ESP BMW M6 CONVERTIBLE 2002 User Guide

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Alarm system Electric power windowsInterior motion sensorIn order for the interior motion sensor to
function properly, the windows and
sliding/tilt sunroof must be completely
closed.
Nevertheless, you should deactivate
the interior motion sensor (refer to
"Avoiding unintentional alarms") if you
>leave children or animals in the
vehicle
>intend to leave the windows or
sliding/tilt sunroof open.
To open and close windowsFrom ignition key position 1:
>Depress the rocker switch until you
feel resistance:
The window continues moving for as
long as you maintain pressure on the
switch
>Press the rocker switch beyond the
resistance point:
The window moves automatically.
Press the switch a second time to
stop the window.390de055
After the ignition has been switched off:
>You can still operate the windows as
long as neither of the front doors has
been opened. To open the window,
press the switch beyond the resis-
tance point.
When leaving the vehicle, always
extract the ignition key from the
lock and remember to close the doors
to prevent children from operating the
power windows and injuring them-
selves, etc.<
For the convenience mode via the door
lock or the remote control, refer to
pages 33 or 35.Safety featureA contact strip is integrated into the
inner side of each of the upper window
frame sections. If pressure is exerted
against this contact strip while a
window is being raised, the system will
respond by stopping the window and
then retracting it a small distance.

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Electric power windows
Despite this safety feature, be
extremely careful that the closing
path of the window is not obstructed.
Otherwise, an object might not touch
the contact strip in some situations
(very thin objects, for instance).
You can override this safety feature by
pressing the switch beyond the resis-
tance point and holding it.
Because the power windows are sealed
at high pressure to prevent wind noise
when closed, a powerful motor is
required for efficient closing. When
closing the windows, always ensure
that they are not obstructed in any way.
Unsupervised use of these systems can
result in serious personal injury.
Remove the ignition key to deactivate
the electric power windows whenever
you leave the vehicle. Never leave the
keys in the vehicle with unsupervised
children. Never place anything that
could obstruct the driver's vision on or
next to the windows.<
Safety switchWith the safety switch, you can prevent
the rear windows from being opened or
closed via the switch in the rear
passenger area (by children, for
example).
Press the safety switch whenever
children are riding in the rear of
the vehicle. Careless use of the power
windows can lead to injury.< 390de693

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Sliding/tilt sunroof
*
Despite this safety feature, be
extremely careful that the travel
path of the sunroof is not obstructed
whenever it is closed. Remember that
the safety mechanism may not be able
to detect obstructions under all circum-
stances (with very thin objects, for
instance). You can disable this safety
feature by pressing the switch beyond
the pressure point and holding it.<
Sliding/tilt sunroof with glass
moonroof
*
The options and control procedures are
essentially the same as those previ-
ously described for the sliding/tilt
sunroof. In order to open the raised
roof, press the control switch towards
"Open" and maintain pressure until the
roof has reached the desired position.
The headliner insert slides back some-
what when you raise the sunroof, and
retracts along with the sunroof panel
when you slide it back. The insert then
remains open, and you can slide it back
and forth to adjust it whenever the
sunroof is not fully retracted.
Interruption in the electrical
supplyAfter interruptions in the electrical
supply (when the battery is discon-
nected, for instance), the sunroof may
only lift. To reinitialize the mechanism:
1. Raise the sliding/tilt sunroof fully
2. Press and hold the switch for approx
twenty seconds.390de725
Manual operationIn the event of an electrical malfunction,
you can also operate the sliding/tilt
sunroof manually:
1. Remove the interior lamp, then reach
into the exposed opening and press
out the cover
2. Use the Allen key from the onboard
tool kit (refer to page 150) to turn the
sliding/tilt sunroof in the desired
direction.390de376

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For relaxed and fatigue-free driving you
should select a sitting position that
reflects your personal requirements.
Correct posture combines with safety
belts and airbags to enhance occupant
safety in the event of an accident. To
ensure that the vehicle's safety systems
provide you with optimal protection, we
request that you direct your careful
attention to the following section.
For additional information on trans-
porting children, refer to page 61.
Sitting correctly with airbags
Always maintain an adequate
distance between yourself and the
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel
by the rim to keep any chance of injury
to hands or arms to an absolute
minimum should the airbag be
deployed. Never allow any objects,
individuals or animals to obstruct the
areas between passengers and airbags.
Never use the front airbag's cover as a
storage tray or support for objects of
any kind. Never allow front passengers
to rest their feet or legs on the airbag
cover.<
For airbag locations and additional
information on airbags refer to page 58.
Safe with safety belts
Never allow more than one person
to wear a single safety belt. Never
allow infants or small children to ride in
a passenger's lap. Avoid twisting the
belt while routing it firmly across the
pelvis and shoulder, wear it as snugly
against your body as possible. Do not
allow the belt to rest against hard or
fragile objects in your pockets. Do not
route the belt across your neck, or run it
across sharp edges. Avoid wearing
bulky clothing and pull on the lap belt
periodically to retention it over your
shoulders. 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 it 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 pres-
sure against the abdominal area.<
For information on using the safety
belts refer to page 53.
When adjusting your seat, always
observe the following precautions
Never try to adjust your seat while
operating the vehicle. The seat
could respond with an unexpected
movement, and the ensuing loss of
vehicle control could lead to an acci-
dent. Never ride with the backrest
reclined to an extreme horizontal angle
(important for front passengers to
remember), otherwise, there is a risk
that you will slide under the safety belt
in an accident, thus negating the
protection the safety belt provides.
Do not move the seats to the rear when
the vehicle is at an extreme angle (on
garage ramps or steep slopes, for
example). If you do so, the automatic
safety belt height adjustment can be
disengaged.<
Seat adjustment>Manually-adjusted seat, refer to
page 49
>Electric power seats, refer to page 50
>Head restraints, refer to page 52
>BMW active seat, refer to page 52
Correct sitting posture Seats

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Mirrors AirbagsInterior and exterior mirrors with
automatic dimming feature
*
These mirrors automatically respond to
glare from following vehicles by
dimming through an infinitely-variable
range. The mirrors automatically revert
to their clear, undimmed setting when-
ever you select reverse.
The dimming function is regulated by
two photocells; one is integrated in the
mirror's lens (arrow), while the other is
located at an offset position on the rear
of the mirror.
To ensure that the mirror continues to
operate efficiently, ensure that the
photocells remain clear and unob-
structed. Refrain from attaching
stickers to the windshield in the area
immediately in front of the mirror.390de031
1 Front airbags on the driver and
passenger sides
2 Head protection airbags on driver
and passenger side (front and rear
*)
3 Side airbags on driver and passenger
side (front and rear
*)
Protective effectThe front airbags protect the driver and
passenger in the event of a head-on
collision where the protection provided
by the safety belt alone would not be
adequate. The head protection airbags
and side airbags help provide protec-
tion in the event of a collision from the
side. Each of the side airbags is
designed to help support the upper
body.380de643
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.c
For information on the correct sitting
position, refer to page 48.
The airbags will not be triggered in
the event of a minor accident, a
vehicle rollover or a collision from the
rear.<

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Airbags
Never apply stickers or adhesive-
backed objects of any kind to the
airbag covers. Never attempt to reup-
holster the covers or modify them in any
way. If the airbags deploy in response
to an accident, if you note any signs of
system malfunction, or if you wish to
have any parts of the airbag passenger-
restraint system deactivated, always
contact your BMW center, to whom we
strongly urge you to entrust all testing,
repair and dismantling operations.
Never attempt to modify or tamper with
either the system's electrical wiring or
any of its individual components.
System components include the uphol-
stered surfaces on the steering wheel,
instrument panel, the trim panels on the
front and rear doors (with rear airbags)
and the roof braces as well as the sides
of the headliner above the doors.
Never attempt to remove or dismantle
the steering wheel.
To ensure compliance with official
safety regulations, always entrust
disposal of airbag generators to your
BMW center. Attempts to carry out
service procedures undertaken by
anyone other than specially-trained
professionals can result in system
failure or undesired airbag deployment,
both of which can lead to personal
injury. If the airbags deploy in response
to an accident, always remember to
avoid all contact with system compo-
nents, as they are hot and can cause
burns in the period immediately
following deployment.<
All vehicle occupants should
always sit upright and be properly
restrained (infants and small children in
appropriate child-restraint systems;
larger children and adults using the
safety belts). Never let an occupant's
head rest near or on a side airbag: the
inflating airbag could cause a serious or
fatal injury. Please note that the word
"Airbag" imprinted on the door trim
panel indicates the airbag's location.
Accident research shows that the
safest place for children in an automo-
bile is in the rear seat. However, a child
sitting in the rear seat and not properly
restrained may place his or her head on
or near the side airbag, if installed. For
example, a child Ð even though belted Ð
may fall asleep with his or her head
against the side airbag. It may be diffi-
cult for a driver to ensure that children
in the rear seat will remain properly
positioned at all times and do not place
their heads on or near the side airbag.
Therefore, we recommend that the
rear-seat side airbags, if provided, be
deactivated if you plan to transport chil-
dren in the rear seat.
The rear-seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW
center. Labels in the rear door opening
should indicate the status of your rear-
seat side airbags. If you are uncertain of
their status, or wish to have the airbags
activated or deactivated, please
contact your BMW center.<
Even when all these guidelines are
followed, there is still a small residual
risk of injuries to the face, hands and
arms occurring in isolated instances.
The ignition and inflation noise may
provoke a mild temporary hearing loss
in extremely sensitive individuals.
Airbag warning information is also
provided on the sun visors.

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AirbagsThis is the right way for a child to sit in a
child restraint when rear side airbags
(arrow) are provided.380de637
This is the right way for a larger child to
sit wearing the safety belt when rear
side airbags (arrow) are provided.380de638
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp indicates the
operational status of the airbag
system from ignition key posi-
tion 1.
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.
Please respond to any malfunctions in
the system by immediately having it
inspected at your BMW center; other-
wise the airbag could fail to respond to
an accident in which both the angle and
the severity of the impact would
normally trigger airbag deployment.

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Transporting children safelyCommercially-available child-restraint
systems are designed to be secured
with a lap belt or with the lap belt
portion of a combination lap/shoulder
belt. Improperly or inadequately
installed restraint systems can increase
the risk of injury to children. Always
read and follow the instructions that
come with the system.380us123
If you use a child-restraint system with
a tether strap, three additional tether
anchorage points (refer to the arrows Ð
the illustration shows the sport wagon)
have been provided. Depending on the
location selected for seating in the rear
passenger area, attach the tether strap
to the corresponding anchorage point
to secure the child-restraint system.
Remove the cover first on the middle
location.
If the respective seating position is
fitted with a headrest, lift the headrest
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.392au001
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 Ibs./9 kg) would be
within the airbag's deployment range,
you should never mount such a device
in the front passenger seat, since 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.

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Switching off the engine Parking brakeTurn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
Do not remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is rolling. The
steering locks, making it impossible to
steer the vehicle.
Always remove the ignition key and
engage the steering lock before leaving
the vehicle.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on hills and inclined
surfaces, as first gear or reverse may
not provide adequate resistance to
rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
The vehicle must be stationary and the
selector lever in "Park" before you can
remove the ignition key.
The parking brake is primarily designed
to prevent the vehicle from rolling while
parked. It operates on the rear wheels.To engageThe lever engages automatically and
the "PARK BRAKE" or "BRAKE" (in
Canada "P") indicator lamp comes on in
the instrument cluster in ignition key
position 2. Refer to pages 19 and 20.To releasePull up slightly on the lever, press the
button and lower the lever.390de714
If, in exceptional circumstances, it
should be necessary to engage
the parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull it with excessive
pressure. Keep your thumb pressed
against the release button while care-
fully pulling up the lever to apply
moderate pressure.
Excessive pressure can lead to over-
braking and loss of traction (fishtailing)
at the rear.
The brake lamps do not come on when
the parking brake is applied.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on hills and inclined
surfaces, as first gear or reverse may
not provide adequate resistance to
rolling.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
You can help prevent corrosion and
avoid uneven braking response by
gently engaging the parking brake from
time to time when coasting to a stop at
traffic lights (ensure that you will not
pose a hazard to other road users).

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Manual transmissionBMW 525i, 530iEvery time you shift gears, always
depress the clutch pedal all the way,
pushing the manual gearshift
lever into the respective end position.
Depress the clutch when starting the
vehicle, as the lockout will prevent the
engine from starting if the clutch is not
depressed.360de044
BMW 540iWhen shifting gears, always depress
the clutch pedal all the way to the end
of its travel, then move the shift lever
until it engages securely in the desired
gear.
You will also need to depress the clutch
when starting the engine, as an auto-
matic lockout prevents the starter from
operating when the clutch is engaged.
When shifting gears in the
5th/6th-gear plane, be sure to
press the shift lever to the right in order
to prevent inadvertent selection of a
gear in the 3rd/4th-gear plane.< 380de044
ReverseSelect only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. Press the shift
lever to the left to overcome the resis-
tance.
When you engage reverse, the backup
lamps will come on automatically when
the ignition key is in position 2.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
Riding the clutch causes increased
clutch wear.<