starting aids.
If the car's own battery is flat, the engine of your BMW can be started by using two jump leads from another vehicle's battery. Conversely, you can also jump-start another vehicle with your BMW. Use only jump leads with fully insulated battery-post clips.
Do not touch any electrically live parts when the engine is running, or a fatal accident may occur. Do not depart from the procedure described below, otherwise personal injury could result or one or both vehicles be dam-
aged.<
1. Check that the other vehicle's battery has a voltage of 12 V. This informa- tion is on the battery label
2. Switch off the engine of the donor vehicle and all consumers in both vehicles with the exception of the hazard warning lights of the donor vehicle
3. Make sure that the bodies of the two vehicles do not touch risk of short- circuit
4. Your BMW's jump-starting connec- tion in the engine compartment acts as the positive terminal of the bat- tery. The protective cap on your BMW's jump-starting connection is marked "+". Open the cap by pulling the tab, see arrow 1.
Begin by connecting the clip on one end of the jump lead to the positive terminal of the discharged battery, then connect the other end to the positive terminal of the donor battery 5. Use the second jump lead to connect the negative terminals of the batter- ies in the two vehicles. Make the first connection to the negative terminal of the donor battery or to earth (ground) on the engine or body of the
Ov ervi ew Contr ol s M ai nt enan ce M in or repai rs Da ta or ds
146
donor vehicle, and then to the nega- tive terminal or earth (ground) on the engine or body of the vehicle which you wish to start.
On your BMW a special nut is pro- vided for this purpose, see arrow 2
Always maintain the correct order when attaching the jump leads, otherwise there is a risk of sparks occurring at the battery and causing
injury.<
6. Start the engine of the donor vehicle and allow it to run for a few minutes at a fast idle speed
7. Start the engine of the other vehicle in the usual way. If an initial attempt to start the engine fails, wait several minutes until the flat battery has been recharged to a slightly greater degree
8. Allow the engines to run for a few minutes before disconnecting the jump leads
9. Disconnect the jump leads in the opposite order from that in which they were originally attached. If necessary, have the battery checked and recharged by BMW Service.
Starting with a flat battery
147
Tow-starting, towing away
For towing, either use a towbar or a nylon rope or tape; since the latter are resilient, they help to avoid sudden ten- sile loads.
Towing eye
The screw-in towing eye is kept in the toolkit and must always be carried on the car. It can be screwed in at the front or the rear of the car, and is only to be used for towing on a firm road surface.
Access to the holes for the towing eye
Front:
Press the cover off by inserting a screwdriver into the cutout at the top.
Rear:
Press the cover off by inserting a screwdriver into the cutout at the top.
Screw the towing eye in fully to avoid the risk of its thread being damaged.
Do not tow the car away or lash it down at any of the suspension components, as these could be damaged and render the car unsafe when it is subsequently
driven.<
Avoid offset towing and make sure that the tow-rope is taut when the
towing vehicle pulls away.<
Using a towbar
The towing eyes of both vehicles should be on the same side.
If it is impossible to avoid attaching the towbar at an angle, note the following:
>Towbar clearance may be restricted
when cornering
>The angled towbar generates lateral
forces.
Do not tow a vehicle heavier than your own, as there is otherwise a
risk of losing control.<
Tow-starting
Cars with catalytic converter should only be tow-started if the engine is cold. It is always preferable to use jump leads.
1. Switch on the hazard warning flash- ers (comply with local regulations) 2. Turn the ignition key to position 2 3. Select 3rd gear
4. Keep the clutch pedal down. When the car is moving, gradually release the clutch pedal. After the engine has fired and is running, depress the clutch pedal again
5. Switch off the hazard warning flash- ers. Ov ervi ew Contr ol s M ai nt enan ce M in or repai rs Da ta or ds
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Have the cause of starting problems traced and rectified by BMW Service.
Automatic transmission cars: these cars cannot be tow-
started.<
For starting with a flat battery, see page 145.
Towing away
1. Ignition key in setting 1 to enable brake lights, headlight flashers, horn and windscreen wipers to be acti- vated
2. Switch on the hazard warning flash- ers (comply with local regulations) If the car's electrical system has failed, the car must be rendered identifiable to following vehicles, for instance by plac- ing a notice or the warning triangle in the rear window.
Make sure that the ignition key is turned to position 1 even if the electrical system has failed, so that the steering lock does not engage and make the car impossible to steer. When the engine is not running, there is no power assistance and the brake servo is out of action. The steering and brakes will require extra effort to oper-
ate.<
Automatic transmission cars: 1. Set the selector lever to N 2. Maximum towing speed:
70 km/h (approx. 43 mph) 3. Maximum towing distance:
150 km (approx. 90 miles).
BMW 325xi, 330xi, 330xd: towing away, one set of wheels clear of the ground
1. Manual-shift gear lever or selector lever in neutral
2. Stop the engine
3. Maximum towing speed: 50 km/h (approx. 30 mph)
4. Maximum towing distance: 150 km (approx. 90 miles).
If the car has to be towed for a longer distance, remove the rear drive shaft if the front axle is raised or the front drive shaft if the rear axle is raised, as otherwise the transfer box
will be damaged.<