light BMW 740I 1998 User Guide

50n
MirrorsExterior mirrors1 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 angles: Refer to
"Seat, mirror and steering wheel
memory" on page 51.380us029
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.<
You can make the settings of your
vehicle in such a manner that,
when you unlock the car with your per-
sonalized remote control, your own per-
sonalized mirror adjustment is initi-
ated.<
Electric heatersDepending on the outside temperature,
both mirrors are automatically defrosted
when the ignition key is in position 2.
Inside rearview mirror with
automatic dimming featureThis mirror automatically responds to
light (ambient light and headlamp glare)
by dimming through an infinitely vari-
able range.
The mirror automatically reverts to its
clear, undimmed setting whenever you
move the selector lever to Reverse.
To ensure that the mirror continues to
operate properly, keep the two photo-
cells clean and unobstructed. One pho-
tocell is integrated in the mirror glass,
the other somewhat offset on the back
of the mirror.
For an explanation of the electro-chro-
mic technology used in this mirror, refer
to page 188.380us031

51n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Mirrors Seat, mirror and steering wheel memoryLighted 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.380de670
You 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 posi-
tion adjustments.
The adjustment for the lumbar
support is not in the stored in the
memory.< To store1 Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 2
2 Adjust for the preferred seat, exterior
mirror and steering wheel positions
3 Press the
M
EMORY button: The indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up
4 Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as de-
sired: The indicator lamp goes out.
380de032
To select a stored settingDriver's door open after unlocking or
ignition key in position 1:
>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.
With driver's door closed and ignition
key either removed or in position 0 or 2:
>Maintain pressure on desired mem-
ory button 1, 2 or 3 until the adjust-
ment 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 mov-
ing. There is a risk of accident from un-
expected movement of the seat or
steering wheel.<

55n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Airbags1 Front airbags for driver and
front passenger
2 Side impact head protection system
(front and rear
*)
3 Side airbags (front and rear side
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags supplement the three-
point safety belts by helping to provide
additional protection for the front-seat
occupants in the event of a severe fron-
tal collision in which the protection af-
forded by the belts alone may no longer
be sufficient. The head protection and
side airbags help provide protection in
the event of a severe collision from the
side. Each of the side airbags is de-
signed to help support the upper body.380de643
The illustration depicts schematically
the primary directions of vehicle impact
which initiate an airbag deployment.380de674
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates the
operational readiness of the air-
bag system from ignition key
positions 1 and 2.
System operational:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
then goes out.
System malfunction:
>The indicator lamp fails to come on
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
before going out and then lighting up
again.
A system malfunction could prevent the
system from responding to an impact
occurring within its normal response
range.
Please have your authorized BMW cen-
ter inspect and repair the system as
soon as possible.

59n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Steering/Ignition lock Starting engine0 Steering lock engagedThis is the only position in which the ig-
nition key can be inserted and removed.
An acoustic warning sounds when you
fail to remove the ignition key before
opening the driver's door.
After removing the key, turn the steer-
ing wheel slightly to the left or right until
you hear the lock engage.380de010
Your vehicle is equipped with an inter-
lock. For this reason, the ignition key
cannot be turned to position 0 and re-
moved until the selector lever is in posi-
tion P.
In addition, the selector lever is locked
in position P when the ignition key is in
position 0 or removed from the ignition
switch.
To move the selector lever out of P, the
ignition key must be turned at least to
position 2.1 Steering lock disengagedYou will find that it is often easier to turn
the ignition key from position 0 to posi-
tion 1 when you move the steering
wheel slightly to help disengage the
lock.
Individual electrical equipment and ac-
cessories are available for use.2 Ignition onAll electrical equipment and accesso-
ries are available for use.3 Starting engineBefore starting
>Press the parking brake pedal
>Place the selector lever of the auto-
matic transmission in P or N.
Do not allow the engine to run in
enclosed spaces. The exhaust
gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless, but highly toxic
gas. Breathing the exhaust gases poses
an extreme health risk, and can lead to
unconsciousness and death.
Never leave the car unattended with the
engine running, as such a vehicle repre-
sents a potential safety hazard.< Starting engine>Start the engine. Do not press the ac-
celerator pedal.
Your BMW is equipped with the
convenience starting feature.
Simply turn the key to position 3 (starter)
and then release it immediately.
The starter continues to operate auto-
matically until the engine starts.

61n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Parking brakeDepress the pedal. The "PARK BRAKE"
(in Canada "P") indicator lamp in the in-
strument cluster comes on when the ig-
nition key is in position 2.380de043
To release the brake, pull the handle.
Please remember that the brakes disen-
gage immediately.
The parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked, and operates against the rear
wheels.380de042
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, depress the pedal cautiously
and slowly while continuing to pull on
the release handle.
Excessive pressure on the pedal can
lead to overbraking and loss of traction
at the rear.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is applied.<
You can prevent corrosion from forming
on the separate parking brake drums
with an occasional gentle application of
the parking brake when stopping at
traffic lights.

73n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Energy control Fuel gaugeIndicates current fuel consumption in
mpg (in liters per 100 km on Canadian
vehicles). This instrument clearly
shows whether your current driving
style is conducive to economy and min-
imum exhaust emissions.
When the vehicle is stationary, the dis-
play goes to "Maximum" (zero on Cana-
dian models).380us005
When you switch on the ignition, the in-
dicator lamp comes on briefly to con-
firm that the system is operational.
If the indicator lamp stays on, there are
approx.
>BMW 740i/L 2.6 gallons (10 liters)
>BMW 750iL 3.2 gallons (12 liters)
remaining in the tank.
Tank capacity: Refer to page 197.
Certain operating conditions (such as
those encountered in mountainous ar-
eas) may cause the needle to fluctuate
slightly.380us006
Please refuel early, since driving
to the last drop of fuel can result in
damage to the engine and/or catalytic
converter.<

74n
Temperature gauge Service Interval DisplayBlueThe engine is still cold. Drive at moder-
ate engine and vehicle speeds.RedWhen you switch on the ignition, the
warning lamp comes on briefly to con-
firm that the system is operational.
Lights up while driving, or the message
"COOLANT TEMPERATURE” appears
in the Check Control: the engine is
overheated. Switch the engine off im-
mediately and allow it to cool down.380de007
Between the blue and red zonesNormal operating range. It is not un-
usual for the needle to rise as far as the
edge of the red zone in response to
high outside temperatures or severe
operating conditions.
Checking coolant level: Refer to
page 146.
Green lampsThe number of illuminated lamps de-
creases as the time for your next main-
tenance visit approaches.Yellow lampThis field appears together with
OILSERVICE or INSPECTION.
Maintenance is due. Please contact
your BMW center for an appointment.Red lampMaintenance is overdue.380us008

76n
Check ControlPriority 2
These alerts for problems are reported
for 20 seconds when the ignition key is
in position 2. The status reports remain
after the message disappears. You can
view the message again by pressing the
CHECK button.
>TRUNK LID OPEN
This message is given only when ini-
tially starting off.
>DOOR OPEN
This is displayed after a minimum
vehicle speed is exceeded.
>FASTEN SEAT BELTS
*
In addition, the indicator lamp with
the safety belt symbol appears and
an acoustic signal is heard.
>WASHER FLUID LOW
The washer fluid is too low. Top up
the fluid at the earliest opportunity.
Refer to page 142.
>CHECK ENGINE OIL
Add engine oil as soon as possible.
Refer to page 143.
>OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE 247
(–5.06)
This display is only an example. The
current reading appears at an outside
temperature of 37.57 (+36) and
below. Refer also to page 72.>TIRE PRESSURE SET
*
The RDC has imported the current in-
flation pressure in the tires as the tar-
get values which the system will
monitor.
Refer to page 94.
>CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
*
Check and correct the tire inflation
pressure to specifications at the earli-
est opportunity (next stop for fuel).
Refer to page 94.
>TIRE CHECK INACTIVE
*
A temporary interference of the RDC
or a system fault. Refer to page 95
>BRAKE LAMP CIRCUIT
A bulb has failed or the circuit has a
malfunction. Refer to pages 163, 176
or consult an authorized BMW center.
>CHECK LOWBEAMS
CHECK SIDE LAMPS
CHECK REAR LAMPS
CHECK FRONT FOGLAMPS
CHECK LICPLATE LAMP
CHECK TRAILER LIGHTS
CHECK HIGHBEAMS
CHECK BACKUP LAMPS
Defective bulb or circuit. Refer to
pages 163, 176 or consult an autho-
rized BMW center.
>TRANS. FAILSAFE PROG
Please consult the nearest authorized
BMW center. Refer to pages 64, 67.>CHECK BRAKE LININGS
Have the brake pads inspected by
your BMW center. Refer to page 126.
>REMOTE KEY BATTERY
Change the battery. Refer to
page 168.
>CHECK COOLANT LEVEL
The coolant is too low. Top up at the
next opportunity. Refer to page 146.
>ENGINE FAILSAFE PROG
Fault in the Electronic Engine Power
Control EML. When braking, higher
brake application pressure may be
necessary and brake pedal travel may
be significantly longer.
Please have the system inspected by
your authorized BMW center.

77n
RepairsIndexOverview Controls Car care Technology Data
Check ControlDisplays after completion of tripAll of the malfunctions registered during
the trip appear consecutively when the
ignition key is turned to position 0.
One of the following displays may ap-
pear:
>LIGHTS ON
>KEY IN IGNITION LOCK
>CHECK ENGINE OIL LEV
Add engine oil at the next opportunity
(next stop for fuel). Refer to page 14 3.
This message appears when you open
the driver's door after parking the vehi-
cle. A supplementary gong is also
heard.
Even if the ignition key has been re-
moved and the display has gone off,
you can still retrieve these messages
with CHECK button (1) for approx. three
minutes after completion of your trip. If
there are multiple messages, continue
to press the CHECK button.
To monitor the Check ControlWith the ignition key in position 2, press
CHECK button (1):
CHECK CONTROL OK appears in the
display.
In this case, there are no faults in the
systems which are monitored.

92n
ASC+T/DSC
*
Automatic Stability Control plus
Traction (ASC+T)/Dynamic
Stability Control (DSC)
*
These systems help provide additional
dynamic stability, particularly when ac-
celerating and cornering.
The DSC system enhances the benefits
of the ASC+T. In addition to optimizing
vehicle stability and traction when ac-
celerating or starting from a standstill,
another benefit is realized in cornering
stability. Of course, this is subject to the
limits imposed by the laws of physics.
The system activates automatically
each time you start the engine.380de621
Indicator lamp
The indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster goes out shortly af-
ter you switch on the ignition.
Refer to page 21.
Indicator lamp flashes:
The system is actively regulating drive
torque in response to monitored vehicle
operating conditions.
If the indicator lamp fails to go out after
the engine is started, or if it comes on
during normal driving:
If the system has not been deactivated,
there is a system malfunction. The vehi-
cle remains operational, but without
ASC+T/DSC. Consult your authorized
BMW center for repair.
To deactivate the systemPress the button. The indicator lamp
will come on.
Depending on equipment options, the
button is marked with ASC or DSC.
With deactivated ASC+T/DSC you are
driving with conventional, unregulated
torque transfer.
We recommend that you deactivate the
system for increased traction:
>When rocking the vehicle or starting
off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
>or when driving with snow chains.
Refer also to page 129.To reactivate the systemPress the button again; the indicator
lamp goes out.
The laws of physics cannot be re-
pealed, even with ASC+T/DSC.
Any consequences arising from traction
loss due to excessive vehicle speed re-
main the responsibility of the driver. For
this reason, do not take risks, using the
additional safety margin provided by the
system as an excuse.<
For additional details concerning
ASC+T/DSC, please refer to the chap-
ter describing "Advanced technology"
on page 185.