1998 BMW CONVERTIBLE Owners Manual

13 6
CareThe appearance and life of the convert-
ible top are highly dependent on its
proper care and operation. You should
pay particular attention to the following
instructions if your care has a light-col-
ored top.
Protect the vehicle from exposure to
intense sunlight whenever possible by
parking it in the shade to prevent the
paint, rubber and fabric-covered parts
from being attacked.
Never fold up the convertible top and
store it in the convertible top compart-
ment when wet, dirty or frozen, as mil-
dew stains and rub spots may result.
To prevent the formation of a fold in the
rear window and mildew stains, do not
leave the top folded up in the convert-
ible top compartment for longer peri-
ods.
If the vehicle is temporarily stored in a
close room, ensure that the top is dry
and provide sufficient ventilation.
Clean off bird droppings immediately,
as they attack the convertible top and
cause the rubber seals to swell due to
their caustic characteristics.Besides water, only treat rubber seals
with talcum powder, rubber care prod-
ucts or silicone spray, particularly when
they feel dry or tend to stick.
Noises, e.g., squeaks, can be elimi-
nated with a lubricant spray.
Never use sharp-edged objects to
clean the rear window of snow and ice.
The use of de-icing spray is not permit-
ted. Due to the danger of damage and
discoloration, do not apply adhesive
tape, stickers etc. to the window or
cover it with plastic film.
The convertible top and its seams may
become leaky as the result of improper
care and cleaning and from the strain of
long use, and depressions and dirt can
result. All warranty claims are void in
these cases. Please take your vehicle to
your BMW Retailer for servicing.
Washing your carYou can wash your BMW Convertible in
automatic car washes. Here preference
should be given to brushless systems.
If a brushless car wash is unavailable
and brush car wash must be used,
modern systems with soft brushes are
preferable. Do not select special wax-
ing programs. The small amount of
beading wax always used in automatic
car washes will not harm your vehicle's
finish.
In the case of more extensive dirt,
which is especially visible on light-col-
ored top materials, clean the top with
the BMW Convertible Cleaning Set.
Please proceed as follows:
Spray the top with the cleaning agent
and then rub with a well-dampened
sponge using circular motions until a
foam develops. Then you can finish
washing the vehicle in an automatic car
wash. After three to five washings the
top should be treated with a special
impregnating spray. Please follow the
instructions on the spray can.
Cleaning and care of the convertible top

13 7
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
Never use spot remover, paint thinner,
solvents, gasoline etc. to remove spots
from the convertible top and from the
rear window, as these substances
destroy the rubber seals and lead to
leaks. Use only BMW-approved clean-
ers.
In addition to the advantage of being
extremely flexible, the rear window also
has the disadvantage of having a rela-
tively soft surface. For this reason, only
clean the rear window with a soft, anti-
static cloth or with BMW Convertible
Rear Window Cleaner.
If you wash the vehicle frequently in
brush car washes, and in particular in
those with hard brushes, faint scratches
in the rear window may result. With the
window replacement system you can
replace a heavily scratched window at a
relatively low price. Please contact your
authorized BMW Retailer for additional
information. b
A full range of car-care products is
available from your BMW Retailer.c
a
Cleaning agents can contain sub-
stances that are dangerous or bad for
your health. Therefore always observe
the warnings and danger notices on the
package.
Open the doors or windows on your ve-
hicle when cleaning the interior.
Never clean your vehicle with solvents
or other materials not specifically in-
tended for this application.c
Hardtop:Please follow the instructions for car
care from page 131.If the vehicle is to be temporarily stored
for more than three months, have the
following maintenance performed by
your BMW Retailer:
1 Cleaning, preservation and retreat-
ment of the engine, engine compart-
ment, underbody, axles and
subassemblies in accordance with
the factory speciÞcations. Vehicle
washing with interior cleaning fol-
lowed by paint and chrome care.
Clean rubber seals of the hood, lug-
gage compartment lid and doors and
rub with either talcum powder or
glycerine oil.
2 Change engine oil and oil Þlter at
operating temperature. As an addi-
tional corrosion protection measure,
an anti-corrosive agent can be added
to the engine in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
3 Check the coolant level and concen-
tration and top up if necessary.
4 Check the acid level in the battery
cells and add distilled water if neces-
sary.
5 Increase the tire inßation pressure to
50.9 psi (3.5 bar).
Cleaning and care of the convertible top Vehicle storage

13 8
Conduct the following work immedi-
ately prior to storing the vehicle:
1 Activate the parking brake and foot-
brake to dry them; this will prevent
the brake disks and drums from cor-
roding.
2 Store the vehicle in a dry, well-venti-
lated room, shift into reverse gear or
set the selector lever to position P
and chock the wheels to prevent roll-
ing. Do not set the parking brake.
3 Remove the battery, recharge and
store in a cool, frost-free room.
During storage, recharge the battery
every three months, as otherwise it will
become unusable. Every time the bat-
tery is discharged, especially over
extended periods, its service life is
reduced.
Removing vehicle from storageRecharge the battery and replace if
necessary.
Then have Inspection I carried out by
your BMW Retailer.a
Storage periods during which the
battery is disconnected are not taken
into consideration by the Service Inter-
val Display for changing the brake fluid.
Therefore, make sure that the brake fluid
is changed every two years at the latest,
regardless of the display. Additional
notes: refer to page 128.c
Vehicle storage

At a glance
Controls and featuresCare and maintenanceAdvanced technology
Technical data
Owner service procedure
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
Index
13 9
Replacement procedures:
Onboard tool kit140
Windshield wiper blades140
Lamp and bulbs141
Master key with battery lamp145
Changing tires146
Battery149
Fuses151
In case of electrical
malfunction:
Fuel filler door 152
Sliding/tilt sunroof 152
Assistance, giving and receiving:
Jump-starting153
Towing the vehicle154
Towing154

14 0
Under the luggage compartment lid.
Unscrew the wingnut for access.
Lift the wiper arm, press the locking
spring and pull off the wiper blade, pull-
ing along the wiper arm.
360de114
Onboard tool kit Windshield wiper blade replacement

14 1
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
The lamps and bulbs on your car play a
vital role in ensuring road safety, a fact
which you should always bear in mind
in caring for them. Carefully observe the
following instructions during bulb
replacement, referring any procedures
with which you are not familiar to your
BMW Retailer.b
Never touch the bulb glass of a
new lamp with your bare hands. Use a
clean cloth, paper napkin, etc. or hold
the bulb by its metallic base.c
A replacement bulb set is available from
your BMW Retailer.
a
To prevent short circuits, always
switch off all electrical systems and
components, or disconnect the negative
terminal of the battery, before working
on them.
To prevent injuries and damage, always
observe any instructions provided by
the bulb manufacturer.c
Low and high beamsLow beam: HB4, 55 watts
High beam: HB3, 65 wattsa
Each bulb is pressurized; always
wear gloves and eye protection! Failure
to observe this precaution could lead to
injury if the bulb is accidentally dam-
aged during replacement.c
dTurn the bulb holder to the left and
remove.
dReplace the bulb.
Parking lamp 5 watt bulb
dPress in the upper tab of the bulb
holder to release and remove.
dPull out the bulb holder.
dPull off the bulb and replace.b
Please observe the following
when cleaning the headlamp covers:
dDo not rub them dry and do not apply
scouring or caustic cleaning agents.
dRemove dirt and contamination (such
as insects) by soaking with BMW Car
Shampoo and then rinsing with
plenty of water.
dAlways use a de-icer spray to remove
accumulated ice and snow Ð Never
use a scraper!c
360us089
Bulb replacement

14 2
Front turn signals 21 watt bulb
dRelease the hooks with a screw-
driver.
dRemove the lamp from the front.
dRelease the bulb holder and remove.
dApply gentle pressure to the bulb
while turning it to the left to remove.
dAfter replacing the bulb, re-insert the
lamp and push it back until it
engages audibly twice.
Side turn signals
*
5 watt bulb
dUse finger pressure against the rear
edge of the lens (arrow) to press it
forward for removal.
dPress gently on the bulb and turn it to
the left to remove.
Foglamps
*
H1 55 watt bulb
dRelease the lamp bracket with a
screwdriver.
dPull the foglamp out toward the front
dTurn the plastic cap on the back of
the lamp to the left and remove.
dPull off the plug.
dRelease the wire spring.
dReplace bulb.
dAfter replacing the bulb, guide in the
lamp again and press on Þrmly until it
audibly engages.b
The retainer must be in the "Open"
position, otherwise the foglamp can not
be guided in.c
360de116
360de148
360de117
Bulb replacement

14 3
At a glanceControlsCar careRepairsTechnicalDataIndex
Taillamps 1 Turn signal yellow
21 watt bulb
2 Backup lamp white
21 watt bulb
3 Brake lamp red
21 watt bulb
4 Taillamp red
5 watt bulbdRemove the lamp cover after releas-
ing the locking device.
dOnce you have found the lamp
holder for the defective bulb, push it
gently to the rear while turning to the
left to remove.
dUse the same procedure to remove
the bulb.
Center brake lamp
*
21 watt bulb
dOpen the luggage compartment lid.
dPush the bulb holder's release knob
gently to the rear while turning to the
left to remove.
dUse the same procedure to remove
the bulb.
BMW Convertible:
LED strip in luggage compartment lid.
Please contact a BMW Retailer in the
case of a malfunction.
12
3
4
360us093
360de119
360de120
Bulb replacement