BMW 330Ci CONVERTIBLE 2001 E46 Owner's Manual

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Convertible topClosing manually in the event of
an electrical fault
The best way to close the convert-
ible top manually is to stand out-
side the car, keeping the driver door
open and the driver seat folded
forward. The rear seat must be empty.c
1 Remove the filler piece between the
rear seats. Take the trim off of the
guide rod and flip it forward. Press
down hard on the emergency release
(arrow). After a brief pause, the drive
systems for the convertible top
compartment will be unlocked.
46cde071
If the mechanisms for the convert-
ible top compartment lid do not
unlock, then insert the Allen wrench (1)
into the recess (2) and turn clockwise
until the mechanisms unlock.c
46cus040
2 If the luggage compartment lid is
closed, open the convertible top
compartment lid up as far as
possible.
3 Lift out the the convertible top by
holding on to the lateral guide sec-
tion (1) and the front convertible top
frame (2). Position the rear convert-
ible top bow vertically and close the
convertible top compartment lid. Flip
the rear convertible top bow down-
ward.46cus038

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Convertible top4 Use a screwdriver to lift out the cover
panel in the center of the front
convertible top frame.
5 Insert the Allen wrench (stored next
to the emergency lock; refer to
page 181) in the hex slot (arrow).
6 Pull down on the front convertible top
frame as far as possible. Complete
the closing process by continuing to
turn the wrench to the left. Do this
until the front convertible top frame
has locked onto the windshield
frame. The rear convertible top frame
will automatically be pressed down
onto the convertible top compart-
ment lid and because of the tension,
will close completely.46cde069
Please consult your BMW center
to have the defect corrected.c
In the event of an electrical defect,
never open the convertible top
manually. The convertible top compart-
ment lid cannot be locked, and would
open while you are driving.c

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Do not use spray starter fluids.
If the battery is discharged, the engine
can be started with the use of two
jumper cables and the battery of
another vehicle. Use only jumper cables
with fully insulated grips on the terminal
clamps.
Do not touch the parts conducting
electrical current while the engine
is running. Failure to comply with this
creates a risk of fatal injury.<
Carefully comply with the following
instructions to avoid personal injury or
damage to one or both vehicles:
1 Be sure that the battery on the
support vehicle is also rated at
12 volts, and that the capacities of
the two batteries (Ah) are roughly
comparable (printed on casing).
2 Leave the drained battery connected
to the vehicle's electrical system.
3 Make sure that there is no contact
between the bodywork of the two
vehicles Ð this creates a risk of short
circuits.
4 Start by connecting the jumper cable
from the positive terminal of the
support vehicle to the positive
terminal connector located in your
BMW's engine compartment. The
cover of the positive terminal
connector is marked with a "+" sign.
Refer to the illustration. Remove by
pulling the tab (arrow 1).
5 Then connect the negative terminals.
Attach the cable to either the support
vehicle's negative battery terminal, or
to a suitable ground on its engine or
bodywork. Then connect the other
end of the cable to a ground on the
engine or on the bodywork of the
vehicle that is to be started. There is
a special nut provided for this on the
BMW (arrow 2).
Follow the same sequence for
connecting the jumper cables
when helping other vehicles. If you do
not, there is the risk of injury if sparks
are generated at the battery.<462us053
6 Start the support vehicle's engine
and let it run.
7 Start the engine on the vehicle
needing the jump-start, and allow it
to run as usual. If the first start
attempt is not successful, wait a few
minutes before another attempt in
order to allow the discharged battery
to recharge.
8 Before disconnecting the jumper
cables from your BMW, turn on the
lighting, the rear window defroster
and set the blower to the highest
speed; allow the engine to run
approx. 10 seconds. This will prevent
a voltage surge from the voltage
regulator to the electrical accesso-
ries.
9 Then disconnect the jumper cables in
reverse sequence.
Depending on the cause of the fault,
recharge the battery.
Jump-starting

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Towing the vehicleTow fittingThe screw-in tow fitting is stored in the
onboard tool kit; be sure that it remains
in the vehicle at all times. This fitting is
designed for installation in the towing
sockets located at the front and rear of
the vehicle. It is intended for towing on
paved road surfaces only. This fitting
should not be used to pull a vehicle out
of deep snow, mud, sand, etc.
Always comply with all applicable
towing laws and regulations.Access to towing socketFront:
Use a screwdriver to press out the
cover at the top of the recess.462de254
Rear:
Use a screwdriver to press out the
cover at the top of the recess.
Screw the tow fittings in
completely and tightly. If you do
not, the threads could be damaged.
Do not tow the vehicle by any compo-
nents of the running gear, or lash them
down in any way. If you do so, the
components could be damaged,
leading to possible accidents.<462de255
Towing with a commercial tow
truck>Do not tow with sling-type equip-
ment.
>Use wheel lift or flat bed equipment.
>Please comply with applicable state
towing laws.
Never allow passengers to ride in
a towed vehicle for any reason.
Never attach tie-down hooks, chains,
straps, or towing hooks to tie rods,
control arms, or any other part of the
vehicle suspension, as severe damage
to these components will occur, leading
to possible accidents.c46cus031

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview

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Overview
Controls and features
Operation, care
and maintenance
Owner service procedures
Technical data
Index Advanced technology
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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Adaptive Transmission Control
(ATC)188
Airbags189
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)/Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC)189
Radio reception190
Safety belt tensioner190
Interior rearview mirror
with automatic dimming
feature191
Rain sensor191
Tire Pressure Control (RDC)192
Self-diagnostics192
Rollover protection system193
Xenon lamps193
Technol-

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On vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion, the Adaptive Transmission Control
(ATC) uses a number of factors to
calculate the most efficient gear. In this
process, it considers your individual
driving style as well as current driving
conditions.
ATC recognizes your personal driving
style from the positions and movements
of the accelerator pedal, deceleration
when braking, and lateral acceleration
through curves. Based on different shift
characteristics Ð from comfort-oriented
to performance-oriented Ð ATC will
select the appropriate gear.
46cus020
In order to include driving conditions in
its calculations, ATC registers curves
and both uphill and downhill grades.
For example, if you maintain speed
through a curve, the transmission does
not shift up. On uphill grades, it shifts
up only when the engine speed
increases in order to make more effi-
cient use of power reserves. On down-
hill grades, ATC shifts down when the
speed of the vehicle increases and the
driver must apply the brakes.
ATC
*

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Deceleration sensors continuously
monitor the acceleration forces acting
upon the vehicle. If, as the result of a
frontal collision, a deceleration is
reached at which the protection of the
safety belts alone is no longer
adequate, the gas generators of the
driver and passenger-front airbags are
ignited. However, the passenger-side
airbag is only triggered if an additional
sensor has recognized that the
passenger seat is occupied.
In the event of a side collision, the side
airbags in the front and/or rear
* are
triggered if necessary.
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The airbags located under the marked
covers inflate and unfold in a matter of
a few milliseconds. In this process, they
tear through the designed separation
points of the upholstered covers or
press them out.
Because the inflation process must be
virtually instantaneous, it is accompa-
nied by a certain amount of ignition and
inflation noise, which will be drowned
out by the noise from the accident
itself. The gas required to inflate the
airbags is not dangerous, and the
associated smoke then dissipates.
The entire process is completed within
fractions of a second.Highly sensitive sensors monitor the
number of revolutions of the wheels.
When equipped with DSC, they also
monitor steering angle, lateral accelera-
tion, brake pressure and the movement
of the vehicle around its vertical axis.
If differences in the wheel speeds
occur, ASC+T counteracts the danger
of wheelspin by reducing engine
torque; if necessary, ASC+T will also
respond by applying the brakes to the
rear wheels.
In addition, DSC permanently monitors
the vehicle's current operating condi-
tion and compares it with an ideal
condition that is calculated from the
sensor's signals. If deviations from this
occur (understeering or oversteering,
for instance), DSC can stabilize the
vehicle in fractions of a second by
reducing engine output and with the
assistance of braking intervention at
individual wheels. Dangerous skids are
thus prevented before they can even
start, and all of this is possible, of
course, only within physically possible
limits. You may need some time to
become accustomed to the system's
intervention. However, it provides
optimum drive force and vehicle
stability. The braking intervention may
be accompanied by sounds specific to
the system.
Airbags ASC+T/DSC
*

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Radio reception Safety belt tensionerThe AM frequency bands (medium-
wave, long-wave and short-wave) make
it possible to receive stations from a
great distance, because the broadcast
signals travel not only along the ground
as surface waves, but also as atmo-
spheric waves that are reflected from
the ionosphere.
Frequency modulation (FM) offers
substantially better sound quality than
the other frequencies. However,
because FM transmissions rely on line-
of-sight broadcast waves, their effec-
tive reception range is limited. 360de084
The limitations inherent to radio recep-
tion in a moving vehicle have been
minimized by a number of innovative
system designs:
The "Radio Data System" (RDS) makes
sure that, for broadcast stations
sending on several frequencies, the
radio automatically tunes to the
frequency with the best reception
quality.
The Antenna Diversity system employs
several FM antennas integrated within
the rear window to provide three sepa-
rate sources for receiving broadcast
waves. An integral processor automati-
cally selects the antenna with the best
FM reception quality at any given time.
The selection of the antenna takes
place within milliseconds, and is
therefore not noticed by the radio
listener.The safety belt tensioner makes sure
that the belt tightens during a head-on
collision to ensure that occupants
remain firmly positioned in their seats.
A gas-pressure system retracts the
buckle assembly to tension the
shoulder and lap belts within fractions
of a second. This reduces the tendency
to slide under the lap belt.
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