light BMW M3 COUPE 2001 E46 User Guide

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
For maximum safety when adjusting the
seat position, please observe the
following:
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with unexpected move-
ment, and the ensuing loss of vehicle
control could lead to an accident.
Be sure that the safety belt remains
firmly against your body at all times. In
the event of a frontal impact, a loose lap
belt could slide over the hips, leading to
abdominal injury. In addition, the safety
belt's restraint effectiveness is reduced
if the belt is worn loosely.
Never ride with the backrest reclined to
an extreme angle (especially important
for the front passenger to remember). If
you do so, there is a risk that you will
slide under the safety belt in an acci-
dent, thus reducing the protection
provided by the safety belt.<
Correct sitting posture To reduce strain on your 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. You
should be able to grasp the steering
wheel at its highest point with your
arms slightly bent.
After a seat adjustment, adjust the
height of the safety belt also. Refer to
page 55. 1 Longitudinal adjustment
Pull the lever and slide the seat to the
desired position.
After releasing the lever, apply pres-
sure to the cushion to ensure that the
seat engages securely.
2 Cushion height
Pull the lever and apply weight to or
remove weight from the seat as
required.
Seat adjustment Mechanical seat

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MirrorsInterior rearview mirror with
automatic dimming featureBy responding to the effects of ambient
light and the glare from following traffic,
this mirror automatically dims through
an infinitely variable range.
The mirror switches to its clear,
undimmed mode whenever you shift
into reverse.
There are two photocells for automatic
dimming. One photocell (arrow) is posi-
tioned in the mirror's glass, while the
other is slightly offset on the opposite
side of the mirror. For further informa-
tion regarding the mirror's electro-
chromic technology, refer to page 161.
For the mirror to function properly, keep
the photocells clean and the area
between the inside rearview mirror and
the windshield free of any obstruction,
such as stickers etc.
Sun visorsThe sun visors can be folded down
toward the windshield or swiveled out
against the side windows.Lighted vanity mirror
*
Fold down the sun visor and slide the
cover panel to the side as required.
The mirror lamps operate from ignition
key position 1 on.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Seat and mirror memoryYou can store and recall three different
driver's seat and outside mirror posi-
tions. The illustration shows the buttons
located on the side of the seat.
The memory will not retain the
adjustments made to the lumbar
supports or the width of the back-
rests.<
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 remains 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 Maintain pressure on the desired
memory button 1, 2 or 3, until the
adjustment process is completed.
Your can have your vehicle's
systems adjusted 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 a rearward movement of
the seat.<

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Airbags 1 Front airbags on the driver and
passenger sides
2 Side impact Head Protection System
on the driver's side (front)
3 Side airbags on the driver and
passenger sides (front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags provide additional
protection for the front-seat occupants
in the event of a severe frontal collision
on which the protection afforded by the
belts alone may no longer be sufficient.
The side impact Head Protection
System and the side airbags help
provide protection in the event of a
collision from the side. Each of the side
airbags is designed to help support the
occupant's upper body.
The side airbags in the rear
passenger area
* of your vehicle
may already have been deactivated
either at the time of manufacture or by a
BMW center. You may have them acti-
vated if you desire to do so. Please
contact your BMW center for additional
information.<
The illustration schematically depicts
the primary directions of vehicle impact
that initiate an airbag deployment.
The airbags will not be triggered in
the event of a minor accident, a
vehicle roll-over or collisions from the
rear.<
Functional status
The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster shows the airbag
system status starting in ignition
key position 1.
Indicator lamp displays:
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
then goes out: system operational
>The indicator lamp fails to come on:
system malfunction
>The indicator lamp comes on briefly
before going out, and then lights up
again: system malfunction.
If there is a system malfunction, there is
a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
gered within their normal response
range, even if the level of impact would
normally have triggered them.
Have the system checked by a BMW
center immediately.
The airbag indicator lamp also
comes on if the safety belt
tensioners have been triggered.<

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0 Steering locked
1 Steering unlocked
2 Ignition switched on
3 Starting the engine
Steering locked The key can be inserted or removed in
this position only.
To lock the steering column after you
have removed the key, turn the steering
wheel until you hear it lock.
If the key is not removed, an acoustic
signal sounds after the driver's door
has been opened.
Steering unlocked Individual electrical accessories are
ready for operation.
You 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. Ignition switched onAll electrical equipment and accesso-
ries are available for use. 1 Engage the parking brake
2 Put manual-shift gear lever in idling
position
3 Step on the clutch pedal
4 Turn the key to position 3 to start the
engine.
Do not actuate the starter for too short
a time. Do not turn it for more than
approx. 20 seconds. Release the igni-
tion key immediately when the engine
starts.
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.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running. An unat-
tended vehicle with a running engine
represents a potential safety hazard.<
Do not allow the engine to warm
up by leaving it running while the
vehicle remains stationary. Instead,
begin driving immediately at a
moderate engine speed.<
Steering/Ignition lock Starting the engine

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Starting the engine Switching off engine Parking brake If the engine does not start on the first
attempt (if the engine is very hot or
cold, for instance):
>Press the accelerator pedal halfway
down while engaging the starter.
Cold starts at very low temperatures,
starting at about +5 7 (Ð15 6) and
at high altitudes over 3,300 ft
(1,000 meters):
>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.
Engine idle speed is controlled by the
engine computer system. Increased
speeds at startup are normal and
should decrease as the engine warms
up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from
discharging, always deactivate elec-
trical devices that are not in use. Switch
the ignition off when the vehicle is not
being driven.Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Do not remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is still moving. If
you do so, the steering will lock, making
it impossible to steer the vehicle.
When you leave the vehicle, always
remove the ignition key and engage
the steering lock.
Set the parking brake when parking on
steep hills, because under certain
conditions, putting the vehicle into first
gear or reverse may not be enough to
prevent it from rolling away.
The power assist is not available when
the engine is not on. This means that
more effort is required to apply the
brakes.<
The parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates against the rear
wheels. To engageThe lever engages automatically, the
indicator lamp in the instrument panel
comes on when the ignition key is in
position 2. Refer to page 21.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button (arrow) and lower the lever.

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Parking brake Manual transmission
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull the lever with
excessive pressure. Keep your thumb
pressed against the release button
while carefully pulling the lever up to
apply moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear axle.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is engaged.
Set the parking brake when parking on
steep hills, because under certain
conditions, putting the vehicle into first
gear or reverse may not be enough to
prevent it from rolling away.<
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.
The shift lever's neutral plane is located
between 3rd and 4th gear.
When shifting from each gear into
"Neutral," the shift lever automatically
springs back to the gear lever's home
position.
When shifting gears in the
5th/6th-gear plane, be sure to
press the gear lever to the right in order
to prevent inadvertent selection of a
gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the clutch.
Use the parking brake instead. Riding
the clutch causes the clutch assembly
to wear out sooner.<
Reverse Select only when the vehicle is
stationary. Press the shift lever to the
left to overcome the resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
turn on automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
Washer/Wiper system Rear window defroster Cruise control Do not use the washers when the reser-
voir is empty, since this could cause
damage to the washer pump. *
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 jetsThe windshield washer jets are warmed
automatically when the ignition key is in
position 2.
To activatePress the button: as long as the indi-
cator lamp remains on, the rear window
defroster continues at high output
(rapid thaw).
After the indicator lamp goes out, the
defroster continues operating at
reduced power for a limited period
before deactivating automatically. To deactivateIf the indicator lamp is still on, press the
button.
Starting at about 20 mph (30 km/h), you
can maintain and store any vehicle
speed that you specify.
You can use cruise control whenever
the system is active while the engine is
running.
1 Accelerate and store
2 Decelerate and store
3 Activate/interrupt/deactivate the
system
4 Recall the stored speed.To activate the system From ignition key position 2.
Press switch 3 and the indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster (refer to page 22)
will come on. You can now use the
cruise control.

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Fuel gauge Coolant temperature gauge Once 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 169.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies (when you
are driving in mountainous areas, for
example), the needle may fluctuate
slightly.
Please refuel early, since driving
to the last drop of fuel can result in
damage to the engine and/or catalytic
converter.<
When the ignition is turned on, the indi-
cator lamp in the fuel display will light
up briefly as a functional check.
BlueThe engine is still cold. Drive at
moderate engine and vehicle speeds. RedTo check the function, the warning
lamp in the coolant temperature gauge
will light up briefly when the ignition is
turned on.
If the lamp comes on while operating
the vehicle, the engine has overheated.
Switch the engine off immediately and
allow it to cool down.
Checking coolant level, refer to
page 125.
Between the blue and red zonesNormal operating range. It is not
unusual for the needle to rise as far as
the edge of the red zone in response to
high outside temperatures or severe
operating conditions.

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IndexDataTechnologyRepairsCar careControlsOverview
The conceptThe PDC assists you when you back
into a parking space. A signal warns
you of the distance to an obstacle. To
do this, four ultrasonic sensors in the
rear bumper measure the distance to
the nearest object. The range for the
sensors located at both rear corners
ends approx. 2 ft (60 cm) behind the
bumpers. The range for the two middle
sensors is slightly less than 4.9 ft
(1.50 meters).
The system is activated automatically
about one second after you engage
reverse with the ignition key in posi-
tion 2. PDC is deactivated when you
shift back out of reverse.
Acoustic signalsThe distance to the nearest object is
indicated by a tone sounding at various
intervals. As the distance between
vehicle and object decreases, the inter-
vals between the tones become
shorter. A continuous tone indicates the
presence of an object less than 1 ft.
(30 cm) away.
The warning signal is canceled after
approx. three seconds if the distance to
the obstacle remains constant during
this time (if you are moving parallel to a
wall, for instance).
System malfunctions will be indicated
by a continuous high-pitched tone
when the system is activated the first
time. Please have your BMW center
resolve the problem.The PDC does not remove the
driver's personal responsibility for
evaluating the distance between the
vehicle and any obstacles. Even when
sensors are involved, there is a blind
spot in which objects cannot be
detected. This applies especially in
those cases where the system
approaches the physical limits of ultra-
sonic measurement, as occurs with tow
bars and trailer couplings, and in the
vicinity of thin and painted objects.
Certain sources of sound, such as a
loud radio, could drown the PDC signal
tone.<
Keep the sensors clean and free
of ice or snow in order to ensure
that they continue to operate effec-
tively.
Do not apply high pressure spray to the
sensors for a prolonged period of time.
Always maintain a distance of more
than 4 in (10 cm). <
Park Distance Control (PDC)
*