BMW 325xi Wagon (2001 year). Instruction - part 5
56nAirbags
Sitting correctly with airbags
To avoid sustaining hand and arm inju-
At all times, occupants should sit
ries, always grasp the steering wheel
upright and be properly restrained
For your safety, comply with the
on the rim with the hands at the 9 and
(infants and small children in appro-
following instructions for the
3 o'clock positions. Do not place your
priate child restraint systems; larger
airbags. If you do not, the airbags may
hands on the center pad.
children and adults using the safety
not be able to provide their maximum
Never allow any objects to obstruct the
belts). Never let an occupant's head
protection. All passengers in the vehicle
area between the airbag and an occu-
rest near or on a side airbag, because
should be aware of and comply with
pant.
as the inflating airbag could cause a
this information:
Do not use the cover panel above the
serious or fatal injury. Please note that
The airbags are supplemental restraint
passenger-side airbag as a storage
the word "Airbag" imprinted on the door
devices designed to provide extra
area.
trim panel indicates the airbag's loca-
protection; they are not a substitute for
Do not apply adhesive materials to the
tion.
safety belts. Wear your safety belt at all
cover panels of the airbags, cover them
Accident research shows that the
times. The airbags will not be triggered
or modify them in any other way.
safest place for children in an
in the event of a minor accident, a
Do not install a rear-facing child
automobile is in the rear seat. However,
vehicle roll-over, or collisions from the
restraint system in the front passenger
a child sitting in the rear seat and not
rear. In these instances, the safety belt
seat of this car.
properly restrained may place his or her
provides optimal protection.
Children under 13 years of age and
head on or near the airbag, if so
Airbags are located under cover panels
children less than 5 feet (150 cm) tall
equipped. For example, a child — even
in the steering wheel, in the dashboard,
should only ride in the rear seat.
though belted — may fall asleep with his
in the side trim panels in the front and
Infants or small children should never
or her head against the side airbag. It
rear*, in the roof panels, and in the
be held on the lap of a passenger.
may be difficult for a driver to ensure
sides of the inside roof lining.
If your car is equipped with side airbags
that children in the rear seat will remain
Adjust your seat to a position that
in the rear passenger area*, be sure
properly positioned at all times and not
provides maximum distance between
that child restraints are mounted
place their heads on or near the side
you and the steering wheel, the instru-
correctly and provided with the grea-
airbag. Therefore, we recommend that
ment panel and the door while still allo-
test-possible distance between the
the rear seat side airbags, if so
wing comfortable and safe access to all
airbags in the side trim panels. Do not
equipped, be deactivated if children will
vehicle controls.
allow children to lean out of the child's
travel in the rear seat.
seat in the direction of the side trim
The rear seat side airbags may already
panels. If they do so, serious injuries
have been deactivated, either at the
can occur if the airbag is triggered.<
time of manufacture or by a BMW
Airbags
57n
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
observed, there is still a small residual
risk of injuries to the face, hands and
arms occurring from airbag deployment
in isolated instances. The ignition and
inflation noise may induce a mild
This is the right way for a child to sit in a
This is the right way for a larger child
temporary hearing loss in sensitive
child restraint when rear side airbags
to sit wearing the safety belt when rear
individuals.
(arrow) are provided.
side airbags (arrow) are provided.
For additional information concerning
the airbag system, refer to pages 147
and 172.
58nTransporting children safely
LATCH attachment of the child
Child-safety locks
seat
On a rear door, push the safety lever
The illustration shows the right rear
downward:
seat.
The door can now be opened from the
The mounts for the LATCH attachment
outside only.
of the child seat are located behind the
plastic covers (arrows), and are covered
again once the LATCH attachment of
the child seat has been removed.
To mount the LATCH attachment
of the child seat, please follow the
manufacturer's operating and safety
precautions.<
Transporting children safely
59n
If the respective seating position is
maximize the distance between the
fitted with a headrest, lift the headrest
airbag and the child. Older children
and pass the tether strap between the
should be tightly secured with the
headrest and the seat back.
safety belt. Younger children should be
secured in an appropriate forward-
Adjust the tether strap according to the
facing child restraint system that has
child restraint manufacturer's instruc-
first been properly secured with a safety
tions.
belt.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint
Before installing any child restraint
system in the front passenger seat.
device or child seat, please read
We strongly urge you to carefully read
the following:
and comply with the instructions for
Never install a rear-facing child restraint
installation and use provided by the
Commercially available child seats
system in the front passenger seat of
child restraint's manufacturer when-
complying with the legal standard are
this vehicle.
ever you use such a device.
designed to be secured with a lap belt
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag
Be sure that all occupants (of all ages)
or with the lap belt portion of a combi-
supplemental restraint system for the
remain properly and securely restrained
nation lap/shoulder belt.
front passenger. Because the backrest
at all times.c
Improperly or inadequately installed
on any rear-facing child restraint system
restraint systems can increase the risk
(of the kind designed for infants under
All rear seating positions in your vehicle
of injury to children. Always read and
1 year and 20 lbs./9 kg) would be within
meet the recommendations of SAE
follow the instructions that come with
the airbag's deployment range, you
J1819, an industry recommended prac-
the system.
should never mount such a device in
tice for securing child restraint systems
the front passenger seat, since the
If you use a child restraint system with a
in motor vehicles.
impact of the airbag against the child
tether strap, three additional tether
restraint's backrest could lead to
anchorage points (refer to the arrows in
serious or fatal injuries.
the illustration) have been provided.
If it is necessary for a child (not an
Depending on the location selected for
infant) to ride in the front seat, certain
seating in the rear passenger area,
precautions should be taken. First,
attach the tether strap to the corre-
move the passenger seat as far away
sponding anchorage point to secure the
from the dashboard as possible. This
child restraint system. Remove the
important precaution is intended to
cover first on the middle location.
60nTransporting children safely
Lock the safety belt
Unlock the safety belt
Extract the entire length of the belt from
Release the safety belt, remove the
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
child's seat and retract the safety belt
reel to retract the belt somewhat and
to its end position on the belt retractor.
engage the buckle, then tighten the belt
against the child restraint system. The
retraction mechanism is now locked.
The belt cannot be extracted farther.
Always comply with the installation
instructions provided by the manufac-
turer of the child restraint system.
Child seat security
All of the rear belt retractors and the
front passenger's safety belt can be
locked for mounting and securing child
restraint systems.
Information pertaining to this is located
in the immediate vicinity of the buckle
latch of each safety belt.
Steering/Ignition lock
Starting the engine
61n
Vehicles with automatic transmis-
Before starting
sion:
> Engage the parking brake.
Do not move the selector lever from the
> Put the manual-shift gear lever in idle
"Park" position until the engine is
or in P for an automatic transmission.
running (ignition key at position 2).
> Depress the clutch pedal.
In order to turn the key to position 0 or
to remove it, first move the selector
Do not run the engine in enclosed
lever to the position "Park" (Interlock).<
areas. The exhaust gases contain
carbon monoxide, an odorless and
1 Steering lock disengaged
colorless, but highly toxic gas.
Turning the steering wheel slightly to
Breathing the exhaust gases poses an
the right or left often makes it easier to
extreme health risk, and can lead to
0 Steering lock engaged
turn the key from 0 to 1.
unconsciousness and death.
The key can be inserted or removed in
Individual electrical devices are ready
Never leave the vehicle unattended
for operation.
with the engine running. An unattended
this position only.
vehicle with a running engine repre-
After removing the key, turn the
2 Ignition on
sents a potential safety hazard.<
steering wheel slightly to the left or right
until the lock engages.
All electrical equipment and accesso-
Do not press the accelerator pedal
ries are available for use.
If the key has been left in the ignition,
when starting the engine.
an acoustic signal will sound after the
3 Starting the engine
door has been opened.
Do not actuate the starter for too
short a time, but do not keep
Vehicles with manual transmis-
turning it for more than approx.
sion:
20 seconds. Release the ignition key
Depress the clutch when starting the
immediately when the engine starts.
vehicle. A lockout prevents the engine
Do not allow the engine to warm up by
from starting if the clutch is not
leaving it running while the vehicle
depressed.<
remains stationary. Instead, drive off
immediately at a moderate engine
speed.<
62nStarting the engine
Switching off the engine
If the engine does not start on the first
Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0.
attempt (if it is very hot or cold, for
instance):
Never remove the ignition key
while the vehicle is still moving.
> Press the accelerator pedal halfway
If you did so, the steering lock would
down while engaging the starter.
engage when the steering wheel is
Cold start at very low temperatures
turned.
approx. +5 7 (-15 6) at high altitude
When you leave the vehicle, always
over 3,300 ft (1000 m):
remove the ignition key and engage the
> On the first start attempt, engage
steering lock.
the starter for a longer period
Vehicles with manual transmission:
(approx. 10 seconds).
Always engage the parking brake when
> Press the accelerator pedal halfway
parking on slopes and inclined
down while engaging the starter.
surfaces, since placing the lever in
Engine idle speed is controlled by the
1st gear or reverse may not provide
engine computer system. Increased
adequate resistance to rolling.
speeds at start-up are normal and
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
should decrease as the engine warms
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from dischar-
ging, always switch off electrical
devices which are not in use and the
ignition when the vehicle is not being
driven.
Parking brake
63n
If, in exceptional circumstances,
it should be necessary to apply the
parking brake while the vehicle is in
motion, do not pull the lever with exces-
sive 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 applied.
To engage
Vehicles with manual transmission:
The parking brake is designed primarily
Always apply the parking brake when
to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
parking on slopes and inclined surfaces,
it is parked. It acts on the rear wheels.
since placing the lever in 1st gear or
The lock engages automatically when
reverse may not provide adequate
you lift the lever, and the indicator lamp
resistance to rolling.
in the instrument panel comes on when
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
the ignition key is in position 2. Refer to
Place the selector lever in "Park."<
page 21.
To avoid corrosion and one-sided
To release
braking, apply the parking brake lightly
from time to time when coasting to a
Pull up slightly on the lever, press the
button (arrow) and lower the lever.
standstill (at a traffic signal, for
instance), provided that it is safe to do
so.
64nManual transmission
Reverse
Select "Reverse" 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.
Do not hold the vehicle in place on
slopes by slipping or "riding" the
clutch. Use the parking brake instead.
Otherwise, riding the clutch will cause
Completely depress the clutch pedal
heavy wear and tear to the clutch.<
each time you shift, pressing the
manual-shift gear lever into its respec-
tive end position.
Also depress the clutch when starting
the vehicle, as otherwise lockout will
prevent the engine from starting.
The shift lever's neutral plane (dot in the
illustration) is located between 3rd and
4th gears.
When shifting from each gear into
"Neutral," the shift lever returns auto-
matically to this gear plane because
of its spring loading.
Automatic transmission with Steptronic*
65n
You have the option of driving with a
While the vehicle is stationary
normal automatic transmission or
and before shifting out of "Park" or
switching to manual.
"Neutral," depress the footbrake, other-
wise the selector lever will be blocked
When you move the selector lever from
(shiftlock).
the "D" position to the left into the M/S
Hold the footbrake down until starting
range, the performance-oriented shift
off. Otherwise the vehicle will "creep"
programs of the automatic transmission
when a drive position is engaged.<
are engaged. As soon as you tap the
selector lever in the "+" or "-" direction,
Before leaving the vehicle with the
Steptronic changes the gear. The
engine running, move the selector
manual mode is engaged. Whenever
lever to the "Park" or "Neutral" position
you want to use the automatic mode
and apply the parking brake. The
again, move the selector lever to the
Selector lever positions
vehicle will move if this is not done. Do
right into position "D."
P R N D M/S + -
not leave the vehicle unattended with
The automatic transmission with Step-
the engine running. An unattended
tronic is equipped with Adaptive Trans-
Starting the engine
vehicle with a running engine repre-
mission Control (ATC). ATC reacts with
The engine can only be started in
sents a potential safety hazard.<
precision to your individual driving style
selector lever positions P ("Park") or N
and the current driving conditions. It is
("Neutral").
P Park
for this reason that various shift
Select "Park" only when the vehicle is
programs are used.
Range selection
stationary. The transmission locks to
For additional information concerning
A detent prevents inadvertent shifts into
prevent the rear wheels from turning.
the ATC, please refer to the chapter
some selector lever positions. To
describing "Advanced technology" on
release the shift-lock mechanism, press
R Reverse
page 173.
the button on the front side of the
Select "Reverse" only when the vehicle
selector handle (arrow).
is stationary.
N Neutral
Select "Neutral" only if your journey is
interrupted for a longer period.
66nAutomatic transmission with Steptronic*
D Drive (automatic shift program)
Upshifts or downshifts will only be
carried out by the ATC at appropriate
This position is designed for driving
engine speeds and road speeds. If the
under all normal operating conditions.
engine speed is too high, for instance,
All forward gears are available and the
a downshift will not be executed. The
ATC is fully operational.
gear selected will appear briefly in the
instrument cluster followed by the
"Kickdown"
current gear.
You will get maximum vehicle perfor-
mance in the "kickdown" mode.
To accelerate quickly in the
To activate this mode, depress the
manual mode (to pass another
accelerator pedal beyond the full-
vehicle), shift down manually or employ
throttle position, at which a resistance
the "kickdown" mode.<
point must be overcome.
M/S Manual mode and Sport
Program
Shifting from M/S to the selector lever
Shifting from D into M/S activates the
positions P, R and N is possible only by
Sport Program. This is indicated by
going through D.
"SD" in the gear selection display. This
position is recommended for a perfor-
mance-oriented driving style.
With the first brief touch, the automatic
transmission shifts from the Sport
Program to the manual mode.
Whenever you tap the selector lever
forward in the "+" direction, the trans-
mission shifts up. Whenever the lever is
moved back in the "-" direction, the
transmission shifts down. M1 to M5
appear in the gear indicator.
Automatic transmission with Steptronic*
67n
In the following situations, the Step-
Electronic transmission control
tronic "thinks" for you in the manual
module
mode:
If the indicator lamp comes on,
> In order to prevent engine over-
there is a malfunction in the
speeding, the transmission shifts
transmission system.
automatically to the next higher gear
Bring the vehicle to a stop, select trans-
shortly before the engine speed
mission position "P," set the parking
cutoff point.
brake and turn the engine off (ignition
> At low speeds, the transmission
key to position 0).
shifts down automatically - you do
Wait a few seconds, then start the
not have to act.
engine. If the indicator lamp goes out
> In the "kickdown" mode, the trans-
after a few seconds, normal transmis-
mission shifts down to the lowest
Available displays
sion performance has been restored.
gear possible, depending
P R N D SD M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
Drive off normally.
on the engine speed.
If the indicator lamp does not go out,
> Depending on the situation - when
all selector lever positions can still be
driving in adverse winter conditions,
selected, however in the forward posi-
for example - you may also start out
tions the vehicle has limited perfor-
in 2nd or 3rd gear.
mance, as it drives only in 3rd and 4th
gear.
If this happens, avoid extreme engine
loads and consult the nearest BMW
center.
Do not perform service operations
in the engine compartment with
a drive position engaged. If you do so,
the vehicle could move.<
For towing, tow-starting or jump-
starting the vehicle, refer to the infor-
mation beginning on page 167.
68nTurn signal indicator/Headlamp flasher
Washer/Wiper system
To signal briefly
Press the lever up to but not beyond
the detent. It then returns to the center
position when released.
1 High beams
0 Wipers retracted
(blue indicator lamp)
1 Intermittent mode or rain sensor
2 Headlamp flasher
2 Normal wipe
(blue indicator lamp)
3 Fast wipe
3 Turn signal indicator (green indicator
4 Brief wipe
lamp accompanied by periodic
clicking sound from the relay)
5 Cleaning windshield
If the indicator lamp and the clicking
6 Rotary dial for control of the wipe
from the relay are both faster than
interval or the sensitivity of the rain
normal, one of the turn indicators has
sensor
failed.
Rear window wiper
7 Intermittent mode
8 Cleaning rear window
Washer/Wiper system
69n
can concentrate fully on the traffic
2 Normal wiper speed
conditions. This is especially important
When the vehicle is stationary, the
under adverse weather conditions.
wipers switch automatically to intermit-
To activate the rain sensor:
tent wipe (not on vehicles with rain
sensor).
From ignition key position 1 and up,
move the lever to position 1. The wipers
travel once across the windshield,
3 Fast wiper speed
regardless of the weather.
When the vehicle is stationary, the
wipers operate at normal speed (not on
You can leave the lever permanently in
vehicles with rain sensor).
position 1. It is then only necessary to
activate the rain sensor from ignition
5 Cleaning windshield
key position 1 and up. To do this,
1 Intermittent mode or rain
The system sprays washer fluid against
> turn rotary dial 6 briefly or
sensor*
the windshield and activates the wipers
> use cleaning windshield 5.
Intermittent mode:
for a brief period.
To modify the sensitivity of the rain
You can use rotary dial 6 to select from
If you only pull the lever briefly, the
sensor:
four wipe intervals.
system sprays washer fluid onto the
Turn rotary dial 6.
In addition, the wipe interval automati-
windshield without activating the
cally adapts to variations in road speed.
Deactivating the rain sensor:
wipers.
Put lever in position 0.
Rain sensor:
The rain sensor is positioned on the
Turn the rain sensor off when
windshield, directly ahead of the inte-
passing through an automatic car
rior rearview mirror. When the rain
wash. Failure to do so could result in
sensor is activated, the windshield
damage caused by undesired wiper
wiper is controlled automatically,
activation.<
depending on the degree of wetness of
the windshield (in both snow and rain).
You do not have to be concerned with
switching the windshield wiper on or off
or adjusting the wipe interval between
intermittent and full wipe. Instead, you