BMW 540I SEDAN 2000 Workshop Manual

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
BMW comfort seat
*
This seat allows you to make additional
adjustments for:
1 Lumbar support
2 Shoulder supportLumbar supportYou can adjust the backrest's contour
for additional support in the curvature
of your spine's lumbar region.
The upper hips and spinal column re-
ceive supplementary support to help
you maintain a relaxed, upright posture.
>Press the front/rear of the switch:
Increase/decrease curvature.
>Press the upper/lower end of the
switch:
Increase the upper/lower curvature.380de024
Comply with the adjustment in-
structions on page 50. Failure to
do so could result in diminished per-
sonal safety.<
Shoulder supportYou can use the adjustable upper back-
rest for supplementary support in the
shoulder region. This provides a relaxed
driving position and helps relieve stress
on the shoulder muscles.
Press the rocker switch: The support
angle of the upper backrest section is
adjusted.
To obtain an optimal seating posture,
we recommend:
Driver and front passenger:
1 Adjust the upper backrest section
to its extreme rear position
2 Adjust to the optimal seating posture
as shown in the left column
3 Bring the upper backrest section for-
ward until your shoulders enjoy firm
support.380de064

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BMW comfort seat
*
BMW sports seat
*
Front passenger's seat adjusted for
relaxed traveling:
1 Adjust the upper backrest section
to its extreme rear position
2 Increase the seat cushion tilt
3 Tilt the backrest more
4 Bring the upper backrest section
forward.
Make corrections in the forward-
backward adjustment of the seat
to ensure that the safety belt still fits
firmly against your body. If you do not
do this, the protection provided by the
safety belt may be reduced.<
1 Tilt angle (only driver's side)
2 Forward/Back adjustment
3 Cushion height
4 Backrest angle
5 Head restraint height
Adjust the tilt angle of the head restraint
manually by rotating it.
Comply with the adjustment in-
structions on page 50. Failure to
do so could result in diminished per-
sonal safety.<390de370
Thigh supportPress the rocker switch: You can adjust
the thigh support to meet your personal
requirements.390de634

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
BMW sports seat
*
BMW active seat*
Correct sitting postureTo reduce strain on the spinal column,
sit all the way back in the seat and rest
your back fully against the backrest.
The ideal sitting posture is achieved
with your head extending from your
spine in a straight line.
For long-distance driving, you may wish
to increase the backrest tilt-angle
slightly to reduce muscular tension.
Please remember that you should
always remain able to grasp the entire
periphery of the steering wheel without
straightening your arms.
Head restraintsTo adjust the angle of the front head
restraints: Adjust by tilting the head
restraint.
To adjust the height of the rear head
restraints: Adjust by pulling or applying
pressure.
Head restraints reduce the risk of
spinal injury in the event of an
accident. Adjust the head restraint so
that its center is approximately level
with your ears.
Leave the center-rear head restraint in
the fully-lowered position at all times,
since pulling it out limits its function.< 39mde051
Active changes in the seat's surface
help to avoid muscle cramps, pain in
the spine's lumbar region and fatigue.
To activate the seat, press the button
(arrow).
For additional details concerning the
BMW active seat, please refer to the
chapter describing "Advanced technol-
ogy" on page 190.390de629

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Adjusting the steering wheel MirrorsThe steering wheel can be moved in
any of four directions. Adjust by moving
the control lever in the desired direc-
tion.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving. There
is a risk of accident from unexpected
movement.<
To store the steering wheel setting,
refer to "Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory" on page 56.390de028
Automatic steering wheel
adjustment (only in conjunction with seat, mirror
and steering wheel memory)
In order to make it easier to get into and
out of the car, the steering wheel auto-
matically moves into the top position
and returns to the driving (memory) po-
sition.
This automatic feature is controlled by
the position of the ignition key and by
the driver's door.
Exterior mirrors1 Mirror switch for 4-way adjustment
2 Left/Right selection switch
You can also adjust the mirrors manu-
ally by pressing against the outer edges
of their lenses.
To store the mirror settings: Refer
to "Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory" on page 56.390us605

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Mirrors
The mirror on the passenger's
side features a lens with a more
convex surface than the mirror installed
on the driver's side. When estimating
the distance between yourself and
other traffic, bear in mind that the ob-
jects reflected in the mirror are closer
than they appear. This means that esti-
mations of the distance to following
traffic should not be regarded as pre-
cise.<
Electric heatersBoth mirrors are heated automatically
with the ignition key in position 2.
Interior rearview mirrorTo reduce glare from vehicles behind
you after dark, tilt the mirror by moving
the small lever.Lighted vanity mirrorFold down the sun visor and slide the
cover panel to the side as required.
The mirror lamps operate in ignition key
positions 1 and 2.Sun visorsThese can be folded down toward the
windshield or swiveled out against the
side windows.390de030
Interior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming feature
*
By responding to the effects of ambient
light and the glare from following traffic,
this mirror automatically dims through
an infinitely-variable range.
The mirror automatically reverts to its
clear, undimmed setting whenever you
select "Reverse."
For proper functioning of the mirror, be
sure that the two photocells are unob-
structed and clean. One of the photo-
cells (arrow) is positioned in the mirror's
glass, while the other is slightly offset
on the opposite side of the mirror.
For an explanation of the electro-chro-
mic technology used in this mirror, refer
to page 192.390de031

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Seat, mirror and steering wheel memoryYou can store and call up three different
seat, exterior mirror and steering wheel
positions. The illustration shows the
buttons on the driver's door for making
these position adjustments.
The adjustment for the lumbar support
is not stored in the memory.390de032
To store1 Ignition key at position 1 or 2.
2 Adjust the desired positions for the
seat, door mirror and steering wheel.
3 Press the
M
EMORY button: The indi-
cator lamp in the button comes on.
4 Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as
desired: The indicator lamp goes out.
To select a stored settingConvenience function:
1 The driver's door remains open after
unlocking or the ignition key is in po-
sition 1.
2 Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3,
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when
one of the seat-adjustment or mem-
ory buttons is activated during the
adjustment process.
Security function:
1 The driver's door is closed and the
ignition key is either removed or in
position 0 or 2.
2 Press and hold the desired memory
button (1, 2 or 3) until the adjustment
process is completed.
If you press the
M
EMORY button acci-
dentally: Press the button a second
time; the indicator lamp goes out.
Do not call up a position from the
memory while the vehicle is
moving. There is a risk of accident from
unexpected movement of the seat or
steering wheel.<

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Seat, mirror and steering wheel memoryPassenger side exterior mirror tilt
function(automatic curb monitor)
1 Move the mirror selector switch
(arrow) to the "driver's mirror"
position.
2 When the selector lever is placed in
"Reverse," the passenger-side mirror
tilts downward to help the driver
monitor the area directly adjacent to
the car during parking (curbs, etc.).
You can deactivate this automatic
feature by setting the mirror selection
switch to the "passenger side" position.390de147
Your BMW center can adjust your
vehicle's systems in such a man-
ner that your personalized settings are
automatically called up for the seat,
mirror and steering wheel positions
when you unlock the car with your per-
sonal remote control.<
If you make use of this setting
mode, be sure that the footwell
behind the driver's seat is unobstructed
before unlocking the vehicle. If you fail
to do so, any persons or objects behind
the seat could be injured or damaged
by a rearward movement of the seat.<

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Car Memory, Key MemoryHow the system functionsYou have probably frequently wished
that you could configure individual
functions of your vehicle to reflect your
own personal requirements. In engi-
neering your vehicle, BMW has included
several user-defined functions in the
vehicle's design. Your authorized BMW
center can make these settings for you.
There are settings related to the vehicle
("Car Memory") and settings related to
individuals ("Key Memory"). You can
have two different basic positions con-
figured for two different persons. The
only requirement is that each person
uses his or her own remote control key.463de029
When your vehicle is unlocked with the
remote control, the vehicle recognizes
the individual user by means of a data
exchange with the key, and makes
adjustments accordingly.
In order for you to distinguish between
different keys, colored decals are
supplied together with the keys.What the system can doYour authorized BMW center can
provide you with details on the capabili-
ties of the Car Memory and Key
Memory systems.
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.<
An example of Key Memory is the auto-
matic adjustment of the driver's power
seat with stored settings for the individ-
ual person when the vehicle is un-
locked.

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RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Fasten your safety belt before begin-
ning to drive.
To fasten: Make sure you hear the lock
engage in the belt buckle.
To release: Press the red button in the
buckle. Hold the belt and guide it back
into its reel.
The shoulder belt anchor automatically
adjusts to continue providing an opti-
mum fit when you move the seat for-
ward or back.
The two rear safety belt buckles which
are integrated in the rear seat are for
passengers sitting on the left and right.
The belt buckle with the word
"CENTER" is intended exclusively for
passengers sitting in the middle.390de033
For your safety, comply with the
following instructions for wearing
safety belts. If you do not, the safety
belts may not be able to provide their
maximum protection. All passengers in
the vehicle should be aware of and
comply with this information:
Never allow more than one person to
wear a single safety belt. Never allow
infants or small children to ride in a pas-
senger's lap.
Avoid twisting the belt while routing it
firmly across the hips and shoulder. Do
not allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects in your pockets. Never
route the belt across your neck, do not
run it across sharp edges. Be sure that
the belt does not become caught or
jammed.
Wear the safety belt as firmly as possi-
ble against your body. You should avoid
wearing bulky clothing that prevents it
from doing so. Pull the belt periodically
to re-tension it across your shoulder. In
the event of a frontal impact, a loose lap
belt could slide over your hips, leading
to abdominal injury. In addition, the
safety belt's restraint effectiveness is
reduced if the belt is worn loosely.
Expectant mothers should always wear
their safety belts, taking care to position
the lap belt against the lower hips,
where it will not exert pressure against
the abdominal area.<
For care instructions, refer to page 159.
sedan with through-loading
system
*: Please comply with the
instructions for the center safety belt on
page 112.
sport wagon: If the center safety belt
cannot be pulled out, the larger rear
backrest section is not engaged. Refer
to page 116.<
If the safety belt system has been
subjected to the stresses involved
in an accident or otherwise damaged:
Have the entire safety belt mechanism
replaced by your BMW center, includ-
ing the safety belt tensioner. In addition,
have your BMW center inspect the
safety belt anchors. If a child restraint
system was in the vehicle during an ac-
cident, consult the manufacturer's in-
structions regarding replacement.c
Child restraint systems
*
Never install a rear-facing child
restraint device on the front pas-
senger seat. Otherwise, injuries could
occur when the airbag is triggered in
the event of an accident. Children
should always ride in the rear.
Do not attempt to modify child restraint
systems. If you do this, the protection
provided by these systems could be im-
paired.<
Safety belts

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Airbags 1 Front airbags for driver and
front passenger
2 Side impact Head Protection System
3 Side airbags (front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by providing addi-
tional protection for the front-seat
occupants in the event of a severe
frontal collision in which the protection
afforded by the belts alone may no
longer be sufficient. The head protec-
tion and side airbags help provide pro-
tection in the event of a collision from
the side. Each of the side airbags is de-
signed to support the upper body.380de647
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 authorized BMW center for addi-
tional information.<
The illustration depicts schematically
the primary directions of vehicle impact
which initiate an airbag deployment.390de142