ECU BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE 2001 E46 User Guide

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Luggage compartment Fold up the floor panel and attach1 Grab handle and pull up
2 Press the button (arrow) to release
the attachment fitting from the handle
3 Hook the attachment fitting to the
rubber weatherstrip (arrow).
Carefully replace the hanger in its
holder when lowering the floor
panel back into place.<
Enlarging the luggage
compartmentWith the convertible top closed, you
can enlarge the luggage compartment.
To do this, flip the handle outward and
press it down and toward the front of
the vehicle (arrow). The convertible top
compartment base is now raised and
secured.Folding down the convertible top
compartment baseTo open the convertible top the base of
the convertible top compartment must
be folded down. To do this, fold out the
handle and pull it toward the rear of the
vehicle.

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Luggage compartment Alarm system
*
When opening the convertible top,
refer to page 45, make sure that
the luggage compartment is set up
properly, as otherwise damage may
occur.<
The conceptThe vehicle alarm system responds:
>When a door, the hood or the
luggage compartment lid is opened
>To movement inside the vehicle (inte-
rior motion sensor)
>Altering the vehicle tilt angle, e. g. as
would occur while attempting to steal
the wheels or tow the vehicle (tilt
alarm sensor)
>To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized
vehicle entry and attempted theft by
simultaneously activating the following:
>Sounding an acoustical alarm for
30 seconds
>The hazard warning flashers are acti-
vated for approx. five minutes
>The high beams flash on and off in
the same rhythm.
To activate and deactivate the
alarm systemWhen the vehicle is locked or unlocked
by using a key or with the remote
control, the alarm system is also simul-
taneously armed or disarmed.
The interior motion sensor is activated
approx. 30 seconds after you have
locked the vehicle.
If the alarm system has been armed
correctly, the hazard warning flashers
flash once.
You can have a signal set as
acknowledgment for both setting
and deactivating the alarm.<
You can also open the luggage
compartment lid when the system is
armed by pressing button 3 of the
remote control (refer to page 37). When
it is closed, the lid is once again
secured.

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Seat and mirror memoryYou can store and recall three different
driver's seat and outside mirror posi-
tions.
Memory will not retain the adjust-
ments made to the lumbar
supports.<
If you press the
M
EMORY button acci-
dentally: press the button again; the
indicator lamp goes out.
To store1 Turn the key to ignition key position
1 or 2.
2 Adjust your seat and outside mirrors
to the desired position.
3 Press the
M
EMORY button: the indi-
cator lamp in the button lights up.
4 Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as
desired: indicator lamp goes out.To select a stored setting
Do not select a memory position
while the vehicle is moving. If you
do so, there is a risk of accident from
unexpected seat movement.<
Convenience function:
1 The driver's door is open after
unlocking or the ignition key is in
position 1.
2 Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3,
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when
one of the seat-adjustment or
memory 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.
Your BMW center can adjust your
vehicle's systems in such a
manner that your personalized settings
are automatically set for the seat and
outside mirror positions when you
unlock the vehicle with your personal
remote control.<
If you make use of this method of
adjustment, be sure that the foot-
well behind the driver's seat is unob-
structed before unlocking the vehicle. If
you fail to do so, any persons or objects
behind the seat could be injured or
damaged by rearward movement of the
seat.<

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Safety belts Transporting children safelywhere it will not exert pressure against
the abdominal area.
Leave the rear safety belts in the
holders, if they are not needed, to avoid
unwanted movement from the safety
belts at high speeds.< Safety belt height adjustmentThe front safety belts automatically
adjust to your height based on the
height adjustment of the head
restraints, refer to page 51.
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 addi-
tion, have your BMW center inspect the
safety belt anchors. If a child restraint
system was in the vehicle during an
accident, consult the manufacturer's
instructions regarding replacement.<
Child restraint systems
*
Never install a rearward-facing
child restraint device in the front
passenger's seat. If the airbag is trig-
gered, any child in a rear-facing
restraint located within the airbag's
deployment range could sustain serious
injuries.
Children should always travel in the rear
seats, where they should be secured in
a suitable child restraint device
attached to the safety belts in the
outboard positions.
Do not use the center belts to secure a
child restraint unless the two outboard
positions are already occupied, and a
third safety seat is needed.
Never attempt to modify or change a
child restraint device in any way, as
tampering could reduce the protection
it provides in an accident.<
Commercially available child seats
complying with the legal standard are
designed to be secured with a lap belt
or with the lap belt portion of a combi-
nation lap/shoulder belt. Improperly or
inadequately installed restraint systems
can increase the risk of injury to chil-
dren. Always read and follow the
instructions that come with the system.
If you use a child restraint system with a
tether strap, two additional tether
anchorage points (refer to the arrows in
the illustration) have been provided.
They are located under the convertible
top compartment lid.
Depending on the location selected for
seating in the rear passenger area,
attach the tether strap to the corre-
sponding anchorage point to secure the
child restraint system.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Transporting children safelyLift the head restraint and pass the
tether strap between the headrest and
the seat back.
Adjust the tether strap according to the
child restraint manufacturer's instruc-
tions.
Before installing any child restraint
device or child seat, please read
the following:
Never install a rear-facing child restraint
system in the front passenger seat of
this vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
supplemental restraint system for the
front passenger. Because the backrest
on any rear-facing child restraint
system (of the kind designed for infants
under 1 year and 20 - 30 lbs/9 - 14 kg)
would be within the airbag's deploy-
ment range, you should never mount
such a device in the front passenger
seat, as the impact of the airbag against
the child restraint's backrest could lead
to serious or fatal injuries.
If it is necessary for a child (not an
infant) to ride in the front seat, certain
precautions should be taken. First,
move the passenger seat as far away
from the dashboard as possible. This
important precaution is intended to
maximize the distance between the
airbag and the child. Older children
should be tightly secured with the
safety belt.
Younger children should be secured in
an appropriate forward-facing child
restraint system that has first been
properly secured with a safety belt.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint
system in the front passenger seat.
We strongly urge you to carefully read
and comply with the instructions for
installation and use provided by the
child restraint's manufacturer when-
ever you use such a device.
Always ensure that all occupants (of all
ages) remain properly and securely
restrained at all times.c
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
meet the recommendations of SAE
J1819, an industry recommended stan-
dard for securing child restraint
systems in motor vehicles.
LATCH attachment for child seatThe brackets for the LATCH child
restraint system are not visible from the
outside and are located at the points
marked with the arrows.
Carefully press the brackets through
the seam between backrest and seat
upholstery at the locations indicated.
To mount the LATCH child
restraint system, please follow the
manufacturer's operating and safety
precautions.c
Leave the rear safety belts in the
holders, if they are not needed, to
avoid unwanted movement from the
safety belts at high speeds.c

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Transporting children safelyChild seat securityAll of the rear belt retractors and the
front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing child
restraint systems.
A label with the appropriate instructions
for this is located in the immediate
vicinity of the buckle latch of each
safety belt.
To lock the safety beltExtract the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
reel to retract the belt somewhat and
engage the buckle, then tighten the belt
against the child restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.
The belt cannot be extracted further.
Always comply with the installation
instructions provided by the manufac-
turer of the child restraint system.
To unlock the safety beltRelease the safety belt, remove the
child's seat and retract the safety belt
to its end position on the belt retractor.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Ski bag
*
5 Secure the cover panel on the rear
panel with the magnetic retainers and
pull out the ski bag.
Securing the load
Secure the skis or other objects in
the bag by tightening the strap
with the buckle.<
Please be sure that your skis are clean
before loading them into the bag. Avoid
damage from sharp edges during
loading.
Stowing the ski bagWhen stowing the ski bag, proceed in
the reverse order of loading.
When remounting the center
piece, guide the two bars into the
strip and press back the center piece.
Secure the safety belts in their holders
again.<

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Cargo loading
Always position and secure the
load correctly. If you do not, it can
endanger the passengers during
braking or evasive maneuvers.
Do not exceed the permissible gross
weight and axle load (refer to
page 180), otherwise the vehicle's
operating safety is no longer assured
and you are in violation of the law.
Do not stow heavy or hard objects in
the passenger compartment without
first securing them. Otherwise they
would be thrown around during braking
and evasive maneuvers and endanger
the occupants.<
Stowing cargo If you are transporting a load in your
BMW:
>Load heavy cargo as far forward as
possible – directly behind the back-
rests or the luggage compartment
partition – and as low as possible.
>Cover sharp edges and corners.
With the convertible top closed
you can increase the size of the
luggage compartment, refer to page 41,
by folding up the convertible top
compartment base.
It is advisable to always fold down the
convertible top compartment base as
soon as you have removed your load
from the luggage compartment. This
way, you can be sure that you can
always operate the convertible top at
any time.
Conversely, when the convertible top is
closed, raise the convertible top
compartment base before stowing your
cargo in the luggage compartment to
avoid any damage to the convertible
top compartment or your load.<

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Cargo loading Roof-mounted luggage rack for the hardtop
*
Securing the cargo in the luggage
compartment >Secure smaller and lighter pieces
with a luggage compartment net
* or
tensioning straps (refer to page 40)
>For large, heavy pieces, see your
BMW center for load-securing
devices
*. Lashing eyes (arrow) are
provided at the corners of the
luggage compartment for attaching
these load-securing devices.
Comply with the information enclosed
with the load-securing devices.
A special roof-rack system is available
for your BMW as an optional extra.
Please comply with the precautions
included with the installation instruc-
tions.Anchorage pointsAccess to the anchors:
To fold up the cover (arrow), please use
the tool provided with the roof-rack
system.Loading and driving notesBecause roof racks raise the center of
gravity of the vehicle when loaded, they
exercise a major effect on its handling
and steering response.
When loading, be sure to remember not
to exceed the approved roof weight or
the approved gross vehicle weight or
the axle loads. You will find the specifi-
cations under "Technical Data" on
page 180.
Make sure that the load is not too
heavy, and attempt to distribute it
evenly. Always load the heaviest pieces
first (on the bottom). Make sure that no
objects get in the way when the
luggage compartment lid is opening or
closing.
Secure the roof luggage correctly and
tightly to prevent it from shifting or
being lost during driving (danger to
following traffic).
Drive smoothly and avoid sudden
acceleration or braking. Do not corner
at high speeds.
The luggage rack and roof luggage
increase the amount of surface
exposed to the wind: increased fuel
consumption and additional stresses on
the vehicle's body result from this.

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Antilock Brake System (ABS)The concept ABS helps prevent the wheels from
locking while braking, thereby
enhancing active driving safety. This is
because locked wheels are dangerous.
When the front wheels slide, the driver
loses steering control over the vehicle.
Traction loss at the rear wheels can
cause the rear end to break into an
uncontrolled skid.
Under any given road conditions, ABS
can brake the vehicle within the
shortest possible distance and with the
greatest possible driving stability (on
straight-aways and curves, asphalt, ice,
wet road surfaces, etc.).
ABS is designed to meet two essential
requirements during every brake appli-
cation:
>To help provide vehicle stability
>To help maintain steering control and
maneuverability – on all types of road
surfaces (asphalt, concrete, mud, wet
road surfaces, snow, ice).
Braking with ABSThe system is operative once the
vehicle exceeds a speed of approx.
6 mph (10 km/h). The ABS is deacti-
vated whenever the vehicle's speed
drops back below approx. 4 mph
(6 km/h). This means that the wheels
can lock in the final phase of a panic
stop – a factor of no significance in
actual use.
If you are in a situation that requires full
braking, you will exploit the full benefits
of the ABS system if you apply
maximum pedal pressure ("panic stop").
Do not let up on the brake pedal even
after it starts pulsating. Since the
vehicle maintains steering response,
you retain the ability to avoid obstacles
using careful steering inputs.
The ABS system's closed-loop control
circuit cycles in fractions of a second.
Pulsation at the brake pedal shows you
that ABS is active and that you are thus
approaching the limits of the brake
system's effective response range. In
addition, a pulsation – a result of the
control function cycles – indicates to
the driver that vehicle speed should be
reduced to adapt to road surface condi-
tions when there is reduced traction and grip between tires and road surface
(slippery road surface).
On road surfaces with a loose surface
layer over a firm base, e.g. on gravel or
snow, as well as when driving with
snow chains on, braking distances may
be longer than with the wheels locked.
However, ABS continues to provide
enhanced vehicle stability and steering
response under these conditions.
Information for your safetyNot even ABS can suspend the laws of
physics. The consequences of brake
applications with inadequate clear-
ances for safety between vehicles,
excessive speed or if aquaplaning
occurs are always the responsibility of
the driver. You should never allow the
added safety of ABS to lull you into a
false sense of security, or mislead you
into taking risks that could affect your
own safety and that of others.
Do not make any modifications to
the ABS system.
Service procedures on ABS are to be
performed by authorized technicians
only.<