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BMW 328i E36 (1998 year). Instruction - part 4

Convertible top operation

Convenience closing with the

The luggage compartment can not

driver's door lock

be opened during convertible top oper-

Hold the key in the "lock" position with

ation.

the door closed.

The side windows move down slightly

The windows/sunroof stop moving

when the convertible top operating but-

immediately when you release the key.

ton is pressed; if you continue to press

the button after the indicator lamp goes

out, they move up again as soon as the

At higher speeds, low air pressure

opening process is completed.c

in the passenger compartment can

cause the convertible top or the rear

window to begin to flutter. Increase the

The side windows must be low-

air intake via the ventilation control to

ered slightly during convertible top op-

Closing convertible top manually

prevent low pressure from resulting in

when electrical operation fails

eration. If the convertible top operation

the passenger compartment.c

is interrupted, do not close the side win-

dows with the power window switches.

Manual closing is best carried out

If the opening or closing process is in-

from outside the vehicle with the driver's

terrupted, it may not be possible to open

door open and the driver's seat folded

the luggage compartment.

forward. The rear seat bench must not

To prevent damage from continuous

be occupied while doing so.c

dampness, never fold down the convert-

1 Raise the left rear seat. Pull out the

ible top when wet.c

strap until resistance is felt. Now con-

tinue to pull firmly (two audible clicks)

to disengage the drives for the con-

vertible top and convertible top com-

partment lid.

Convertible top operation

To eliminate the malfunction and re-

engage the drives, please see your

BMW Retailer.

Never open the convertible top

manually in case of an electrical mal-

function. The convertible top compart-

ment lid can not be locked and would

open during driving.c

Please follow the instructions for

cleaning and care of the convertible top

2 Open the convertible top compart-

4 Place a screwdriver at the middle of

in your Owner’s manual from page 136.c

ment lid up to the stop with the lug-

the cover on the front convertible top

gage compartment closed.

frame, and pry it out of its recess.

3 Grasp the convertible top on the lat-

5 Using the doubly bent allen key from

eral guide section and on the front

the onboard tool kit, place it in the

soft-top frame and lift it out (arrow).

internal hexagon (arrrow).

Position the rear convertible top bow

6 The closing process is continued by

vertically and close the convertible

turning to the left; turn until the front

top compartment lid. Now fold down

convertible top frame is locked to the

the rear convertible top bow.

windshield frame. The rear convertible

top frame is automatically pressed

onto the convertible top compartment

lid and closes watertight under ten-

sion.

Seats

Longitudinal adjustment

Backrest angle

Front headrests

Pull lever 1 and slide seat into desired

Pull lever and load or relieve as required.

Adjust height by pulling out or pushing

position.

in.

After releasing the lever, make sure that

bYou can reduce the load on your

Adjust angle by swiveling.

the locking device engages properly.

spinal column by sitting all the way

Remove and install the front

back in the seat with your back pressed

Height adjustment

headrests

firmly against the backrest.

Pull lever 2 and load or relieve seat as

Pull the headrests upward until they

Ideal sitting posture is achieved with

required.

stop.

your head extending from your spine in

a straight line.

With a forceful jerk, pull the headrests

For long-distance driving, you may wish

out of their supports in the backrests.

to increase the backrest angle slightly

Rear head restraints

to reduce muscular tension. Please

remember that you should always

Adjust height by pulling out or pushing

in.

remain able grasp the entire periphery

of the steering wheel without straight-

ening your arms.c

Seats

Head restraints reduce the risk of

neck injuries. Always position the head

restraint so that it is centered roughly at

ear level.

Never try to adjust your seat while oper-

ating the vehicle. The seat could re-

spond by moving in a way that you had

not anticipated, causing you to lose

control of the vehicle which could lead

to an accident. The front passenger

should not move the backrest into the

"reclined" position during driving.

BMW Sports Seat*

Electrical seat adjustment*

While driving, both the driver and the

Additional adjustments for seat tilt and

1 Angle adjustment

front passenger should keep the back-

thigh support.

rest relatively upright. Otherwise there is

2 Longitudinal adjustment

a danger of the occupants "sliding

Angle adjustment

3 Height adjustment

through" the belt in the event of an acci-

Pull lever 1 and move seat as required.

4 Backrest angle

dent, thus considerably reducing the

The tilt angle of the head restraints -

protective effect of the belt (see also

Thigh support adjustment

and on the BMW Sports Seat also the

safety precautions in the "Safety belts"

Pull lever 2 and slide front section of

thigh support - is adjusted manually.

section, page 47).c

seat into the desired position.

Seats

Adjusting steering wheel*

Lumbar support*

Releasing backrest*

d Pull out clamping lever.

Adjust the curvature as desired with the

Pull up lever: the backrest can now be

d Adjust steering wheel tilt for your

seating position.

rocker switch.

folded forward.

d Push the lever back in to clamp the

You can adjust the backrest's contour

The outer levers also serve as a storage

steering wheel in the new position.

for additional support in the curvature

point for the seat belt (not on BMW

of your spine's lumbar region.

Convertible).

Never adjust the steering wheel

The upper hips and spinal column

while driving - accident danger.c

receive supplementary support to help

The front seat backrests must al-

you maintain a relaxed, upright posture.

ways be locked during driving.c

Mirrors

The mirror on the passenger's side

features a lens with a more convex cur-

vature than the mirror installed on the

driver's door. When estimating the dis-

tance between yourself and other traffic,

bear in mind that the objects reflected in

the mirror are closer than they appear.

This means that estimations of the dis-

tance to following traffic should not be

regarded as precise.c

Electric heaters

Exterior mirrors

Inside rearview mirror

Both mirrors are heated automatically

1 Mirror switch for 4-way adjustment.

To reduce glare from behind during

corresponding to the outside tempera-

night driving: tilt small lever to dimmed

2 Switch for changing to the other

ture with the ignition key in position 2.

position.

mirror:

d Push switch to left - driver's mirror.

Lighted make-up mirror

d Push switch to right - passenger's

Fold down the sun visor, slide the cover

mirror.

panel to the side.

You can also adjust the mirrors manu-

The mirror lamps operate from ignition

ally by pressing against the outer edges

key position 1 onward.

of the lens.

Sun visors

These can be folded down toward the

windshield or swiveled out against the

side windows.

Safety belts

For your own safety, please ob-

serve the following when putting on the

safety belt, otherwise its protective

function may be impaired. Also ensure

that the other occupants follow these in-

structions.

Never allow more than one person to

wear a single safety belt. Never allow in-

fants or small children to ride in a pas-

senger's lap.

Avoid twisting the belt while routing it

Always fasten your seat belt before

The safety belt can be adjusted individ-

firmly across the hips and shoulder. Do

starting off.

ually to different body sizes with the

not allow the belt to rest against hard or

belt height adjustment:

fragile objects in your pockets. The

To fasten: make sure you hear the catch

safety belt must not run across the

engage in the belt buckle.

Downward adjustment (1):

wearer's neck, nor should it be trapped

To release: press the red button in the

Push button downward.

or abraded by coming into contact with

buckle, hold the belt and guide it back

sharp edges or objects.

Upward adjustment (2):

into its reel.

The belt should rest as firmly as possible

Grasp deflection fitting on ribbed side

The safety belt inertial mechanism

against your body You should avoid

sections and slide upward.

locks:

wearing clothing that prevents it from

doing so. Pull the belt periodically to re-

d in a sudden stop or crash

tention it across your shoulder. In the

d when you pull it sharply

event of a frontal collision, a loose lap

d during abrupt braking and

belt could slide over your hips, leading

acceleration

to abdominal injury. Due to the in-

d in curves

creased distance between belt and

d when the vehicle is at an

body, there would also be a delay before

extreme angle.

restraint becomes effective.

Safety belts

Child restraint system

Expectant mothers should always wear

Never install a rear-facing child restraint

their safety belts, taking care to position

system in the front passenger's seat!

the lap belt against the lower hips,

Never attempt to modify either the

where it will not exert pressure against

safety belts or any child restraint sys-

the abdominal area.

tem.

Never attempt to modify the safety

Should the safety belts be damaged or

belts.c

stretched in an accident, the entire belt

For care instructions refer to page 134.

system - including safety belt tension-

ers - must be replaced and the anchor-

ing mounts inspected at a BMW

Retailer.

If the safety belt tensioner has been

Installing child restraints

activated, a distance of roughly 0.8 in

To install and secure child restraint sys-

(20 mm) will remain between the safety

tems, all rear safety belts (and the front

belt lock and the tensioner module.

passenger's safety belt) are equipped

with a special locking mode.

A label with operating instructions is

attached to the belt next to the latch

plate.

To lock the belt

Extract 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.

Always observe the installation instruc-

tions provided by the manufacturer of

the child restraint system.

Child restraint system

Installing child seats

To release the belt

All passengers, and especially children,

should use a restraint device when

Release the buckle, remove the child

riding in the car.

restraint device and allow the inertia

reel to retract the belt completely.

Infants or small children should never

be permitted to ride on a passenger's

lap.

bPlease also make this information

available to your passengers and urge

Children should always sit in the rear

them to observe the instructions for

seat and use, depending on age, either

safety belt use.c

a child restraint system or the safety

belts installed in the vehicle. Accident

For care instructions refer to page 134.

BMW Sedan/Coupe

statistics have shown that children are

safer when properly restrained in the

Commercially available child seats

rear seats than when riding in the front.

complying with legal standards are

Infants and toddlers should be secured

designed to be secured using either a

with a child restraint system appropri-

lap belt or a combined lap-shoulder

ate for their size.

belt. Because improperly installed

Children of six years and older should

restraint systems can increase the risk

wear safety belts.

of injury to children, we strongly urge

you to carefully read and follow the

instructions supplied with the system.

Should the child restraint system of your

choice require the use of a securing or

tether strap, note that three anchoring

points (arrows) have been provided for

mounting it in your vehicle.

Ask your BMW Retailer to perform the

necessary installation work.

Installing child seats

Airbags

precautions should be taken. First,

move the passenger seat as far away

aBefore install-

from the dashboard as possible. This

important precaution is intended to

ing any child re-

maximize the distance between the air-

bag and the child. Older children should

straint device or

be tightly secured with the safety belt.

Younger children should be secured in

an appropriate forward-facing child

child seat, please

restraint system that has first been

properly secured with a safety belt.

read the follow-

We strongly urge you to carefully read

and observe the instructions for instal-

Front airbag system, consisting of

ing:

lation and use provided by the child re-

driver and passenger airbag

straint's manufacturer whenever you

Side airbags*

Never install a rearward-facing child

use such a device.

restraint system in the front passenger

Always ensure that all occupants (of

Protective effect

seat of this car.

all ages) remain properly and securely

The front airbags provide additional

Your car is equipped with an airbag

restrained at all times.c

protection for the front-seat occupants

supplemental restraint system for the

All rear seating positions in your vehicle

in the event of a severe frontal collision

front passenger. Because the backrest

meet the recommendations of SAE

in which the protection afforded by the

on any rear-facing child restraint sys-

J1819, an industry recommended prac-

safety belts alone would no longer be

tem (of the kind designed for infants

tice for securing child restraint systems

sufficient. The side airbags help protect

under 1 year and 20 lbs.) would be

in motor vehicles.

the front seat occupants in a severe

within the airbag's deployment range,

side impact.

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 seri-

ous or fatal injuries.

If it is necessary for a child (not an

infant) to ride in the front seat, certain

Airbags

d Indicator lamp lights up for approx.

instrument panel and the door while still

4 seconds, goes out briefly and then

allowing comfortable and safe access to

lights up again.

all vehicle controls.

A system malfunction could prevent the

Always grip the steering wheel on its

system from responding to an impact

rim with your hands at the 9 and 3 o’clock

occurring within its normal response

positions, otherwise hand and arm inju-

range.

ries could occur when the airbag

inflates.

Please have your authorized BMW

Never allow any objects to obstruct the

Retailer inspect and repair the system

area between the airbag and the driver/

as soon as possible.

passenger.

Do not use the cover panel above the

aFor your own safety, please ob-

The airbags are triggered by impacts

passenger-side airbag as a storage

serve the following precautions con-

coming from the directions shown in

area.

cerning airbags, as otherwise their

the illustration. Note that the supple-

Do not glue, cover or in any way alter

protective function may be impaired. We

mentary protection against lateral

the padded covers on the steering

also request that you make this informa-

impact is available only on vehicles

wheel, the instrument panel or the side

tion available to your passengers, and

equipped with optional door-mounted

trim panels of the front doors.

that you urge them to observe the in-

airbags.

Do not install a rear-facing child re-

structions for safety belt use: the air-

straint device on the front passenger

Indicator lamp in instrument

bags are a supplemental restraint

seat. Children under 12 years of age

cluster

device designed to provide extra pro-

should only sit in the back.c

The indicator lamp comes on from

tection; they are not a substitute for

Even when all these guidelines are

ignition key position 1 to indicate

safety belts. Wear your safety belt at all

observed, there is still a residual risk of

that the system is operational.

times. The system does not respond to

mild facial injuries occurring in isolated

System operational:

minor collisions, if the vehicle rolls over,

instances of airbag actuation. The igni-

or if the impact is at the rear of the vehi-

d The indicator lamp comes on briefly.

tion and inflation noise may induce a

cle. In this situation, only the safety belt

System malfunction:

mild temporary hearing loss in sensitive

protects you.

individuals.

d The indicator lamp fails to come on.

When adjusting your seat, select a posi-

tion that provides maximum distance

Airbag information is also located on

between you and the steering wheel, the

the sun visors.

Airbags

Child-safety locks

Rollover protection system*

Notes on safety

The rollover protection system is acti-

vated automatically in the event of an

Never attempt to remove the gas gener-

accident or in a critical driving situation

ator for the airbag passenger-restraint

(extreme tilting in the longitudinal or lat-

system from the vehicle. Testing and

eral axis, loss of ground contact). The

service procedures are to be performed

protective bars located behind the rear

exclusively by qualified technicians. In

head restraints extend within a fraction

the event of malfunction, deactivation

of a second.

or triggering (in response to an acci-

dent), always entrust repair and service

In addition to the roll bar integrated in

operations to your authorized BMW

the windshield frame, the rollover pro-

Retailer.

BMW Sedan

tection system helps provide all vehicle

occupants, and in particular the rear

Do not modify or tamper with either the

Insert the key in the slot in one of the

passengers, with needed headroom.

wiring or the individual components in

rear door latch mechanisms and turn

the airbag system; these include also

toward the outside: the door can now

the padded covers on the steering

bWhen the hardtop* is on, it is

wheel, on the instrument panel or on

be opened from the outside only.

advisable to use "soft" protective cov-

the side trim panels of the front doors.

ers, in order to prevent damage to the

Never apply adhesive materials to these

luggage compartment lid when the sys-

components and never cover or modify

tem is activated. Please contact your

them in any way. Do not remove or dis-

authorized BMW Retailer for additional

mantle the steering wheel.

information.c

The airbag generator can be disposed

of only by a BMW Retailer.

aAlways keep the space required by

Unprofessional attempts to service the

the rollover protection system free of

system could lead to failure in an emer-

obstacles.

gency or undesired airbag activation,

In the case of minor, non-rollover acci-

either of which could result in personal

dents, passengers are protected only by

injury.

the buckled safety belt and the belt ten-

sioner and, depending on the severity of

the accident, the airbag restraint sys-

tem.c

Rollover protection system* - Convertible

Follow the same procedure for the sec-

ond protective bar.

Have the rollover protection system

checked by a BMW Retailer.

aThe opened convertible top can not

be closed with the rollover protection

system extended.c

Notes on safety

No changes should be made to the indi-

vidual components of the rollover pro-

Following an unforeseen, automatic

d Push the special tool into the guide

tection system or to its wiring.

extension, the rollover protection sys-

of the click-and-pawl mechanism as

All work on the rollover protection sys-

tem can be lowered again.

far as possible (handle rests on the

tem must be carried out by a BMW

backrest) and hold in place.

To do this, remove the screwdriver han-

Retailer.

d Gently press down the protective bar

dle and the special tool (stored on the

until the special tool is loose.

Work carried out incorrectly may lead to

socket wrench) from the onboard tool

d Pull out the special tool and press

the failure or an accidental triggering of

kit and push them together.

down the protective bar completely

the system.

d Pull out the head restraint upward.

until it audibly engages.

To check the system and to ensure its

d Remove the protective cap upward

d Remount the protective cap on the

long-term operation, it is imperative that

from the protective bar.

protective bar and push on firmly.

you observe the maintenance intervals

d Push in the head restraint again.

of the Service Interval Display. The roll-

over protection system must be in-

spected every 2 years at the latest by a

BMW Retailer.

Steering/ignition lock

Starting the engine

Steering lock disengaged

Before starting

You will often find that it is easier to turn

d Apply the parking brake.

the ignition key from position 0 to 1 if you

d The manual-shift gear lever should

move the steering wheel slightly to help

be in neutral; the automatic transmis-

disengage the lock.

sion selector lever should be in P

or N.

Ignition on

d At low temperatures keep the clutch

All electrical equipment and accesso-

pedal depressed.

ries are available for use.

d Start the engine without depressing

the accelerator.

Starter activation

bDo not operate the starter too briefly,

Vehicles with manual transmis-

0 Steering lock engaged

but not longer than approx. 20 seconds.

sion: depress the clutch pedal while

The key can only be inserted and

Release the ignition key as soon as the

you turn on the ignition, otherwise a

removed in this position.

engine starts. Do not allow the engine to

blocking system will prevent the engine

After extracting the key, turn the steer-

warm up by leaving it running while the

from starting.c

ing wheel a small amount to the left or

vehicle remains stationary. Instead, drive

right until you hear the lock engage.

off immediately at a moderate engine

speed.c

Your vehicle is equipped with an inter-

lock; this means that the ignition key

Should the engine fail to start on the first

can not be turned into position 0 and

attempt, e.g., if it is very hot or cold:

removed until the selector lever is in

d Stop and pause briefly before repeat-

position P.

ing the starting procedure. This pre-

Furthermore, the selector lever is locked

vents the spark plugs from becoming

in position P when the ignition key is in

damp.

position 0 or removed from the ignition

d Press the accelerator pedal halfway

switch.

down while engaging the starter.

To turn the key back into position 0 or

remove it, move the selector lever into

position P first.

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