E46M3ownersmanual PDF

handbook.
book Page 1 Saturday, July 27, 2002 1:12 PM
Owner's Manual
for Vehicle
Contents
A-Z
Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

handbook.book Page 1 Saturday, July 27, 2002 1:12 PM
M3

We are pleased you have decided on a BMW M3.
Thorough familiarity with your vehicle will provide you with enhanced control and
security when you drive it. Therefore, we have one request:
Read the information contained in this Owner's Manual before driving your new
BMW M3 for the first time. It contains important information on vehicle operation
that will enable you to make full use of the advanced technical equipment of your
BMW M3. In addition, you will receive information on vehicle maintenance to ensure
operating and traffic safety as well as the best possible value retention of your vehi-
cle.
For more detailed information refer to the Supplemental Manuals.
BMW M also makes decisive contributions toward greater safety in traffic through
its BMW driver training.
This Owner's Manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehicle. It
should stay with the vehicle when sold to provide the next owner with important
operating, safety and maintenance information.
We wish you an enjoyable driving experience.
BMW M

4 Notes
About this Owner's Manual Symbols used Your individual vehicle
We have made every effort to ensure Indicates precautions that must On purchasing your BMW, you have
that you are able to find what you need be followed precisely in order to decided in favor of a model with individ-
in this Owner's Manual as quickly as avoid the possibility of personal injury ualized equipment and features. This
possible. The fastest way to find certain and serious damage to the vehicle. Owner's Manual will describe all of the
topics is by using the detailed index at Contains information that will equipment that the BMW M3 has to
the end. If you wish to gain an initial assist you in gaining the optimum offer you.
overview of your vehicle, you will find benefit from your vehicle and enable We hope you will understand that
this in the first chapter. you to care more effectively for your equipment and features are included
Should you wish to sell your BMW at vehicle. that you might not have chosen for your
some time in the future, please remem- Refers to measures that can be vehicle. You can easily identify any dif-
ber to hand over this Owner's Manual taken to help protect the environ- ferences with the aid of the asterisk
to the new owner; it is an important part ment. used to identify all optional equipment
of the vehicle. and accessories.
Marks the end of a specific item of
Should you have any further questions, information. If your BMW features equipment such
your BMW center will be glad to assist as a car radio or telephone, that is not
Indicates special equipment, coun-
at any time. described in this Owner's Manual, we
try-specific equipment and optional
have enclosed Supplementary Owner's
extras.
Manuals. We ask you to read these
Identifies systems or components manuals as well.
which can be activated or adapted
to suit an individual driver's require-
ments – Vehicle Memory, Key Memory.
Refer to page 59. Activation and adjust-
ments on some of these systems can
© 2002 BMW M GmbH be performed at your BMW center.
Munich, Germany
Reprinting, including excerpts, only with the
written consent of BMW M GmbH, Munich.
Order No. 01 41 0 156 842
US English VIII/02
Printed in Germany
Printed on environmentally friendly paper –
bleached without chlorine, suitable for recycling.

Notes 5
Status at time of printing For your own safety Important safety information!
BMW pursues a policy of continuous, Use unleaded gasoline only. Fuels For your own safety, use genuine
ongoing development that is conceived containing up to and including parts and accessories approved by
to ensure that our vehicles continue to 10% ethanol or other oxygenates with BMW.
embody the highest quality and safety up to 2.8% oxygen by weight – that is, When you purchase accessories tested
standards combined with advanced, 15% MTBE or 3% methanol plus an and approved by BMW and Original
state-of-the-art technology. For this equivalent amount of co-solvent – will BMW Parts, you simultaneously acquire
reason, the features described in this not void the applicable warranties the assurance that they have been thor-
Owner's Manual could differ from those respecting defects in materials or work- oughly tested by BMW to ensure opti-
in your vehicle. Nor can errors and manship. Field experience has indi- mum performance when installed on
omissions be entirely ruled out. You are cated significant differences in fuel your vehicle.
therefore asked to appreciate that no quality – volatility, composition, addi- BMW warrants these parts to be free
claims can be recognized on the basis tives, etc. among gasolines offered for from defects in material and workman-
of the data, illustrations or descriptions sale in the United States and Canada. ship.
in this Owner's Manual. The use of poor quality fuels may result BMW will not accept any liability for
in driveability, starting and stalling damages resulting from installation of
problems especially under certain envi- parts and accessories not approved by
ronmental conditions, such as high BMW.
ambient temperature and high altitude. BMW cannot test every product made
Should you encounter driveability prob- by other manufacturers to verify if it can
lems which you suspect could be be used on a BMW safely and without
related to the fuel you are using, we risk to either the vehicle, its operation,
recommend that you respond by or its occupants.
switching to a recognized high-quality Original BMW Parts, BMW Accessories
brand. and other products approved by BMW,
Failure to comply with these recom- together with professional advice on
mendations may result in unscheduled using these items, are available from all
maintenance. BMW centers.
Obey pertinent safety rules when you Installation and operation of non-BMW
are handling gasoline.< approved accessories such as alarms,
radios, amplifiers, radar detectors,
wheels, suspension components, brake

6 Notes
dust shields, telephones – including Service and warranty Reporting safety defects
operation of any portable cellular phone This manual is supplemented by a Ser- The following only applies to vehicles
from within the vehicle without using an vice and Warranty Information Booklet owned and operated in the US.
externally mounted antenna – or trans- for US models or a Warranty and Ser-
ceiver equipment, such as a CB, If you believe that your vehicle has a
vice Guide Booklet for Canadian mod- defect which could cause a crash or
walkie-talkie, ham radio or similar els.
accessories, may cause extensive dam- could cause injury or death, you should
age to the vehicle, compromise its We recommend that you read this pub- immediately inform the National
safety, interfere with the vehicle's elec- lication thoroughly. Highway Traffic Safety Administration
trical system or affect the validity of the Your BMW is covered by the following NHTSA in addition to notifying BMW of
BMW Limited Warranty. Contact your warranties: North America, LLC, P.O. Box 1227,
BMW center for additional information. Westwood, New Jersey 07675-1227,
> New Vehicle Limited Warranty
Do not use key or remote control to Telephone toll-free 1-800-831-1117.
> Rust Perforation Limited Warranty
lock doors or luggage compartment If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
with anyone inside the vehicle. Refer to > Federal Emissions System Defect may open an investigation, and if it
the Owner's Manual for more details. < Warranty finds that a safety defect exists in a
> Federal Emissions Performance War- group of vehicles, it may order a recall
Symbol on vehicle parts ranty and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in indi-
Indicates that you should consult > California Emission Control System
vidual problems between you, your
the relevant section of this Limited Warranty.
dealer, or BMW of North America, LLC.
Owner's Manual for information on a Detailed information about these war-
particular part or assembly. To contact NHTSA, you may either call
ranties is listed in the Service and War-
the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at
ranty Information Booklet for US mod-
1-800-424-9393 or 366-0123 in the
els or in the Warranty and Service
Washington, D.C. area, or write to:
Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
NHTSA, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Washington, D.C.
20590. You can also obtain other infor-
mation about motor vehicle safety from
the Hotline.


Contents
About this Owner's Manual 4 Cockpit 14 Opening and closing:
Controls and features

Overview
Notes
Symbols used 4 Instrument cluster 16 Keys 30
Your individual vehicle 4 Indicator and warning lamps 18 Central locking system 30
Status at time of printing 5 Steering wheel with multifunction Opening and closing – via the
For your own safety 5 buttons 22 remote control 31
Symbol on vehicle parts 6 Hazard warning triangle* 23 Opening and closing – via the
Service and warranty 6 First-aid kit* 23 door lock 33
Reporting safety defects 6 Refueling 24 Opening and closing – from the
Fuel specifications 25 inside 34
Tire inflation pressure 25 Luggage compartment lid 35
Luggage compartment 37
Alarm system* 38
Electric power windows 40
Sliding/tilt sunroof* 40
To adjust:
Safe seating position 43
Seats 44
Manual seat adjustment 44
Power seat adjustment* 45
Head restraints 46
Entering the rear 47
Safety belts 47
Seat and mirror memory* 49
Seat heating* 50
Steering wheel 51
Mirrors 51
Passenger safety systems:
Airbags 53
Transporting children safely 55
Vehicle Memory, Key
Memory 59

Contents 9
Driving: Technology for safety and Loading and transporting:

Ignition lock 60 driving convenience: Through-loading system 100
Starting the engine and driving Park Distance Control (PDC)* 80 Ski bag* 101
off 61 Dynamic Stability Control Cargo loading 102
Switching off the engine 63 (DSC) 81 Roof-mounted luggage
Parking brake 63 Flat Tire Monitor 82 rack* 103
Manual transmission 64 M Engine dynamics control 85
Sequential M gearbox
Lamps:
SMG II* 65
Parking lamps/Low beams 86
Turn signal indicator/Headlamp
Instrument lighting 87
flasher 70
High beams/Standing lamps 87
Washer/wiper system/Rain
Fog lamps 88
sensor* 71
Interior lamps 88
Cruise control 72
Controlling the climate for
Everything under control:
pleasant driving:
Odometer 74
Automatic climate control 90
Tachometer 74
Roller sun blind* 94
Temperature gauge 74
Fuel gauge 75 Interior conveniences:
Engine coolant temperature Premium sound system* 95
gauge 75 Glove compartment 95
Service interval display 76 Storage compartments 96
Check Control 76 Cellular phone* 97
Clock 77 Ashtray, front* 98
Computer 78 Ashtray, rear* 98
Clothes hooks 99

Contents
Special operating instructions: Replacement procedures: Engine data 144
Owner service procedures

Operation, maintenance
Technical data
Break-in procedures 106 Onboard tool kit 128 Dimensions 145
Driving notes 107 Windshield wiper blades 128 Weights 146
Antilock Brake System Lamps and bulbs 129 Capacities 147
(ABS) 107 Repairing a flat tire 133
Brake system 108 Battery 137
Fuses 138
Wheels and tires:
Tire inflation pressure 109 Giving and receiving
Tire condition 109 assistance:
Tire replacement 110 Jump-starting 139
Wheel and tire Towing the vehicle 140
combinations 112
Winter tires 112
Snow chains* 113
In the engine compartment:
Hood 114
Engine compartment
essentials 116
Washer fluids 118
Engine oil 118
Coolant 120
Brake fluid 121
Maintenance:
The BMW Maintenance
System 122
Laws and regulations:
California Proposition 65
warning 124
OBD interface socket 124

Contents 11
Everything from A to Z 150
Index

12

13
Overview
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Technical data
Data
Index
Index
14 Cockpit

Cockpit 15
1 Parking lamps/Low beams 86

2 > Turn signal indicators 70
Overview
> Standing lamps 87
> High beams 87
> Headlamp flasher 70
> Computer 78
3 Washer/wiper system/Rain
sensor 71
Controls
4 Hazard warning flashers
5 Rear window defroster 93
6 Central locking system 30
Maintenance
7 Steering wheel 51
8 Horn: the entire surface
9 Fog lamps 88
Repairs
Data
Index
16 Instrument cluster

Instrument cluster 17
1 Fuel gauge 75
2 Turn signal indicators 20
Overview
3 Speedometer
4 Indicator and warning
lamps 18 to 21
5 Tachometer and engine oil temper-
ature gauge 74
Controls
6 Engine coolant temperature
gauge 75
Maintenance
lamps 18 to 21
8 Control button for
> Clock 77
> Unit of measure of outside tem-
perature display 78
9 Display for sequential M gearbox
SMG II 66
Repairs
10 Indicator lamp for Dynamic Stability
Control (DSC) 81
11 Display for
> Trip odometer/Odometer 74
> Clock 77
> Service interval 76
Data
> Computer 78
12 Check Control 76
13 Trip odometer, reset to zero 74
Index
lamps 18 to 21

18 Indicator and warning lamps

Technology that monitors itself Engine oil pressure ● Red: an important reminder
Indicator and warning lamps that are An alarm sounds at the same Brake warning lamp ●
identified by ● are tested for proper time. Stop vehicle immediately Comes on when the parking
functioning whenever the ignition key is and switch off engine. Check the brake is engaged – an additional
turned. They each light up once for dif- engine oil level and top up as required. acoustic signal sounds when starting
ferent periods of time. If the oil level is correct, please contact off. For additional information: refer to
the nearest BMW center. page 63
If a fault should occur in one of these
systems, the corresponding lamp does Do not continue driving, as the Brake warning lamp for Cana-
not go out after the engine is started or engine could sustain serious dam- dian models.
it lights up while the vehicle is moving. age from inadequate lubrication. <
You will see how to react to this below. Please fasten safety belts ●
Flat Tire Monitor ● Comes on together with an
Red: stop immediately In addition, an acoustic signal is acoustic signal until the safety
Battery charge current ● sounded: a tire failure has belts are fastened.
The battery is no longer being occurred. To come to an immediate For additional information on safety
charged. There is a malfunction stop, reduce speed, while avoiding any belts: refer to page 47
of the alternator drive belt or in the sudden, jerky braking or steering Airbags ●
charging circuit of the alternator. Please maneuvers. Please have the system
contact the nearest BMW center. For additional information: refer to inspected at your BMW center.
page 82 For additional information: refer to
If the drive belt is defective, stop Brake warning lamp ● page 53
and switch off the engine immedi- If the lamp comes on when the
ately to prevent overheating and seri- parking brake is not engaged:
ous engine damage. If the drive belt is check the brake fluid level. Before driv-
defective, increased steering effort is ing further, be sure to comply with the
also required.< instructions on pages 108 and 121.
Brake warning lamp for Cana-
dian models.

Indicator and warning lamps 19
Red and yellow: continue driving Orange: consult the nearest BMW Engine oil level
cautiously center Comes on after the engine has
Overview
been shut off and is accompa-
The brake warning lamp lights Sequential M gearbox SMG II
nied by an alarm: add engine oil at your
up together with the yellow indi- If the indicator lamp fails to go
earliest opportunity, such as when you
cator lamps for ABS ● and out after the engine has been
stop to refuel.
DSC: started, or if it comes on during normal
For additional information: refer to
The entire ABS, CBC and DSC driving: this indicates a malfunction in
page 118
control system has failed. Con- the system. Please consult the nearest
Controls
tinue to drive; drive cautiously BMW center. Brake pads ●
and defensively and avoid full Indicator lamp flashes: a system over- Have the brake pads checked.
brake applications. Please have the load has occurred. For additional information: refer
system checked by your BMW center For additional information: refer to to page 108
Maintenance
as soon as possible. page 69 Flat Tire Monitor ●
For additional information: refer to The Flat Tire Monitor has been
pages 81, 107 Yellow: check as soon as possible deactivated, either at the button
ABS, CBC and DSC indicator Engine oil level or in response to a system malfunction.
and warning lamps for Canadian Comes on while driving and is In the event of a malfunction, have the
models. accompanied by an alarm: the system checked by your BMW center.
engine oil level has fallen to the abso- For additional information: refer to
Repairs
lute minimum; refill as soon as possible. pages 25, 82
Do not drive more than 30 miles/50 km
before refilling.
page 118
Data
Index
20 Indicator and warning lamps

Dynamic Stability Control Add washer fluid Add coolant
(DSC) ● The washer fluid is too low. Top Coolant level too low, top up as
The indicator lamp flashes and off the fluid at the earliest soon as possible.
an acoustic signal sounds: the system opportunity. For additional information: refer to
is active and governs drive and braking For additional information: refer to page 120
force. page 118 CHECK FILLER CAP ●
If the indicator lamp fails to go out after SERVICE ENGINE SOON ● This indicator lamp comes on
the engine has been started, or if it If the indicator lamp comes on when the fuel filler cap is loose
comes on during normal driving and either continuously or intermit- or missing.
stays on: tently, this indicates a fault in the emis- Close the filler cap tightly: refer to
DSC has been deactivated, either at the sions-related electronic systems. page 24
button or in response to a system mal- Although the vehicle remains opera-
function. tional, you should have the systems Green: for your information
In the event of a malfunction, have the checked by your BMW center at the
system checked by your nearest BMW Turn signal indicator
earliest possible opportunity. Flashes when turn signals are
center. For additional information: refer to
For additional information: refer to on. Rapid flashing: indicates a
page 124 system malfunction.
page 81
SERVICE ENGINE SOON warn- For additional information: refer to
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) ● ing lamp for Canadian models. page 70
Malfunction in DBC system.
Conventional braking efficiency Cruise control
Engine electronics ● Lights up when the cruise con-
is available and unrestricted.
There is a fault in the electronic trol is activated. Ready for oper-
Have the system checked and repaired
engine-management system. ation via the steering wheel with multi-
at your BMW center as soon as possi-
You can continue to drive with reduced function buttons.
ble.
engine output or engine speed. Please For additional information: refer to
have the system inspected at your page 72
page 82
BMW center. Front fog lamps
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC)
warning lamp for Canadian Lights up whenever the fog
models. lamps are on.
page 88

Indicator and warning lamps 21
Blue: for your information

High beams
Overview
Comes on when the high beams
are on or the headlamp flasher
is actuated.
pages 70, 87
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Data
Index
22 Steering wheel with multifunction buttons

These buttons let you operate the fol-
lowing functions quickly and without
being distracted from traffic conditions: Forward Cruise control: store and accelerate +
> Selected radio functions > Radio or decelerate and store –.
> The cruise control Press briefly: station scan in
> Selected telephone* functions FM band
> The voice recognition system *. Extended pressure: station search
> CD/MD Cruise control: activate/interrupt/deac-
Press briefly: jump to next track tivate.
The controls are active only when
the corresponding systems and Extended pressure: search function
accessories are switched on. < in track
> Cassette
Press briefly: jump to next track or
stop fast forward
Press briefly: Extended pressure: fast forward
Accept incoming call, start dialing, ter- > Phone
minate call. Scan personal phone book.
Extended pressure:
Activate and deactivate voice entry.
Rewind: same functions as forward.
Switch between phone, radio, cassette

and CD. Volume.
Cruise control: select a stored setting.

Hazard warning triangle* First-aid kit* 23
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
The hazard warning triangle is stored in The first-aid kit is located under the
a storage case on the left side of the front passenger's seat.
luggage compartment. To open: pull the handle and fold the
cover down.
Always observe all legal regula-
To fasten: fold the cover up and press it
tions requiring a warning triangle
until the tab engages.
to be carried in the vehicle.<
Repairs
Several of the items contained in
the first-aid kit have a limited ser-
vice life. For this reason, check the
expiration dates of each of the items
regularly, and replace any with passed
dates. You can acquire replacements in
Data
any drugstore or pharmacy.
Always observe all legal regulations
requiring a first-aid kit to be carried in
the vehicle.<
Index
24 Refueling
When handling fuels, comply with
all of the applicable safety precau-
tions posted at the service station.
Never carry spare fuel containers in
your vehicle. Whether empty or full,
these containers can leak, cause an
explosion, or lead to fire in the event of
a collision.<
Fuel filler door Simple and environmentally

Always switch off the engine friendly
before refueling, as it is not possi- Open the filler cap carefully to
ble to add fuel with the engine running, prevent fuel from spraying out.
and attempts may also trigger the Fuel spray may cause injury.<
SERVICE ENGINE SOON lamp.<
Keep the filler cap in the bracket
Press on the rear edge of the fuel filler attached to the fuel filler door – see
door to open and close it. arrow.
If an electrical malfunction occurs, you When refueling, insert the filler nozzle
can unlock the fuel filler door manually: completely into the filler pipe. Pulling
Pull the knob with the fuel pump symbol the nozzle out of the pipe during refuel-
on the right trim panel of the luggage ing
compartment. > results in premature pump shutoff
> and will reduce the effect of the vapor
recovery system on the pump.
The fuel tank is full when the filler noz-
zle shuts off the first time.

Refueling Fuel specifications Tire inflation pressure 25
Close the fuel filler cap carefully Use unleaded gasoline

after refueling until a click is The engine uses lead-free gasoline
Overview
heard. While closing, be sure not to only.
squeeze the strap which is fastened to
the cap. A loose or missing cap will Required fuel:
activate the CHECK FILLER CAP > Premium Unleaded Gasoline,
lamp.< min. 91 AKI
AKI = Anti Knock Index
Controls
Fuel tank capacity
Never use leaded fuel, as it would
> Approx. 16.6 gal./63 liters, of which
cause permanent and irreversible
> approx. 2.1 gal./8 liters are reserve
damage to the oxygen sensor and the
capacity.
Maintenance
catalytic converter.<
The specified inflation pressures are
Do not drive to the last drop of provided on a sticker attached to the
fuel. This can prevent the engine B-pillar and are visible with the driver's
from operating properly and result in door open.
damage.<
Checking tire pressures
All pressures are specified in the stan-
Repairs
dard units or pressure, psi and kilopas-
cal, and apply to cold tires, that is tires
at ambient temperature, refer to tire
pressure table at the end of this chap-
ter.
After correcting the tire inflation pres-
Data
sure, reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor so
that it can monitor the tire inflation
pressure, refer to page 82.
Index
26 Tire inflation pressure

Check the tire pressures on a reg-
ular basis – at least twice a month
– and before every extended journey.
Incorrect tire pressure can otherwise
lead to driving instability, tire damage
and accidents.<
Comply with tire approval

specifications
The inflation pressures in the table
apply to BMW-approved tire sizes and
tire manufacturers. Your BMW center
will be glad to supply this information.
Higher pressures may be required for
tires made by other manufacturers.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
which not only meet US standards, but
also European standards. We recom-
mend the exclusive use of BMW-
approved tires.

Tire inflation pressure 27
BMW Tires
All pressure specifications in
Overview
the table are indicated in psi/
kilopascal with cold tires –
cold = ambient temperature
225/45 ZR 18 33/230 - 41/280 -
255/40 ZR 18 - 35/240 - 48/330
Controls
M3 coupe 225/45 ZR 18 33/230 - 41/280 -
225/40 ZR 19
255/35 ZR 19 - 35/240 - 48/330
Maintenance
225/45 R 17 91 Q/T/H M+S 33/230 38/260 36/250 46/320
Repairs
Data
Index
28

29
Overview
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Technical data
Data
Index
Index
Opening and closing

30 Keys Central locking system
2 Spare master key – for storage in a The concept
safe place, such as in your wallet. The central locking system engages
This key is not intended for constant and releases the locks on the
use
> doors
3 Door and ignition key – the locks for > luggage compartment lid
the luggage compartment lid and the > fuel filler door.
glove compartment cannot be oper-
ated with this key. This is useful for The central locking system is ready for
valet parking, for example operation whenever the driver's door is
closed.
The central locking system can be
operated
The key set > from outside via the door lock and
1 Master keys with remote control using the remote control
unit – determine the functions of the > from inside via the central locking
Key Memory, refer to page 59. system button.
You can mark the individual keys for If it is operated from inside, the fuel
subsequent identification by apply- filler door will not be locked, refer to
ing the colored decals that you page 34.
received when accepting delivery of When the system is actuated from the
your vehicle outside, the anti-theft system is also
activated. This prevents the doors from
There is an extended-life battery being unlocked via the lock buttons or
in every master key with remote the release handle. The alarm system is
control that is charged automatically in also armed or disarmed.
the ignition lock as you drive.
For this reason, if you have a master If locked from inside, the central locking
key that is otherwise not used, use that system unlocks the vehicle automati-
key at least once every year while driv- cally in the event of an accident. In
ing for an extended period to charge addition, the hazard warning flashers
the battery.< and interior lamps come on.

Opening and closing – via the remote control 31
The concept Master keys with remote control

The remote control gives you an excep- Since passengers or animals
Overview
tionally convenient method for unlock- remaining in the vehicle might be
ing and locking your vehicle. Further- able to lock the doors from the inside,
more, it provides two additional always take the vehicle's keys with you
functions: so that the vehicle can be opened again
> Switch on the interior lamps, refer to from the outside at any time.<
Controls
page 32.
With this function you can also If it is no longer possible to lock
search for your vehicle – when the vehicle via the remote control,
parked in an underground garage, for the battery is discharged. Use this key
while driving for an extended period in
Maintenance
instance
> Open the luggage compartment lid, order to recharge the battery. Guard 1 Unlock, convenience opening mode,
refer to page 32. the remote control against unauthorized and disarm alarm system
The luggage compartment lid will use by only surrendering the spare key 2 Lock and secure, arm alarm system,
open slightly, regardless of whether it or the door and ignition key, e.g. for activate interior lamps, disarm tilt
was locked or unlocked. valet parking. alarm sensor and interior motion sen-
In the event of a system malfunction, sor
The anti-theft system is also deacti-
please contact your BMW center. You
Repairs
vated/activated simultaneously with the 3 Open luggage compartment, Panic
can also obtain replacement keys
unlocking or locking of the vehicle, and mode – trigger alarm
there.<
the alarm system is disarmed/armed,
and the interior lamps are switched To release
on/off.
You can have a signal set to con- Press button to unlock the driver's door
Data
firm that the vehicle's locks have only.
engaged securely.<
Press the button a second time to
unlock all vehicle locks.<
Index
32 Opening and closing – via the remote control

Convenience opening mode To open the luggage If this should occur, you can still open
compartment and close the vehicle using the master
key in both the door and luggage com-
Press and hold button. The power win- partment locks.
dows and sliding/tilt sunroof are Press button.
opened. For US owners only
The lid will open slightly, no matter
whether it was locked or unlocked. The transmitter and receiver units com-
To lock and secure ply with part 15 of the FCC Federal
Before and after a trip, be sure Communications Commission regula-
that the luggage compartment lid tions. Operation is governed by the fol-
Press button. has not been opened unintentionally.< lowing:
FCC ID:
To switch on the interior lamps Panic mode – trigger alarm > X8EWS
> LX8FZVS
> LX8FZVE
After locking the vehicle, press button By pressing button for more than Compliance statement:
again. 2 seconds, the alarm can be sounded
This device complies with part 15 of the
in the event of danger, if it is armed.
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
To deactivate the tilt alarm* and
following two conditions:
interior motion sensors* To switch off the alarm
> This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
> this device must accept any interfer-
Press button a second time immedi- Press button.
ence received, including interference
ately after locking.
that may cause undesired operation.
For additional information: page 39. External systems
Local systems or devices in the area Any unauthorized modifications to
may interference with remote control these devices could void the
function. user's authority to operate the equip-
ment.<

Opening and closing – via the door lock 33
Whenever closing the windows or

sliding/tilt sunroof you should
Overview
always monitor their path and progress
to ensure that no one is injured. Releas-
ing the key stops the operation.<
Manual operation
In the event of electrical malfunction
Controls
Turn the key all the way to the left or
right to unlock/lock the driver's door.
Maintenance
One turn of the key in the driver's door
lock unlocks the driver's door only.
Turning the key a second time unlocks
the passenger's door, the luggage
compartment lid and the fuel filler door.
You can have a signal set to con-
Repairs
firm that the vehicle's locks have
engaged securely.<
Convenience operation
You can also operate the power win-
dows and the sliding/tilt sunroof via the
door lock.
Data
> To open: with the door closed, hold
the key in the Unlock position
> To fasten: with the door closed, hold
the key in the Lock position.
Index
34 Opening and closing – from the inside

If you desire, the central locking
system can be activated automati-
cally as soon as you begin to drive. You
may also have this adjusted so that it is
specific to keys.<
To unlock and open the doors

> Either unlock the doors together with
the button for the central locking sys-
tem and then pull each of the release
handles above the armrests or
> pull the release handle for each door
With this button you operate the central twice: the first pull unlocks the door,
locking system whenever the doors are and the second one opens it.
closed. The doors and luggage com-
partment lid are unlocked or locked To lock
only. The anti-theft alarm system is not > Either use the central locking button
activated. to lock all doors at once
> press the individual door lock buttons
If only the driver's door was down. As an added design feature to
unlocked from the outside and prevent the driver from being inad-
you press the button, then, with the vertently locked out of the vehicle,
driver's door still open the passenger's the driver's door lock button will not
door, the luggage compartment lid and engage as long as the door is open.
the fuel filler door will unlock, too.
If the driver's door is closed, it will be Since passengers or animals
locked.< remaining in the vehicle might be
able to lock the doors from the inside,
always take the vehicle's keys with you
so that the vehicle can be opened again
from the outside at any time.<

Luggage compartment lid 35
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
The lock To secure separately To open from the outside
Only the master keys fit in the lock for Turn the master key to the right past the Press the button in the handle recess –
the luggage compartment lid, refer to resistance point and then pull it out in see arrow: the luggage compartment lid
page 30. the horizontal position. opens slightly.
The luggage compartment lid is locked The luggage compartment is lighted
and disconnected from the central lock- when the luggage compartment lid is
Repairs
ing system. This feature can be used to opened.
prevent unauthorized access to the lug-
gage compartment when you surrender Manual operation
the door and ignition key only, refer to In the event of electrical malfunction
page 30. This can be advantageous for
valet parking, for example. Turn the master key to the left as far as
it will go. The luggage compartment lid
Data
will open slightly.
The luggage compartment lid is locked
again as soon as you close the lid.
Index
36 Luggage compartment lid

Nevertheless, should it be absolutely
necessary to operate the vehicle with
the luggage compartment lid open:
1. Close all windows. Shut the slid-
ing/tilt sunroof
2. Greatly increase the quantity of air
from the automatic climate control
system, refer to page 92.
To open from the inside To close

If the luggage compartment lid has not The handle recesses in the interior trim
been locked separately, you can open it panel of the luggage compartment lid –
with this button in the footwell on the see arrows – make it easier to pull the
driver's side when the vehicle is sta- lid down.
tionary.
To avoid injuries, be sure that the
travel path of the luggage com-
partment lid is clear when it is closed,
following the same precautions as with
all closing procedures.<
Operate the vehicle only when the

luggage compartment lid is com-
pletely closed. Otherwise, exhaust
fumes could penetrate the interior of
the vehicle. <

Luggage compartment lid Luggage compartment 37
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Emergency release To lift the floor panel and hook it
This lever releases the luggage com- To raise and secure the floor panel, lift
partment lid from the luggage compart- it by the ring and hook it onto the rub-
ment's interior. ber seal of the run-off gutter with the
hanger – see arrow.
Repairs
Data
Index
38 Luggage compartment Alarm system*

The concept You can have a signal set as
The vehicle alarm system responds: acknowledgment for both arming
and disarming the alarm.<
> When a door, the hood or the lug-
gage compartment lid are opened
> To movement inside the vehicle –
interior motion sensor You can also open the luggage com-
> Altering the vehicle tilt, e.g. as would partment lid when the system is armed
occur while attempting to steal the by pressing the button of the remote
wheels or tow the vehicle – tilt alarm control, refer to page 32. When it is
sensor system closed, the lid is once again secured.
> To interruption of battery voltage.
The system responds to unauthorized
Floor mat
vehicle entry and attempted theft by
You can turn the floor mat over to trans- simultaneously activating the following:
port soiled objects, etc. The rubber-
> Sounding an acoustical alarm for
coated side can be washed and is
30 seconds
designed to inhibit sliding.
> Activating the hazard warning flash-
The fittings at the corners of the lug- ers for approx. five minutes
gage compartment provide you with a > Flashing the high beams on and off in
convenient means of attaching luggage rhythm with the hazard warning flash-
nets* and flexible straps for securing ers.
luggage.
Refer also to Cargo loading on To arm and disarm the alarm
page 102. system
When the vehicle is locked or unlocked
by using a key or with the remote con-
trol, the alarm system is also simulta-
neously armed or disarmed.

Alarm system* 39
armed: an attempted entry has been Nevertheless, you should deactivate

detected in the period since the sys- the interior motion sensor, refer to
Overview
tem was armed. Avoiding unintentional alarms, if
Following triggering of an alarm, the > persons or animals are left in the
indicator lamp will flash continuously. vehicle
> the windows or the sliding/tilt sunroof
Avoiding unintentional alarms are being left open.
Controls
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion
sensor may be deactivated at the same The tilt and interior motion sen-
time. You can do this to prevent a false sors are inadvertently switched off
alarm from being triggered in garages when convenience closing of the win-
dows is interrupted within the first
Maintenance
with elevator ramps, for instance, or
Indicator lamp displays when the vehicle is transported by train: 10 seconds and then started again. If
this happens, they must be disarmed
> The indicator lamp below the interior
and reactivated.<
rearview mirror flashes continuously:
the system is armed Lock the vehicle twice to arm the sys-
> The indicator lamp flashes when it is tem. Press button on the remote control
armed: the door(s), the hood or lug- twice in succession or lock the vehicle
gage compartment lid are not com- twice with the key.
Repairs
pletely closed. Even if you do not
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and
close the alerted area, the remaining
then flashes continuously. The tilt alarm
areas are deadlocked, and the indi-
sensor and the interior motion sensor
cator lamp flashes continuously after
are deactivated as long as the system is
10 seconds. However, the interior
armed.
motion sensor is not activated
Data
> If the indicator lamp goes out when
Interior motion sensor
the system is disarmed: no manipula-
tion or attempted intrusions have In order for the interior motion sensor to
been detected in the period since the function properly, the windows and the
system was armed sliding/tilt sunroof must be completely
> If the indicator lamp flashes for closed.
Index
10 seconds when the system is dis-

40 Electric power windows Sliding/tilt sunroof*

> Press the switch briefly past the pres- To prevent injuries, exercise care
sure point: the window moves auto- when closing the sliding/tilt sun-
matically. Pressing the switch again roof and keep it in your field of vision
stops the opening cycle. until it is shut.
You can close the windows in the same When leaving the vehicle, always
manner by pulling the switch. The remove the ignition key from the lock
swivel window does not close automat- and remember to close the doors to
ically. prevent children from operating the
sunroof and injuring themselves, etc.<
For convenience closing via the door
lock or the remote control, refer to
page 33 or 32.
To open and close windows Safety feature

When leaving the vehicle, always The windows are each equipped with
remove the ignition key from the contact strips located in the upper win-
lock and remember to close the doors dow frames. If pressure is exerted
to prevent children from operating the against this contact strip while a win-
power windows and injuring them- dow is being raised, the system will
selves, etc.< respond by stopping the window and
then retracting it a small distance.
After the ignition has been switched off,
you can still operate the power win- Despite this safety feature, be
dows for up to 15 minutes as long as extremely careful to ensure that
no one has opened and again closed the closing path of the window is not
any of the doors. obstructed. Some types of objects –
With the ignition key in position 1 or very thin objects, for instance, might fail
higher to trigger the contact strip in some situ-
> Press the switch until you feel resis- ations.
tance: the window retracts and the You can override this safety feature by
swivel window opens as long as you pressing the switch beyond the resis-
maintain pressure on the switch tance point and holding it.<

Sliding/tilt sunroof* 41
For convenience closing via the door > when it is closing from a point
lock or the remote control, refer to roughly past the middle of its travel,
Overview
pages 32 and 33. the closing cycle is interrupted and the
sliding/tilt sunroof will open again
Raising the sunroof slightly.
With the ignition key in position 1 or
higher: tap the switch. Despite this safety feature, be
extremely careful to ensure that
Controls
Tapping the switch again stops the
motion immediately. the closing path of the sunroof is not
obstructed. Remember that the safety
If you briefly press the switch in the mechanism may not be able to detect
raise direction while the sunroof is obstructions – very thin objects, for
Maintenance
open, the sunroof will rise to its upper- instance, under all circumstances.
Opening and closing
most position. You can override this safety feature by
After the ignition has been switched off, pressing the switch beyond the pres-
higher
you can still operate the sunroof for up sure point and holding it.<
> Slide the switch until you feel resis- to 15 minutes, as long as no one opens
tance: the sunroof opens or closes as any of the doors.
long as you hold the switch
The headliner insert slides back some-
> Slide the switch past the pressure
Repairs
what when you raise the roof.
point: the sunroof moves automati-
cally.
Do not use force to close the
Tapping the switch again stops the
headliner insert while the sunroof
motion immediately.
is in its raised position, as damage to
The headliner retracts with the sunroof the mechanism could result.<
while it is opening.
Data
After the ignition has been switched off, Safety feature
you can still operate the sunroof for up If the sliding/tilt sunroof encounters
to 15 minutes, as long as no one opens resistance
any of the doors.
> when it is closing from the raised
Index
position

42 Sliding/tilt sunroof*
Manual operation
In 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 128 – to turn
the sliding/tilt sunroof in the desired
direction.

To adjust
Safe seating position 43
For relaxed and fatigue-free driving you For airbag locations and additional abdominal area. Leave the rear safety
should select a sitting position that information on airbags, refer to belts in the holders, if they are not
Overview
reflects your personal requirements. In page 53. needed, to avoid unwanted movement
combination with the safety belts and from the safety belts at high speeds.<
airbags, the correct seating position Sitting safely with safety belts
plays an important role in enhancing Never allow more than one person For information on using the safety
occupant safety in the event of an acci- to wear a single safety belt. Never belts, refer to page 47.
dent. To ensure that the vehicle's safety allow infants or small children to ride in
Controls
systems provide you with optimal pro- a passenger's lap. Avoid twisting the
tection, we request that you direct your belt while routing it firmly across the
careful attention to the following sec- pelvis and shoulder, wear it as snugly
tion. against your body as possible. Do not
Maintenance
For supplementary information on allow the belt to rest against hard or
transporting children, refer to page 55. fragile objects in your pockets. Do not
route the belt across your neck, or run it
Sitting safely with airbags across sharp edges. Be sure that the
Always maintain an adequate dis- belt does not become caught or
tance between yourself and the jammed. Avoid wearing bulky clothing
airbags. Always hold the steering wheel and pull on the lap belt periodically to
Repairs
by the rim to keep any chance of injury retension it over your shoulders. In the
to hands or arms to an absolute mini- event of a frontal impact, a loose lap
mum should the airbag be deployed. belt could slide over the hips, leading to
Never allow any objects, individuals or abdominal injury. In addition, the safety
animals to obstruct the areas between belt's restraint effectiveness is reduced
passengers and airbags. Never use the if the belt is worn loosely. Expectant
mothers should always wear their
Data
front airbag's cover as a storage tray or
support for objects of any kind. Never safety belts, taking care to position the
allow front passengers to rest their feet lap belt against the lower hips, where it
or legs on the airbag cover.< will not exert pressure against the
Index
44 Seats Manual seat adjustment

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 angle. This is
especially important for the front pas-
senger to remember. If you do so, there
is a risk that you will slide under the
safety belt in an accident, thus reducing Seat adjustment 3 Backrest angle
the protection provided by the safety 1 Forward/backward adjustment Pull the lever and apply weight to or
belt.< Pull the lever and slide the seat to the remove weight from the backrest as
desired position. required
Seat adjustment After you release the lever, move the
> Manual seat adjustment, refer to seat forward or backward slightly so
page 44 that it engages fully
> Power seat adjustment, refer to 2 Height
page 45 Pull the lever and apply weight to or
> Head restraint, refer to page 46. remove weight from the seat as
required

Power seat adjustment* 45
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Seat adjustment Thigh support Adjusting the lumbar support*
1 Tilt angle Pull the lever and adjust the position of You can adjust the backrest's contour
2 Forward/backward adjustment the cushion for thigh support as for additional support in the curvature
desired. of your spine's lumbar region.
3 Height
The upper hips and spinal column
4 Backrest angle
receive supplementary support to help
The head restraint and the thigh sup-
Repairs
you maintain a relaxed, upright position.
port are adjusted manually.
> Press the front/rear of the switch:
increase/decrease curvature
> Press the upper/lower end of the
switch: increase the upper/lower cur-
vature.
Data
Index
46 Power seat adjustment* Head restraints
Adjusting the width of the To adjust

backrest* Height: pull the head restraint up or
Use the controls found along the sides push it down.
of the seat to adjust the width for the
backrest. This way you can set the Press button 1 to retract to the
sides of the seat so that they conform lowest position.<
to your body contours.
Press the front/rear of the switch: Adjust the angle of the front head
increase/decrease backrest width. restraints by tilting them manually.
You can reduce the risk of spinal

injury and whiplash by adjusting
the head restraint to a height at which it
is centered roughly at ear level.<
Removal
1. Pull up the head restraint, continuing
until it is at maximum extension

Head restraints Entering the rear Safety belts 47
2. Press button 1 and remove the head

restraint.
Overview
Installation – front
Press button 1 and slide the head
restraint into the sockets.
Removal and installation – rear
Controls
Give the head restraint a sharp upward
tug to release it from its locking mecha-
nism. Press down forcefully to install.
Maintenance
Unlocking backrests Always wear your safety belt
Pull up on the lever and push the back- Always fasten your safety belt before
rest toward the front. starting off. As supplemental restraint
The outer levers hold the safety belt to devices, the airbags are designed to
enable it to be reached more easily. enhance the effectiveness of the safety
belts, and not to replace them.
Repairs
Lock both backrests while driving,
otherwise there is a danger of an To close
unexpected movement causing an Make sure you hear the lock engage in
accident.< the belt buckle.
To release
1. Press the red button in the belt
Data
buckle
2. Hold the belt
3. Guide the belt back into its reel.
Index
48 Safety belts
In the rear, the belt buckle with
the word CENTER is provided
exclusively for the passenger sitting in
the middle.<
Adjusting safety belt height

Use the height adjustment mechanism
to adapt the safety belt to the ideal
position for your own body:
> Slide the button up or down.
Please refer to the seat adjustment
instructions on page 43.
If the safety belt system has been

subjected to the stresses involved
in an accident or otherwise damaged:
have the entire safety belt mechanism
replaced by your BMW center, includ-
ing the safety belt tensioner. In addi-
tion, have your BMW center inspect the
safety belt anchors. If a child-restraint
system was in the vehicle during an
accident, consult the manufacturer's
instructions regarding replacement.<

Seat and mirror memory* 49
To select a stored setting Before activating the programmed

Do not select a memory position adjustment feature, ensure that
Overview
while the vehicle is moving. If you the footwell behind the driver's seat is
do so, there is a risk of accident from empty and unobstructed. If you fail to
unexpected seat movement.< do so, any persons, animals or objects
behind the seat could be injured or
Driver's door open after unlocking or damaged if the seat should move back-
ignition key in position 1: ward.<
Controls
> Briefly press memory button 1, 2 or 3,
as desired.
Movement stops immediately when
Maintenance
one of the seat-adjustment or mem-
You can store and recall three different ory buttons is activated during the
driver's seat and outside mirror posi- adjustment process.
tions.
With the driver's door closed and the
ignition key either removed or in posi-
Memory will not retain the adjust-
tion 0 or 2:
ments made to the lumbar sup-
ports or the width of the backrests.< > Press and hold the desired memory
Repairs
button – 1, 2 or 3 – until the adjust-
To store ment process is completed.
1. Ignition key in position 1 or 2
If you press the MEMORY button
2. Adjust your seat and outside mirrors
accidentally: press the button
to the desired position
again; the indicator lamp goes out.<
3. Press the MEMORY button: the indi-
Data
cator lamp in the button lights up
You can have this feature pro-
4. Press memory button 1, 2 or 3, as
grammed so that when you use
desired. The indicator lamp goes out.
the remote control from your personal-
ized key to unlock your door, your seat
and the exterior mirrors will move into
Index
your own preferred positions.<

50 Seat and mirror memory* Seat heating*
Passenger-side exterior mirror tilt The seat cushion and backrest can be
function heated with the ignition key in
position 2.
Automatic curb monitor*
You can call up different heating modes
1. Move mirror selector switch 1 to the
by repeatedly pressing the buttons.
driver's mirror position
2. When shifting into Reverse or placing You can also switch the higher heating
the selector lever in position R, the modes off directly:
passenger-side mirror tilts down- Press the button and hold it slightly
ward. This allows the driver to see longer.
the area directly adjacent to the vehi-
cle during parking – curbs, etc.
How far the passenger mirror tilts

can be set individually for each
ignition key.<
You can deactivate this automatic fea-

ture by setting the mirror selection
switch to the passenger side position.

Steering wheel Mirrors 51
than they appear. This means that esti-

mations of the distance to following
Overview
traffic should not be regarded as pre-
cise.<
Electric defrosting
Both mirrors are heated automatically in
ignition key position 2.
Controls
Maintenance
To adjust To adjust exterior mirrors
Never attempt to adjust the steer- 1 Switch for 4-way adjustment
ing wheel while driving the vehicle 2 Selection switch for changing
– it could respond with unexpected between mirrors
movement, posing a potential accident
hazard.< To adjust manually
Repairs
1. Push the locking lever downward The mirrors can also be adjusted manu-
2. Adjusting steering column reach and ally:
rake for your selected seating posi- Press the edges of the lens.
tion To store the mirror settings, refer to
3. Pull the lever back up. Seat and mirror memory on page 49.
Data
The mirror on the passenger's
side is convex. When estimating
the distance between yourself and
other traffic, bear in mind that the
objects reflected in the mirror are closer
Index
52 Mirrors
Interior rearview mirror with

automatic dimming feature
This mirror automatically dims through
an infinitely variable range and switches
automatically to its clear, undimmed
mode whenever you engage reverse
gear.
There are two photocells for automatic
dimming. One photocell – see arrow – is
positioned in the mirror's frame, while
the other is slightly offset on the oppo-
site side of the mirror.
For the mirror to function perfectly,
keep the photocells clean and the area
between the inside rearview mirror and
the windshield free of any obstruction
like stickers, etc.

Passenger safety systems

Airbags 53
The side airbags in the rear pas- steering wheel. Unprofessional

senger area* of your vehicle may attempts to service the system could
Overview
already have been deactivated either at lead to failure in an emergency or
the time of manufacture or by a BMW undesired airbag activation, either of
center. You may have them activated if which could result in personal injury. Do
you desire to do so. Please contact not touch the individual components
your BMW center for additional infor- directly after the system has been trig-
mation.< gered, as otherwise there is a danger of
Controls
burns.<
The airbags do not deploy in
response to minor collisions, rear At all times, occupants should sit
impacts and certain kinds of vehicle upright and be properly restrained
Maintenance
1 Front airbags on the driver and pas- rollover.< – infants and small children in appropri-
senger sides ate child-restraint systems; larger chil-
Do not apply adhesive materials to dren and adults using the safety belts.
2 Head airbags on the driver and pas- the cover panels of the airbags, Never let an occupant's head rest near
senger sides in the front cover them or modify them in any other or on a side airbag because the inflating
3 Side airbags on the driver and pas- way. Do not attempt to remove the air- airbag could cause a serious or fatal
senger sides – front and rear* bag restraint system from the vehicle. In injury. Please note that the word Airbag
Repairs
the event of a malfunction, deactivation imprinted on the door trim panel indi-
Protective effect or triggered activation – as a response cates the airbag's location.
The front airbags protect the driver and to an accident – of the airbag restraint Accident research shows that the saf-
passenger in the event of a head-on system, consult your BMW center for est place for children in an automobile
collision where the protection provided inspection, repair or disassembly. Mod- is in the rear seat. However, a child sit-
by the safety belt alone would not be ifications may not be made on either ting in the rear seat and not properly
adequate. The head and side airbags the wiring or the individual components restrained may place his or her head on
Data
help provide protection in the event of a in the airbag system. These include the or near the side airbag, if so equipped.
collision from the side. Each of the side upholstered covers on the steering For example, a child – even though
airbags is designed to help support the wheel, instrument panel, side trim pan- belted in – may fall asleep with his or
seat occupant's upper body. els of the doors and front roof pillars, her head against the side airbag. It may
and on the sides of the headliner. Do be difficult for a driver to ensure that
For information on the correct sitting
Index
not attempt to remove or dismantle the children in the rear seat will remain
position, refer to page 43.

54 Airbags
properly positioned at all times and 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
children in the rear seat.
The rear seat side airbags may already
have been deactivated, either at the
time of manufacture or by a BMW cen-
ter. Labels in the 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 This is the right way a child should sit in This is the right way a larger child
activated or deactivated, please con- a child restraint when rear side airbags, should sit wearing the safety belt when
tact your BMW center.< see arrow, are provided. rear side airbags, see arrow, are pro-
vided.
Even when all these guidelines are
observed, there is still a small residual
Indicator lamp
risk of injuries to the face, hands and
arms occurring from airbag deployment The indicator lamp indicates the
in isolated instances. operational status of the airbag
system when the ignition key is
The ignition and inflation noise may
in position 1 or higher.
provoke a mild temporary hearing loss
in extremely sensitive individuals. System operational:
Airbag warning information is also pro- > The indicator lamp comes on briefly
vided on the sun visors. when the ignition key is turned to
position 1 or higher.
System malfunction:
> Indicator lamp does not come on or
> indicator lamp lights up continuously.

Airbags Transporting children safely 55
If there is a system malfunction, there is

Commercially available child-restraint
a risk that the airbags will not be trig-
systems are designed to be secured
Overview
gered within their normal response with a lap belt or with the lap belt por-
range, even if the level of impact would
tion of a combination lap/shoulder belt.
normally have triggered them. Improperly or inadequately installed
Have your BMW center inspect the sys- restraint systems can increase the risk
tem immediately. of injury to children. Always read and
follow the instructions that come with
Controls
the system.
Maintenance
Child-restraint system with tether
strap
If you use a child-restraint system with
a tether strap, three additional tether
anchorage points have been provided –
refer to the arrows in the illustration.
Repairs
Data
Index
56 Transporting children safely

Before installing any child- should be tightly secured with the
restraint device or child seat, safety belt after they have outgrown a
please read the following: booster seat that is appropriate for their
Never install a rearward-facing child- age, height, and weight.
restraint system in the front passenger Younger children should be secured in
seat of this vehicle. an appropriate forward-facing child-
Your vehicle is equipped with an airbag restraint system that has first been
supplemental restraint system for the properly secured with a safety belt.
front passenger. Because the backrest Never install a rearward-facing child-
on any rear-facing child-restraint sys- restraint system in the front passenger
tem – of the kind designed for infants seat.
under 1 year and 20 lbs/9 kg – would be We strongly urge you to carefully read
Depending on the location selected for within the airbag's deployment range, and comply with the instructions for
seating in the rear passenger area, you should never mount such a device installation and use provided by the
attach the tether strap to the corre- in the front passenger seat, since the child-restraint's manufacturer whenever
sponding anchorage point to secure the impact of the airbag against the child you use such a device.
child-restraint system, as shown in the restraint's backrest could lead to seri- Do not attempt to modify child-restraint
illustration. ous or fatal injuries. systems. If you do this, the protection
If it is necessary for a child – not an provided by these systems could be
If the respective seating position is fit- infant – to ride in the front seat, certain impaired.
ted with a headrest lift the headrest and precautions should be taken. First, Be sure that all occupants – of all ages –
pass the tether strap between the move the passenger seat as far away remain properly and securely restrained
headrest and the seat back. from the instrument panel as possible. at all times.<
It is recommended to readjust the head This important precaution is intended to
restraint in the lowest possible position. maximize the distance between the air- All rear seating positions in your vehicle
Adjust the tether strap according to the bag and the child. Older children meet the recommendations of
child-restraint manufacturer's instruc- SAE J1819, an industry recommended
tions. practice for securing child-restraint sys-
tems in motor vehicles.

Transporting children safely 57
The belt cannot be extracted further.

Always observe the installation instruc-
Overview
tions provided by the manufacturer of
the child-restraint system.
To unlock the safety belt

Release the safety belt, remove the
child seat and retract the safety belt to
Controls
its end position on the belt retractor.
Maintenance
Child seat security LATCH child-restraint mounting
All of the rear belt retractors and the system
front passenger's safety belt can be LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tether for
locked for mounting and securing child- CHildren
restraint systems. Canadian models only:
A label with the appropriate instructions The LATCH anchorage points are iden-
Repairs
for this is located in the immediate tified by buttons.
vicinity of the buckle latch of each
safety belt.
To lock the safety belt

Extract the entire length of the belt from
the inertia reel mechanism. Allow the
Data
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.
Index
58 Transporting children safely
The left and right rear seats are both The illustration is an example showing
equipped with a LATCH child-restraint the anchorages for a LATCH child-
mounting system. restraint mounting system at the right
Remove the cover from the outside rear seat.
anchorage by pulling forward. When
reinstalling ensure that the recess is on Always follow all manufacturer's
the top. instructions and observe all safety
precautions when installing the LATCH
With through-loading system: tilt the
child-restraint system. Leave the rear
backrest halfway forward to make the
safety belts in the holders, if they are
cover easier to remove, refer to
not needed, to avoid unwanted move-
page 100.
ment from the safety belts at high
speeds.<

Vehicle Memory, Key Memory 59
When your vehicle is unlocked with the > Switches on rear window defroster
remote control, the vehicle recognizes automatically, refer to page 93
Overview
the individual user by means of a data > After giving an ice warning, the dis-
exchange with the key, and makes play returns to the previous setting,
adjustments accordingly. refer to page 78.
In order for you to distinguish between Examples for Key Memory:
different keys, colored decals are sup- > Locks the vehicle automatically after
plied together with the keys. you start off, refer to page 34
Controls
> Automatically moves the seat and
What the system can do outside mirror into position for the
Your BMW center can provide you with programmed driver when unlocking
Maintenance
details on the possibilities that the Vehi- the vehicle, refer to page 49
How the system functions cle and Key Memory systems offer: > Automatic tilting of the passenger-
You have probably frequently wished Examples for Vehicle Memory: side mirror, refer to page 50
that you could configure individual > After the engine is started, calls up
> Various signals that can serve as the last selected driving program for
functions of your vehicles to reflect your
acknowledgment for locking and each shifting mode, refer to page 68.
own personal requirements. In engi-
unlocking the vehicle, refer to
neering your vehicle, BMW has pro-
page 31 You will see this symbol through-
vided for a number of options for per-
Repairs
> Activates/deactivates the Follow me out the Owner's Manual. It is to
sonal adjustment that can be
home lamps function, refer to remind you at appropriate places of the
programmed into your vehicle at your
page 86 settings that are available to you.<
BMW center.
> Activates/deactivates daytime driv-
The available configuration data fall into ing lamps, refer to page 86
two categories, according to whether > Sets the units of measure for display-
their primary orientation is the vehicle – ing time, outside temperature, dis-
Data
Vehicle Memory – or the individual – tance traveled and fuel consumption
Key Memory. You can have up to four in the instrument cluster
different basic settings adjusted for four > Indicates via an acoustic tone that
different persons. The only require- PDC has been activated, refer to
ment is that each person uses his or her page 80
Index
own remote control key.

Driving
60 Ignition lock
Once the ignition has been switched
off, ignition key in position 0 or key
removed, the radio functions are still
available for approx. 20 minutes. Turn
the radio back on to use it.
Steering unlocked
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 key positions Individual electrical accessories are
0 Steering locked ready for operation.
1 Steering unlocked
2 Ignition switched on
3 Starting engine
Steering locked
The key can be inserted or removed in
this position only.
After removing the key, turn the steer-
ing wheel slightly to the left or right until
the lock engages.
If the key is not removed, an acoustic
signal is sounded after the driver's door
has been opened.

Starting the engine and driving off 61
Do not allow the engine to warm Extended starting attempts, char- 3. Start the engine. Do not actuate the
up by leaving it running while the acterized by excessively frequent starter for too short a time. Do not
Overview
vehicle remains stationary. Instead, or long periods with the starter turn it for more than approx.
drive off immediately at a moderate engaged, can damage the catalytic 20 seconds. Release the ignition key
engine speed.< converter.< immediately when the engine starts.
4. Engage a driving position
Do not allow the engine to run in When driving, standing at idle, 5. Release footbrake and slowly
enclosed spaces. Otherwise, and parking the vehicle, take care depress accelerator pedal.
Controls
breathing the exhaust fumes can lead to avoid contact between the hot
to unconsciousness and death. The exhaust system and flammable materi- With the engine running, the gear
exhaust gases contain carbon monox- als – grass, hay, leaves, etc. Such con- indicator in the SMG display
ide, an odorless and colorless, but tact could lead to a fire, resulting in flashes to indicate that a driving posi-
Maintenance
highly toxic gas. Do not leave the vehi- serious personal injury and property tion is engaged with the driver's door
cle unattended with the engine running. damage.< open or that the hood is not closed
An unattended vehicle with a running properly, refer to page 66.
engine represents a safety hazard.< Manual transmission If none of the pedals is actuated, then
1. Engage the parking brake the gearbox is automatically taken out
If the engine does not start on the first 2. Gearshift lever in idling position of gear after approx. four seconds.
attempt, such as when it is very hot or 3. Press the clutch pedal at low tem- Then the desired direction of travel
Repairs
cold: peratures must be selected again with the selec-
> Press the accelerator pedal halfway 4. Start the engine. Do not press the tor lever in position 0. Driving off is not
down while engaging the starter. accelerator pedal. Do not actuate the possible with the hood open.<
Cold starts at very low temperatures starter for too short a time. Do not
turn it for more than approx. Before exiting the vehicle with the
below about +57/ –156 and at high
20 seconds. Release the ignition key engine running, move the selector
altitudes above 3,300 ft/1,000 m:
immediately when the engine starts. lever into position 0 and apply the park-
Data
> On the first start attempt, it may be ing brake.
necessary to engage the starter for a Never leave the vehicle unattended
longer period, but no longer than
Sequential M gearbox SMG II
with the engine running. An unat-
20 seconds. 1. Depress footbrake tended vehicle with a running engine
2. Move selector lever into position 0 represents a safety hazard.<
Index
62 Starting the engine and driving off

Engine idle speed is controlled by the
engine computer system. Increased
speeds at start-up are normal and
should decrease as the engine warms
up. If engine speed does not decrease,
service is required.
To prevent the battery from discharg-
ing, always deactivate electrical
devices that are not in use. Switch the
ignition off when the vehicle is not
being driven.

Switching off the engine Parking brake 63
You should never remove the igni- The warning stops after approx.
tion key when the vehicle is in 10 seconds. If you move the selector
Overview
motion, as the steering lock could lever into a forward or reverse position
engage. during this time, a gear is automatically
When you leave the vehicle, always engaged.
remove the ignition key and engage the
steering lock.<
Controls
Always engage the parking brake
when parking on downhill roads.
Engaging a gear may not sufficiently
secure the vehicle against rolling.<
Maintenance
The parking brake is designed primarily
Manual transmission to prevent the vehicle from rolling when
Turn the ignition key to position 1 or 0. it is parked. It operates against the rear
wheels.
Sequential M gearbox SMG II
If you turn the ignition key to position 1 To engage
or 0 with the selector lever in the for- The detent engages automatically, and
Repairs
ward or reverse position, a gear auto- the indicator lamp in the instrument
matically remains engaged. cluster comes on when the ignition key
If you turn the ignition key to position 1 is in position 2, refer to page 18.
or 0 with the selector lever in position 0,
a warning tone and the flashing gear To release
indicator in the SMG display remind you Pull up slightly on the lever, press the
Data
that the vehicle is not secured against button – see arrow – and lower the
rolling. lever.
Index
64 Parking brake Manual transmission

If exceptional circumstances
make it 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 the lever up.
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.
Always engage the parking brake when When shifting gears in the 5th/6th
parking on downhill roads. Engaging a gear plane, be sure to press the
gear may not sufficiently secure the gearshift lever to the right in order to
vehicle against rolling.< prevent inadvertent selection of a gear
in the 3rd/4th gear plane. Do not hold
To avoid corrosion and one-sided the vehicle in place on slopes by slip-
braking, apply the parking brake ping or "riding" the clutch. Use the
lightly from time to time when coasting parking brake instead. Riding the clutch
to a standstill – at a traffic signal, for causes the clutch assembly to wear out
instance – provided that it is safe to do sooner.<
so.<
Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is station-
ary. Press the shift lever to the left to
overcome the resistance.
As you do this, the backup lamps will
light up automatically when the ignition
key is in position 2.

Sequential M gearbox SMG II* 65
The concept Under normal operating conditions, fuel

The sequential M gearbox SMG II is an consumption is lowest when driving in
Overview
automated manual gearbox with which the first driving program of the auto-
clutching and shifting is assumed by an mated shifting mode.
electro-hydraulic system.
The SMG II is operated via two shift
paddles on the steering wheel and the
Controls
selector lever in the center console.
It offers the following functions:
> Sequential and automated shifting
mode
Maintenance
> Ability to choose between different Selector lever position
driving programs – Drivelogic
R: Reverse position
> Gradient assistance, refer to page 68
> Upshift display and shift lights, refer 0: Position 0 (Neutral)
to page 69 Forward position with one-touch mode:
> RPM matching on downshifts > S: sequential mode
> Driving dependent functions: > A: automated mode
Repairs
The respective driving situation, e.g. > +: upshifting in sequential mode
cornering, mountain driving or brak- > –: downshifting in sequential mode.
ing, is detected by sensors and taken
into account for shifting, e.g. to The SMG II is ready for operation from
achieve optimum gear selection dur- ignition key position two or higher.
ing deceleration and subsequent For your safety, it is only possible to
acceleration engage a driving position with the vehi-
Data
> Slip recognition at the rear axle for cle stopped approx. two seconds after
increasing driving stability, e.g. dur- engaging position 0 with the footbrake
ing downshifting on slippery road depressed – shift-lock function.
surfaces
> Operating safety through protection
Index
against misshifting.

66 Sequential M gearbox SMG II*

R – Reverse position You do not need to reduce the throttle
Only engage with the vehicle stopped for shifting.
or at low speed, e.g. for rocking free in
deep snow.
An intermittent signal tone indi-

cates that the reverse position has
been engaged.<
0 – Position 0 (Neutral)
Always engage before starting the
engine.
SMG display in instrument cluster
If the driving situation requires, e.g.
The selector lever position, currently when downshifting on slippery roads,
engaged gear and selected driving pro- the SMG II automatically disengages
gram are displayed in the instrument and reengages the clutch, i.e. it is not
cluster. necessary to manually engage
1 Engaged gear position 0.
2 Selected driving program, corre-
sponds to the number of illuminated S – Sequential mode
fields, refer to page 68 In the sequential mode all forward
3 Tapping the selector lever to the right gears are to be shifted by the driver.
switches over into the displayed shift Changeover from automated to
mode sequential mode:
4 "A" indicates an activated automated > Tap the selector lever to the right
shift mode toward "S" or
> change gears with the selector lever
or the shift paddles on the steering
wheel.

You accelerate from higher gears, e.g. Changeover from sequential to auto-
during passing, by manually downshift- mated mode: tap the selector lever to
Overview
ing. the right toward "A". Watch the display
In the following situations the SMG II in the instrument cluster, refer to
helps you think in the sequential mode: page 66.
> Upshifts and downshifts are only exe- For rapid acceleration, e.g. during
cuted when the new gear will provide passing, depress the accelerator pedal
a suitable combination of vehicle and completely – kick-down. The gearbox
Controls
engine speed, i.e., downshifts that now downshifts in dependence on the
would cause the engine to overrev selected driving program.
will not be executed Even in the automated mode, you can
> During a stop the gearbox is auto-
Maintenance
help specify the shifting point: if a gear-
Shifting gears with shift paddles on matically downshifted into the first dependent minimum speed is
steering wheel: gear so that, e.g. before a traffic light, exceeded, you can upshift by slowly
> To upshift, briefly pull the right pad- it is only necessary to accelerate to reducing pressure on the accelerator
dle + continue driving pedal. In the process, the respective
> To downshift, briefly pull the left pad- > When the speed is reduced, the driving situation is detected by sensors
dle –. gearbox is automatically down- and taken into account.
shifted shortly before a gear-depen-
Repairs
Shift paddles with various widths dent minimum speed is reached with-
matched to the shape of your out you taking any action.
hand are available from your BMW cen-
ter.< A – Automated mode
Each time the engine is started, the
Shifting gears with selector lever: automated mode is activated as soon
Data
> To upshift, pull the selector lever as you move the selector lever into the
backward in the "+" direction forward driving position.
> To downshift, push the selector lever In the automated mode all forward
in the "–" direction. gears are automatically shifted.
No automatic upshifting is carried out in
Index
the sequential mode.

68 Sequential M gearbox SMG II*

In the sequential mode you can choose Gradient assistance
from six driving programs ranging from The gradient assistance enables start-
balanced, dynamic driving – 1 – to ing off on grades with virtually no roll-
sporty, puristic driving – 6. The sporty, back. It can be activated in the sequen-
puristic driving program can only be tial and automated mode with the vehi-
activated with the Dynamic Stability cle stopped and can be used for both
Control (DSC) deactivated, refer to forward and reverse driving.
page 81.
The vehicle may roll slightly before
To maintain vehicle stability, it is held by the gradient assis-
always drive with the DSC acti- tance after releasing the footbrake.
vated on whenever possible.< Two seconds after the footbrake is
Drivelogic released, the vehicle begins to roll, as it
Following each change between the is no longer held with the gradient
Drivelogic makes various driving pro- sequential and the automated mode,
grams available to you. assistance.<
the last driving program selected in the
Press the Drivelogic repeatedly until the respective mode is active. Exception: 1. Depress footbrake with vehicle
desired driving program is shown in the instead of the last selected sequential stopped
SMG display of the instrument cluster, driving program 6, program 5 is acti- 2. Activate the gradient assistance by
refer to page 66. vated only after the engine has been pulling the left paddle for at least
In the automated mode you can select started again. 0.5 seconds. An increase in the
from five driving programs ranging from engine speed indicates that the gra-
convenience mode/winter operation to Your vehicle is set so that when dient assistance is activated
sporty and highly dynamic. the engine is started, the last
selected driving program saved in your Briefly pulling the left paddle again
In the first automated driving program,
key is activated for each shifting deactivates the gradient assis-
starting off takes place in second gear,
mode.< tance again.<
which is advisable under winter road
conditions with ice and snow.
3. Release the footbrake and start off
within 2 seconds.
The gradient assistance must be reacti-
vated before each use.

Indicator lamp Tire replacement, snow chains

The transmission indicator lamp Following a tire or wheel change and
Overview
in the instrument cluster goes after mounting or removing snow
out after the engine is started. chains, the slip recognition of the
> If it does not go out, or if it lights up SMG II must become familiar with the
during driving, a fault has occurred. changed condition.
The available functions may be lim- Reinitialize the system afterwards.
Controls
ited under certain circumstances. 1. Move the selector lever into
Drive carefully and with the Dynamic position 0 on a straight stretch of
Stability Control (DSC) activated. road at a speed of over 20 mph /
Have the system checked by the 30 km/h
Maintenance
nearest BMW center 2. Pull both shift paddles for approx.
> If the indicator lamp flashes while Shift lights
2 seconds.
driving, the system is overloaded. To achieve the best possible vehicle
If you do not carry out the initialization,
Avoid high loads until the indicator acceleration with a sporty driving style
the system automatically learns the
lamp goes out again permanently. in the sequential mode, shift lights in
changed condition gradually during
the instrument cluster indicate the opti-
driving. This can become apparent due
mum shifting point shortly before the
to brief opening and closing of the
maximum engine speed is reached.
Repairs
clutch.
1. When the maximum engine speed is
approached, yellow indicator fields –
shift lights – in the tachometer light
up consecutively to indicate the
approaching upshift time
2. Shift at the latest when the last indi-
Data
cator field lights up red.
Index
70 Turn signal indicator/Headlamp flasher
1 High beams – blue indicator lamp

2 Headlamp flasher – blue indicator
lamp
3 Turn signal indicator – green indicator
lamps accompanied by a periodic
clicking sound from the relay
To signal briefly
Press the lever up to but not beyond
the resistance point. It then returns to
the center position when released.
If the flashing indicator lamp and

the clicking from the relay are
both faster than normal, one of the turn
signal indicators has failed.<

Washer/wiper system/Rain sensor* 71
Rain sensor* Fast wiper speed

The rain sensor is positioned on the When the vehicle is stationary, the wip-
Overview
windshield, directly behind the interior ers operate at normal speed – not on
rearview mirror. vehicles with rain sensor.
To activate the rain sensor:
> With the ignition key in position 1 or
higher, move the lever to position 1.
Controls
The wipers travel once across the
windshield, regardless of the weather
> You can leave the lever permanently
in position 1. It is then only necessary
Maintenance
to activate the rain sensor when the
0 Wipers retracted
ignition key in position 1 or higher.
1 Intermittent operation or rain sensor Activate by briefly turning rotary dial
2 Normal wiper speed 5.
3 Fast wiper speed To adjust the sensitivity of the rain sen-
4 Brief wipe sor: turn rotary dial 5.
5 Rotary dial for control of the wipe To deactivate the rain sensor: put lever
Repairs
interval or the sensitivity of the rain in position 0.
sensor
Turn the rain sensor off in auto-
Intermittent mode matic car washes. Failure to do so
could result in damage caused by
Not on vehicles with rain sensor. undesired wiper activation.<
You can set the wipe interval at four
Data
stages with rotary dial 5. In addition, the Normal wiper speed
wipe interval is varied automatically
When the vehicle is stationary, the wip-
depending on road speed.
ers switch automatically to intermittent
wipe – not on vehicles with rain sensor.
Index
72 Washer/wiper system/Rain sensor* Cruise control

When the vehicle's lighting system is Starting at about 20 mph / 30 km/h, you
switched on, the headlamps will also be can maintain and store any vehicle
cleaned at reasonable intervals. speed that you specify.
The cruise control is operational when-
Windshield washer nozzles ever the engine is running and the sys-
The windshield washer jets are warmed tem has been activated.
automatically when the ignition key is in
position 2. To activate the system

higher:
0 Wipers retracted
Press the button. The indicator lamp in
1 Clean windshield and headlamps the instrument cluster comes on, refer
to page 20. You can now use the cruise
Clean windshield and headlamps* control.
Do not use the washers if there is
any danger that the fluid will Do not use cruise control on twist-
freeze on the windshield, as your vision ing roads, when high traffic den-
could be obscured. Always use a wind- sity prevents driving at a constant
shield washer antifreeze in cold speed, or when the road surface is slick
weather. Refer to page 118. – snow, rain, ice – or loose – rocks or
Do not use the washers when the reser- gravel, sand.<
voir is empty. This could cause damage
to the washer pump.< To deactivate the system
The system sprays washer fluid against

the windshield and activates the wipers Press button as often as you need to
for a brief period. until the indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.

Cruise control 73
Cruise control is also deactivated whenWhen cruise control is active, every tap To recall the stored setting
the ignition key is in position 0. of the button reduces the speed by
Overview
The speed stored in memory is deleted. approx. 0.6 mph / 1 km/h.
Press and hold button "–": Press button:
To store and maintain speed or to With the cruise control active, the sys- The vehicle accelerates to and main-
accelerate tem automatically reduces the throttle tains the last speed stored.
opening to slow the vehicle. When you
release the button, the system stores
Controls
Press button "+" briefly. and maintains the current speed.
The system stores and maintains the
current vehicle speed. Every time you To interrupt the cruise control
Maintenance
tap the button, the speed increases by
0.6 mph / 1 km/h.
Press and hold button "+": When the system is activated, press the
button. The indicator lamp stays on.
The vehicle accelerates without pres- You can use the cruise control again
sure on the accelerator pedal. When whenever you want by calling up the
you release the button, the system speed that was stored last.
stores and maintains the current speed.
Repairs
In addition, cruise control is interrupted
If on a downhill gradient the automatically:
engine braking effect is not suffi- > When the brakes are applied
cient, the controlled speed can be > When pressing down the clutch pedal
exceeded. Speed can drop on uphill > If you exceed or fall below the pro-
grades if the engine output is insuffi- grammed speed for an extended
cient.< period – by depressing the accelera-
Data
tor, for example
To decelerate > Sequential M gearbox SMG II – refer
to page 65: when shifting in the
sequential mode.
Index
Press button "–" briefly.

Everything under control

74 Odometer Tachometer Temperature gauge
1 Odometer Variable pre-warning zone The general operating temperature lies

2 Trip odometer The yellow pre-warning zone displays between 1757/806 and 2507/
current permissible engine speeds, 1206. During high-performance driv-
Odometer depending on the engine temperature. ing, do not exceed a maximum value of
As the engine temperature climbs, 3007/1506.
You can activate the displays shown in
the illustration with the ignition key in some of the sectors for this pre-warning
position 0 by pressing the left button, zones will go out one after the other.
see arrow, in the instrument cluster. Avoid engine speeds in the early warn-
ing zone if possible.
Trip odometer Never allow the engine to operate with
To reset the trip odometer to zero, the needle in the red overspeed zone of
press the left button with the ignition the gauge.
key in position 1 or higher – see arrow. To protect the engine, the fuel supply is
interrupted when you approach this
sector.

Fuel gauge Engine coolant temperature gauge 75
Between the blue and red zones

Normal operating range. The needle
Overview
may rise as far as the edge of the red
sector during normal operation.
Controls
Maintenance
Once the indicator lamp stays on con- Blue
tinuously, there are still approx. The engine is still cold. Drive at moder-
2 gallons/8 liters of fuel in the fuel tank. ate engine and vehicle speeds.
Fuel tank capacity approx. 16.6 gal./
63 liters. Red
If the tilt of the vehicle varies – when When you switch on the ignition, the
Repairs
you are driving in mountainous areas, warning lamp comes on briefly as an
for example – the needle may fluctuate operation check.
slightly.
If the lamp comes on while operating
the vehicle: the engine has overheated.
Fill the fuel tank before it is com-
Switch off the engine immediately and
pletely empty. Driving to the last
allow it to cool down.
drop of fuel can prevent the engine
Data
from operating properly and result in To check the coolant level, refer to
damage.< page 120.
When you switch on the ignition, the

indicator lamp lights up briefly as an
Index
operation check.

76 Service interval display Check Control

A flashing message and a "–" in front of
the number mean that the service inter-
val has already been exceeded by the
distance shown on the display. Please
contact your BMW center for an
appointment.
Remaining distance to next Display

service The following information or conditions
The displays shown in the illustration are displayed when the ignition key is in
appear for a few seconds when the position 2 or higher, until the cause has
ignition key is in position 1 or higher or been corrected:
after the engine is started. 1 Inspect the low-beam and high-beam
The next service due appears with the headlamps, as well as the parking
message OIL SERVICE or lamps
INSPECTION, together with the dis- 2 Door open
tance remaining in miles – in kilometers
3 Luggage compartment lid open
in Canada – before the next scheduled
service. 4 Check tail or brake lamps
The computer bases its calculations of When you open the driver's door after
the remaining distance on the preced- completing a journey, an acoustic
ing driving style. warning signal will sound if you have
forgotten to turn off the headlamps.

Clock 77
If you wish to have a permanent time In ignition key position 0: the time is
display, you can make this adjustment displayed for a few seconds after you
Overview
in the car radio display*, refer to the press the left button, refer to Odometer
Owner's Manual for Radio. on page 74.
You can set the time of day, and the
display for the car radio, as follows.
Controls
Maintenance
To adjust
When the ignition key is in position 1 or
higher, the time of day appears in the
display.
To set ahead: turn the right button to
the right.
Repairs
To set back: turn the right button to the
left.
The adjustment speed will increase the
longer you continue to hold the right
button.
To change the display mode: press the
Data
right button briefly.
Every time you press the knob, the
clock display alternates between the
12-hour and 24-hour mode.
Index
78 Computer
After giving an ice warning, the
display returns to the previous
setting.<
The ice warning does not alter the

fact that surface ice can form at
temperatures above 37.5 7/+36, on
bridges or shaded road surfaces, for
instance.<
Mode selection Outside temperature

With the ignition key in position 1 and You can change the units of measure
higher, you can use the button in the 6/7 for the outside temperature dis-
turn signal lever to retrieve information play by pressing the right-hand reset
from the computer for display in the button in the instrument cluster while
instrument cluster. Each time you press the temperature display is active. The
the button briefly in the direction of the units of measure 6/7 in the tempera-
steering column, a new function is ture display of the automatic climate
called up in the display. control change automatically, refer to
The displays appear in the following page 90.
order:
Ice warning
Time of day, outside temperature, aver-
age fuel consumption, cruising range, If the outside temperature drops to
average vehicle speed. about 37.57/+36, then the computer
will automatically switch to a display of
When the ignition key is in position 1 or
the outside temperature. In addition, a
higher, the last active setting is dis-
signal sounds as a warning and the dis-
played.
play flashes for a brief period.

Computer 79
It is important that you refuel when

the cruising range falls below
Overview
approx. 35 miles/50 kilometers. Other-
wise, the engine cannot be guaranteed
to operate properly and damage may
result.<
Average speed
Controls
If you continue to press and hold the
button on the turn signal lever, the aver-
age fuel consumption being displayed
for that speed is recalculated from that
Maintenance
Average fuel consumption point in time.
If you continue to press and hold the Any time spent when the vehicle is sta-
button on the turn signal lever, the aver- tionary and the engine is shut off is
age fuel consumption being displayed ignored for the calculation.
is recalculated from that point.
If you wish, you can have the aver-
Repairs
age fuel consumption displayed in
a different unit of measure.<
Range
The computer bases its calculations for
the cruising range on the operating
Data
conditions in the preceding period and
on the remaining fuel in the tank.
Index
Technology for safety and driving convenience

80 Park Distance Control (PDC)*
The concept You can have a signal set to con- the system approaches the physical
PDC assists you when you back into a firm that the PDC has been acti- limits of ultrasonic measurement, as
parking space. Acoustic signals alert vated.< occurs with tow bars and trailer cou-
you to the momentary distance to an plings, and in the vicinity of thin or
object behind your vehicle. To do this, Acoustic signals wedge-shaped objects. Moreover, low
four ultrasonic sensors in the rear The distance to the nearest object is objects that have already been
bumper measure the distance to the indicated by a tone sounding at various detected – such as a curb edge – can
nearest object. The range for the sen- intervals. As the distance between vehi- disappear out of the detection range of
sors located at both rear corners ends cle and object decreases, the intervals the sensors before a continuous tone
approx. 2 ft/60 cm behind the bumpers. between the tones become shorter. A sounds.
The range for the two middle sensors is continuous tone indicates the pres- Loud sources of sound from outside or
slightly less than 5 ft/1.50 m. ence of an object less than 1 ft/30 cm inside the vehicle could drown out the
away. PDC signal tone.<
PDC is a parking aid that can The warning signal is canceled after
identify objects if they are Keep the sensors clean and free
approx. three seconds if the distance to of ice or snow in order to ensure
approached slowly, as is generally the the object remains constant during this
case when parking. Avoid driving that they will continue to operate effec-
time – if you are moving parallel to tively.
towards objects rapidly; due to underly- a wall, for instance.
ing physical principles, the system may Do not apply high pressure spray to the
System malfunctions will be indicated sensors for a prolonged period of time.
otherwise alert you too late for you to
by a continuous high-pitched tone Always maintain a distance of more
take evasive steps.<
when the system is activated the first than 4 in/10 cm.<
time. Please have your BMW center
The system is activated automatically
resolve the problem.
about one second after you engage
Reverse with the ignition key in
PDC does not replace the driver's
position 2.
personal responsibility for evaluat-
ing the distance between the vehicle
Let this short period elapse before
and any objects. Even when sensors
driving backwards.<
are involved, there is a blind spot in
which objects cannot be detected. This
PDC is deactivated when you shift back
applies especially in those cases where
out of Reverse.

Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) 81
The concept tomed to this system's intervention.

DSC maintains vehicle stability, even in However, it guarantees optimum drive
Overview
critical driving situations. force and at the same time, the best
possible vehicle stability.<
The system optimizes vehicle stability
during acceleration and when starting Indicator lamp
from a full stop, as well as optimizing
traction. In addition, it recognizes The indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will go out shortly
Controls
unstable vehicle conditions, such as
understeering or oversteering, and, after the ignition has been
within physically feasible limits, helps switched on, refer to page 20.
keeping the vehicle on a steady course > Indicator lamp flashes: DSC is active
Maintenance
by reducing the engine speed and and is controlling the drive torque
brake applications to the individual based on driving conditions To deactivate DSC
wheels. > If the indicator lamp fails to go out Press the button briefly; the indicator
DSC starts up automatically each time after the engine has been started, or lamp comes on and stays on.
you start the engine. if it comes on during normal driving The vehicle does not execute the stabil-
and stays on: DSC has been deacti- ity-enhancement and traction-control
The laws of physics cannot be vated via the button or is defective. functions when DSC is deactivated.
You can continue to drive the vehicle
Repairs
repealed, even with DSC. The We recommend that you deactivate
results of driving irresponsibly rest with normally, but without DSC. Please
consult your BMW center for repairs. DSC for increased traction:
the driver. We therefore urge you to
avoid using the additional safety margin > When rocking the vehicle or starting
of the system as an excuse for taking off in deep snow or on loose surfaces
risks. > When driving with snow chains
Do not make any modifications to the > When driving on snow-covered
Data
DSC system. Allow only authorized grades, in deep snow, or on a snow-
technicians to perform service proce- covered surface that has been
dures on the DSC. At first, you may packed down from being driven on.
need some time to become accus-
To maintain vehicle stability,
always drive with the DSC acti-
Index
vated on whenever possible.<

82 Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) Flat Tire Monitor

To reactivate DSC The concept
Press the button again; the indicator As you drive, the Flat Tire Monitor
lamp goes out. keeps track of pressure levels in all four
tires The system detects whenever the
Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) inflation pressure in a tire drops off sig-
DBC is an integral component of the nificantly.
DSC system. Controlling the tire pressure is based
If you apply the brakes rapidly, this sys- on monitoring the rpm that the tires
tem automatically generates maximum have relative to each other. A flat tire is
braking force boost and thus helps to detected and reported because the rpm
achieve the shortest possible braking suddenly deviate drastically from one
distance in panic braking situations. All another.
of the benefits of the ABS system are
exploited under these circumstances.
Do not reduce the pressure on the
brake pedal for the duration of the
brake application. When the brake
pedal is released, the DBC is deacti-
vated.

Flat Tire Monitor 83
4. After a few minutes, the Flat Tire

Monitor will accept the current infla-
Overview
tion pressures as the values to be
measured against, and from that
point on can detect and report a flat
tire.
Controls
Maintenance
Initializing the system To activate/deactivate the system
Initializing is necessary to familiarize the The system is automatically activated in
system with the correct inflation pres- ignition key position 2 and conse-
sures. quently is on whenever the vehicle is
Repeat this process after any changes operated.
in tire inflation pressure, tire rotation or To deactivate the system: tap the but-
Repairs
replacement. ton, the indicator lamp will light up yel-
1. Check the tire inflation pressures in low.
all the tires, comparing them with the To activate the system: tap the button
inflation pressure table on page 25, again; the indicator lamp goes out.
and adjust them if necessary Deactivate the system when snow
2. Turn the ignition key to position 2 chains are mounted, since false warn-
3. Press button as long as you need to
Data
ings and undetected losses in pressure
until the indicator lamp in the instru- are possible under these kinds of con-
ment cluster lights up. After a little ditions.
while, the indicator lamp will go out
by itself
Index
84 Flat Tire Monitor

Flat tire Check tire inflation pressures on a
The red warning lamp in the regular basis, correcting them as
instrument cluster lights up to necessary, refer to page 25.
warn of pressure loss and tire Under certain circumstances, there
failure. In addition, an acoustic signal is may be false warnings or a delayed
sounded. To come to an immediate detection of losses in pressure when
stop, reduce speed, while avoiding any driving on snow-covered or slippery
sudden, jerky braking or steering road surfaces.
maneuvers. Performance-oriented driving, slip at
the drive wheels and high levels of lat-
Fix the flat tire using the M Mobility sys- eral acceleration can also delay the
tem, refer to page 133. appearance of status reports in the Flat
To reset the warning lamp: the red indi- Tire Monitor's display panel.<
cator lamp has to be switched off man-
ually after putting on a new wheel. At System malfunctions
this point, hold the Flat Tire Monitor
As long as there is still a malfunction,
button down until the indicator lamp
the indicator lamp in the instrument
goes out. Reinitialize the system after-
cluster will stay lit up yellow.
ward.
Please contact your BMW center for
The Flat Tire Monitor cannot pro- additional information.
vide you with advance warning of
sudden and severe tire damage caused
by external factors.
Another factor which the Flat Tire Moni-
tor does not recognize is the balanced
and very gradual pressure loss that
takes place in all tires over an extended
period of time.<

M Engine dynamics control 85
The Sport mode is deactivated every

time the engine is started.
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
The system – Sport mode – will cause
the engine to respond more spontane-
ously to any motion of the accelerator
pedal.
Activating/deactivating Sport
mode
Repairs
Activating: with the ignition key in posi-
tion 2, press the SPORT button. The
indicator lamp will come on.
When the system is activated the

vehicle may gain speed without
Data
any additional pressure on the acceler-
ator pedal.<
Deactivating: press the SPORT button

again; the indicator lamp will go out.
Index
Lamps
86 Parking lamps/Low beams
You can also have this function The vehicle's external lamps
deactivated.< remain on constantly when you
switch on the front fog lamps after the
LIGHTS ON warning headlamps have come on automati-
Whenever you open the driver's door cally.<
after having turned the ignition key to
position 0, you will hear an acoustic Automatic headlamp control can-
signal for a few seconds to remind you not serve as a substitute for your
that the lamps have not been switched personal judgement in determining
off. when the lamps should be switched on.
For example, the sensors are not able
to detect fog. In such situations switch
Daytime driving lamps*
Parking lamps on the lamp manually, as otherwise a
If you desire, the light switch can be left safety hazard will result.<
The front, rear and side vehicle in the low-beam position: when the
lighting is switched on. You can ignition is switched off, the external You can have the sensitivity of
use this to signal the position of lighting is also switched off. your vehicle's automatic head-
the vehicle when it is parked. For light- When required, switch on the parking lamp control adjusted.<
ing on one side for parking as an addi- lamps as usual as described under
tional feature, refer to page 87. Parking lamps.
Low beams You can have the activation set-

When you switch the ignition off tings for the daytime driving lamps
with the low-beam headlamps programmed on your vehicle.<
on, only the parking lamps will
remain on. Automatic headlamp control*
When the switch is in this posi-
Follow me home lamps tion the system automatically
When you activate the headlamp responds to changes in ambient
flasher after parking the vehicle and light – in tunnels, at dusk, etc. – and in
switching off the lights, the low beams the event of rain and snow – by switch-
will come on for a brief period. ing the low beams on or off.

Instrument lighting High beams/Standing lamps 87
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Turn the rotary dial with the parking/low 1 High beams – blue indicator lamp
beam lamps on to adjust the illumina- 2 Headlamp flasher – blue indicator
tion intensity. lamp
3 Standing lamps
Standing lamps, left or right*
Repairs
As an additional feature, you can illumi-
nate your vehicle on either side for
parking, if you wish to do so:
With the ignition key in position 0, push
the lever in the appropriate direction.
The lever engages in the turn signal
Data
position.
Index
88 Fog lamps Interior lamps
Front fog lamps The interior lamps operate automati- Rear reading lamps
The green indicator lamp in the cally. Switch on and off with the button adja-
instrument cluster lights up to cent to each lamp.
indicate that the front fog lamps To switch the interior lamps on
are on. and off manually In order to prevent battery dis-
Press button 1 briefly. charge, all of the lamps in the
If the automatic headlamp control vehicle are automatically switched off
If you want the interior lamps to remain
is on, the low beams will come on approx. 15 minutes after you turn the
off all the time, press and hold the but-
automatically whenever you activate ignition key to position 0.<
ton for approx. 3 seconds.
the front fog lamps.<
Press the button briefly to revert to nor-
mal operation.
Front reading lamps

Switch on and off with the button 2
adjacent to each lamp.

89
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Data
Index
Controlling the climate for pleasant driving

90 Automatic climate control

1 Air onto the windshield and the side

windows
Overview
2 Air for the upper body area 93
3 Air to the footwell
4 Outside air/Automatic recirculated-
air control (AUC)/Recirculated
air 93
Controls
5 Air supply/Blower 92
6 Temperature 92
7 Automatic air distribution and
Maintenance
supply 92
8 Individual air distribution 92
9 Interior temperature sensor – please
keep clear and unobstructed
10 Display for temperature and air
supply 92
11 To defrost windows and remove
Repairs
condensation 92
12 Air conditioning 92
13 Rear window defroster 93
Data
Index
92 Automatic climate control

Tips for pleasant driving the windows , toward the upper When the lowest blower speed is set
Use the automatic mode – switch on body , and into the footwell . You and you press the left half of the button,
with AUTO button 7. Select the desired can reactivate the automatic air supply all of the displays are canceled: the
interior temperature. by pressing the AUTO button. blower, heating and air conditioner are
switched off, and the air supply is
Detailed setting options are described Temperature stopped. You can reactivate the system
for you in the following sections. by pressing any button for the auto-
The interior temperature that
appears in the display panel is a matic climate control.
You can make the settings of your
vehicle in such a manner that, general figure intended for reference
purposes. We recommend 72 7/ To defrost windows and remove
when you unlock the vehicle with the
+226 as a comfortable setting, even if condensation
remote control of your personal key,
your own personalized setting for the the air conditioning is on. When you This program quickly removes
automatic climate control is initiated.< start the vehicle, the system ensures ice and condensation from the
that the selected temperature is windshield and the side windows.
Automatic air distribution and reached as quickly as possible. It then
maintains this temperature, regardless Air conditioning
supply
of the season.
The AUTO program adjusts the The air is cooled and dehumidi-
To select the units of measure 6/7 of fied and – depending on the
air distribution and the air sup-
the display, refer to page 78. temperature setting – rewarmed.
ply for you and in addition adapts the
temperature to external influences – Depending on the weather, the wind-
summer, winter – to meet preferences
Air supply/Blower shield may fog over briefly when the
you can specify. By pressing the left or right half engine is started. Air conditioning helps
of the button, you can vary the prevent the windows from fogging up.
Individual air distribution air supply. This deactivates the auto-
matic air supply – the AUTO display dis- Condensation forms during opera-
You can cancel the AUTO pro-
appears from the panel. Nevertheless, tion of the air conditioning system,
gram by selecting specific dis-
the automatic air distribution remains which then exits under the vehicle.
tribution patterns to suit your
unchanged. You can reactivate the Traces of condensed water of this kind
own individual requirements.
automatic air supply by pressing the are thus normal.<
While the AUTO program is then deacti-
AUTO button.
vated, the automatic airflow control
remains in operation. Air flows onto

Outside air/Automatic If the windows fog over in the

recirculated-air control (AUC)/ recirculated-air mode, switch the
Overview
Recirculated air recirculated-air mode off and increase
the air supply as required.<
You can respond to unpleasant
external odors or pollutants by
Rear window defroster
temporarily stopping the flow of outside
air. The system then recirculates the air When the rear window defroster
currently within the vehicle. is activated, the indicator lamp
Controls
comes on. The rear window defroster
By repeatedly pressing the button, you
switches off automatically.
can select one of three different operat-
ing modes.
You can have your vehicle pro-
Maintenance
> Indicator lamps off: outside air always grammed in such a way that the Draft-free ventilation
flowing into the vehicle rear window defroster switches on You can adjust the blower controls for
> Left-hand indicator lamp on – auto- automatically. This occurs within 5 min- the upper body area to obtain the opti-
matic mode: the system detects pol- utes after starting the engine when out- mum airflow rates and directions for
lutants in the outside air and side temperatures are below approx. your personal requirements:
responds by deactivating the outside 397/+46.<
airflow as required. The system then 1 Rotary dials for infinitely variable
Repairs
recirculates the air currently within opening and closing of the vents
the vehicle. 2 Lever for adjusting airflow direction
Depending on air quality require-
3 With the rotary dial you can adjust the
ments, the system automatically
temperature of the outgoing air:
switches between outside air supply
> Turn toward blue – colder
and recirculation of the air already
> Turn toward red – warmer
within the vehicle
Data
> Right-hand indicator lamp on: the
flow of outside air is permanently
blocked. The system recirculates the
air already within the vehicle.
Index
94 Automatic climate control Roller sun blind*

Microfilter/Activated-charcoal
filter
The built-in microfilter removes dust
and pollen from the incoming air. The
activated-charcoal filter provides addi-
tional protection by filtering gaseous
pollutants from the outside air. Your
BMW center will replace the combined
filter as a standard part of your sched-
uled maintenance. A substantial reduc-
tion in airflow indicates that the filter
needs to be replaced early.
To activate, press the button briefly
with ignition key in position 1 or higher.

Interior conveniences
Premium sound system* Glove compartment 95
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Harman Kardon premium sound To open
system Pull the handle. The glove compartment
Special acoustical effects are activated will light up.
or deactivated every time you press the
button. To close
When the system is activated, the Fold up cover.
Repairs
impression of a significantly larger pas-
senger compartment is created at all To prevent injury in the event of an
seating areas, together with an accident, close the glove com-
improvement of the stereo effect. partment immediately after use.<
The system responds to poor reception
conditions by repeatedly alternating To lock
between the stereo and monophonic Lock with one of the master keys. A
Data
modes. You should then switch the sys- master key can also be used for unlock-
tem off. ing.
Index
96 Glove compartment Storage compartments

If – for example for valet parking –
you turn over only your door and
ignition key, refer to page 30, then
access to the glove compartment and
to the luggage compartment is not pos-
sible.<
Front center armrest Beverage holder, coin box

To open: press the button and lift A coin box and two beverage holders
upward – see arrow. are provided in the center console.
Other compartments and nets

You will find additional storage areas in
the doors and in the center console
above the ashtray. Storage nets are
located on the backrests of the front
seats.

Storage compartments Cellular phone* 97
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Rear center armrest* Storage package* Hands-free system
You will find a beverage holder in the For your convenience, there are: On vehicles that are wired for a tele-
rear center armrest. > Two flip-out sockets on the rear cen- phone* or equipped with a communica-
Opening the beverage holder: press – ter console – see arrows tion package*, the cover for the hands-
see arrow. > An eyeglass storage compartment* in free microphone is located in the head-
the front center console above the liner near the interior lamp.
Repairs
ashtray. For further information on the cellular
phone, refer to the Owner's Manual for
the telephone.
Data
Index
98 Ashtray, front* Ashtray, rear*

Press lighter 1 in. As soon as the lighter
jumps back out, it can be removed.
Cigarette lighter socket

It can be used for attaching power sup-
plies for flashlights, car vacuum clean-
ers and other similar appliances up to a
rating of approx. 200 watts at 12 volts.
Avoid damaging the socket due to
inserting plugs of different shapes or
sizes.
To empty To empty
Press on the edge of the open cover – Press on the edge of the raised cover in
see arrow: you can now pull the ashtray the opening direction – see arrow. You
upward for removal. can now pull the ashtray upward for
removal.
Extinguishing cigarettes
Tap off the ash and gently press the tip
into the funnel.
Cigarette lighter
Hold or touch the hot cigarette
lighter by the knob only. Holding
or touching it in other areas could result
in burns.
The cigarette lighter remains opera-
tional when the ignition key has been
removed. For this reason, children
should never be left in the vehicle unat-
tended.<

Clothes hooks 99
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
To open, press on the upper edge. For
additional information: refer to
page 107.
When suspending clothing from

the hooks, be sure that they will
not obstruct the driver's vision. Do not
Repairs
hang heavy objects on the hooks. If you
do so, they could cause personal injury
during braking or evasive maneuvers.<
Data
Index
Loading and transporting

100 Through-loading system
Folding the rear backrest 2. The backrest moves forward slightly Rear center 3-point safety belt*
1. Pull the corresponding lever to when released. Reach into the gap You can roll up the rear 3-point belt
release – see arrows and fold it down. before folding back the through-loading
system:
When folding the backrest back
into its original position always > Retracting the 3-point-safety belt:
ensure that the detent engages Loosen the safety belt and insert the
securely. A loose backrest might fail to buckle latch into the support mount
prevent cargo from entering the pas- provided on the rear window shelf –
senger compartment during sudden see arrow.
braking or evasive maneuvers, posing a
potential hazard to occupants.<

Ski bag* 101
The ski bag allows the safe and clean

transport of up to 4 pairs of standard
Overview
skis or up to two snowboards.
The length of the ski bag and the addi-
tional space provided in the luggage
compartment make it possible to carry
skis up to 6 ft 10 in / 2.10 m long.
Because of the tapered shape of the
Controls
bag, only two pairs of skis longer than
6 ft 10 in / 2.10 m can be carried.
Maintenance
Loading Securing cargo
1. Fold the center armrest outward. Secure skis and any other objects
Loosen the trim from the upper stored in the bag by tightening the
Velcro® fastener and place it on the retaining strap at the buckle.<
armrest
2. Press the button downward – see Please be sure that the skis are
arrow 1 – and fold the cover forward clean before loading them into the
Repairs
3. Extend the ski bag between the front bag. Be careful to avoid damage from
seats. The zipper provides conve- sharp edges.<
nient access to stored items. It may
be opened to allow the ski bag to dry
4. Press the button – see arrow 2: this
releases the cover panel in the lug-
Data
gage compartment.
To store the ski bag, perform the above
steps in reverse sequence.
Index
102 Cargo loading

Always position and secure the
load correctly. If you do not, it can
endanger the passengers during brak-
ing or evasive maneuvers.
Do not exceed the approved gross
weight or the approved maximum axle
loads, refer to page 146. Otherwise the
vehicle's operating safety is no longer
assured and you are in violation of the
law
Do not stow heavy or hard objects in
the passenger compartment without
first securing them. Otherwise they Stowing cargo > For very heavy loads when the rear
would be thrown around during braking seat is not occupied, secure each
and evasive maneuvers and endanger > Load heavy cargo as far forward as
possible – directly behind the back- safety belt in the opposite buckle,
the occupants.< see illustration.
rests or the luggage compartment
partition – and as low as possible
> Cover sharp edges and corners
> Do not pile objects higher than the
top edge of the backrest

Cargo loading Roof-mounted luggage rack* 103
When loading, be sure to remember not

to exceed the approved roof weight or
Overview
the approved gross vehicle weight or
the axle loads. You will find the specifi-
cations under Technical data on
page 146.
Make sure that the load is not too bulky,
and attempt to distribute it evenly.
Controls
Always load the heaviest pieces first so
that they are at the bottom. Be sure that
adequate clearance is maintained for
raising the sliding/tilt sunroof, and that
Maintenance
Securing the cargo in the luggage A special roof-rack system is available objects do not project into the opening
compartment as an optional extra for your BMW. path of the tailgate.
Please observe the precautions Secure the roof-mounted luggage cor-
> For small, light items, use the rubber-
included with the installation instruc- rectly and securely to prevent it from
lined non-skid side of the floor mat or
tions. shifting or being lost during driving.
secure with a luggage compartment
net* or elastic straps, refer to page 37 Drive smoothly and avoid sudden
> For large, heavy pieces, see your Anchorages acceleration or braking. Do not corner
Repairs
BMW center for load-securing Access to the mounting points: at high speeds.
devices*. Lashing fittings located in To fold up the cover – see arrow –
the luggage compartment can be please use the tool which is provided
used for fastening the load-securing with the luggage system.
devices; see arrow.
Comply with the information enclosed Loading and driving notes
Data
with the load-securing devices. Because roof racks raise the center of
gravity of the vehicle when loaded, they
exercise a major effect on its handling
and steering response.
Index
104

105
Overview
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Technical data
Data
Index
Index
Special operating instructions

106 Break-in procedures
To ensure that your vehicle provides Follow the same break-in procedure if To break in the separate parking brake
maximum economy throughout a long either the engine or the differential drums, apply the parking brake lightly
service life, we request that you should have to be replaced in the when coasting to a standstill – at a traf-
observe the following suggestions. future. fic signal, for instance – use caution to
avoid posing a danger to other road
Because of its engineering design, Tires users.
the BMW M3 is an especially high- Due to technical factors associated To avoid corrosion, repeat this proce-
quality vehicle. It is in your best interest with their manufacture, tires do not dure from time to time.
to follow the break-in tips very closely. achieve their full traction potential until
Doing this, you will create the basis for an initial break-in period has elapsed. The brake lamps do not come on
a long, optimum service life.< Thus drive with extra care during the when the parking brake is set.
initial 200 miles/300 km. Vacuum for the brake system servo unit
Engine and differential on your BMW is available only when the
Obey your local and state maximum
> Up to 1,250 miles/2,000 km: drive at speed limits. engine is running. When you move the
varying engine and road speeds, but vehicle with the engine off – when tow-
do not exceed the following engine or When the vehicle is operated on ing, for example – substantially higher
road speeds: wet or slushy roads, a wedge of levels of pedal force will be required to
5,500 rpm or 105 mph / 170 km/h. water may form between the tire and brake the vehicle.<
Obey your local and state maximum the road surface. This phenomenon is
speed limits. referred to as hydroplaning, and can Clutch
Do not depress the accelerator pedal to lead to partial or complete loss of trac- The clutch will also begin to function
the full-throttle position. tion, as well as loss of vehicle control optimally after about 300 miles/500 km.
and braking effectiveness. Reduce your Drive cautiously during this break-in
Vehicles with SMG II, refer to page 65:
speed on wet roads.< period and do not press the clutch or
refrain from using driving program 6 in
shift at high engine speeds.
the sequential mode during the break-
Brake system
in period.
Approx. 300 miles/500 km must elapse
> Following the break-in inspection at
before the brake pads and rotors
1,250 miles/2,000 km, you can grad-
achieve the optimal pad-surface and
ually increase engine or road speeds.
wear patterns required for trouble-free
operation and long service life later on.

Driving notes Antilock Brake System (ABS) 107
Brakes: do not rest your foot on The concept

the brake pedal while driving. ABS keeps the wheels from locking
Overview
Even light but consistent pedal pres- during braking, thereby enhancing
sure can lead to high temperatures, active driving safety.
brake wear and possibly even brake
failure.
Braking with ABS
Hydroplaning: when driving on wet or
slushy roads, reduce road speed. If you If you are in a situation that requires full
Controls
do not, a wedge of water can form braking, you will exploit the full benefits
between tires and road surface. This of the ABS system if you apply maxi-
phenomenon is referred to as hydro- mum pedal pressure – panic stop.
planing, and can lead to partial or com- Since the vehicle maintains steering
Maintenance
plete loss of traction, vehicle control responsiveness, you can avoid possible
and braking effectiveness. obstacles with a minimum of steering
Driving through water: do not drive effort, despite the full brake application.
through water on the road if it is deeper Pulsation at the brake pedal combines
than 1 ft/30 cm, and then only at walk- with sounds from the hydraulic circuits
ing speed. Otherwise, the vehicle's to indicate to the driver that ABS is in
engine, the electrical systems and the its active mode.
Repairs
transmission may be damaged.
Rear parcel tray: never use it to store Cornering Brake Control (CBC)
heavy or hard objects; otherwise, occu-
CBC is an advanced engineering
pants could be injured if the vehicle is
design of the ABS. When braking while
braked hard.
cornering at high speed or braking dur-
Clothes hooks: when suspending cloth-
ing high lateral acceleration, or when
ing from the hooks, be sure that they
braking during a lane change, vehicle
Data
will not obstruct the driver's vision. Do
stability is improved and steering
not hang heavy objects on the hooks. If
response is enhanced.
you do so, they could cause personal
injury during braking or evasive maneu-
vers.<
Index
108 Brake system

Brake fluid level Corrosion on brake rotors is signaled by Brake pads
Low brake fluid level in the reservoir a running or pulsation during braking; For your own safety: use only
combined with longer than usual pedal even extended subsequent braking will brake pads which BMW has
travel may indicate a defect in one of not cure this phenomenon. approved for your specific vehicle
the brake system's hydraulic circuits. It is a good idea to periodically dry the model. BMW cannot evaluate non-
brakes with a gentle application when approved brake pads to determine if
Proceed to the nearest BMW cen- driving in rain and on wet roads. Watch they are suitable for use, and therefore
ter. Higher brake application pres- traffic conditions to ensure that this cannot ensure the operating safety of
sure may be necessary when stopping, maneuver does not endanger other the vehicle if they are installed.<
and the vehicle may exhibit a slight ten- road users. The heat generated in this
dency to pull to one side. Brake dis- process helps dry the pads and rotors
tances may even be longer. Please to ensure that your brake system will
remember to adapt your driving style respond with undiminished efficiency
accordingly.< when you need it.
Extended or steep mountain descents
Disc brakes should be driven in the gear in which
When the vehicle is driven only occa- only minimal periodic brake applica-
sionally, during extended periods when tions are required. This helps avoid
the vehicle is not used at all, and in placing excessive loads on the brake
operating conditions where brake appli- system. Stay within the allowable rpm
cations are less frequent, there is an range. For additional information, refer
increased tendency for corrosion of the to page 74.
rotors and accumulation of contamina-
tion on the brake pads. This occurs Do not coast with the clutch
because the minimal pressure that must depressed or with the gearshift
be exerted by the pads to clean the lever in idle. Do not coast with the
rotors by brake applications is not engine switched off. If you do so the
reached. engine provides no braking effect and
there is no power assist for braking or
steering when the engine is not run-
ning.<

Wheels and tires

Tire inflation pressure Tire condition 109
Information for your safety wall with TWI – Tread Wear Indicator. At
The factory-approved tires are matched a tread depth of 1/16 in / 1.6 mm, the
Overview
to your vehicle and have been selected indicators signal that the legally permis-
to provide optimum safety and driving sible wear limit has been reached.
comfort when used properly.
Do not drive on a deflated – flat –
It is not merely the tire's service life, but tire. A flat tire greatly impairs
also driving comfort and – above all else steering and braking response, and can
Controls
– driving safety that depend on the con- lead to complete loss of control over
dition of the tires and the maintenance the vehicle.
of the specified tire pressure. Avoid overloading the vehicle so that
the permitted load on the tires is not
Maintenance
Incorrect tire inflation pressure is exceeded. Overloading can lead to
a frequent cause of tire damage. It Tire tread – tire damage
overheating and internal tire damage.
also significantly influences the road- Inspect your tires frequently for tread You could have a blowout as a result.
holding ability of your BMW. Check tire wear, signs of damage and for foreign Unusual vibrations encountered during
inflation pressures on a regular basis, objects lodged in the tread. Check the normal vehicle operation can indicate
refer to page 25, at least every two tread depth. tire failure or some other vehicle defect.
weeks and before beginning a longer Tread depth should not be allowed to This type of problem can be caused by
trip. Incorrect tire pressure can other-
Repairs
go below 1/8 in / 3 mm, even though contact with curbs, etc. This is also true
wise lead to driving instability, tire dam- the legally specified minimum tread for irregularities in the vehicle's han-
age and accidents.< depth is only 1/16 in / 1.6 mm. dling characteristics, such as a pro-
Below 1/8 in / 3 mm tread depth, there nounced tendency to pull to the left or
is a great risk of hydroplaning, even at right. Should this occur, respond by
relatively moderate speeds and with immediately reducing your speed. Pro-
only small amounts of water on the
Data
road. Tread wear indicators in the
tread-groove base – see arrow – are
distributed around the wheel circumfer-
ence and are labeled on the tire side-
Index
110 Tire condition Tire replacement

ceed carefully to the nearest BMW cen- DOT quality grades Those grades represent the tire's ability
ter or professional tire center, or have Treadwear to stop on wet pavement as measured
the vehicle towed in to have it, its under controlled conditions on speci-
wheels or its tires inspected. Traction AA A B C fied government test surfaces of
Tire damage, up to and including blow- Temperature A B C asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
outs, can endanger the lives of both the may have poor traction performance.
vehicle occupants and other road All passenger car tires must con-
users.< form to Federal Safety Require- The traction grade assigned to
ments in addition to these grades.< this tire is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests, and does
Tread wear not include acceleration, cornering,
The treadwear grade is a comparative hydroplaning, or peak traction charac-
rating based on the wear rate of the tire teristics.<
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test Temperature
course. The temperature grades are A – the
For example, a tire graded 150 would highest – B and C, representing the
wear one and one-half – 1 1/2 – times tire's resistance to the generation of
as well on the government course as a heat and its ability to dissipate heat
tire graded 100. The relative perfor- when tested under controlled condi-
mance of tires depends upon the actual tions on a specified indoor laboratory
conditions of their use, however, and test wheel.
may depart significantly from the norm Sustained high temperature can cause
due to variations in driving habits, ser- the material of the tire to degenerate
vice practices and differences in road and reduce tire life, and excessive tem-
characteristics and climate. perature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of
Traction performance which all passenger car
The traction grades, from highest to tires must meet under the Federal
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.

Tire replacement 111
Grades B and A represent higher levels The date on which the tire was manu-
of performance on the laboratory test factured is indicated by the code on the
Overview
wheel than the minimum required by sidewall:
law. DOT ... 3502 indicates that the tire was
manufactured in week 35 of the year
The temperature grade for this tire 2002.
is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Following wheel/tire changes
Controls
Excessive speed, under-inflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or Following wheel and/or tire changes
in combination, can cause heat buildup you will need to reinitialize both the Flat
and possible tire failure.< Tire Monitor and the sequential M gear-
Maintenance
box SMG II, refer to pages 69, 83.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Repairs
Temperature A
Tire age
BMW recommends the replacement of
all tires when the tires are no more than
6 years old, even if a tire life of 10 years
Data
is possible.
Index
112 Wheel and tire combinations Winter tires

The right choice The correct wheel and tire combi- Choosing the right tire
BMW recommends using only nation affects different systems BMW recommends winter tires – M+S
wheels and tires that have been such as ABS, DSC, Flat Tire Monitor. tires – for operation under inclement
approved by BMW for your particular The function of these systems is winter driving conditions. While all-sea-
vehicle model, as otherwise body con- impaired if improper wheel and tire son tires – M+S designation – provide
tact and serious accidents can result combinations are used. better winter traction than the corre-
despite the use of the same nominal Therefore, only use tires of the same sponding summer tires, they generally
size, e.g. due to manufacturing toler- brand and same tread configuration on do not achieve the performance of win-
ances. If non-approved wheels and the vehicle and, for example following a ter tires.
tires are used, BMW cannot evaluate tire failure, restore the approved wheel
and tire combination as soon as possi- In the interest of safe tracking and
their suitability, and therefore cannot be steering response, install radial tires
held liable for driving safety.< ble.<
made by the same manufacturer and
The use of rims and lug bolts that with the same tread configuration on all
BMW tests certain tire brands for each four wheels if you elect to mount winter
tire size, classifies them as road-safe do not meet the specifications of
the original factory-installed equipment tires.
and approves them. Consult your BMW
center for more information. Observe will affect the safe operation of your
vehicle and may cause an accident and When mounting winter wheels,
any country-specific regulations, e.g. observe the different recesses of
on making a corresponding entry in the personal injury.
Never mix tires of different design, such the front and rear wheels, as otherwise
vehicle documents. damage may result.<
as steel-belted radials with radial bias-
belted or bias-ply tires, etc. Mixing tire
types will adversely affect roadholding
and can lead to loss of vehicle con-
trol.<
Storage
Store wheels and tires in a cool, dry
place, protecting them against light
whenever possible. Protect the tires
against contact with oil, grease and
fuel.

Winter tires Snow chains* 113
Do not exceed specified Only certain snow chains have been

maximum speeds tested by BMW and determined and
Overview
approved as roadworthy. Consult your
Never exceed the maximum
BMW center for more information.
speed for which the winter tires
BMW recommends using only these
are rated.
approved fine-link snow chains. Use
Unprofessional attempts by laymen to
them in pairs on winter tires, but only on
service tires can lead to damage and
both rear wheels.
accidents.
Controls
Have this work performed by skilled Comply with all manufacturer's safety
professionals only. Your BMW center precautions when mounting the chains.
will be glad to assist you with both their Do not exceed a maximum speed of
expertise and the proper equipment for 30 mph / 50 km/h when using snow
Maintenance
your vehicle.< chains.
After mounting or removing snow
Tire condition, tire pressure chains, always reinitialize the sequential
At tread depths below approx. 3/16 in / M gearbox SMG II, refer to page 69.
4 mm, their performance under winter
driving conditions deteriorates notice- It is not possible to mount snow
ably. Worn tires should therefore be chains on tires with 18-inch and
Repairs
replaced for safety considerations. 19-inch wheels.
Deactivate the Flat Tire Monitor when
Comply with the specified tire inflation
using snow chains. Malfunction warn-
pressures – and be sure to have the
ings and undetected losses in pressure
wheel and tire assembly balanced
are a possibility when driving with snow
every time you change a tire or wheel.
chains.
Data
For additional information, refer to
page 82.<
Index
In the engine compartment

114 Hood
To release To open To close

Pull the lever located under the left- Pull the release handle and open the Pull the hood downwards and allow it to
hand side of the instrument panel. hood. fall from a minimum height of 1 ft/30 cm
so that it audibly engages. Check for
Do not attempt to service your It is not possible to drive off using proper locking by pulling on the hood at
vehicle if you do not have the SMG II when the hood is open.< the left and right above the headlamps.
required technical background. Failure
to work in an informed, professional To avoid injuries, be sure that the
manner when servicing components travel path of the hood is clear
and materials constitutes a safety haz- when it is closed, following the same
ard for vehicle occupants and other safety precautions used in all closing
road users. If you are not familiar with procedures.
the guidelines, please have the opera- If you notice while driving that the hood
tions performed by your BMW center.< is not completely closed, stop immedi-
ately and close it securely.<

115
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Data
Index
116 Engine compartment essentials

Engine compartment essentials 117
1 Filler neck for headlamp and wind-

shield washer cleaning system 118
Overview
2 Coolant expansion tank 120
3 Positive terminal connection for
jump-starting – positive terminal 139
4 Engine oil filler neck 119
5 Expansion tank for SMG hydraulic
Controls
unit, checking and possible refilling
by your BMW center 65
6 Engine oil dipstick 118
Maintenance
7 Filler neck for brake fluid 121
Repairs
Data
Index
118 Washer fluids Engine oil

The oil volume between the two marks
on the dipstick corresponds to approx.
1.4 US quarts/1.3 liter.
Headlamp* and windshield Checking the oil level

washer system 1. Park the vehicle on a level surface
Capacity approx. 2. Switch the engine off after it has
5.6 US quarts/5.3 liters. reached normal operating tempera-
Fill with water and – if required – with a ture
washer antifreeze additive according to 3. After approx. 5 minutes, pull the dip-
manufacturer's recommendations. stick out and wipe it off with a clean
lint-free cloth, paper towel, or similar
We recommend that you mix the material
washer fluid before adding it to 4. Carefully push the dipstick all the
the reservoir.< way into the guide tube and pull it
out again
Antifreeze agents for the washer 5. The oil level should be between the
fluid are highly flammable. For this two marks on the dipstick.
reason, keep them away from sources As with fuel economy, oil consumption
of flame and store them only in their is directly influenced by your driving
original containers. Store them inacces- style and vehicle operating conditions.
sible to children. Comply with the
instructions on the containers.<

Engine oil 119
BMW engines are designed to Ask your BMW center for details
operate without oil additives; the concerning oils that have been
Overview
use of additives could lead to damage approved. You can also call BMW of
in some cases. This also applies to the North America toll-free at 1-800-831-
manual transmission, the differential, 1117 or visit this website:
and the power steering system.< www.bmwusa.com to obtain this infor-
mation.<
Recommendation: have the oil changed
Controls
by your BMW center only. Alternative oil types
If a High Performance Synthetic Oil
Continuous exposure to used oil approved by BMW should be unavail-
has caused cancer in laboratory able, you may use small volumes of
Maintenance
Adding engine oil testing. For this reason, thoroughly other oils for topping up between oil
wash any areas of skin that come into changes. The following data must
While you should wait until the level has contact with oil using soap and water.
dropped to just above the lower mark appear on the packaging:
Always store oils, grease and similar
before adding oil, you should never materials so that they are inaccessible > Viscosity
allow the oil level to fall below this to children. Comply with warning labels preferred: SAE 10W-60
mark. and information on containers.< alternative: SAE 5W-40 or
SAE 10W40
Repairs
Do not fill beyond the upper mark on
the dipstick. Excess oil will damage the Comply with the applicable envi- > Specifications
engine. ronmental laws regulating the dis- preferred: API SJ/CF
posal of used oil.< alternative: API SJ – also SK, SL, S
Before checking the engine oil level etc.
after topping up, restart the engine and
allow it to run to obtain a correct dis- Specified engine oils
Low ambient temperatures
play. Then proceed as described under The quality of the engine oil is
Data
Checking the oil level. extremely important for the function The oils used by BMW at the factory for
and life of an engine. Based on exten- your vehicle model can be used at virtu-
sive testing, BMW has approved only ally any ambient temperature.
certain grades of engine oil.
Use only oils approved for your vehicle
Index
model.

120 Engine oil Coolant

However, if the vehicle is exposed to Do not add coolant to the cooling
temperatures below –4 7/–206 for system when the engine is hot. If
extended periods, please have your you attempt to do so, escaping coolant
BMW center recommend a suitable oil. can cause burns.
Antifreeze and anti-corrosion agents
are hazardous to health. You should
always store them in their original con-
tainers and in a location inaccessible to
children. Antifreeze and anti-corrosion
agents are inflammable. For this rea-
son, do not spill them on hot engine
parts. They could ignite and cause
burns. Comply with the instructions on Check the coolant level and add
the containers.<
coolant
Check the coolant level when the
engine is cold, approx. 68 7/+206.
1. Open the cap for the expansion tank
by turning it slightly counterclock-
wise to allow accumulated pressure
to escape. Then open
2. The coolant level is correct when the
upper end of the red float is at least
even with the upper edge of the filler
neck – refer to the arrow in the illus-
tration. The end of the float may stick
out by a maximum of 3/4 in / 2 cm –
that is, up to the second mark on the
float. Refer also to the schematic dia-
gram next to the filler neck

Coolant Brake fluid 121
3. If necessary, add coolant. If the cool- Brake fluid is hygroscopic, that is,
ant is low, slowly add coolant until it absorbs moisture from the air
Overview
the correct level is reached — do not over time.
overfill. In order to ensure the safety and reli-
ability of the brake system, have the
Comply with the applicable envi- brake fluid changed every two years by
ronmental laws regulating the dis- a BMW center. Refer also to the Service
posal of antifreeze agents with corro- and Warranty Information Booklet for
Controls
sion inhibitor.< US models or in Warranty and Service
Guide Booklet for Canadian models.
Brake fluid is toxic and damages the
vehicle's paint. You should always store
Maintenance
it in its original container and in a loca-
tion inaccessible to children.
The brake warning lamp comes Do not spill the brake fluid and do not
on when the parking brake is fill the brake fluid reservoir beyond the
not engaged: brake fluid level MAX mark. The brake fluid could ignite
too low, refer to page 18. upon contact with hot engine parts and
Brake warning lamp for Cana- cause serious burns.<
Repairs
dian models.
Comply with the applicable envi-
Adding brake fluid ronmental laws regulating
For adding brake fluid or for determin- the disposal of brake fluid.<
ing and correcting the cause of brake
fluid loss, consult your BMW center.
Your BMW center is familiar with the
Data
specifications for factory-approved
brake fluids – DOT 4.
Due to loss in brake fluid, pedal travel
can lengthen and braking efficiency
may be reduced. Refer to the informa-
Index
tion on page 108.

Maintenance
122 The BMW Maintenance System
conditions under which the vehicle Service and Warranty Information
operates into consideration, because Booklet for US models/Warranty
miles can be traveled in many different and Service Guide Booklet for
ways: Canadian models
For example, 62,000 miles/100,000 km For additional information on required
short-distance driving are not equal to maintenance intervals and procedures,
the same 62,000 miles/100,000 km of please refer to the Service and War-
long-distance travel. ranty Information Booklet for US mod-
The BMW Maintenance System els, or the Warranty and Service Guide
includes the Engine Oil Service and Booklet for Canadian models.
Inspections I and II. As a precaution against corrosion, it is
advisable to have the body checked for
The BMW Maintenance System has Have a break-in inspection per- damage from rocks or gravel at the
been designed as a reliable means of formed at approx. 1,250 miles/ same time, depending upon operating
providing maximum driving and operat- 2,000 km regardless of the service conditions.
ing safety – and as cost-effectively for interval indicated on the display.<
you as possible.
Have your BMW center perform
Please keep in mind that regular main- Determining the maintenance intervals maintenance and repair.
tenance is not only necessary for the according to the actual loads on the Be sure that all maintenance work is
safety of your vehicle, but also plays avehicle covers every kind of operating recorded in the Service and Warranty
situation. Minimal-use drivers – who
significant role in maintaining the resale Information Booklet for US models, or
value of the vehicle. drive significantly fewer than in the Warranty and Service Guide
6,200 miles/10,000 km annually – Booklet for Canadian models. These
Service interval display should have the engine oil changed at entries are your verification for the reg-
least every 2 years regardless of what ular maintenance of your vehicle and
While conventional systems rely on dis-
the service interval display indicates, are required for the performance of
tance traveled alone to determine when
since oil deteriorates over time, irre- warranty repairs.<
service is due, the BMW Maintenance
spective of use.
System has for years taken the actual

The BMW Maintenance System 123
Care
You can find everything you need to
Overview
know on this topic by consulting the
separate Caring for your vehicle bro-
chure.
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Data
Index
Laws and regulations

124 California Proposition 65 warning OBD interface socket
California laws require us to state the
following warning:
Engine exhaust, some of its con-

stituents, and certain vehicle com-
ponents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and
reproductive harm. In addition, certain
fluids contained in vehicles and certain
products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth The Onboard Diagnostic (OBD) inter-
defects and reproductive harm. face socket is located on the left of the
Battery posts, terminals and related driver's side at the bottom of the instru-
accessories contain lead and lead com- ment panel and under a cover. The
pounds. Wash your hands after cover has the letters OBD on it.
handling.
Used engine oil contains chemicals that The purpose of the OBD system is to
have caused cancer in laboratory ani- assure proper emission-control system
mals. Always protect your skin by operation for the vehicle's lifetime by
washing thoroughly with soap and monitoring emission-related compo-
water.< nents and systems for deterioration and
malfunction.
An illuminated indicator informs
you of the need for service, not
that you need to stop the vehi-
cle. However, the systems should be
checked by your BMW center at the
earliest possible opportunity.

OBD interface socket 125
If the indicator blinks or flashes, this

indicates a high level of engine misfire.
Overview
Reduce speed and contact your near-
est BMW center immediately. Severe
engine misfiring for even a short period
of time can seriously damage emission-
control system components, especially
the catalytic converter.
Controls
SERVICE ENGINE SOON warn-
ing lamp for Canadian models.
Maintenance
If the fuel filler cap is not on tight
enough, the OBD system can
detect leaking vapor and the indicator
will light up. If the fuel filler cap is then
tightened, the indicator will usually go
out after a short period of time.<
Repairs
Data
Index
126

127
Overview
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Technical data
Data
Index
Index
Replacement procedures
128 Onboard tool kit Windshield wiper blades
The onboard tool kit is located in the 1. Switch off the engine
luggage compartment lid. 2. Fold the wiper arm completely out
To open, loosen the wing nut. from the windshield
3. Position the wiper blade at an angle
For storing the towing eyelet, refer to
and pull the release spring – see
page 140.
arrow
4. Fold the wiper blade down and
unhook it toward the windshield
5. Pull the wiper blade past the wiper
arm toward the top
6. Insert a new wiper blade and apply
pressure until you hear it engage.

Lamps and bulbs 129
The lamps and bulbs make essential Low beams and high beams Because of the extremely high
contributions to the safety of your vehi- > Low beams: H7 bulb, 55 watts voltages involved, any work on the
Overview
cle. Therefore, comply fully with the fol- > High beams: H7 bulb, 55 watts. xenon lighting system, including bulb-
lowing instructions during bulb replace- changing, should be carried out by
ment. If you are not familiar with any of The H7 bulb is pressurized. There- technically-qualified personnel only.
the procedures, consult your BMW fore, wear safety glasses and pro- Otherwise, there is a risk of fatal
center. tective gloves. Failure to comply with injury.<
this precaution could lead to injury if the
Controls
Do not touch the glass portion of bulb is damaged.<
a new bulb with your bare hands
since even small amounts of impurities Please contact a BMW center in case of
burn in to the surface and reduce the a malfunction.
Maintenance
service life of the bulb. Use a clean
cloth, paper napkin, or a similar mate- When cleaning the headlamps, please
rial, or hold the bulb by its metallic follow the instructions in the Caring for
base.< your vehicle brochure.
A replacement bulb set is available from Parking lamps

your BMW center. 5 watt bulb
Repairs
Please contact a BMW center in case of
Before working on the electrical a malfunction.
system, switch off the electrical
accessory you are working on or dis- Xenon lamps*
connect the cable from the negative
terminal of the battery. Failure to The service life of these bulbs is very
observe this precaution could result in long and the probability of a failure is
Data
short circuits. very low, provided that they are not
To prevent injuries and damage when switched on and off an unusual number
changing a bulb, be sure to comply with of times. If one of these bulbs should
any instructions provided by the bulb nevertheless fail, it is possible to con-
manufacturer.< tinue driving with great caution using
Index
the fog lamps, provided traffic laws in
your area do not prohibit this.

130 Lamps and bulbs
Front turn signal indicators 4. Insert the 2 pins on the lamp into the Side turn signal indicators
21 watt bulb guides on the vehicle 5 watt bulb
5. Slide in the lamp and screw the bulb
1. Extend a screwdriver through the in place through the upper opening. 1. Use finger pressure against the rear
upper opening, loosen and remove end of the lamp – see arrow – to
the screw press it forward for removal
2. Remove lamp by pulling it out toward 2. Apply gentle pressure to the bulb
the front while turning it to the left to remove.
3. Applying light pressure, turn the bulb
to the left. Remove and exchange the
bulb

Lamps and bulbs 131
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Tail lamps The illustration shows the right-hand 2. Take out the bulb holder
1 Turn signal indicator luggage compartment opening. 3. Unplug the power supply receptacle.
Bulbs in the fender: Set the bulb holder aside, on the lug-
2 Backup lamp gage compartment floor, for example
3 Tail lamp All of the bulbs are integrated in a cen-
4. Applying light pressure, turn the bulb
tral bulb holder.
4 Tail lamp/brake lamp to the left. Remove and exchange the
1. Release the bulb holder – see arrow bulb
Tail lamps 4: 21/4 watt bulb
Repairs
5. Plug in the power supply receptacle
Remaining bulbs: 21 watt 6. Reattach the bulb holder until you
hear it snap into place – see arrow.
Data
Index
132 Lamps and bulbs
Bulbs in the luggage compartment lid 2. Fold the trim panel down – see arrow Center high-mount brake lamp
1. Using a screwdriver, loosen the clip 1. Disengage the bulb holder – see LED strip on the rear window. Please
arrow 2 – and remove it contact your BMW center in case of a
3. Applying light pressure, turn the bulb malfunction.
to the left. Remove and exchange the
bulb
4. Press the bulb holder into position
until you hear it engage
5. Reinstall the trim with the clip.

Lamps and bulbs Repairing a flat tire 133
Precautions in case of a flat tire: Using the M Mobility system

Stop the vehicle as far as possible To repair a flat tire using the M Mobility
Overview
from passing traffic; switch on the haz- system, proceed as follows:
ard warning flashers.
Turn the steering wheel to the straight- > Preparing the M Mobility system for
ahead position and engage the steering use, refer to the next column
lock. Shift into 1st or Reverse and > This is part of the M Mobility system,
engage the parking brake. refer to page 134
> Filling with sealant, refer to page 135
Controls
All passengers should be outside the
vehicle and well away from your imme- > Distributing sealant, refer to
diate working area – behind a guardrail, page 135
for instance. > Inflating tire to correct pressure, refer
Maintenance
If necessary, set up your warning trian- to page 136.
License plate lamps
gle or portable hazard warning lamp on
5 watt bulb the roadside at an appropriate distance
1. Place a screwdriver in the slot and from the rear of the vehicle.
press toward the left – see arrows – Comply with all safety guidelines and
to release the lens regulations.<
2. Replace the bulb.
Repairs
M Mobility system
You will find an M Mobility system in the
BMW M3 for repairing flat tires. With
this system you can apply a sealing liq-
uid to the inside of the tire that seals off
the damaged point and then continue
driving.
Data
The M Mobility system makes trans-
porting a spare wheel superfluous,
thereby reducing the amount of weight
you have to carry around.
Index
134 Repairing a flat tire

Please keep in mind that the fluids
bottle in the system's sealant con-
tainer has to be changed every 3 years
by your BMW center, if the unit has not
been used.<
Preparing the M Mobility system This is part of the M Mobility

for use system
The M Mobility system is located in the 1 On/Off switch
luggage compartment under the floor 2 Connection hose with manometer for
panel: connecting the compressor with the
1. Lift the floor panel sealant container or to connect the
2. Loosen the M Mobility system from compressor to the wheel
its storage location. 3 Manometer for indicating the tire
pressure
Before you use the M Mobility sys-
4 Connector hose from the sealant
tem, read the warnings and dan-
container to the wheel
ger notices on the device carefully.<
5 Sticker showing maximum speed
If possible, leave the foreign object in 6 Plug and cable for the cigarette
the tire. lighter socket
Pull off the sticker 5, refer to the second 7 Protective gloves, not shown
column on the right, for the speed limit
and apply it to the steering wheel.

Repairing a flat tire 135
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Filling with sealant 2. Flip open the cover and pull out the 4. Make sure that the screw on the rear
1. Take off the round cover and take out enclosed protective gloves. Take out of the pressure gauge 3 is tightened
hose 4. Unscrew the valve dust cap hose 2 with the manometer and down. Turn on the M Mobility sys-
from the defective wheel and screw screw it to the terminal for the seal- tem, position I, refer to illustration,
the hose to the valve. Keep the dust ant container as shown in the illustra- and allow minutes to elapse, to let
cap in a safe place tion the sealant flow in. It does not matter
3. Make sure that the system has been afterward, what the tire's inflation
Repairs
switched off, position 0. pressure is
Take out plug 6 and insert it into the 5. Turn the system off.
cigarette lighter socket in the pas- Disconnect the connector hose from
senger compartment – refer to the sealant container and the wheel
page 98 valve. Stow the M Mobility system in
the luggage compartment.
Data
Distributing the sealant
Right afterward, drive at least
1 1/4 miles/2 km, so that the liquid
sealant distributes evenly throughout
Index
the inside of the tire.

136 Repairing a flat tire

Do not exceed a maximum speed Even if the tire fails to hold the
of 40 mph / 60 km/h. pressure, you should still carry out
If possible, keep the vehicle speed Step 3 before proceeding to drive the
above 10 mph / 20 km/h. Stop in a suit- vehicle again, refer to Distributing the
able spot.< sealant for more information. Then
repeat Steps 1 through 3.
The use of the M Mobility system may
be ineffective if the damaged area in
the tire is larger than approx. 3/16 in /
4 mm. Please consult the nearest BMW
center if the tire cannot be temporarily
repaired with the M Mobility system.<
Inflating tire to correct pressure
3. Unscrew the hose from the valve and
1. Take out the hose with the pressure stow the M Mobility system in the
gauge and screw it onto the valve. luggage compartment. Screw the
Take the plug out and plug it into the dust cap onto the valve again.
cigarette lighter socket in the pas-
senger compartment Do not exceed the maximum
2. Reset the air pressure to 29 psi/ speed limit described below, oth-
200 kilopascal, and: erwise it could lead to accidents.<
> Increase tire pressure: switch on
the M Mobility System, position I. When you start driving again, do not
Switch off the unit briefly to check exceed the permissible maximum
the current tire pressure speed of 45 mph / 80 km/h.
> Decrease tire pressure: turn the
screw on the back of the manome-
ter. A valve located there will open

Repairing a flat tire Battery 137
You will find corresponding Battery posts, terminals, and Return used batteries to a recy-
instructions for using the related accessories contain lead cling point or your BMW center.
Overview
M Mobility system on the device. and lead compounds. Wash hands after Maintain the battery in an upright posi-
Replace the defective tire as soon as handling.< tion for transport and storage. Secure
possible and have the new wheel bal- the battery against tilting in transit.<
anced. Reinitialize the Flat Tire Monitor, Maintenance
and refer to page 83 for further informa- The battery is completely maintenance-
tion. Have the M Mobility system free. That means that the original bat-
Controls
refilled. Contact your BMW center for tery acid will normally last for the ser-
this.< vice life of the battery under moderate
climate conditions.
Protect valve stems against dirt using
Maintenance
screw-on dust caps. Dirty valve stems Please consult your BMW center
frequently lead to slow pressure loss. whenever you have any questions
concerning the battery. Since the bat-
tery is absolutely maintenance-free, the
following statements are for your infor-
mation only.<
Repairs
Never disconnect the battery
when the engine is running; the
ensuing voltage surge would seriously
damage the vehicle's onboard elec-
tronic systems.<
Charging the battery
Data
Charge the battery in the vehicle only
when the engine is not running. Use the
connections provided in the engine
compartment. For information on the
Index
connections, see Jump-Starting,
page 139.

138 Fuses
You will find the fuses and information

on their respective allocation in the
glove compartment behind a panel with
two snap clips.
Do not attempt to repair a blown

fuse or replace it with a fuse
having a different color or amperage
rating. To do this could cause a fire in
the vehicle resulting from a circuit over-
load.<

Giving and receiving assistance

Jump-starting 139
When your battery is discharged, you or a suitable ground on the vehicle

can use two jumper cables to start your being started. Your BMW is
Overview
vehicle with power from the battery in a equipped with a special nut for this
second vehicle. You can also use the purpose – see arrow 2
same method to help start another
vehicle. Use only jumper cables with Always adhere to this sequence
fully insulated handles on the terminal when connecting jumper cables;
clamps. failure to observe this procedure can
Controls
lead to sparks at the battery terminals
Do not touch high-voltage wiring and pose an injury hazard.<
and cables on a running engine.
Contact with components carrying high 6. Start the engine of the support vehi-
Maintenance
voltage can be harmful or fatal. 4. The auxiliary jump-starting terminal cle and let it run for several minutes
Carefully observe the following instruc- located in your BMW's engine com- at a slightly elevated engine idle
tions to avoid personal injury and/or partment acts as the positive battery speed
damage to one or both vehicles.< terminal. The cover of this auxiliary 7. Start the engine of the other vehicle
terminal is marked with a + sign. as usual. If the first start attempt is
1. Ensure that the battery in the support Remove by pulling the tab. See not successful, wait a few minutes
vehicle is also rated at 12 volts. This arrow 1. Start by connecting the before another attempt in order to
Repairs
information is provided on the battery jumper cable from the positive termi- allow the discharged battery to
label nal of the discharged battery to the recharge
2. Stop the engine of the support vehi- positive terminal of the support bat- 8. Allow the engines to run for several
cle and switch off all electrical com- tery minutes before disconnecting the
ponents in both vehicles – except for 5. Then connect the negative terminals jumper cables
the hazard warning flashers of the with the other jumper cable. Attach 9. Then disconnect the jumper cables
support vehicle the cable to either the support vehi- in the opposite order.
Data
3. Make absolutely certain that there is cle's negative battery terminal or to a Have the battery recharged at your
no contact between the bodywork of suitable ground on its engine or BMW center as required.
the two vehicles – short circuit haz- bodywork. Then connect the other
ard end to the negative battery terminal Do not use spray starter fluids to
start the engine.<
Index
140 Towing the vehicle

Towing eyelet
The towing eyelet, which can be
unscrewed, is in the luggage compart-
ment under the floor mat and must
remain in the vehicle. This eyelet is
designed for installation in the tow
sockets located at the front and rear of
the vehicle. It is intended for towing on
paved road surfaces only.
The towing eyelet should not be used
to pull a vehicle out of deep snow, mud,
sand, etc.
Access to tow sockets Rear:
Comply with all applicable towing laws
and regulations at all times. Front: Press out the cover panel with a screw-
Press out the cover panel with a screwdriver at the top of the recess.
driver at the top of the recess.
Make sure the towing eyelet is
firmly screwed all the way in, oth-
erwise the thread could be damaged.
Only use the towing eyelet provided in
the vehicle to avoid damage.
Do not tow the vehicle by any compo-
nents of the running gear, or lash them
down in any way. If you do, the compo-
nents could be damaged, possibly
leading to accidents.<
Keep the vehicles in line and avoid

towing at an offset angle. Ensure
that the tow rope connecting the two
vehicles is tight, with no slack, before
starting off.<

Towing the vehicle 141
Use only a nylon towing strap to tow 5. Switch on the hazard warning system
the vehicle, since the inherent resil- – observe applicable legal regula-
Overview
ience of this material helps protect both tions.
vehicles from sudden jerking move- Find some means of identifying the
ments. vehicle in tow, for instance, place a sign
or warning triangle in the rear window.
The towed vehicle should always
be the lighter of the two vehicles. Make sure that the ignition key
Controls
If this is not the case, it will not be pos- remains in position 1 even when
sible to control vehicle handling.< the electrical system has failed to pre-
vent the steering lock from engaging.
Tow-starting The steering and brakes are without
Maintenance
For instructions on jump-starting, refer power-assist when the engine is off. Towing with a commercial tow
to page 139. This means that increased effort is truck
Never attempt to use your vehicle to required for steering and braking.<
> Do not tow with sling-type equipment
push another vehicle, since damage to > Use wheel lift or flatbed equipment
the energy-absorbing bumpers could Vehicle with sequential M gearbox
> Please comply with applicable state
result. SMG II:
towing laws.
To push or tow, engage selector lever
Repairs
Towing a vehicle in position 0. Never allow passengers to ride in
1. Gearshift lever in Neutral a towed vehicle for any reason.
Never work on the vehicle with a Never attach tie-down hooks, chains,
2. Towing speed:
driving position engaged.< straps, or tow hooks to tie rods, control
max. 45 mph / 70 km/h
3. Towing distance: arms, or any other part of the vehicle
max. 95 miles/150 km suspension, as severe damage to these
Data
4. Leave the ignition key at position 1 to components will occur, possibly lead-
ensure that the brake lamps, turn sig- ing to accidents.<
nal indicators, horn and windshield
wipers remain operative, and to pre-
vent the steering lock detent from
Index
engaging

142

143
Overview
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Technical data
Data
Index
Index
144 Engine data
Displacement cu in/cm3 198.1/3,246

Number of cylinders 6
Max. power output hp/kW 333/248
at engine speed rpm 7,900
Maximum torque lb ft/Nm 262/355
at engine speed rpm 4,900
Compression ratio ε 11.5
Stroke in/mm 3.58/91
Bore in/mm 3.43/87
Fuel-injection system Digital electronic engine-management
system

Dimensions 145
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Data
Index
146 Weights
Curb weight lbs/kg 3,415/1,549

Approved gross vehicle weight lbs/kg 4,453/2,020
Approved front axle load lbs/kg 2,138/970
Approved rear axle load lbs/kg 2,535/1,150
Approved roof load capacity lbs/kg 165/75
Luggage compartment capacity cu ft/l 14.5/410
Approved axle weights and approved gross vehicle weight may not be exceeded.

Capacities 147
Notes
Fuel tank gal./liters approx. 16.6/approx. 63 Fuel specification: page 25
Overview
Reserve gal./liters approx. 2.1/approx. 8
Windshield washer system/ Specifications: page 118
Headlamp cleaning system quarts/liters approx. 5.6/approx. 5.3
Cooling system including heater circuit quarts/liters approx. 9.8/approx. 9.3 Specifications: page 120
Controls
Engine with oil filter change quarts/liters approx. 5.8/approx. 5.5 Specifications: page 119
Manual transmission quarts/liters approx. 1.9/approx. 1.8 Oil change during running-in check
and during each inspection II
Maintenance
Differential quarts/liters approx. 1.2/approx. 1.1 Oil change during running-in check
and during each inspection II
Repairs
Data
Index
148

149
Overview
Overview
Controls
Maintenance
Repairs
Technical data
Data
Index
Index
Everything from A to Z
A Ashtray Battery 137 Break-in procedures 106
ABS Antilock Brake front 98 charge 137 Bulb replacement 129
System 107 rear 98 charge current 18
indicator lamp 19 AUC Automatic recircu- current warning lamp 18 C
Accessories 5 lated-air control 93 Belts 47 California Proposition
Activated-charcoal filter 94 Automatic car wash, refer to 3-point safety belt 100 65 warning 124
Adding brake fluid 116, 121 the Caring for your vehicle height adjustment 48 Can holder, see Beverage
Air conditioning 92 brochure Beverage holder 96 holder 96
Air distribution Automatic climate control 90 Blind, sun protection 94 Capacities 147
automatic 92 Automatic cruise control 72 Blower 92 Car care, refer to the Caring
individual 92 Automatic dimming, interior BMW Maintenance for your vehicle brochure
Air nozzles 90 rearview mirror 52 System 122 Car vacuum cleaner, con-
Air outlets 90 Automatic headlamp Bore 144 necting 98
Air pressure 109 control 86 Bottle holder, see Beverage Car wash, refer to the Caring
checking 25 Automatic recirculated-air holder 96 for your vehicle brochure
Air supply 92 control (AUC) 93 Brake fluid level 108 Care, refer to the Caring for
Air supply vents Auxiliary terminal for jump- warning lamp 18, 121 your vehicle brochure
recirculated-air mode 93 starting 116, 139 Brake hydraulic system Cargo loading 102
Airbags 53 Average fuel warning lamps 18 Caring for headlamp cov-
warning lamp 18 consumption 79 Brake lamps ers, refer to the Caring for
Alarm system 38 Average speed 79 replacing bulb 131 your vehicle brochure 129
avoiding unintentional Avoiding unintentional Brake pads 108 CBC Cornering Brake Con-
alarms 39 alarms 39 Brake system trol 107
indicator lamp 39 Axle loads 146 brake fluid level, warning indicator lamp 19
interior motion sensor 38 lamp 18 Cellular phone 97
tilt alarm sensor 38 B brake pads, indicator Center armrest 96
Antifreeze 120 Backrests lamp 19 Center high-mount brake
Antilock Brake System adjusting 44 Brakes lamp 132
(ABS) 107 unlocking 47 malfunctions 108 Central locking system 30
indicator lamp 19 width adjustment 46 parking brake 63 button 34
Anti-theft system 30, 38 Backup lamps 64 Braking Check Control 76
Armrest 96 replacing bulb 131 driving notes 107

CHECK FILLER CAP Cornering Brake Control Door key 30 Emergency operation
indicator lamp 19 (CBC) 107 Door lock buttons 34 doors 33
Overview
Checking coolant level 120 indicator lamp 19 Doors fuel filler door 24
Checking oil level 116, 118 Cruise control 72 emergency operation 33 sliding/tilt sunroof 42
Child seat 55 indicator lamp 20 manual operation 33 Emergency release
Child-restraint systems 55 Cup holder, see Beverage remote control 31 luggage compartment
Cigarette lighter 98 holder 96 unlocking and locking lid 37
Cleaning windshield 72 Curb weight 146 31, 33 Engine
Controls
Clock 77 Cushion height 145 Drivelogic 68 displacement 144
refer also to the radio or Driving notes output 144
onboard computer D braking 107 starting 61
Owner's Manual Data disc brakes 108 switching off 63
Maintenance
Clothes hooks 99 dimensions 145 general 107 torque 144
Cockpit 14 engine 144 hydroplaning 107 Engine compartment 116
Code, tires 112 weights 146 DSC Dynamic Stability Con- Engine coolant 147
Coin box 96 Daytime driving lamps 86 trol 81 refilling 120
Compression ratio 144 DBC Dynamic Brake indicator lamp 19 temperature gauge 75
Computer 78 Control 82 Dynamic Brake Control Engine data 144
Condensation, removing warning lamp 19 (DBC) 82 Engine electronics
Repairs
from windows 92 Defrost position 92 warning lamps 19 warning lamp 19
Configure personal settings Defrosting Dynamic Stability Control Engine oil
Vehicle Memory, Key rear window 93 (DSC) 81 adding 116, 118
Memory 59 windows 92 indicator lamp 19 capacity 147
Consumption Digital clock 77 consumption 118
display 75 Dimensions 145 E quality 119
fuel 79 Dipstick, engine oil 118 Electric power windows 40 types 119
Data
Coolant 116, 120, 147 Disc brakes 108 Electrical accessories, fail- viscosity 119
indicator lamp 19 Displacement 144 ure 138 Engine oil level
Cooling system 147 Display lighting 87 Electrical malfunction indicator lamp 19
Copyright 4 Displays 16 doors 33 warning lamp 18
Distance warning 80 fuel filler door 24 Engine oil pressure
Index
Divided rear backrest 100 sliding/tilt sunroof 42 warning lamp 18

Engine speed 144 Fuel tank capacity 147 Heavy loads 102 Interior rearview mirror
Entering the rear 47 Fuel tank display 75 High beams 70, 87 automatic dimming
Exterior mirrors 51 Fuel tank gauge 75 indicator lamps 21 feature 52
Eyelet, towing 140 Fuel-injection system 144 Holder for beverages 96 Interior temperature
Fuses 138 Hood release 114 adjusting 92
F replacing 138 Horn 14 Intermittent mode 71
False alarm, avoiding 39 Hydroplaning 107, 109
Fault displays 76 G J
First-aid kit 23 Gasoline 25 I Jump-starting 139
Flat tire 109 gauge 75 Ice warning 78
repairing 133 Gearbox, sequential 65 Ignition key 30 K
Flat Tire Monitor 82 Gearshift lever 64 positions 60 Key Memory 59
indicator lamp 18, 19 Glove compartment 95 Ignition lock 60 Keys 30
Fog lamps 88 Gradient assistance 68 Imprint 4
Folding rear backrest 100 Grills 90 Indicator lamps 18 L
Follow me home lamps 86 Gross vehicle weight 146 Individual settings Lamps
Footbrake 108 Vehicle Memory, Key daytime driving lamps 86
see Driving notes 107 H Memory 59 fog lamps 88
Footwell lamps 88 Hands-free system 97 Inflation pressure 25, 109 footwell lamps 88
Front fog lamps 88 Harman Kardon premium INSPECTION 76 headlamp flasher 70, 87
indicator lamp 20 sound system 95 Instrument cluster 16 high beams 87
Front seat adjustment 44 Hazard warning flashers 14 Instrument lighting 87 instrument lighting 87
Frost protection, Hazard warning triangle 23 Instrument panel 14, 16 interior lamps 88
radiator 120 Head airbags 53 Interface socket for onboard low beams 86
Fuel 25 Head restraints 46 diagnostics (OBD) 124 parking lamps 86
Fuel consumption 79 Headlamp 86 Interior lamps 32, 88 reading lamps 88
display 75 Headlamp cleaning system remote control 32 replacing 129
Fuel filler door 24 116, 118, 147 Interior motion sensor 38 standing lamps 87
release following an elec- Headlamp control 86 remote control 32 Lashing fittings 103
trical malfunction 24 Headlamp flasher 70, 87 switching off 32, 39 LATCH child-restraint
Fuel gauge 75 Heated mirror 51 mounting system 57
Fuel specifications 25 Heated seats 50

Leather care, refer to the M Obstruction protection Opening and closing

Caring for your vehicle M Engine dynamics power windows 40 from inside 34
Overview
brochure control 85 sliding/tilt sunroof 41 via remote control 31
Length 145 M Mobility system 133 Odometer 74 via the door lock 33
License plate lamp M+S tires 112 Oil Operating elements 14
replacing bulb 133 Maintenance 76, 122 capacity 147 Outlets, ventilation 90
Light switch 86 Malfunction displays 76 dipstick 118 Outside temperature dis-
Lighter 98 Manual transmission 64 quality 119 play 78
Controls
Lighting, see Lamps Master keys 30 viscosity 119
LIGHTS ON warning 86 with remote control 30 Oil additives 119 P
Load-securing devices 102 Memory 49, 59 Oil change interval, refer to Paintwork care, refer to the
Lock, steering wheel 60 Microfilter 94 Service and Warranty Caring for your vehicle
Maintenance
Low beams 86 Microphone 97 Information Booklet for US brochure
bulb replacement 129 Mirror defrosting 51 models / Warranty and Panic mode, trigger
Luggage compartment 35 Mirror memory 49 Service Guide Booklet for alarm 32
capacity 146 Mirrors 51 Canadian models Park Distance Control
floor mat 38 automatic curb monitor 50 Oil filter change 147 (PDC) 80
floor panel 37 inside rearview 52 Oil level Parking aid 80
manual operation 35 outside 51 checking 118 Parking brake 63
Repairs
Luggage compartment lid 35 Mobility system 133 indicator lamp 19 Parking lamps 86
emergency release 37 Modifications, technical 5 warning lamp 18 PDC Park Distance
manual operation 35 Multifunction switch 70 Oil pressure Control 80
opening from the inside 36 warning lamp 18 Pollen 94
remote control 32 N OIL SERVICE 76 Power output 144
securing separately 35 Navigation system, refer to Oil types 119 Power seat 45
Luggage compartment light- the separate Owner's Onboard computer, refer to Pressure, tires 25, 109
Data
ing 35 Manual Owner's Manual for
Luggage rack 103 Neckrest 46 Onboard Computer R
Lumbar support 45 Onboard tool kit 128 Radiator 147
O Radio navigation, refer to
OBD interface socket 124 the Owner's Manual for
Index
Radio 79

Radio, refer to the Owner's Safety feature Size 145 T
Manual for Radio power windows 40 Ski bag 101 Tachometer 16, 74
Rain sensor 71 sliding/tilt sunroof 41 Sliding/tilt sunroof 40 Tail lamps 131
Range 79 Seat adjustment 43, 44 closing following an elec- replacing bulb 131
Reading lamps adjusting the lumbar sup- trical malfunction 42 Tank capacity 147
front 88 port 45 convenience operation Technical data 144
rear 88 backrest width adjust- 31, 33 Technical modifications 5
Rear backrest, folding 100 ment 46 manual operation 42 Telephone hookup 97
Rear lamps 131 lumbar support 45 remote control 31 Telephone, refer to the sep-
Rear window defroster 93 manual 44 SMG gearbox 65 arate Owner's Manual
Rear-entry assist 47 power 45 Snow chains 113 Temperature adjustment 92
Rearview mirror 51 Seat heating 50 Socket 98 Temperature display
Recirculated-air mode 93 Seat height adjustment 44 Spare key 30 engine coolant 75
Refueling 24 Seat memory 49 Speedometer 16 ice warning 78
Remote control 31 Securing cargo 102 Sport mode 85 interior temperature 92
Remote key 30 Securing child-restraint sys- Standing lamps 87 outside temperature 78
Replacement key 30, 31 tem 57 bulb replacement 129 Temperature gauge 74
Reporting safety defects 6 Securing devices 103 Starting 61 Temperature layering 93
Reserve indicator lamp 75 Sequential M gearbox Starting problems 61 Thigh support area, adjust-
Restraint system 55 SMG II 65 Steering wheel lock 60 ing 45
Reverse 64 indicator lamp 19, 69 Steering wheel with multi- Third brake lamp 132
Rims 112 Service and Warranty Infor- function buttons 22 Through-loading system 100
Roof load capacity 146 mation Booklet 122 Steering wheel, adjusting 51 Tilt alarm sensor
Roof-mounted luggage SERVICE ENGINE SOON Storage compartments 96 remote control 32
rack 103 warning lamp 19 Stroke 144 switching off 32, 39
Service interval display Summer tires 112 Time 77
S 76, 122 Sun blind 94 Tire code 112
Safe seating position 43 Set clock 77 Surface ice warning 78 Tire damage 109
Safety belts 47 Shift lights 69 Switching off the engine 63 Tire inflation pressure
3-point safety belt 100 Side airbags 53 Symbols used 4 25, 109
height adjustment 48 Side turn signals checking 25
bulb replacement 130 Tire replacement 110

Tire tread 109 V Washing fluid X

Tools 128 Vacuum cleaner, connect- indicator lamp 19 Xenon lamps 129
Overview
Torque 144 ing 98 Washing vehicle, refer to the
Towing eyelet 140 Variable pre-warning Caring for your vehicle
Towing the vehicle 140 zone 74 brochure
Track 145 Vehicle Water on roadways
Transmission 64 break-in procedures 106 deep water 107
Transporting children starting 61 Wear indicator for tires 109
Controls
safely 55 switching off 63 Weights 146
Tread depth, tires 109 Vehicle battery 137 Wheelbase 145
Tread wear indicator 109 Vehicle Memory 59 Wheels and tires 112
Trip odometer 74 Vehicle weight 146 Wheelslip control, see
Maintenance
Trunk, see Luggage com- Ventilation 90 DSC 81
partment 35 draft-free 93 Width 145
capacity 146 Viscosity 119 Window condensation,
Trunk lid, see Luggage com- Voice Control System, refer removing 92
partment lid 35 to the separate Owner's Windows
Turn signal indicator 70 Manual convenience operation
indicator lamps 20 Voice recognition 22 31, 33
Repairs
replacing bulb 130 defrosting 92
Turning circle 145 W remote control 31
Warning lamp "Please fasten Windshield washer reservoir
U safety belts" 18 filling 118, 147
Uniform Tire Quality Warning lamps 18 Windshield wiper blades,
Grading 111 Warning messages 76 replacing 128
Upholstery care, refer to the Warranty and Service Guide Windshield wipers 71
Data
Caring for your vehicle Booklet 122 Winter tires 112
brochure Warranty, refer also to sepa- Wiper blades, replacing 128
Used batteries 137 rate booklet 6 Work in the engine compart-
Washer fluid ment 114
adding 118, 147
Index
Washer/wiper system 71


Refueling
To ensure that you always have conve- Fuel
nient access to all essential information
when you stop for fuel, we recommend Designation
that you take the time to fill out the
adjoining chart by entering the data that Please enter your preferred fuel here.
apply to your vehicle. Consult the index
for individual specifications.
Engine oil
Quality
The oil quantity between the two marks

on the dipstick is approx.
1.4 US quarts/1.3 liters.
Tire inflation pressure
Summer tires Winter tires
front rear front rear
Up to 4 persons
5 persons or 4 plus luggage

More about BMW
The Ultimate
bmwusa.com Driving Machine
01 41 0 156 842 ue

E46M3ownersmanual PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

E46M3ownersmanual PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

E46M3ownersmanual PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

handbook.

book Page 1 Saturday, July 27, 2002 1:12 PM

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

We are pleased you have decided on a BMW M3.

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Controls and features

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Driving: Technology for safety and Loading and transporting:

Controls and features

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Owner service procedures

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Everything from A to Z 150

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

1 Parking lamps/Low beams 86

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

18 Indicator and warning lamps

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Indicator and warning lamps 19

20 Indicator and warning lamps

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Indicator and warning lamps 21

Blue: for your information

22 Steering wheel with multifunction buttons

Switch between phone, radio, cassette

Cruise control: select a stored setting.

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Hazard warning triangle* First-aid kit* 23

Fuel filler door Simple and environmentally

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Refueling Fuel specifications Tire inflation pressure 25

Close the fuel filler cap carefully Use unleaded gasoline

26 Tire inflation pressure

Comply with tire approval

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Tire inflation pressure 27

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Opening and closing

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Opening and closing – via the remote control 31

The concept Master keys with remote control

32 Opening and closing – via the remote control

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Opening and closing – via the door lock 33

Whenever closing the windows or

You can have a signal set to con-

34 Opening and closing – from the inside

To unlock and open the doors

Online Edition for Part-No. 01 41 0 156 842 - © 09/02 BMW AG

Luggage compartment lid 35