system 
has been activated.
To activate the systemFrom ignition key position 2:
Press the button and the indicator lamp 
in the instrument cluster will come on, 
refer to page 20. You can now use the 
cruise control.
Do not use cruise control on 
twisting roads, when high traffic 
density prevents driving at a constant 
speed, or when the road surface is slick 
(snow, rain, ice) or loose (rocks or 
gravel, sand).
ment cluster goes out.
Cruise control is also deactivated when 
the ignition key is in position 0.
The speed stored in memory is deleted.
To maintain and store speed 
or to acceleratePress button (+) briefly:
The system maintains and stores the 
current vehicle speed. Every time you 
tap the button, the speed increases by 
approx. 0.6 mph (1 km/h).
Press and hold button (+):
The vehicle accelerates without pres-
sure on the accelerator pedal. When 
you release the button, the system 
maintains and stores the current speed.
If, on a downhill gradient, the 
engine braking effect is not suffi-
cient, the preset speed can be 
exceeded. Speed can drop on uphill 
grades if the engine output is insuffi-
cient.< 
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Odometer Tachometer Energy control 1 Odometer
2 Trip odometerOdometer You can activate the displays shown in 
the illustration with the ignition key in 
position 0 by pressing the button in the 
instrument cluster.Trip odometerTo reset the trip odometer to zero, 
press the button with the ignition key in 
position 1 or higher.
Never allow the engine to operate with 
the needle in the red overspeed zone of 
the gauge.
To protect the engine, the fuel supply is 
interrupted when you approach this 
sector.
Indicates the current fuel consumption 
in mpg (in liters/100 km on Canadian 
models). You can check your current 
driving style to see whether it is condu-
cive to economy and minimum exhaust 
emissions.
When the vehicle is stationary, the 
display goes to "Maximum" (zero on 
Canadian models). 
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Fuel gauge  Temperature gauge  Service Interval DisplayOnce the indicator lamp stays on 
continuously, there are still approx. 
2 gallons (8 liters) of fuel in the fuel 
tank.
For fuel tank capacity, refer to 
page 143.
Certain operating conditions (such as 
those encountered in mountainous 
areas) may cause the needle to fluc-
tuate slightly.
Please refuel early, since driving 
to the last drop of fuel can result in 
damage to the engine and/or catalytic 
converter.<
When you switch on the ignition, the 
indicator lamp lights up briefly as an 
operation check.
BlueThe engine is still cold. Drive at 
moderate engine and vehicle speeds.RedWhen you switch on the ignition, the 
warning lamp comes on briefly to 
confirm 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.
Checking coolant level, refer to 
page 117.Between the blue and red zonesNormal operating temperature. The 
needle may rise as far as the edge of 
the red sector in normal operation.
Remaining distance to serviceThe displays shown in the illustration 
appear for a few seconds when the 
ignition key is in position 1 or after the 
engine is started.
The next service due appears with the 
message OIL SERVICE or INSPEC-
TION, together with the distance 
remaining in miles (kilometers) before 
the next scheduled service. The 
computer bases its calculations of the 
remaining distance on the preceding 
driving style.
A flashing message and a "Ð" in front of 
the number mean that the service 
interval has already been exceeded by 
the distance shown on the display. 
Please contact your BMW center for an 
appointment. 
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Check Control ClockThe following information and/or condi-
tions are indicated using symbols, 
starting with the ignition key in 
position 2, until the condition has been 
corrected.
1 Check the low beams and high 
beams, as well as the parking lamps
2 Door open
3 Tailgate open
4 Check brake and tail lamps
When you open the driver's door after 
parking, a signal sounds to remind you 
if the headlamps have not been 
switched off.
If you wish to have a permanent time 
display, you can make this setting in the 
radio display (refer to the Radio 
Owner's Manual).
You can set the clock and the time 
display in the car radio as follows.
SettingWith ignition key position 1 or 2 and 
time displayed in the instrument cluster.
To set ahead: turn the button to the 
right.
To set back: turn the button to the left.
The adjustment speed will increase the 
longer you continue to hold the button.
To change the display mode: press the 
button briefly.
Every time you press the button, the 
clock display alternates between the 
12-hour or 24-hour mode.
In ignition key position 0: the time is 
displayed for a few seconds after you 
press the left button, refer to 
Odometer on page 65. 
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Computer
*
Mode selectionFrom ignition key position 1, you can 
call up information from the computer 
using the button in the turn signal lever. 
By pressing the button briefly toward 
the steering column, you can call up a 
new function for display.
The displays appear in the following 
order:
Time of day, outside temperature, 
average fuel consumption, cruising 
range, average vehicle speed.
Starting with ignition key position 1, 
the last active setting is displayed.
Outside temperatureYou can change the units of measure 
(6/7) for the outside temperature 
display by pressing the right-hand reset 
button in the instrument cluster while 
the temperature display is active.
Ice warningIf the outside temperature drops to 
about 37.5 7 (+3 6), then the 
computer will automatically switch to a 
display of the outside temperature. In 
addition, a signal sounds as a warning 
and the display flashes for a brief 
period.
The ice warning does not alter the 
fact that surface ice can form at 
temperatures above  37.5 7 (+3 6), on 
bridges or shaded road surfaces, for 
instance.<